The controversy surrounding IAS probationer Puja Khedkar's OBC and disability status has sparked widespread debate and unearthed broader issues within India's civil services. Allegations of fraudulent disability claims by numerous IAS and IPS officers have gained traction on social media, prompting a call for comprehensive investigations.
This scandal highlights potential lapses in the integrity of India's bureaucratic framework, raising serious concerns about the integrity of verification systems for OBC and EWS quotas and disability reservations.
The Rise of Allegations
The controversy began with social media users posting allegations against several IAS and IPS officers, with activists posting screenshots of lists detailing officers with special category-based candidatures such as OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) or EWS (Economically Weaker Section). These posts included screenshots of lists of officers allegedly falsifying documents to secure positions. This social media campaign has prompted a call for a comprehensive investigation into these claims by many All India Services officers.
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The Social Media Outcry
Social media has become a battleground with hundreds of posts accusing officers of document forgery. Users have shared photos, financial statuses, and family backgrounds of those implicated, raising questions about the effectiveness of the verification system for OBC, EWS quotas, and disability reservations. Allegations have also surfaced about genuine OBC and EWS candidates being unfairly excluded from the All India Services despite securing valid ranks, undermining the reservation system, and depriving deserving candidates of opportunities.
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Experts' Warnings
Experts have warned that these accusations, if proven true, indicate a significant decline in the integrity of India's civil services. The bureaucratic "steel frame" of the country appears to be "rusting", with fraudulent practices undermining the reservation system and depriving deserving candidates of opportunities.
Training Put On Hold Amid Allegations
At the heart of this controversy is Puja Khedkar, whose alleged misuse of power and privileges has led to her training being suspended. She has been recalled to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie, marking the first significant action taken against her amid accusations of certificate manipulation.
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Official Response
The General Administration Department released a statement saying, "You are hereby relieved from the District Training Programme of the State Government of Maharashtra," signaling serious concerns over Khedkar’s actions and the need for further investigation.
Controversies Surrounding Puja Khedkar
The series of incidents and revelations surrounding Puja Khedkar’s candidature has ignited a broader debate over India’s most esteemed and prestigious selection process by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), which builds the country’s ‘steel frame’.
Here's a look at the controversies surrounding Puja Khedkar:
1. Use of Red-Blue Beacon
Puja Khedkar, posted as an assistant collector in Pune, was found availing facilities to which trainee officers are not entitled. The Audi car driven by Puja, registered in the name of a private company, was seen using a red-blue beacon. Additionally, the private car had a board labeled "Maharashtra Government."
Photos of the vehicle went viral, bringing the officer into the spotlight. The car also had 21 pending challans and fines amounting to ₹26,000. Police have stated that using beacons on private cars is a violation of traffic rules.
2. Fake Certificates Accusations
Puja Khedkar, a 2003-batch IAS officer, faces accusations of using fraudulent means to clear exams, including misrepresenting herself under the physical disabilities and OBC categories. She reportedly submitted several medical certificates to the UPSC, one indicating visual impairment under the Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) provision.
However, Puja had submitted a fitness certificate when securing admission to a private medical college in 2007. Dr. Arvind Bhore, director of the Kashibai Navale Medical College in Pune, told ABP Majha that the medical fitness certificate submitted by Puja did not mention any disability, physical or mental, when she joined the college in 2007.
3. Misusing Office
Puja is also accused of misusing her office while posted in Pune. She allegedly occupied the ante-chamber of Additional Collector Ajay More without permission, removed office furniture, and requested unauthorized facilities. In a WhatsApp chat with the collector's office, she demanded a cabin and staff even before joining, to "plan things accordingly."
Reports suggest that her father, Dilip Khedkar, a former Maharashtra government employee who unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha elections on the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi ticket, pressured the District Collector's office to fulfill his daughter's demands.
4. Putting Pressure on Cop
In May 2018, Puja Khedkar allegedly tried to pressure a DCP-rank officer to release a man held in a theft case at Panvel police station. The Navi Mumbai police reported the incident to the Maharashtra government. However, since it was not confirmed if Khedkar herself had called, despite identifying herself during the phone call, the accused was not released.
5. Mother's Viral Video
While Puja is already facing criticism, an old video of her mother, Manorama Khedkar, brandishing a gun while arguing with a farmer over a land dispute went viral. When the police went to their residence in Pune, she did not let them inside and reportedly threatened them. Police have launched a manhunt for her parents.
6. Discrepancies in the Name and Age
While the investigation into the allegations against her is ongoing, reports indicate discrepancies in the name and age of Puja Khedkar as per her Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) application. A report by the Marathi newspaper Sakal raised questions about whether she exceeded the age limits for the exam.
According to the rules, general category candidates can appear for the exam a maximum of six times, while those from OBC and PwBD categories can appear nine times. The report states that until 2020-21, Puja Khedkar took the exam under the name Puja Diliprao Khedkar.
However, in 2021-22, after exceeding all attempts, she reportedly made two more attempts using the name Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar. Additionally, her age was stated as 30 in 2020, but in 2023, it was listed as 31.
Understanding Non-Creamy Layer OBC Reservation
Reservation has been a contentious issue in India, aimed at uplifting historically marginalized communities, including the Other Backward Classes (OBC), Scheduled Castes (SC), and Scheduled Tribes (ST).
The Mandal Commission recommended 27% reservation for OBCs in government jobs and educational institutions in 1980, implemented in 1992. This policy was refined for the highly competitive All India Services (AIS), with a focus on non-creamy layer OBCs.
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UPSC Regulations
The UPSC stipulates that reservation is made for OBC candidates as per government vacancies, with no reservation or relaxation for OBC candidates from the creamy layer. Candidates must submit an OBC certificate issued by authorities such as district magistrates or collectors.
Disability Reservation in Civil Services
The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 mandates a 4% reservation in government jobs for PwD candidates, covering 21 categories of disabilities, including blindness, deafness, and locomotor disability. The UPSC allocates 4% of total vacancies for persons with disabilities across different categories.
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Allegations of Faking Disabilities
Some officers have been accused of faking disabilities, particularly locomotor disabilities, which restrict a person’s movement due to conditions like polio, muscle dystrophy, spinal injury, or amputation.
Reforms and Recommendations
Retired and serving bureaucrats are calling for stronger verification mechanisms to ensure the authenticity of OBC and disability certificates. They recommend the use of technology, such as digital certificates and databases, to improve the verification process and reduce fraud. Stricter verification processes and harsher penalties for those found guilty of falsifying documents are also being advocated.
The allegations against Puja Khedkar and other officers have highlighted significant flaws in the reservation and verification systems within India's civil services. Addressing these issues is crucial to maintaining the integrity of the country's bureaucratic framework and ensuring that deserving candidates receive their rightful opportunities.
With inputs from agencies
Image Source: Multiple agencies
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