IAS aspirant ends life over UPSC 'goof-up'

A 24-year-old IAS aspirant from the city allegedly committed suicide in Kodagu district after the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) allegedly published a different candidate’s name against the deceased’s enrolment number in the list of selected candidates in this year’s civil services examination.

Manjunath Yadav, a resident of Shrirampura, was found hanging in an under-construction building in Kodagu district on Saturday. The hanging was reported by construction labourers.

Manjunath had completed BE in Information Science from a prestigious college in the city and had appeared for the UPSC exam this year, his enrollment number being 538745.

When the results were announced, Manjunath, to his horror, discovered that the enrolment number 538745, which had been awarded 264th rank in the results list, carried the name of Ashwin Bhaskaran in the list of selected candidates in this year’s civil services examination.

Manjunath complained about the matter to the UPSC, but received no response from them. His parents say the UPSC’s indifference forced their son to end his life. 

Manjunath left home on May 9, informing his parents that he would be going to Chennai to meet friends. But he instead went to Kodagu and took the extreme step.

Kodagu police, who are investigating into the case, handed over the body to Manjunath’s family after the postmortem.

Though the family is holding the UPSC responsible for Manjunath’s  death, they have not filed a police case against the UPSC.