Watch: IAS trainee Puja Khedkar's response to prioritising 'money, power, prestige, and career' in mock interview
IAS officer Puja Khedkar, currently under probation, faces scrutiny for alleged misconduct. The controversy has intensified with a viral mock interview video where she ranked "money, power, prestige, and career," fueling debates about her integrity.
IAS officer Puja Khedkar, who was on probation, has recently come under scrutiny for alleged misconduct in her path to the civil service. Accusations have surfaced that she used fraudulent methods, including forging identity documents and falsifying information, to gain additional attempts in the Civil Services Examination 2022 and secure her position.
Now, the controversy has intensified with a viral video in which she is prompted to prioritise "money, power, prestige, and career," further fueling the debate surrounding her integrity and actions.
The video in question comes from Ms. Khedkar's mock interview with Unacademy, an online educational platform.
During the session, the interviewer asks her to rank "money, power, prestige, and career" in order of importance.
Khedkar responds, "Ma'am, first for me would be career. Then would be, um, prestige. Then would be, um, power and then would be money."
Watch the video here:
Interviewer : Can you list "money, power, prestige and career" in priority"
¡ª UPSCyclopedia (@UPSCyclopedia) July 20, 2024
Pooja khedkar : pic.twitter.com/DNWEkshkd8
Reactions in the comments section were critical.
Some users suggested that her priorities might actually be in the reverse order, with comments like, "I think the real answer is in reverse order" and "Her reality: Money = Power >> Career >>>> Prestige."
Others used memes to convey shock:
¡ª Roads of Mumbai (@RoadsOfMumbai) July 21, 2024
And yet others proposed more rigorous interview processes, such as using lie detector machines or conducting extensive background checks.
One comment advocated for a detailed interrogation by experts and annual audits of candidates' families, emphasising that a single interview is insufficient to understand a candidate's true character.
Who is Puja Khedkar?
Puja Khedkar/ X
Puja Khedkar is a 32-year-old probationary IAS officer from the 2023 batch who achieved an All India Rank of 821 in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exams.
Why is Puja Khedkar in the news?
Puja Khedkar has attracted attention for allegedly misusing her power and privileges during her training at the Pune District Collectorate in Maharashtra.
She is accused of demanding unauthorised perks and facilities, bullying colleagues, and improperly displaying a red-blue beacon on her private Audi, which was marked with 'Maharashtra Government¡¯ during her training in Pune District Collectorate.
Following these allegations, which were flagged by the Pune District Collector, Khedkar was transferred to the Washim District Collectorate in Vidarbha.
Soon, further accusations emerged, alleging that she used fake disability certificates to qualify for the IAS.
Reports indicate that she initially sought these certificates from a hospital in Pune, which refused, before successfully obtaining them from a hospital in Pipri, where she was diagnosed with an "old ACL tear with left knee instability."
Why is Puja Khedkar's family in the news?
Meanwhile, Puja Khedkar¡¯s parents are facing their own legal troubles.
Her mother, Manorama Khedkar, has been charged with attempted murder following the viral circulation of an old video showing her brandishing a gun at a man. She has been arrested and is currently in police custody.
Puja Khedkar's mother/ BCCL
Her father, Dilip Khedkar, is under investigation by Pune's Anti-Corruption Bureau over allegations that his assets exceed his known income.
A retired state government official, Dilip Khedkar had previously been suspended twice due to corruption charges during his service and is now reportedly on the run.
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