DoP&T rejects RTI plea for data on disabled UPSC candidates’ certificates, Maharashtra Congress leader says will file PIL

Akshay Jain, the general secretary of Maharashtra State Youth Congress, filed an RTI plea in light of the Puja Khedkar controversy.

Jain had initially filed an RTI plea with the UPSC on July 22 in light of the Puja Khedkar controversy. Khedkar was discharged as an IAS probationer by the UPSC in September due to alleged forgery in certificates and multiple attempts to crack the service by changing her name.

Maharashtra Youth Congress leader Akshay Jain has said that the Department of Personnel & Training (DoP&T) has denied his request under the Right to Information (RTI) Act for details of the disability certificates of candidates selected in the Civil Services Exam conducted by the Union Public Service Commission. Jain, the general secretary of Maharashtra State Youth Congress, has said that he will now file a public interest litigation before the Supreme Court on this matter.

The DoP&T said the information sought by Jain “contains the personal information of the third party, the disclosure of which may cause unwarranted invasion of the privacy of the individual”.

“IAS officers are public officials so their disability certificates cannot be a private matter. I filed an RTI with the UPSC to obtain the disability certificates of candidates under the disability quota from 2016 to 2024 and a list of their allotment, which was then partially transferred to DoP&T. UPSC said the allotment details for handicapped candidates are not separately maintained but are a part of the CSE result available online, and the DoP&T refused to provide the disability certificates on grounds of privacy,” he said. The UPSC replied to Jain’s plea on August 21 and the DoP&T on September 3.

“I filed this application after listening to discussions on people taking unfair advantage of the disability quota after the Puja Khedkar incident. Even the UPSC’s press release dated July 19th mentions that Khedkar changed her parent’s name, photo, etc to appear for multiple attempts but does not say she faked her disability certificate. This shows that UPSC has something to hide,” he alleged.

Soham Shah

Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting. Professional Background Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune. Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights, and state politics. Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories: 1. Investigations & Governance "Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents. "44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families. 2. Education & Campus Life Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University. "Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial. "Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers. 3. Human Rights & Social Issues "Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India. "'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting issues of disability and cyber-bullying. Signature Style Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized—whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions). He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune issues to larger national conversations about law and liberty. X (Twitter): @SohamShah07 ... Read More

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