After TET paper leak, state forms high-level committee to make exams secure

MUMBAI: Amid the public outrage over a series of paper leaks, the Maharashtra government has decided to undertake a comprehensive overhaul of its recruitment examination system

MUMBAI: Amid the public outrage over a series of paper leaks, the Maharashtra government has decided to undertake a comprehensive overhaul of its recruitment examination system. The process will begin with the appointment of a high-level committee tasked with recommending reforms to make examinations more secure, transparent and credible.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday ordered the constitution of the committee to recommend comprehensive measures to strengthen the examination system and address vulnerabilities in recruitment examinations conducted for various government departments and services. It will be headed by V Radha, the additional chief secretary of the general administration department, and will comprise director-general of police Sadanand Date, information technology secretary Virendra Singh, animal husbandry secretary Dr N Ramaswamy and Nashik divisional commissioner Praveen Gedam.

This is the second committee set up by the state government in its ongoing efforts to plug loopholes and curb paper leak incidents. The earlier committee, headed by the chief secretary, was constituted on July 17 to examine the feasibility of conducting all government examinations online. The order was issued by the state higher and technical education department.

The latest move comes after the Maharashtra Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) question paper was leaked in June, raising fresh concerns about the security and transparency of the state’s recruitment examination process. The decision was taken at the meeting chaired by Fadnavis on Wednesday to discuss measures to curb paper leaks in the state.

“The committee will travel across all revenue divisions to hold consultations with students, educational institution managements and other stakeholders to gather their views. Based on these consultations, the state will formulate a comprehensive draft policy on recruitment examinations, which will be submitted to the state government for approval,” a senior official from the Chief Minister’s Office said.

The central government recently amended the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2026, following the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) paper leak and a 36-day long students’ protest led by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. Fadnavis directed officials to ensure its implementation within a fortnight.

The issue of coordination among district collectors, police commissioners, superintendents of police and senior education department officials during examinations was also discussed at Wednesday’s meeting. Additionally, officials deliberated on examination systems followed in other countries, the existing recruitment process in Maharashtra and possible reforms to strengthen it. Fadnavis also directed officials to establish at least 25,000 secure classrooms to ensure the safe conduct of examinations across the state.

The Maharashtra Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) 2026, scheduled for June 28, was postponed a day before the examination after the police uncovered a question paper leak in Bhiwandi. Following this, Fadnavis ordered a probe by a Special Investigation Team headed by Thane’s joint commissioner of police Panjabrao Ugale.

The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested several key individuals in Latur and Pune in connection with an organised network involved in the leakage and circulation of NEET-UG question papers. Those arrested include alleged masterminds and local facilitators such as P V Kulkarni, a chemistry lecturer with links to the National Testing Agency; Shivraj Motanker, operator of coaching institute RCC Latur; Pune-based teacher Tejas Shah; and Latur-based doctor Manoj Shirure.