NEW DELHI โ Puja Khedkar, a former IAS probationer, has been discharged from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) following allegations of fraudulently securing her position by exploiting OBC and disability quotas. The Centre issued the discharge order on September 6, 2024, under Rule 12 of the IAS (Probation) Rules, 1954, which allows the government to remove probationers found ineligible or unsuitable for service.
Khedkar, who was serving as a probationary IAS officer in Maharashtra, has refuted the allegations. However, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) had already cancelled her candidature on July 31, 2024, and barred her from appearing in future exams. The UPSCโs decision came after findings that Khedkar had violated examination rules by appearing in the 2021 exam despite exhausting her attempts in 2020.
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Both the UPSC and the Delhi Police have opposed Khedkarโs anticipatory bail plea, arguing that she deceived not only the commission but also the public. They claim that granting her bail would disrupt the investigation into what they describe as a โdeep-rooted conspiracyโ that could undermine public trust in the civil services examination process.
The case has sparked widespread debate about the integrity of the civil services examination system and the measures needed to prevent such incidents in the future. As the investigation continues, the public and authorities alike are keenly watching the developments.
