Is UPSC rank holder Poorva Choudhary's OBC quota valid? RAS officer father speaks out on viral accusations
Poorva Choudhary
, the
UPSC 2024
All India Rank 533 holder. A video posted by her sister, featuring the caption
'Cleared UPSC while serving this face card,'
initially drew admiration. But the mood on
social media
shifted drastically when eagle-eyed users noticed the letters "OBC" against her name in the results.
#Pahalgam Terrorist Attack
India much better equipped to target cross-border terror since Balakot
India conducts maiden flight-trials of stratospheric airship platform
Pakistan shuts ports for Indian ships after New Delhi bans imports from Islamabad
The ensuing backlash saw Poorva accused of availing the
OBC Non-Creamy Layer
(NCL) quota despite allegedly not being eligible. Her celebratory post was quickly buried under an avalanche of suspicion, criticism, and moral outrage, pushing the young aspirant to deactivate or disable her Instagram account.
Father Refutes 'Quota Misuse' Claims
Facing growing scrutiny, Poorva's father, a Rajasthan Administrative Services (RAS) officer, addressed the allegations in an interview with
India Today
, firmly stating:
'The claim that my daughter misused the certificate is completely untrue.'
Play Video
Pause
Skip Backward
Skip Forward
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
0:00
Loaded
:
0%
0:00
Stream Type
LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
1x
Playback Rate
Chapters
Chapters
Descriptions
descriptions off
, selected
Captions
captions settings
, opens captions settings dialog
captions off
, selected
Audio Track
default
, selected
Picture-in-Picture
Fullscreen
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text
Color
White
Black
Red
Green
Blue
Yellow
Magenta
Cyan
Opacity
Opaque
Semi-Transparent
Text Background
Color
Black
White
Red
Green
Blue
Yellow
Magenta
Cyan
Opacity
Opaque
Semi-Transparent
Transparent
Caption Area Background
Color
Black
White
Red
Green
Blue
Yellow
Magenta
Cyan
Opacity
Transparent
Semi-Transparent
Opaque
Font Size
50%
75%
100%
125%
150%
175%
200%
300%
400%
Text Edge Style
None
Raised
Depressed
Uniform
Drop shadow
Font Family
Proportional Sans-Serif
Monospace Sans-Serif
Proportional Serif
Monospace Serif
Casual
Script
Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values
Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Shooter Action MMO
Crossout
Play Now
He clarified that he was promoted to the RAS cadre at the age of 44, well beyond the eligibility cutoff of 40 for excluding children of Group A officers from OBC NCL benefits. According to government norms, if a parent enters a Group A post after 40, the child remains eligible—provided the family's annual income (excluding agricultural earnings) stays below ₹8 lakh.
'In the case of direct RAS recruitment before the age of 40, the OBC NCL benefit does not apply. That's not my case,' he said, urging people to understand the rules before jumping to conclusions.
You Might Also Like:
What are the odds? Four UPSC 2025 rank holders come from the same DU college, same department and from consecutive batches
'Social Media is the Real Lobby'
But the story doesn't end at legal definitions. Poorva's father alleged that the controversy had less to do with rules and more with orchestrated online narratives. 'There's a lobby that thrives on this,' he said, hinting at certain Delhi-based social media groups. He attributed the uproar to herd mentality, with people riding the UPSC trend wave to farm engagement, likes, and followers.
His statement comes amid rising online chatter over privilege, optics, and reservation dynamics—often ignoring the nuances that actually govern eligibility under constitutional provisions.
— TirhutDivision (@TirhutDivision)
The Optics of Lifestyle vs Legal Entitlement
Critics have also flagged alleged 'lavish' posts from Poorva's now-deleted Instagram profile, arguing that her lifestyle seemed inconsistent with a reserved-category background. However, as many netizens and policy experts point out, lifestyle optics—often misunderstood or exaggerated on social media—have no bearing on one's legal entitlement to reservation benefits.
Poorva's maternal home is in Bhadra, and she hails from Bolawali village in Hanumangarh, Rajasthan. She is also related to local MLA Sanjeev Beniwal, further fueling the perception-based backlash, despite no official rule violation being established.
You Might Also Like:
Techie, who couldn't crack UPSC, shares nostalgic pic of pens she used during preparation. Post goes viral
Screenshot of Instagram post from Poorva's sister.
