Amidst the ongoing controversy surrounding trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar’s alleged submission of fake disability certificates, attention has now turned to another former bureaucrat’s selection under the disability criteria. Abhishek Singh, a 2011 batch IAS officer who resigned last year to pursue a career in acting, is facing scrutiny after videos of him dancing and working out at the gym went viral on social media.
Critics of Singh’s videos have called for greater transparency and accountability in the bureaucratic selection process, questioning how he could claim to have a locomotor disability, which he used to avail concessions in the UPSC selection process. The backlash comes as Singh publicly supported reservations in government jobs.
Responding to the allegations, Singh defended himself on social media, asserting that he is being targeted for his stance on reservations. “Although I am not affected by any criticism, this is the first time I am answering my critics because my supporters asked me to. Since I started supporting reservations, anti-reservationists have targeted me. They question my caste and my job. Let me tell you, I have achieved everything through hard work and courage, not through reservation,” Singh stated in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Singh also highlighted his social work, mentioning initiatives like United by Blood and the No-Shame Movement, which he claims to have accomplished without government assistance. “I believe that reservation in government jobs should be according to the population, and I will work towards that. If you think you have talent, stop trying for government jobs and excel in business, sports, or acting. There is no reservation there,” he added.
Meanwhile, Puja Khedkar is embroiled in controversy over her use of a siren on her private Audi and demands for a separate house and car, privileges not typically afforded to junior officers. More seriously, she is accused of falsely claiming to be visually and mentally impaired in an affidavit submitted to the UPSC, while refusing to undergo mandatory medical tests to confirm these claims.
The Centre has responded by forming a one-member committee to investigate the allegations against Khedkar. Sources indicate that she may face dismissal and criminal action if found guilty of hiding facts and misrepresentation.
These developments have reignited the debate over the integrity of the selection process for government positions and the need for stringent verification of disability claims to prevent misuse.
