Trainee IAS Officer Pooja Khedkar Debarred For Multiple Exam Attempts And MisrepresentationÂ
Trainee IAS Officer Pooja Khedkar Debarred For Multiple Exam Attempts And MisrepresentationÂ
Trainee IAS officer Pooja Khedkar has been permanently debarred from appearing in the UPSC exam following allegations of misconduct and misrepresentation. Khedkar, who was selected as an IAS officer in 2022, reportedly took the Central Public Service Commission exam 12 times, despite the limit of nine attempts allowed for candidates from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.
It has been revealed that Khedkar managed to take the exam multiple times by changing her name, as well as the names of her parents, on different occasions. She appeared nine times as Khedkar Pooja Diliparao and three times as Pooja Manorama Dilip Khedkar. Her father’s name was altered seven times to Khedkar Diliprao Kondiba, twice to Khedkar Dilip K, and once each to Dilip Khedkar and Dilip K. Khedkar. Similarly, her mother’s name was changed four times to Khedkar Manorama Diliprao, three times to Budhwant Manorama Jagannath, twice to Budhwant Manorama J., and three times to Manorama Budhwant.
Khedkar’s conduct raised concerns not only at the Pune Collectorate but also at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie, where she was issued eight memos for misbehavior. The state government’s report deemed her unfit to serve as an IAS officer and highlighted the seriousness of her actions.
Further investigation revealed that Khedkar availed a non-creamy layer certificate from the OBC category in 2022. Questions arose regarding the validity of this certificate, given that her father, Dilip Khedkar, retired as a Class 1 officer from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, and his income was likely above the Rs 8 lakh per annum threshold.
The Personal Training Department’s notice confirmed that Khedkar’s actions amounted to cheating the UPSC, leading to her permanent debarment. The report also clarified that Khedkar had attempted to exploit the multi-disabled sub-category within the OBC category.
This decision underscores the commitment to maintaining integrity and fairness in the selection process for one of the country’s most prestigious services.