Déjà Vu of a Different Kind
This isn't the first time a UPSC topper has found themselves in the eye of such a storm. In 2023, IAS probationer
Pooja Khedkar
(AIR 841) was accused of misusing the OBC category and forging certificates. Her father's affidavit reportedly revealed assets and income far above permissible limits. The case ended in her dismissal from the
civil services
.
— VijayKumbhar62 (@VijayKumbhar62)
However, unlike that case, Poorva's eligibility appears to be legally sound—though the online trial continues.
Behind the Hashtags
At its core, this is more than a bureaucratic eligibility debate. It's a story about how a celebratory moment for a young woman was turned upside down by a swirl of hashtags, half-truths, and assumptions. While Poorva may be absent from social media for now, the conversation about reservation, representation, and public scrutiny in the digital age is far from over.
Whether the storm dies down or intensifies, one thing remains clear: in the era of instant virality, even a hard-earned dream can become a lightning rod overnight.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
First wolf pup born in wild to zoo-bred pair, Gujarat calls it a howling success
Ahmedabad: Randeepak, which loosely translates to "light of the desert," is an apt name conservationists have given to a wolf pup born on the open expanses of Kutch's Nadabet. This male pup is the first to be born in the wild to a captive-bred pair, Sona and Pradeep, released in the area last year. Little wonder then that Randeepak has become a symbol of success in the state forest department's challenging, yet dedicated, wolf conservation programme. Conservationists are calling this breakthrough nothing short of spectacular. More so because it was achieved in India's first attempt to release any zoo-bred carnivore into the wild, and is only the second in the world for wolves, forest officials in Gandhinagar say. The first was the reintroduction of the red wolf in the US. In Sept 2024, a pack of four captive-bred wolves — Sona (3) and Pradeep (4) with two pups — were released in the wild in Nadabet. Two months later, in Dec, another five-member pack was introduced to life in the wild in Satalpur taluka. You Can Also Check: Ahmedabad AQI | Weather in Ahmedabad | Bank Holidays in Ahmedabad | Public Holidays in Ahmedabad | Gold Rates Today in Ahmedabad | Silver Rates Today in Ahmedabad Jaipal Singh, principal chief conservator of forest, says what any dedicated conservationist would want to hear – both packs have adapted smoothly to their new surroundings and have returned to their wild ways. "Data reveals that 90% of their kills are nilgais. Wild boars, rabbits, and other small animals constitute the remaining 10%," says Chirag Amin, deputy conservator of forest, Banaskantha Wildlife Division. He adds that with hunts by these wolves, more ecological links are snapping into place. "Other carnivores like hyenas and jackals are seen returning in these areas as their food chain is re-establishing. These changes in the ecosystem mark a significant achievement in the wolves' reintroduction to the wild," he says. The mother of all efforts under Gujarat's wolf breeding and conservation programme is Divyangi, a three-legged female wolf that arrived in Junagadh's Sakkarbaug zoo in 2010. Gujarat had no male wolf. The state traded three lions with Mysore to find partners for Divyangi and her sisters. With some help from Divyangi, the initiative has seen the number of Indian wolves bred in captivity grow to 100. These are gradually being released into the wild. "The zoo had only three females. Mating with a male procured from Mysore, she gave birth to one pup. The next year, she delivered four more pups. Divyangi passed away in 2018, but her legacy continues with packs spanning generations in Gujarat. Now, they are claiming the wild," says a forest officer, giving a throwback on how it all started. Cut to present: The birth in Nadabet also means that there are more packs waiting in the wings. Amin says that in the soft release centre in Nadabet, two packs are being trained to hunt in the wild. This is crucial for their survival instincts to take over and wean them off human dependence and intervention. Karamsinh Desai, in charge of the conservation programme, who closely monitors these natural predators, says because the packs were bred in captivity, it became imperative to prepare them for life in the wild before their release. There's good news from Satalpur, too. Desai says that from the pack of five, a female has associated with a male who was already in the wild. "We hope that the two will mate this season, while Sona and Pradeep too may have more litters. " Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
The Hindu
4 hours ago
- The Hindu
India should go for Brown Revolution 2.0 to restore soil health
