Latest news with #PoorvaChoudhary
Time of India
06-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Poorva Choudhary: OBC controversy hits UPSC topper Poorva Choudhary: Rank 533 and a luxury lifestyle—what's the real story?
UPSC rank 533 Poorva Choudhary faces OBC quota backlash despite eligibility clarification The accusations and the lifestyle optics Father breaks silence and explains eligibility A digital trial by perception A past case fuels present outrage Beyond the exam: A bigger debate A young woman's celebration of cracking one of India's toughest competitive exams has unexpectedly turned into a flashpoint for online outrage, policy scrutiny, and heated debates on reservation. Poorva Choudhary , who secured All India Rank 533 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2024, now finds herself at the centre of an OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) quota controversy, with critics questioning whether her family background truly qualifies her for the benefits she storm began after a celebratory Instagram post shared by Poorva's sister Navya went viral. The post, captioned 'Cleared UPSC while serving this face card,' was initially met with praise and admiration. However, attention soon turned to the OBC tag appearing next to Poorva's name in the official results, sparking allegations that she had unfairly availed herself of the reservation quota despite allegedly living a lavish Choudhary, daughter of a Rajasthan Administrative Services (RAS) officer, was accused by several social media users of misusing the OBC-NCL certificate. A user on X alleged, 'Her father's an ADM... Still, she used OBC-NCL certificate to qualify for exam.' The allegations gained traction due to perceived inconsistencies between her apparent lifestyle and the criteria for OBC-NCL benefits. Several users referenced her now-deactivated Instagram account, pointing to posts that featured luxury items, international travel, and designer a post dated shortly after the results, user @Laachar_Man wrote on X, 'Poorva Chaudhary's father is an ADM, owns property worth crores, she spends lakhs every week — yet she gets OBC-NCL. My father earns Rs 40,000 a month, I'm from General category — no reservation, no support. We work hard, someone else takes the seat. Is this what justice looks like?'In response to the growing backlash, Poorva's father spoke to a media house, firmly denying the allegations of quota misuse. He clarified that although he is currently an ADM, he was promoted to the RAS cadre at the age of 44. As per government norms, children of Group A officers are not entitled to OBC-NCL status only if the parent entered the service before the age of 40. '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 also noted that the family's income remains within the prescribed limit for OBC-NCL eligibility—Rs 8 lakh annually, excluding agricultural income. He urged the public to "understand the rules before jumping to conclusions," as quoted by a media disappearance from social media platforms, including her deactivated Instagram account, has further fuelled speculation. While no official authority has found her in violation of any eligibility rules, the digital narrative has painted a different picture. The controversy has sparked renewed debate about whether 'lifestyle indicators' should influence one's qualification for reserved categories—a suggestion many policy experts reported by The Logical Indian, critics highlighted photos of designer bags allegedly worth Rs 4.5 lakh, alongside glimpses of luxury cars and upscale homes. Some netizens also brought up her political connections, noting her family's link to Sanjeev Beniwal, an MLA from public reaction has been further intensified by comparisons to the 2023 case of Pooja Khedkar , another UPSC rank holder who was accused of submitting false certificates for OBC and disability quotas. Her case ultimately led to her dismissal from the civil services , and many online users are drawing parallels between the unlike Khedkar, no evidence of fraudulent documentation has emerged against Poorva Choudhary. Her father's explanations, backed by existing reservation guidelines, appear to support her legal eligibility. The matter, at present, remains a social media storm rather than an administrative or legal the heart of the controversy lies a deeper public sentiment—whether India's reservation system should evolve to better reflect modern socioeconomic realities. For now, Poorva Choudhary's achievement has been overshadowed by the swirling accusations, leaving many to ask: In the age of instant virality, can merit and legality survive the court of public opinion?
