TNFNew Delhi/ TNF
On September 7, the central government dismissed former IAS trainee Pooja Khedkar from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) with immediate effect. This action was taken under Rule 12 of the IAS (Probation) Rules, 1954.
Pooja Khedkar, who was a trainee in the 2023 batch and had secured the 841st rank in the CSE-2022, was in training since June 2024. She faced allegations of providing incorrect information to gain reservation benefits in the civil service exam. The UPSC’s investigation found her guilty of these charges, leading to the cancellation of her selection on July 31. Additionally, she has been barred from appearing in any future UPSC exams.
On August 28, Khedkar argued in the Delhi High Court that the UPSC did not have the authority to take action against her, as her documents had been verified by the commission during the personality test on May 26, 2022. However, on September 5, she offered to undergo a disability examination at AIIMS, following a police report alleging that one of her disability certificates might be fraudulent.
Delhi Police had filed a status report in the High Court on September 4, revealing that one of the two disability certificates submitted by Khedkar, purportedly issued by a medical authority in Ahmednagar, was likely forged. The Ahmednagar Medical Authority confirmed that it did not issue the certificate in question.
The case has caused considerable legal and political ripples. On July 31, after the UPSC’s decision to cancel Khedkar’s selection, she faced significant legal challenges. The Delhi High Court granted her interim bail, with the next hearing scheduled for September 26, allowing her to remain free from arrest until then.
In a related development, Khedkar had claimed on August 30 that she is 47% disabled and requested that only her attempts under the disability category be considered, excluding her general category attempts. She had argued that her medical documents, confirming an old ACL injury and instability in her left knee, should be recognized.
The controversy surrounding Pooja Khedkar highlights ongoing issues within the IAS probation process and has brought significant attention to the scrutiny and verification processes involved in civil service examinations.
