Overview

• A candidate was found carrying incriminating material during a UPSC examination, triggering charges under Rule 12(1)(h) against unfair means.
• The Commission revoked her current-year candidature and imposed a three-year ban on all future UPSC exams under its standardized penalties.
• Chairman Ajay Kumar announced the decision on LinkedIn, stressing that strict disciplinary action is essential to uphold transparency and meritocracy.
• UPSC’s approach leans on post-exam scrutiny to deter malpractice, given its limited scope for in-depth certificate verification beforehand.
• This action builds on reforms prompted by the Puja Khedkar scandal and ongoing social media debates over exam integrity.