E-Paper
Demand for accountability, resignations and strict action grows
Rohit Pawar warned that if the two officials did not step down by the end of August, he would lead a protest outside the MPSC office on September 1. He also demanded that a person with a clean record be appointed as the commission’s chairman.
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Pune:
A day after the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) cancelled the recruitment process for Drug Inspector, Group-B posts following a preliminary inquiry into allegations of a question paper leak, MLA Rohit Pawar on Wednesday demanded the resignation of the commission’s chairman and secretary, holding them morally responsible for the lapse.
Pawar warned that if the two officials did not step down by the end of August, he would lead a protest outside the MPSC office on September 1. He also demanded that a person with a clean record be appointed as the commission’s chairman.
The MPSC on Tuesday cancelled the entire recruitment process for Drug Inspector posts in the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) department after receiving complaints that some candidates had allegedly obtained the question paper before the March 22 screening examination. The commission said its preliminary inquiry indicated that one candidate had received the question set and benefited from it.
Pawar, who had earlier raised the issue with authorities, said cancellation of the examination was only the first step and those responsible must face legal action. “Cancelling the examination cannot be the end of the matter. Those responsible must face strict action under the law,” Pawar said.
He claimed the police FIR names three officials and six other people, while stressing that no one should be declared guilty before the investigation is completed.
Pawar also disputed the commission’s preliminary finding that only one candidate had received the question paper. “It is not right to say that the question paper was given to only one student. We have information that it reached several students. We have submitted various pieces of evidence and names to the police,” he said.
He alleged that the question paper was sold for a large sum of money and demanded a comprehensive investigation into the financial transactions involved. He also said he would seek an independent examination of paper leak incidents reported since 2023 and action against those responsible.
The Maharashtra Pradesh Youth Congress also demanded strict legal action, saying an inquiry alone would not be sufficient.
Akshay Jain, president of the Maharashtra Pradesh Youth Congress (Media and Communications), said the organisation had been raising concerns over paper leaks and that students had repeatedly highlighted the issue. “The key accused must face strict legal action under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act. Whether the accused is an MLA, a minister’s PA, an officer or a political worker, everyone must be equal before the law,” Jain said. He also demanded that the MPSC chairman and secretary take moral responsibility and resign.
Student representatives who had raised the issue also demanded that the investigation go beyond the single candidate mentioned in the MPSC’s preliminary findings.
Student representative Rishikesh Gangurde, who had lodged a complaint, said, “We have submitted evidence concerning 30 to 40 people. Their evidence should be investigated and the reports and action taken should be made public. Action against only one person will not be enough. All those found responsible should be punished and blacklisted. The re-examination should be conducted at the earliest to ensure justice for students.”
Another student representative, Mahesh Patil, said the incident had seriously affected the credibility of the MPSC.
“The paper leak is a very serious incident that threatens the credibility of a constitutional institution like the MPSC. There must be a thorough investigation and strict action against those responsible. Those who play with the future of students should not be given any pardon,” Patil said.
Pawar also highlighted the difficult circumstances in which many competitive examination aspirants prepare, saying students in cities such as Pune, Nashik and Nagpur often study for long hours while dealing with financial constraints and limited opportunities.
He demanded that future MPSC examinations be conducted offline, arguing that stronger safeguards were needed to prevent question paper leaks. He said he had previously raised the need for stringent legislation against paper leaks in the state Assembly.
