New Delhi: Did Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2024 rank-holder Poorva Choudhary misuse Other Backward Class (OBC) Non-Creamy Layer (NCL) quota? Well, the social media is split on a debate over the issue. And now Choudhury’s father, Omprakash Saharan, a Rajasthan Administrative Service (RAS) officer currently posted as Additional District Collector in Kotputli, has responded to such allegations.
Dismissing the claims, her father, said people simply did not understand how the rules worked. “In the case of direct RAS recruitment before the age of 40, the OBC NCL benefit does not apply. I became an RAS officer at 44. So, the claim that my daughter misused the certificate is completely untrue,” he told India Today.
Poorva has secured AIR 533 in the examination. She has found herself at the receiving end of the internet with users alleging she availed of the quota without being eligible for it.
Saharan added that the same rule applies to promotions or appointments in Class I roles, if done before 40, the child becomes ineligible for OBC NCL, reported India Today. Speaking to the news channel, Sharan also said people follow herd mentality. “UPSC is a trending topic right now, and many use it to gain views and followers,” he alleged, while speaking about the spread of misinformation through social media platforms.
He also alleged that certain social media groups, particularly in Delhi, were behind such narratives. “There’s a lobby that thrives on this. We’ve done nothing wrong,” he told India Today.
Another #UPSC fake caste certificate case. Poorva Choudhary (AIR 533) lives a ₹8L/month lifestyle but claims OBC-NCL (₹8L/year cap)? UPSC, how did this pass?
If this is UPSC’s state, imagine NEET/JEE. @NTA_Exams, accountability when? #CasteCensus is not optional—it’s urgent. pic.twitter.com/jcet1Ih4Dj— Chitranshu Sanket (@ChitranshuSinha) May 2, 2025
The backlash began after Poorva’s sister, Navya Saharan, posted a video on Instagram celebrating her success. The reel, featuring pictures of Poorva, including one outside the UPSC building, was captioned: “Cleared UPSC while serving this face card.” The reel soon went viral.
When social media users noticed “OBC” listed on the official results, speculation followed. Users started questioning her eligibility, given her father’s current post.
Is Poova ineligible as per norms? Know her background
A section of the internet users did point out that her father was promoted to RAS, a Group A post, at the age of 44. This technically keeps Poorva within the eligibility window for OBC-NCL benefits.
As per government norms, children of Group A officers promoted after the age of 40 are still eligible for reservation benefits, provided the family’s income (excluding agricultural income) does not exceed Rs 8 lakh annually.
Following the controversy, Poorva has now deactivated or disabled her Instagram account.
Some users claim the now-deleted posts from Poorva’s profile suggested a lavish lifestyle. This has further added fuel to the controversy.
Poorva is a resident of Bolawali village in Rajasthan’s Hanumangarh district. She has her maternal home in Bhadra. She is related to the region’s current MLA, Sanjeev Beniwal.
