Clean up UPSC

The Pooja Khedkar case exposes chinks in the commission’s process that must be plugged immediately to preserve its integrity

When the NEET examinations paper leak was exposed, causing turmoil across the country with youths protesting in the streets and courts of law, many wondered why the National Testing Agency didn't take a cue from the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), which has conducted examinations for decades without a single accusation of paper leak. For the last several decades, UPSC, an autonomous body under the central government, has conducted a series of examinations without a finger raised against it for the flawless manner of conducting examinations.

However, the recent actions of Indian Administrative Service probationer Pooja Manorama Dilip Khedkar have finally exposed the chinks that exist in the UPSC functioning. The aura of infallibility surrounding the UPSC has taken a beating. Though the UPSC must address these concerns, the damage to its reputation may linger.

That Pooja Khedkar could successfully deceive the Commission by “fraudulently availing attempts beyond the permissible limit provided for in the examination rules, by faking her identity,” speaks volumes about her mindset. With 47 per cent multiple disability, as argued by her counsel Bina Madhavan in a Delhi court, she successfully completed her training at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) on being selected under the Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) quota. 

The fact that she evaded medical examination at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi six times yet gained entry into the LBSNAA suggests a deeper issue. When her basic eligibility itself was questionable, how did she receive even a provisional letter of appointment to the IAS and proceed to basic training at LBSNAA?

This raises suspicions of a deliberate oversight by certain officials. While action has been taken against Pooja Khedkar by cancelling her candidature, a thorough inquiry is called for to identify the loopholes in the recruitment process and plug them. Officials responsible for her fraudulent entry need to be identified and held accountable as their actions deprived another eligible candidate of a rightful place in the IAS. This was not the first instance of a candidate evading an AIIMS medical examination. Candidates have earlier unsuccessfully approached the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) to be medically examined elsewhere.

It is intriguing that when Pooja Khedkar petitioned the CAT in 2021 to increase the number of attempts by PwBDs in the Civil Services Examination (CSE), the CAT ruled that since she repeatedly failed to appear before the medical board of AIIMS on six occasions, “her candidature is liable to be cancelled”. Despite the CAT ruling, no serious efforts were made to prevent her from appearing in the examination in 2022, in which she qualified. Why was the CAT ruling overlooked? While denying her anticipatory bail, the Additional Sessions Judge of a Delhi court commented that an insider within UPSC may have “aided” her. The Delhi High Court, which had earlier granted her interim protection from arrest till August 21, extended it to September 5, the next date of hearing.

The UPSC Chairman Manoj Soni has meanwhile submitted his resignation, and Preeti Sudan, a 1983 batch retired IAS officer, has taken over. She now has the heavy responsibility of revising the existing standard operating procedures. She would do well to identify the existing loopholes in the State Public Service Commissions too, which have often been embroiled in controversies, in order to plug such loopholes that may have gone unnoticed in UPSC examinations.

Recently, a special court in Guwahati sentenced a former chairman of the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC), Rakesh Paul, to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment for accepting bribes from candidates to recruit them as Agriculture Development Officers. Two other members of APSC were sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, while 29 candidates who paid bribes were sentenced to four years imprisonment.

To prevent unfair means by candidates, CCTVs with the facility of live recording for general surveillance are being installed in examination halls and storage rooms.

A robust vigilance cell in UPSC manned by personnel of proven integrity and high moral rectitude should be tasked to monitor and check all cases of fraud and cheating. Degrees and certificates can be verified before issuing appointment letters to the successful candidates. Monitoring of physical disabilities can also be done at the LBSNAA by the officials/faculty there.

UPSC has expressed its helplessness to verify documents of successful candidates since it does not have the wherewithal for verification. In view of the Pooja Khedkar case, it must explore ways to get all documents verified before the DoPT sends offers of appointment to civil services. A provisional offer of appointments needs to be done away with.

(The writer is Inspector General of Police (retd), CRPF)