The Ahmednagar District Hospital in Maharashtra has officially confirmed that Puja Khedkar, a probationary Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, is suffering from depression along with myopic degeneration in both eyes.
Dr Sanjay Ghogare, the Ahmednagar District Civil Surgeon, disclosed to The Indian Express that a report stating a 51 percent disability had been submitted to District Collector S. Salimath and would be forwarded to the Nashik divisional commissioner.
The scrutiny into Khedkar's alleged 'disabilities' arose amidst a series of controversies surrounding her actions, which resulted in her transfer from Pune to Washim.
According to the hospital's assessment, Dr S. V. Raskar, an ophthalmic surgeon, examined Khedkar on April 25, 2018, and diagnosed her with "BE High Myopia with myopic degeneration, resulting in a 40 per cent permanent disability." Subsequently, she was issued a disability certificate.
Additionally, on January 18, 2021, Khedkar underwent psychiatric evaluation by Dr. Yogesh Gadekar, a psychiatrist, and Minal Katkol, a clinical psychologist. Through an assessment utilising the Indian Disability Evaluation and Assessment Scale, it was confirmed that she was grappling with depression.
As stated in the report, Khedkar received a certificate indicating low vision in both eyes (40 percent disability) in addition to mental health issues, including depression (20 percent disability). The cumulative disability was calculated at 51 percent, resulting in the issuance of an official certificate.
Verification procedures were conducted to establish the authenticity of these certificates, ultimately confirming their validity. The report stipulated that as per guidelines, Khedkar holds a 40 per cent disability with low vision, alongside a temporary depressive condition lasting three years from the date of issuance.