MPSC Aspirants Suspend October 2 Protest After Fadnavis Assures Reforms

The decision followed a meeting between Fadnavis and representatives of MPSC aspirants on Wednesday, amid growing concerns over the functioning of the commission and the recruitment process.

One of the major assurances was the immediate transfer of MPSC Secretary Mahendra Harpalkar. The government also said a judicial inquiry would examine the functioning of current and former MPSC chairpersons and members, with the inquiry expected to be completed within three months.

Fadnavis said the removal of a chairperson or member of a constitutional Public Service Commission is governed by Article 317 of the Constitution. Any further action would be taken according to the findings and the applicable constitutional process.

The Chief Minister also assured the students that MPSC examinations would continue to be conducted in offline mode. According to the government's assurances, any future change to the examination format would be considered only after consultations with student representatives.

Recruitment and vacancies were another major issue discussed during the meeting. The state government said a significant number of vacancies would be added to the upcoming Group C examination scheduled for January 3.

The government also outlined plans for a system that would allow candidates to appear for multiple competitive examinations using a single low-cost card. A digital document repository is also proposed to reduce the need for candidates to repeatedly upload the same documents while applying for different examinations.

Officials further said the government would prepare a three-year recruitment roadmap covering vacancies and recruitment plans across departments. The process for filling positions expected to become vacant due to retirements is also expected to begin a year in advance.

The state has said that new cadre rules have already been completed for around 60 per cent of departments, as part of efforts to address delays in recruitment and promotions.

Following the meeting, representatives of the protesting aspirants announced that their October 2 agitation would be temporarily suspended. The students have indicated that the next course of action will depend on the implementation of the assurances made by the government.

The developments come amid wider concerns among MPSC candidates over alleged irregularities in the commission's examination and recruitment processes. The state government has also ordered an investigation into alleged malpractice involving MPSC examinations.