MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) has cancelled the recruitment process for Drug Inspector Group-B posts under the Food and Drug Administration Department following a preliminary inquiry into alleged malpractice in the screening examination conducted earlier this year.
The commission on Tuesday decided to conduct a fresh examination for the posts, saying the step was necessary for ensuring that all candidates get a fair and equal opportunity, and for maintaining the confidence of candidates in the recruitment process by safeguarding the integrity, transparency and impartiality of its examinations.
Cancellation of the process means that even candidates who had cleared the screening examination and subsequently appeared for interviews will have to take the fresh examination.
Of the total, 485 candidates were eligible for appointment to the posts.
The decision comes after the MPSC received complaints regarding alleged irregularities in the screening examination held on March 22 this year.
The complaints claimed that some candidates had received the question paper or questions before the examination and that the material was subsequently circulated through social media and other electronic platforms, the commission said in its statement.
The recruitment process had been initiated through an advertisement issued on July 29, 2025.
The screening examination was conducted offline at six divisional headquarters across Maharashtra on March 22 this year.
The result of the examination was declared on June 12, after which 506 candidates were found eligible for the interview stage, it said.
Of these, 488 candidates appeared for interviews conducted between July 1 and 22.
After completion of the interviews, the MPSC published a provisional general merit list comprising 488 candidates, including 485 candidates found eligible for appointment and three declared ineligible, the MPSC said in its statement.
However, complaints concerning the conduct of the screening examination were received by the commission between July 22 and 26 through e-mail from some candidates as well as public representatives.
According to the complaints, some candidates had allegedly received the question paper or questions before the examination.
It was also alleged that the question material had been made available through social media and other electronic means.
Taking note of the seriousness and sensitivity of the allegations, the MPSC approached the Mumbai Police Commissioner on July 27 and requested an inquiry into the complaints.
A preliminary inquiry was subsequently conducted by the Crime Investigation Branch of the Mumbai Police.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Crime Investigation Branch, submitted the preliminary inquiry report to the commission.
According to the findings mentioned in the MPSC's statement, the police inquiry prima facie indicated that one candidate had received the question set before the examination and had benefited from it.
The commission said it had taken into consideration the seriousness of the findings before deciding to cancel the recruitment process.
The MPSC said the decision was aimed at protecting the credibility of the examination system and ensuring that all candidates get a fair and equal opportunity.
It also stressed the need to preserve the confidentiality and integrity of examinations conducted by the commission, it said.
The cancellation means that even candidates who had cleared the screening examination and subsequently appeared for interviews will have to take the fresh examination.
The commission, however, has provided relief to the candidates on the administrative front.
Candidates who were eligible to appear for the fresh examination will not have to submit applications again.
No examination fee will be charged for the re-examination, the commission said.
The date and detailed schedule for the fresh examination will be announced separately through a subsequent notification.
The commission's decision effectively nullifies the recruitment process initiated under advertisement number 116/2025, including the screening examination, result and subsequent interview process.
The move comes after the recruitment had progressed substantially, with hundreds of candidates having cleared the screening stage and nearly 500 appearing for interviews.
The commission said cancelling the process at this stage was necessary in view of the preliminary findings and the overriding requirement to ensure fairness and public confidence in its recruitment examinations.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Sandeep Deshpande questioned the state government over the alleged paper leak.
"When the government knew that the paper got leaked why was an FIR not registered in this case immediately?" he asked.
It is believed that a coaching class owner from Nandurbar (in North Maharashtra) was behind the paper leak.
He was sent a notice but not arrested.
He later fled, Deshpande claimed.