Single exam card at Rs 100: Maharashtra’s MPSC reform promise
The Maharashtra government has terminated the deputation of MPSC Secretary Mahendra Harpalkar after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met protesting aspirants, who called off an October 2 protest after he promised an inquiry into the commission chairman's functioning.
Maharashtra has agreed to a single examination card system for MPSC candidates at a fee of Rs 100.
It is on the lines of the Rajasthan model.
The assurance was among those Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis gave student representatives on September 30.
He also assured offline examinations and recruitment for about 30,000 posts.
An October 2 protest by aspirants was suspended.
Student representatives who attended included Nitin Andhale, who said the meeting was positive.
The students’ demands included action on alleged irregularities in the functioning of the MPSC and the chairman’s resignation.
They also demanded recruitment for 70,000 vacant posts and offline examinations.
Fadnavis assured them that a retired judge would inquire into the functioning of the MPSC chairman within three months.
He also assured the immediate transfer of the MPSC secretary and that future examinations would be held offline.
He assured recruitment for about 30,000 vacant posts, with a recruitment calendar to be announced within one month.
A single examination card system at a fee of Rs 100, on the lines of the Rajasthan model, was also agreed.
An inquiry into the paper leak issue was among the demands the government agreed to address, according to Andhale.
The reports did not say which examination the alleged paper leak concerned.
The MPSC chairman remains in his post while the inquiry is pending, and student groups and political leaders have asked for further accountability.
The Maharashtra Public Service Commission conducts recruitment examinations for posts in the Maharashtra government.
A deputation is a temporary posting of an officer to another body, and terminating it sends the officer back to the parent department.
A Lokshahi report said an October 2 protest against the MPSC paper leak was to be held under the leadership of MLA Rohit Pawar.
The Pune Police Commissioner, Amitesh Kumar, and DCP Prashant Amritkar attended the September 30 meeting as special invitees.
Mantralaya, Mumbai (file image), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
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