‘Attempted Exam 12 Times, But Only 5 Should Count’: Puja Khedkar Appeals to Court

New Delhi: Former IAS trainee officer Puja Khedkar has petitioned the Delhi High Court to exclude seven of her 12 attempts at the Civil Services entrance exam. She claims these should be disregarded due to her physical disability, as she has a Maharashtra hospital certificate diagnosing her with an “old ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tear with left knee instability.”

Khedkar asserts a 47% disability, surpassing the government’s benchmark of 40% and requests that only attempts under the ‘divyang’ category—designated for persons with disabilities—be considered. If accepted, her valid attempts would reduce to five, which is within the permissible limit for disabled candidates and below the cap for general category candidates.

Khedkar is facing allegations of falsifying disability claims, changing her name and forging an OBC certificate to pass the exam. Her actions came under scrutiny after reports surfaced in June of her demanding undue benefits, including using a siren and a ‘Government of Maharashtra’ sticker on her private vehicle.

The Delhi High Court is currently hearing Khedkar’s anticipatory bail plea, following the rejection of her earlier plea by a lower court. The police have argued against granting bail, citing concerns over the integrity of the UPSC exam and an ongoing investigation into what they describe as a “deep-rooted conspiracy.”

The UPSC has accused Khedkar of committing fraud by changing her name and that of her parents to secure additional attempts at the exam. Khedkar has denied these claims, stating that only her middle name was changed, which she argues does not constitute a major alteration. She also contends that the UPSC lacks the authority to revoke her selection, as she had already been appointed as a probationary officer.