The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Friday took significant action against probationary IAS officer Pooja Khedkar, including the registration of a police case for allegedly faking her identity to avail additional attempts in the civil services exam. The Commission also issued a Show Cause Notice to cancel her candidature for the Civil Services Examination-2022 and to bar her from future exams and selections.

Khedkar, a 2023 batch Indian Administrative Service officer, was accused of misusing her power and privileges during her recent training in Pune.

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The investigation revealed that Khedkar fraudulently availed additional attempts beyond the permissible limit by faking her identity. This included altering her name, her father's and mother's names, her photograph/signature, email ID, mobile number, and address.

"UPSC conducted a detailed and thorough investigation into the misdemeanour of Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar, a provisionally recommended candidate for the Civil Services Examination 2022. From this investigation it has been revealed that she fraudulently availed attempts beyond the permissible limit under the Examination Rules by faking her identity by way of changing her name, her father’s & mother’s name, her photograph/ signature, her email ID, mobile number and address," the commission said in an official statement.

The UPSC has, therefore, initiated a series of actions against her, including criminal prosecution by filing a FIR with the police authorities and has issued "a Show Cause Notice for cancellation of her candidature of the Civil Services Examination-2022/debarment from future examinations/ selections, in accordance with the Rules of the Civil Services Examination-2022," it said.