Former IAS trainee officer Puja Khedkar has requested the Delhi High Court to exclude seven of her twelve attempts at the highly competitive Civil Services entrance exam, citing her physical disability. Khedkar has produced a Maharashtra hospital certificate that diagnoses her with an “old ACL tear with left knee instability,” claiming a 47% disability, which exceeds the government’s 40% threshold for the ‘divyang’ (persons with disabilities) category.
Khedkar has asked that only her attempts made under the ‘divyang’ category be counted, arguing that the seven attempts in the general category should be disregarded. If accepted, this adjustment would reduce her total number of attempts to five, which is within the limit for persons with disabilities and one less than the number permitted for general category candidates.
The case has garnered significant attention due to allegations that Khedkar falsified documents and misrepresented her physical and mental health conditions. It was revealed in June that she had secured unauthorized benefits, including a siren and government stickers for her private vehicle, raising further questions about her conduct.
Khedkar is currently seeking anticipatory bail, having faced criminal charges including forgery and cheating. Her initial plea for bail was denied by a lower court on August 1, but the Delhi High Court has granted temporary protection from arrest while it reviews her case. The police argue that granting bail could undermine the integrity of the civil services examination and the UPSC, which has labeled Khedkar’s actions as fraudulent.
The UPSC has accused Khedkar of altering her name and that of her parents to evade examination limits and has accused her of fraudulently obtaining additional attempts. Khedkar, however, contends that only her middle name was changed and insists that her documents were verified and found to be authentic through biometric data.
Khedkar has also challenged the UPSC’s authority to revoke her selection, asserting that such actions should be within the purview of the union government’s Department of Personnel and Training, as she was already appointed as a probationary officer.
As the Delhi High Court deliberates, the outcome of Khedkar’s plea will likely have implications for the broader examination and selection process for IAS officers.