Hindustan Times
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Social media debate over UPSC rank holder Poorva Chaudhary allegedly misusing OBC quota
Clearing the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam is no small feat in India. It is one of the country's most competitive exam with a selection rate of just around 0.2 per cent. Among the 1,009 candidates who cleared the exam this year was Poorva Choudhary, who went viral on social media after she shared that she had cleared the exam. While her comment section was flooded with praises and congratulations initially, the sentiment soon shifted with people accusing her of misusing the OBC reservation quota. Choudhary, who secured 533 rank, found herself embroiled in a huge controversy in social media in the last few days after people online found out that she used OBC-NCL (Other Backward Classes - Non-Creamy Layer) quota and accused her of misusing it, given her lifestyle. Chaudhary's father works in Rajasthan Administrative Services, according to a report by India Today. People online pointed this out and accused Chaudhary of using quota to clear UPSC while not being eligible for it. 'Poorva Choudhary a recent UPSC qualifier having a bag worth ₹4 lakhs along with a premium lifestyle which includes international trips. Her father is an ADM. Still she used OBC-NCL certificate to qualify the exam. Another day another scam in UPSC,' read a post on X (formerly Twitter). 'Poorva Chaudhary is also seen using OBC reservation while her Insta account shows a lavish lifestyle. Is the reservation system justice to socially backward or become a success ladder for 'privileged' backwards?' said another user on X. Chaudhary, whose sister posted a congratulations post for her which went viral and garnered millions of views in a matter of days, has now deleted or disabled her Instagram account. 'Sibling goals? One cracked the most difficult exam in our other's writing this caption!!!' her sister had captioned the post. After the controversy forced Poorva Choudhary to shut down her social media, her father, Omprakash Saharan, has spoken out in his daughter's support and has rebutted the rumours. Saharan, who is posted as Additional District Collector in Kotputli in Rajasthan, told India Today that people did not understand the rules. '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,' India Today quoted him as saying. He added that a similar rule applies to appointments or promotions in Class I government jobs, meaning that if a person is appointed to be promoted to Class I government jobs, their children become ineligible for OBC NCL quota. However, that is not the case with him, Saharan said.
Economic Times
04-05-2025
- General
- Economic Times
Is UPSC rank holder Poorva Choudhary's OBC quota valid? RAS officer father speaks out on viral accusations
A celebratory reel turned sour for UPSC 2024 topper Poorva Choudhary (AIR 533) after netizens accused her of misusing the OBC quota. Amid viral outrage, her RAS officer father clarified she remains legally eligible, having earned the status after he was promoted post-40. What began as a joyous celebration of cracking one of India's toughest exams soon turned into a storm of accusations for 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. 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. 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.' 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. 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) 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. 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. 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.
India.com
04-05-2025
- General
- India.com
UPSC rank holder Poorva Choudhary, who secured AIR 533 in UPSC Civil Services exam, lands in controversy due to...., father says...
The Civil Services Examination (CSE) is one of the toughest examinations in the country. Every year, thousands of candidates appear for this competitive exam; those who qualify the preliminary stage move on to the mains examination, followed by the interview round. Recently, UPSC declared the Civil Services(Main) Examination 2024 final result. Poorva Choudhary secured an All India Rank (AIR) of 533 in the UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination 2024. Poorva Choudhary obtained 771 marks in the written examination and 165 marks in the personality test. Overall, she achieved a total of 936 marks. However, Poorva Choudhary has found herself at the center of an online controversy, with several social media users questioning her eligibility under the Other Backward Class (OBC) Non-Creamy Layer (NCL) quota. In response to these allegations, her father has issued a statement addressing the concerns. Refuting the allegations, Poorva Choudhary's father, Omprakash Saharan, a Rajasthan Administrative Service (RAS) officer currently serving as the Additional District Collector in Kotputli, stated that many people making such claims lacked a proper understanding of the applicable rules and regulations. In an interview with India Today, Poorva Choudhary's father, Omprakash Saharan stated, '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.' Furthermore, Saharan explained that the same guideline applies to promotions or appointments to Class I positions—if such a promotion occurs before the age of 40, the child becomes ineligible for the OBC NCL quota. 'That's not my case,' he clarified dismissing the claims. Highlighting the rapid spread of misinformation on social media, Saharan remarked,'People follow herd mentality. UPSC is a trending topic right now, and many use it to gain views and followers.' The controversy was sparked after Poorva Choudhary's sister, Navya Saharan, shared a celebratory video on Instagram following the UPSC results. The reel, which included several pictures of Poorva—one of them taken outside the UPSC building—was captioned: '✨ Sibling goals? One cracked the most difficult exam in our country. The other's writing this caption!!!😌😚' 'The video features several pictures of Poorva Choudhary, including one taken in front of the UPSC building, possibly on the day of her personality test (interview). The video is set to the background music of 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram from the Bollywood movie Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. The comment section is filled with congratulatory messages.' However, the tone of the conversation changed after social media users spotted 'OBC' mentioned in the official results, sparking speculation about Poorva's eligibility—particularly in light of her father's current senior position. According to government guidelines, children of Group A officers who are promoted after the age of 40 remain eligible for reservation benefits, as long as the family's annual income—excluding income from agriculture—does not exceed ₹8 lakh.
Time of India
04-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Is UPSC rank holder Poorva Choudhary's OBC quota valid? RAS officer father speaks out on viral accusations
What began as a joyous celebration of cracking one of India's toughest exams soon turned into a storm of accusations for 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.
