Upsc

HC extends interim protection from arrest for Puja Khedkar till Oct 4

The Delhi High Court on Thursday extended till October 4 the interim protection from arrest granted to former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar in the criminal case lodged against her for alleged cheating and wrongly availing OBC and disability quota benefits in civil services examination. Justice Chandra Dhari Singh deferred hearing on her plea seeking anticipatory bail after a request was made by her lawyer. Counsel for the Delhi Police urged the court to allow a short adjournment, saying a "larger conspiracy has come to light", which involves forgery and creation of documents. "At request of counsel for the petitioner, list on October 4. Interim order to continue," Justice Singh said. Khedkar is accused of allegedly misrepresenting information in her application for the UPSC Civil Services Examination, 2022 to get reservation benefits. She has denied all allegations. Khedkar's lawyer on Thursday sought more time from the court to file a response to the UPSC's allegation that she ..

Rau's IAS case: Court grants interim bail to coaching's CEO, coordinator

A Delhi court on Monday granted till December 7 interim bail to Rau's IAS Study Circle CEO Abhishek Gupta and its coordinator Deshpal Singh in a case related to the death of three civil services aspirants in July in the centre's flooded basement. Principal District and Sessions Judge Anju Bajaj Chandna granted relief to the accused persons on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh each with two sureties of the like amount. The judge also directed Gupta to deposit Rs 2.5 crore till November 30 with Red Cross Society, saying that as per the lease agreement of the premises, the accused being the lessee and CEO of the institute alone, would responsible for any loss claim, and damages to any person or material. The judge noted that Gupta and Singh were CEO and coordinator of Rau's IAS Study Circle, respectively, and were in control of its affairs.

National Consumer Helpline facilitates Rs 1 cr refund to coaching students

The National Consumer Helpline (NCH) has facilitated a refund of Rs 1 crore in enrolment fees to students and aspirants of various competitive exams, including UPSC Civil Services and IIT entrance, the government said on Sunday. The refunds were processed at a pre-litigation stage following intervention by the Consumer Affairs Ministry after students from across the country raised grievances against coaching centres offering classes for various competitive exams. Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare said, "This action reaffirms our commitment to ensure that coaching institutions adhere to fair practices and honour the rights of consumers." The NCH initiated a drive to resolve these grievances on a mission-mode after receiving numerous complaints regarding unfair practices by coaching centres, particularly their refusal to refund enrolment fees, an official statement said. NCH received 16,276 grievances from students in 2023-2024, up from 5,351 in 2022-2023 and 4,815 in 2021-2022.

UPSC Mains 2024: Timings, schedule, admit card and other documents to carry

The UPSC Mains 2024 exams are scheduled to take place on September 20, 21, 22, 28, and 29. The first shift will start from 9 am to 12 noon, while the other session from 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm

HC seeks Puja Khedkar's response to UPSC's perjury claim in bail case

The Delhi High Court on Thursday sought the stand of Puja Khedkar on the UPSC's allegation that the former IAS probationer committed perjury by making a false statement in relation to her anticipatory bail plea. Justice Subramaniam Prasad asked Khedkar to file her reply to the Commission's application, which is filed in the proceedings on her pre-arrest bail plea. "I will issue notice. File your reply," Justice Prasad told Khedkar's counsel, and listed the matter for hearing on September 26. Khedkar has been accused of cheating and wrongly availing Other Backward Classes (OBC) and disability quota benefits in civil services examination. She has denied all allegations against her. In its application filed through lawyer Vardhman Kaushik, the UPSC submitted that Khedkar, in her rejoinder, made an "absolutely false" statement on affidavit that the Commission had collected her biometrics during personality tests. Seeking initiation of inquiry and appropriate proceedings against her f

Coaching Centre deaths: Time for admin to wake up from slumber, says HC

It is time for the administration to wake up from "deep slumber" and take appropriate steps to address the condition of city's coaching centres, the Delhi High Court has said, while granting interim bail till November 30 to four co-owners of the basement of an Old Rajinder Nagar building that housed a coaching centre where three civil services aspirants drowned in July. Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma, in the order passed on September 13 on the bail applications of the accused, lamented the administration's "callous attitude", saying said such "incidents keep on happening" and innocent people lose their lives because of "mischievous people" who only want to earn money. Children from across the country come to the capital for their education and it is unfortunate that coaching centre owners have no care for such innocent lives, the judge said in the order released on the court's website. Justice Sharma urged the Lieutenant Governor (LG) to appoint a committee, preferably under a former .

UPSC Mains Admit Card 2024 released at upsc.gov.in; Know how to download

UPSC Mains Admit Card: Candidates appearing for Civil Services Main Examination 2024 can download the admit card through the official website of UPSC at upsc.gov.in and also through upsconline.nic.in

UPSC Mains Admit Card 2024 to be out soon, here's all you need to know

The UPSC has notified a total of 1,056 vacancies for CSE and 150 for IFoS in 2024, which is lower than last year's 1,105 posts, while in 2020 and 2021, it was 796 and 712, respectively

UPSC aspirants case: HC reserves order on bail plea of basement owners

Recently, the trial court denied bail to the four co-owners and said that the liability of the co-owners stemmed from their illegal act of allowing the basement to be used as a coaching institute

Delhi HC asks Puja Khedkar to respond to UPSC's plea claiming perjury

Justice Jyoti Singh issued notice to Khedkar on the UPSC's application and granted her three weeks to file reply to it.