India faces a serious challenge in the management of its agricultural residues. With over 350-500 million tonnes generated annually, most agro-waste is either burned or left to decompose inappropriately, resulting in severe air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and the persistent depletion of organic carbon in the soil. Drawing on the transformative success of the Amul Cooperative in the dairy sector, the country should go for a decentralised, rural cooperative model to convert agro-waste into soil-enriching organic amendments, including compost, vermicompost, and biochar. While the first Brown Revolution, initiated by Hiralal Chaudhary, was for promoting leather and coffee in tribal areas of Visakhapatnam, Brown Revolution 2.0 seeks to restore soil health of India. This will help in securing the long-term food productivity, creating rural livelihoods, and bolstering India's climate commitments as the most populous nation. The integration of AI-based monitoring systems and carbon credit mechanisms will ensure efficiency, traceability, and economic viability. Declining soil fertility The fertility of India's soils has been in decline for decades, in large part due to the steady reduction in organic carbon in the soil that followed the high-input and intensive monocropping farming. Recent research underscores the risk this poses, as a large proportion of Indian farmland now lies below the critical thresholds of soil organic matter needed for sustainable productivity. Brown Revolution 2.0 is proposed as a national movement to address this crisis. By recycling the enormous quantum of crop residues and agro-waste generated across field crops (such as rice, wheat, maize, cotton, and sugar cane), horticulture (vegetables, fruits, flowers, and tubers), oil seeds, and plantation crops (including coconut, areca nut, oil palm, tea and coffee), and returning their organic content to farmland, sustainable agriculture can be restored. Adopting a cooperative model, inspired by Amul's success in organising dairy producers, ensures inclusivity and the capacity to rapidly scale up from local clusters to national coverage. Agro-waste and hazards India produces approximately 350-990 million tonnes of crop residues and agro-waste every year. In many districts, the organic fraction of this waste, largely from fruits, vegetables, and staples, exceeds 40%, and in certain horticultural regions, may reach 70%. However, less than 20% of this biomass is currently recycled in a scientific and productive manner, while the majority is openly burned, dumped, or left unmanaged, leading not only to a loss of valuable nutrients and carbon but also to a range of environmental and health hazards. Plantation crop wastes are another group as they are highly recalcitrant and accumulate over a long period of time posing both environmental and health hazard. The most visible outcome of poor agro-waste management is severe air pollution. The routine burning of crop residues, particularly in North India, results in massive emissions of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), noxious gases, and greenhouse gases such as methane and nitrous oxide. For example, every tonne of paddy straw burned is estimated to release three kilograms of particulate matter, 60 kilograms of carbon monoxide, and 1,460 kilograms of carbon dioxide, along with less yet significant quantities of ash and sulphur dioxide. Water bodies suffer from eutrophication when run-off from waste dumps leads to excessive nutrient loads, and rural health faces risks from both air and water contamination. These impacts echo across the economy and amplify rural-urban disparities. Why policy focus must shift Existing policy frameworks, while increasingly attentive to the potential value of agro-waste as industrial feedstock for biofuels or high-value biochemicals, have often ignored the foundational role that organic waste recycling plays in soil health restoration and food security (Mohanty et al., 2024; Sharma et al., 2022). While conversion to high-value industrial products is attractive for quick economic returns, only a minority of residues are suitable for such uses, and this focus risks diverting potential soil amendments away from the land. The depletion of organic carbon in the soil not only undermines future yields and the very viability of agricultural production but also saps rural incomes and estranges rural communities from value addition. In the long term, without immediate attention to soil health, even the industrial use of agro-wastes will be unsustainable, as feedstock volume and quality both decline. Amul model The transformative trajectory of Amul in the dairy sector offers a clear organisational template for Brown Revolution 2.0. While Amul federated village-level milk producers into a vertically integrated, member-owned profit-sharing enterprise that enabled both local participation and economies of scale, a similar model can be established for agro-waste recycling. Local recycling cooperatives will handle the collection, scientific processing, and marketing of compost, vermicompost, and biochar, returning much of this output directly to the soils of their communities while also creating tradeable surplus. Technical support could be provided by institutions such as ICAR, SAUs, and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), with capacity-building for rural entrepreneurs embedded throughout. Pooled logistics, shared finance mechanisms, quality control, and traceability will be managed in the cooperative federated structure. Scientific advances, AI integration The effectiveness and efficiency of this model can be dramatically furthered by leveraging new technologies. Rapid in-vessel composting, optimised vermicomposting, and modular biochar units facilitate wide adoption and high-quality amendments. The integration of artificial intelligence and IoT-based platforms allows real-time tracking of soil health, optimisation of compost production, and predictive logistics for biomass flows. Such data-driven approaches also enable transparent monitoring for carbon credit schemes, ensure that products meet quality standards, and empower farmers with timely feedback and recommendations. The strategic alignment of Brown Revolution 2.0 with national agricultural priorities and the latest recommendations of expert bodies is critical. The ICAR and