NEW DELHI: The selection process for the
UPSC exam
has been embroiled in a new
controversy
as
Abhishek Singh
, a former IAS officer from the 2011 batch who resigned last year to pursue acting, is facing allegations of using a
fake disability certificate
to qualify for the exam.
This development follows similar accusations against trainee IAS officer
Puja Khedkar
.
Singh, who secured his position under the disabled category, has been criticized after videos surfaced on social media showing him dancing and working out in a gym, raising doubts about his eligibility under the locomotor disability (LD) category.
Twitter users have questioned his eligibility, citing the criteria for the PwBD-3 category, which includes conditions such as cerebral palsy, leprosy-cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims, and muscular dystrophy.
In response to the allegations, Singh took to social media to refute claims about his father's influence and his own caste.
He emphasized his journey from a humble background to becoming an IAS officer, stating, "You said that my father was an IPS officer so I got the advantage. Let me tell you, my father came from a very poor background and became a PPS officer, was promoted to IPS. He has 3 children, i.e. I have a younger sister and a younger brother. They also prepared for UPSC but could not get selected, apart from this, my 7 more cousins tried, many are trying, but no one has been selected yet. I am the only one in my entire family to get selected in IAS".
Singh also expressed his intention to advocate for reservations in government jobs based on population and criticized those opposing reservation policies, saying, "Wherever the government's resources are spent in this country, it should be done in a fair manner. Reservation in government jobs should be in accordance with the population. Now I will start a movement and will demand reservation in accordance with the population by removing this 50% ceiling and will get it fulfilled constitutionally".
Meanwhile, trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar is also under investigation for allegedly using fake disability and OBC certificates to secure her position.
A panel led by DoPT additional secretary Manoj Dwivedi will examine the authenticity of her documents and determine whether proper vetting was conducted.
Khedkar has reportedly failed to appear for mandatory medical tests at AIIMS Delhi to confirm her disability and has instead submitted certificates from a private hospital, further raising suspicions about her case.
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