Maharashtra govt faces flak over delay in MPSC exams

Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray held a meeting of senior officials and directed them to declare the fresh dates on Friday. He assured aspirants that the exams will be conducted within a week .

The Maharashtra government on Thursday received flak from aspirants over Maharashtra Public Service Commission’s (MPSC) decision to postpone preliminary examinations for recruitment, which was scheduled on March 14. Aspirants staged demonstrations at several places in the state including Pune, Nashik, Aurangabad, Sangli, and Amravati among others. They have demanded that the exams be held on the same day.

Students protest on Shastri Road in Pune on Thursday. (Rahul Raut/HT)

Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray held a meeting of senior officials and directed them to declare the fresh dates on Friday. He assured aspirants that the exams will be conducted within a week and expressed regret over the inconvenience. He also requested people not to get provoked, without naming any political party. Thackeray also assured that the no aspirant would be affected due to age bar norms owing to the delay in holding the examinations.

In Pune, the agitation by the aspirants was led by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Gopichand Padalkar, who was later detained by the police for refusing to leave the venue.

Initially, the exams were scheduled in April 2020 but have been delayed due to the Covid-19 outbreak and were postponed four times since then, aspirants said.

Recruitment for various posts in the state government is held through MPSC, and youths from all over the state participate in thousands every year.

The commission took the decision to postpone the exams further considering the recent spike in Covid-19 cases. It has also received a communication from the state relief and rehabilitation department suggesting postponement of exams.

On Wednesday, state relief and rehabilitation department issued a letter stating, “It would be inappropriate to hold MPSC exams in the backdrop of restrictions imposed as precautionary measures to arrest the spread of coronavirus by local administrations in different districts and cities, hence exams should be deferred.”

MPSC in its order dated Thursday cited instructions from the relief and rehabilitation department and stated, “In the view of the decision taken by the state government, the exams have been postponed. The revised schedule for the examinations will be released later.”

“I have directed the chief secretary (Sitaram Kunte) and concerned MPSC officials to declare a date by tomorrow and hold exams within a week. Continue your studies and I promise that the exams will be held in a week. It is being postponed only because of the rise in Covid-19 cases,” Thackeray said in his address to the state through Facebook live on Thursday evening.

He added, “I have directed to assign officials and employees, who have either tested negative for Covid-19 or been vaccinated, to conduct exams. I will not allow anyone to play with the sentiments and health of the students. I can also assure that no student is going to be affected by the age bar norm in case of delay in holding the exams.”

He said that the authorities are imposing certain restrictions in containment zones where cases are coming in big numbers, and they may have to prepare for alternatives in case an examination centre is located in a containment zone.

Taking a veiled dig at the opposition, the CM said, “Do not get provoked. Do not allow them to use your shoulder for targeting the government.”

Leaders from across political parties have opposed the move. State Congress chief Nana Patole said the state should reconsider its decision. “Since the past one year, MPSC exams could not be held. There is strong discontent among students over the sudden move, and thus the state government should reconsider its decision,” he said. Patole also called the CM and requested him for reconsideration.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislator Rohit Pawar said the exams should be held by following Covid-appropriate norms. “Nothing should be stopped due to Covid-19 and we have to keep moving by adopting precautionary measures. I am sure people will also cooperate in this. Accordingly, MPSC exams must be held. I request CM Uddhav Thackeray and deputy CM Ajit Pawar to look into it,” Pawar tweeted.

“Postponing the exams all of a sudden is wrong. If everything is allowed by following Covid-appropriate behaviour, then why not hold exams? The postponement of exams will affect many students. I express my displeasure towards the decision,” tweeted Pankaja Munde, national secretary of BJP and former women and child development minister.