MPSC students protest statewide over paper leak, cutoff discrepancies

Students preparing for competitive exams have taken to the streets across Maharashtra against the functioning of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC). Strong protests are underway in several cities including Pune, Nashik, Nagpur and Kolhapur. Repeated irregularities, paper leak incidents and delays in the recruitment process have pushed frustrated young aspirants to protest against the administration. The anger stems from broken trust among youths who study eighteen to twenty hours a day chasing their future.

The discontent was mainly triggered by a paper leak in the recruitment exam for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspector post. The exam was held offline on March 22, 2026, and the result was declared on June 12. It later emerged that some candidates had received the question paper as early as March 20, before the exam. Following this serious matter, the exam was cancelled, raising questions over student safety and the commission's competence.

Figures that emerged after the Rajyaseva Main Examination 2025 results also shocked everyone. Despite the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and MPSC main exams having the same syllabus, a large gap was found between the two exams' cutoffs. The UPSC main exam's open (general) cutoff was 739 marks, while the MPSC Rajyaseva main exam cutoff went as high as 942 marks, and the cutoff for unreserved women candidates reached 959 marks. Students are confused and angry over how a gap of 203 to 220 marks arose in exams based on the same syllabus. This alleged discrepancy in evaluation has intensified demands for re-checking of answer sheets.

The "MPSC Vidyarthi Aakrosh Morcha" (MPSC students' anger march) taken out from Omkareshwar Temple to the district collector's office in Pune became the centre of the agitation. This was followed by strong anger among students in several parts of the state including Kolhapur. Thousands of young people, worried about their future and angry at the system, came out on the streets. The marches were joined by leaders including MP Supriya Sule and MLA Rohit Pawar, who supported the students' demands.

During the protests, students used satirical posters to draw the attention of the government and administration. Angry students have given the state government a three-day ultimatum, warning that if their demands are not met, a protest like Delhi's Jantar Mantar will be repeated in Pune. Students frustrated by flaws in the exam process are also struggling with financial hardship. Amid this, a 28-year-old man named Prathamesh Deshmukh, who was preparing for competitive exams in Pune's Navi Peth area, died by suicide after being driven to distress by debt, an incident that has deepened the sorrow surrounding the movement.

The students' key demands include the immediate removal of MPSC chairman Vivek Bhimanwar and the commission's secretary from their posts, and a CBI or CID probe into their assets, as they are accused of failing to maintain the credibility of the exams. They have also demanded a thorough investigation into all suspect exams, including the Food and Drug inspector exam, and strict action against the guilty. Other demands include making the entire process from question paper preparation to delivery secure and transparent, and more effective implementation of the multiple-choice question paper option. They have also demanded that the government issue a clear, time-bound schedule for government recruitment, end the practice of outsourcing recruitment to private agencies, and fill all posts directly through MPSC. Students have also demanded an age relaxation for those who have crossed the maximum age limit due to delays in advertisements for several important posts, including PSI.

Amid mounting pressure, MPSC softened its stance somewhat and issued a press release stating that candidates disqualified for the interview have been given a chance to get their main exam marks rechecked, with applications invited until September 10. Cabinet minister Praveen Darekar said on behalf of the state government that the government stands fully with the protesting students and is seriously considering every genuine demand. The government led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is trying to find a permanent solution. Darekar also alleged that the opposition is merely playing politics on this sensitive issue in the name of students. The commission and the government have taken some steps on the students' demands, but the students' fight for major changes in the entire exam system and strict legal action against the guilty continues.