Puja Khedkar case: Ex-probationer sacked from IAS with immediate effect

The central government has discharged Puja Khedkar, former probationary civil servant, from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) with immediate effect, official sources said on Saturday. Khedkar has been accused of cheating and wrongly availing Other Backward Classes (OBC) and disability quota benefits to ensure her selection in the service. She has denied all allegations. The central government, vide order dated September 6, 2024, discharged Khedkar from the Indian Administrative Service under Rule 12 of IAS (Probation) Rules, 1954, with immediate effect, the sources said. The rules allow the central government to discharge probationers from service if they fail "to pass the re-examination..." or "if the central government is satisfied that the probationer was ineligible for recruitment to the Service or is unsuitable for being a member of the Service", among others. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) had on July 31 cancelled her candidature and debarred her from future

UPSC receives 30 complaints amid Pooja Khedkar controversy over credentials

UPSC has forwarded these complaints to the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT), while it remains embroiled in legal disputes with Pooja Khedkar

Willing to get disability examined in Aiims, Puja Khedkar tells Delhi HC

Former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar on Thursday told Delhi High Court she was willing to get herself medically examined in AIIMS, after the city police claimed that one of her disability certificates may be "forged" and "fabricated". Khedkar, who has been accused of cheating and wrongly availing Other Backward Classes (OBC) and disability quota benefits, made the submission while the court was dealing with her anticipatory bail plea in the criminal case. "I am willing to get myself medically examined. First they say I changed my name. Now they say disability is questionable. I am willing to go to AIIMS," the senior counsel appearing for Khedkar said. Justice Subramonium Prasad listed the matter for further hearing on September 26, recording that the police have prayed for 10 more days for further investigation. Khedkar's interim protection of arrest granted by the high court will continue till then. The Delhi Police counsel argued that Khedkar "concealed facts" while attempting th

Coaching centre deaths: Delhi HC seeks CBI's reply on co-owners' bail plea

Recently, the trial court denied bail to the four co-owners and said that the liability of the co-owners stemmed from their illegal act

CCPA slaps Rs 5 lakh fine on Shankar IAS Academy for misleading ads

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a Rs 500,000 fine on Shankar IAS Academy for misleading advertisements related to the 2022 civil service exam, the regulator said on Sunday. The CCPA, led by Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare, found that the coaching institute made false claims about its success rate and the nature of courses taken by successful candidates. In its advertisement for the 2022 UPSC Civil Service exam, Shankar IAS Academy claimed "336 selections out of 933 at All India Level", "40 candidates in Top 100", and "2 candidates have cleared from Tamil Nadu, of which 37 studied at Shankar IAS Academy". The institute also advertised itself as the "Best IAS Academy in India". However, the CCPA discovered that Shankar IAS Academy "deliberately concealed" information about the specific courses taken by the successful candidates it advertised for. "This practice consequently attracts consumers into buying paid courses advertised by the coaching institutes,"

Owner knowingly used coaching basement for commercial purpose: CBI to court

The owner of Rau's IAS study circle coaching institute where three UPSC aspirants drowned due to waterlogging in old Rajinder Nagar on July 27 "knowingly" used the basement for commercial purpose in contravention of the usage approved by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the CBI has alleged. In light of the "seriousness" of the allegations, the CBI sought special court's permission for "custodial interrogation" of coaching institute owner Abhishek Gupta and other accused Deshpal Singh, Harvinder Singh, Parvinder Singh, Sarabjeet Singh and Tajinder Singh who have been in judicial custody. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Nishant Garg on Saturday sent all six to CBI custody till September 4. In its submission to the court, the CBI has said that its probe has also shown that the institute did not have a fire safety certificate for nearly one year after the issue was flagged before the Delhi High Court in 2023. When the matter was raised before the high court last year that many

Delhi coaching centre deaths: Court sends 6 accused to 4-day CBI custody

A Delhi court on Saturday sent six people arrested in a case related to the drowning of three civil services aspirants in a coaching centre's basement in Old Rajinder Nagar to four days' CBI custody. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Nishant Garg sent Abhishek Gupta, Deshpal Singh, Tajinder Singh, Harvinder Singh, Sarabjit Singh, and Parvinder Singh to the custody till September 4. "Considering the submissions in the application and in particular the scope of investigation in terms of the order dated August 2, 2024 of the High Court of Delhi, custodial interrogation of the accused persons would be necessary for the purpose of investigation and for ascertaining the role played by various individuals who might have been involved in corrupt practices or criminal negligence," the judge said. The judge passed the order on an application filed by the CBI seeking police custody of all six accused for four days for their interrogation. The order was passed after the accused were produce

Aadhaar-based authentication for UPSC exams: What candidates must know

Aadhaar-based verification of candidates, announced by the Ministry of Personnel, aims to enhance the integrity of the UPSC examination process, particularly in light of the Puja Khedkar controversy

HC extends interim protection of suspended IAS Puja Khedkar till Sept 5

Puja Khedkar, facing allegations of cheating and improperly securing OBC and disability quota benefits

Centre approves Aadhaar-based authentication of candidates in UPSC exams

Aadhar-based verification will be applicable during the registration process and at various stages of examinations and recruitment