Page 5 - Upsc

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

UPSC aspirants' deaths: IIT professors examine SUV, coaching centre gate

A team of IIT-Delhi professors has examined the SUV, seized in connection with the drowning of three civil services aspirants at Rau's IAS Study Circle in Old Rajinder Nagar, and the gate of the building housing the coaching centre, the CBI said Wednesday. In its report submitted before a special court here, the central agency said the experts took the measurements of the vehicle and the gate on Sunday. The agency further said that the SUV, a Force Gurkha, will also be inspected by a domain expert i.e. a motor vehicle inspector. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has sought one more week's time to get the vehicle examined by the inspector. The agency has made the submissions in response to vehicle owner's plea to release his SUV. Citing the postmortem report, the CBI has said that the three UPSC aspirants had died during the flooding on July 27 due to asphyxia caused by antemortem drowning. The agency said its investigation revealed that on July 27 at about 6.30 pm, several

Coaching centre deaths: Court denies permission to restart institute

Abhishek Gupta, CEO of Coaching Center, had sought access to the building where three UPSC aspirants died on July 27 in Old Rajender Nagar

Why the U-turn on lateral entry doesn't serve Modi govt's agenda well

This glorious 500 are generalists, rather than specialists. They are selected young, through a fiendishly difficult examination, and many stop learning anything new the moment they pass that exam

UPSC NDA 2 2024: Admit card released at upsc.gov.in; here's how to download

UPSC NDA 2 admit card 2024 has been announced by the Union Public Service Commission. Candidates can download their call letters from the official website of UPSC at upsc.gov.in

UPSC coaching centre deaths: Court denies bail to 4 co-owners of basement

A Delhi court on Friday rejected the bail applications of four jailed co-owners of a coaching centre basement where three civil services aspirants drowned last month. Principal District and Sessions Judge Anju Bajaj Chandna said, "Investigation is at initial stage. I am not inclined to give bail." A detailed order of the court is awaited. On August 17, the court had reserved the order after hearing the arguments of the lawyers of the CBI and the basement's four joint owners -- Parvinder Singh, Tajinder Singh, Harvinder Singh and Sarbjit Singh. The Delhi High Court recently transferred the probe into the deaths in the basement of the coaching centre building in Old Rajinder Nagar from police to the CBI "to ensure the public has no doubt over the investigation".

UPSC recommendations fall short of direct recruitment requirement

Larger proportion of government posts meant for general category goes unfulfilled

Guarding the guardians: How to manage regulator appointments and removal

Parliament needs to institute oversight mechanisms for regulators, who oversee markets, without compromising their autonomy

Delhi HC extends interim protection of IAS Pooja Khedkar till August 29

Former trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar is accused of falsifying and misrepresenting facts in her application to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)