Pune RTI Activist Writes To President About Rise in Bogus Certificates in UPSC Exam

RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar, in a letter to President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday, July 24, urged to set up a Commission headed by a sitting Supreme Court judge to probe the use of bogus certificates in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and other competitive examinations.

New Delhi: Amid the ongoing Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) controversy involving IAS probationer Puja Khedkar, RTI activist from Pune, Vijay Kumbhar on Thursday claimed that there have been numerous candidates, after unsuccessful attempts, who have suddenly presented disability certificates in subsequent attempts, raising serious doubts about their authenticity.

Kumbhar has written to President Droupadi Murmu pointing out that the integrity of examinations processes of UPSC, State PSCs, and other similar examinations has been questioned. “There are also instances of individuals acquiring disability status post-selection, which further casts a shadow on the fairness and transparency of the selection process,” Kumbhar told ETV Bharat.

Kumbhar, whose series of expose on Khedkar had shaken the Indian administrative recruitment system, has called for a setting up of a Commission headed by a sitting Supreme Court judge to probe into the issuance of disability and other certificates and the involvement of others in this process.

“There has been undermining of the integrity of our esteemed competitive examination processes, including the UPSC, State PSCs, and other similar examinations. There has been a disconcerting rise in the misuse of fraudulent certificates—pertaining to caste, disability, sports, and other special categories—used to gain undue advantages, such as enhanced marks or concessions, ultimately leading to unfair job acquisitions or promotions,” he said.

Kumbhar also demanded rigorous verification of such certificates before the publication of examination results. Immediate seizure and safeguarding of all pertinent documents and records to prevent tampering or destruction besides scrutiny of the assets and income declarations of candidates claiming non-creamy layer status to ensure compliance with the eligibility criteria, Kumbhar mentioned in his letter to the President.

Regarding Khedekar, Kumbhar mentioned in his letter that a pertinent case in point is that of Ms. Pooja Khedkar, who secured her position as an IAS officer under the OBC non-creamy layer category. "Her father’s recent election affidavit reveals an income and wealth amounting to Rs 40 crores, which starkly contradicts her eligibility for the non-creamy layer benefits. Furthermore, despite her claims of mental illness and multiple disabilities, Ms Khedkar has repeatedly evaded medical examinations, yet she succeeded in qualifying for the IAS. This anomaly necessitates a thorough and impartial investigation,” the letter read.

Khedkar's IAS training has been suspended due to her conduct during district training, highlighting the pressing need for a thorough investigation into her qualifications and the validity of her certificates, he mentioned in the letter to the President.