After Puja Khedkar case, UPSC to verify candidate certificates through DigiLocker to curb cheating, misuse: Chairman

Asked about cheating in exams and the case of former IAS trainee Puja Khedkar, who is accused of misusing disability and OBC certificates for appearing in the Civil Services Examination (CSE), Kumar said: “We are very clear on this. We have absolutely zero tolerance to cheating.” He said candidates caught cheating in exams were suspended for at least three years and in the case of criminal cheating, legal action was taken too.

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“Puja Khedkar is facing action. The strictest possible action will be taken as per rules,” he said.

On the issue of fake certificates, Kumar said the UPSC will soon start taking certificates through DigiLocker, the government’s cloud-based document storage and verification platform. Candidates submit a range of certificates, including on caste, benchmark disability and income for availing reservation in various categories.

“Many times questions arise whether the certificates submitted have been issued by the issuing authority or not. We are going to soon start taking these certificates through DigiLocker so that the authenticity is maintained,” he said.

Khedkar, who was selected in the CSE 2022, was accused of appearing for the exam though the permitted nine attempts were over. She was allegedly able to do so as she changed her own and her parents’ names to appear as a different candidate. UPSC had in 2024 cancelled her candidature for the 2022 CSE and debarred her from appearing for exams in the future. The Department of Personnel and Training discharged her from the IAS after finding her ineligible to be a candidate in 2022. She denies the charge and is contesting the decision in court.

In the hour-long session, Kumar answered candidates’ questions on a range of issues, including on topics of age limit and number of attempts being changed. There was no such proposal before the UPSC, he said. Asked if candidates with an engineering background had an advantage, Kumar said the questions were evenly balanced between language, quantitative and logic portions, and highlighted that the majority of engineering students selected in UPSC opt for humanities subjects for the exam.

Responding to aspirants’ concern over alleged discrimination based on background, he said the UPSC was neutral. “About 80-90% of the selected candidates come from Tier 2 and 3 cities and rural areas,” he said, when asked if candidates from urban areas were given preference.