NAAS, in both policy papers and demonstration projects, have highlighted the need for region-specific agro-waste recycling, the promotion of custom hiring centres or cooperatives for composting, and the provision of incentives tied to verified improvements in organic carbon in the soil. Government compendia such as 'Creating Wealth from Agricultural Waste' detail scalable and field-proven technologies and practices, many of which are ready for cooperative deployment. Policy recommendations A robust policy framework to realise Brown Revolution 2.0 should include a mandate and corresponding funding for cooperative-based agro-waste collection and processing clusters in every agricultural district. It must offer economic incentives similar to a minimum support price for collected and processed biomass. Decentralised composting and biochar units ought to be subsidised, and their management integrated into KVK and extension programmes. The prohibition of open burning and haphazard disposal should be strictly enforced, paired with logistical and financial support to ensure that viable alternatives are available. A national organic carbon credit registry will recognise and reward the sequestration of carbon in soils, harnessing both domestic and international climate finance, while AI-driven monitoring platforms will ensure process transparency and accountability. The recycling of agro-waste should be closely linked to the Soil Health Card scheme, empowering farmers with data and feedback both on the status of their soils and the value of recycled amendments, supplemented by targeted outreach. Research and demonstration efforts must be continuous, regionally varied, and closely tied to the needs of local farmers, while human capital must be cultivated with a special focus on women, youth, and self-help groups. Strategic benefits Brown Revolution 2.0 promises to restore soil structure and fertility, enhance water and nutrient retention, and improve long-term yields and resilience to both drought and flooding. Socio-economically, it will create millions of new rural jobs in logistics, production, technology, and service roles, strengthen farmer and cooperative incomes, and reduce reliance on expensive fertilizers. Environmentally, the shift will be able to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, improve water quality and biodiversity, and strengthen India's claims for climate-linked rewards. Technologically, the process will become a flagship for data-driven, technology-enabled sustainability. Sustainability, social inclusion In sum, Brown Revolution 2.0, focusing on returning agro-waste-derived humus to Indian soils through decentralised, inclusive, cooperative action, represents not a secondary or low-hanging policy option, but a mature and foundational strategy for securing food security, climate resilience, and rural prosperity for generations. National leadership is urgently needed to prioritise and scale this movement; in doing so, India will once again set a global example in combining scientific sustainability with social inclusion. Murali Gopal is Principal Scientist, Agricultural Microbiology and and Head of the Division of Physiology, Biochemistry and Post-Harvest Technology; and Alka Gupta is Principal Scientist, Agricultural Microbiology, of ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute Kasaragod, Kerala; views expressed are personal
Time of India
6 hours ago
- Time of India
IIT-Patna alumni who cracked UPSC inspire students at interactive session
1 2 3 Patna: The Indian Institute of Technology Patna (IIT-P) on Tuesday hosted an interactive session "Udaan", in which three alumni of the institute, who recently cracked the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE), shared their academic journey and insights with the students. Jointly organised by the IIT-P's centre for career development and counselling (CCDC) and the student's gymkhana, the event featured three alumni—G Sahi Darsini (AIR 112 in UPSC CSE 2023), Vivek Garg (AIR 114 in UPSC CSE 2024) and Abhinav Sharma (AIR 130 in UPSC CSE 2024). Welcoming the achievers back to their alma mater, IIT-P director T N Singh said, "This is a moment of great pride for the entire IIT Patna community. These young achievers are true inspirations for our students, and their success highlights the diverse career paths IITians are now embracing." Interacting with the students, G Sahi Darsini said, "The scale and direct implementation capability that civil services offer is something that truly brings job satisfaction at the end of the day." Another achiever Vivek Garg reflected on how the Covid-19 pandemic influenced his decision to pursue civil services. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like If you have a mouse, play this game for 1 minute Navy Quest Undo "During the pandemic, I was reading a lot of newspapers and watching the news. It hit me how significantly civil servants contribute to the society, and that realisation became my motivation." Abhinav Sharma emphasised perseverance and clarity of purpose. "Believing in yourself and staying focused on the syllabus can help you achieve your goal," he said. Returning to the campus was an emotional moment for all the three alumni. "When we were here, the campus was like a desert. Now with new buildings, lush greenery, and the beautiful library, it feels like a completely transformed place," they said. In the question-answer session that followed, the alumni answered students' queries about the UPSC journey, preparation techniques, and life as a civil servant. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
