Maratha reservation: Maharashtra government postpones MPSC exams

Under pressure from the Maratha community outfits that are unhappy over the stay on quota by the Supreme Court, the state government on Friday postponed Maharashtra

Under pressure from the Maratha community outfits that are unhappy over the stay on quota by the Supreme Court, the state government on Friday postponed Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) examinations scheduled to be held on Sunday.

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Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, however, said the decision was taken in the wake of the requests received from the students from across the communities seeking more time for the preparations in the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic.

CM Thackeray said on Friday that the exams for the 200 posts are being postponed for one last time.

“We have been talking to various organisations over the last few days. The students appearing for the exam had requested us to postpone as they could not get the time and a suitable atmosphere in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic as many schools, colleges, classes, study centres were defunct. Some of the students are infected by the virus. Keeping their interest in mind, we have decided to postpone the exams. The decision about the new date of exam will be declared after discussion with MPSC and departments concerned,” he said.

Thackeray said that all those who are eligible for the exam on the age criterion this time will be allowed to appear for the exam once it is announced. This has been for the second time that the exam is postponed. Thackeray said that not only Maratha, but students from other communities too had demanded the postponement of the exam.

CM Thackeray, his senior cabinet colleagues held rounds of meetings with various Maratha outfits and their leader over the last two days after they announced to boycott the exams and ransack the exam centres. Thackeray along with his cabinet colleagues, public works department minister and head of the sub-committee appointed for the reservation Ashok Chavan, water resources minister Jayant Patil, transport minister Anil Parab, interacted digitally with more about 65 leaders from various organisations on Friday, before the announcement. However, the Maratha leaders were divided over the postponement of the exam.

The government, on Thursday, had met three delegations led by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member of Parliament (MP) Chhatrapati Sambhajiraje, BJP legislator Vinayak Mete and Maratha Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti chief Suresh Patil.

The delegations had demanded the cancellation of exam in the wake of the stay given to the reservation by the Supreme Court last month. The leaders had demanded that the exam should be held only after the decision over the reservation was done in the Apex court.

Reacting on the decision, BJP MP and Maratha leader Chhatrapati Sambhajiraje said that now they expect the state government to take steps to ensure the vacation of the stay on the reservation. “We had warned the government, but it was not a threat. You may call it a pressure tactic and there is nothing wrong in doing so in the interest of the community. The decision is a welcome step and it will prove in the interest of students from all communities,” he said

Ashok Chavan said that the government was positive about the other demands by the Maratha community and decisions will be taken into them after due deliberation. Around 2.61 lakh students were expected to appear for the exam for 200 officers’ posts in various government departments.

Meanwhile, CM Thackeray and his cabinet colleagues also met leaders from Other Backward Classes and Dhangar (Shepherd) community who have been protesting over reservation issues. OBCs are wary over the possibility of Marathas being included in the category if the SEBC reservation did not stand the legal scrutiny. Dhangars have been demanding their inclusion in the Scheduled Tribes category.

JD Tandel, vice president, OBC Sangharsh Samanway Samiti said, after the meeting, “We were expecting a firm decision on our demands, but CM assured us to appoint a cabinet sub-committee to discuss our issues.”