Puja Khedkar Row: How did IAS trainee exceed the number of attempts?

Puja Kedkar, who secured an All India Rank (AIR) of 821 in the UPSC exam, has been accused of providing fake disability and Other Backward Class (OBC) certificates to clear the civil services exam. According to media reports, she had also submitted a mental illness certificate. In April 2022, she was asked to report at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, for verification of her disability certificate, but she did not do so, citing Covid infection, PTI reported. Controversy erupted when she used her private Audi car with a red-blue beacon light and VIP number plate. In 2020, she filled out the form as Dr. Khedkar Puja Diliprao, aged 30. And in 2023, she changed her name to Miss Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar, aged 31. She fraudulently availed attempts beyond the permissible limit under the examination rules by faking her identity by way of changing her name, her father’s and mother’s name, photograph, signature, her email ID, mobile number and address. 

The UPSC age limit for the General category candidates is 21 to 32 years. For eligibility in the UPSC examination, candidates must meet the age criteria specified as follows: they must be at least 21 years old and not more than 32 years old as of August 1, 2024. In this article, we will inform you about the number of attempts a candidate can make for UPSC. 
 

Puja Khedkar Row: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) in connection with  civil services examination attempts
 

What are the number of attempts available (category-wise) for the candidates for the Civil Services Examination?

The number of attempts available (category-wise) for the candidates for the Civil Services Examination as follows:

General/EWS: 06 

SC /ST: Unlimited 

OBC: 09  

PwBD: 09 for General/EWS/OBC Unlimited for SC/ST
 

How an ‘attempt’ is counted in the Civil Services Examination?

An attempt at the Preliminary Examination is considered an attempt at the Civil Services Examination:

(I) If a candidate actually appears in any one paper in the Preliminary Examination.

(II) Notwithstanding the disqualification/cancellation of candidature, the fact of appearance of the candidate at the examination is counted as an attempt.
 

How would an aspirant know the number of attempts already availed by him/her in the Civil Services Examination?

It is the primary responsibility of the candidate to keep a record/track of the number of attempts availed by him/her.

What is the procedure followed by the Commission in verifying that the candidate has not exceeded the attempts allowed in the respective category in the Civil Services Examination?

The number of attempts availed by a candidate in the Civil Services Examination is checked/verified from the available data/records with the Commission at the appropriate stage of this examination. However, according to reports, she actually cracked the exam at the age of 33 years.