The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will soon begin verifying candidates’ documents, including caste, income, and disability certificates, through DigiLocker to ensure authenticity and eliminate forged submissions, chairperson Dr Ajay Kumar said on Wednesday.

Addressing a virtual town hall on the commission’s centenary year, Dr Kumar said the initiative aims to ensure that documents are “genuine and issued by rightful authorities.” He emphasised on the UPSC’s “zero tolerance” for cheating, explaining that any candidate caught cheating is barred for at least three years, with legal action initiated in cases of criminal misconduct. 

Referring to the high-profile case of former IAS trainee Puja Khedkar, he said, “Strictest possible action will be taken as per rules.” Khedkar, selected in 2022, was disqualified in 2024 for allegedly misusing OBC and disability certificates. She denies the charges and is contesting the UPSC decision in court. As part of the centenary celebrations, the UPSC unveiled a new logo, centenary emblem, and launched “My UPSC Portal.” 

Dr Kumar said that coaching is not necessary to clear the exam and clarified there are no immediate plans to change the age limits or the number of attempts. He addressed concerns over bias, highlighting that 80-90% of selected candidates are from Tier 2 and 3 cities and rural areas. He also dismissed claims that engineering students have an unfair advantage, and pointed out that most of them opt for humanities subjects.

The UPSC also launched the “My UPSC Interview” anecdote portal, inviting serving and retired civil servants to share their interview experiences by December 31, 2025. Selected entries will be published in 2026 as part of the centenary celebrations.

‘no coaching needed’

Dr Kumar said that coaching is not necessary to clear the exam and clarified there are no immediate plans to change the age limits or the number of attempts. The UPSC also launched the “My UPSC Interview” anecdote portal, inviting serving and retired civil servants to share their interview experiences by December 31, 2025.