MUMBAI: As protests by competitive exam aspirants spread across Maharashtra, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has initiated action against Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) chairman Vivek Bhimanwar over allegations of paper leaks and malpractices in competitive examinations.
MPSC aspirants have been protesting in Pune for the past several days, demanding the removal of chairman Vivek Bhimanwar over alleged paper leaks and irregularities.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had earlier terminated the services of MPSC secretary Mahendra Harpalkar, but the protesting students have remained firm in their demand for the removal of the MPSC chairman.
As a damage-control measure, Fadnavis recommended that Maharashtra Governor Vishnu Dev Varma constitute a committee headed by a retired High Court judge to conduct a judicial inquiry into the functioning of current and former MPSC chairpersons, including Vivek Bhimanwar, and other commission members under Article 317 of the Constitution.
The proposed committee will inquire into and examine the actions of past and present MPSC members and chairpersons, including incumbent chairman Vivek Bhimanwar, under Article 317. The committee has been instructed to submit its final report within three months.
The government said the MPSC is a statutory body and its chairman holds a constitutional post; therefore, any action against the chairman or commission members must follow laid-down procedures. The chairman cannot be removed arbitrarily, making the committee’s inquiry and report crucial to any further action against the chairman or other members.
The protesting students have also raised concerns over the examination pattern, particularly the issue of multiple-choice questions versus descriptive formats, as well as broader questions of administrative accountability.
NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar, who has been extending his support to the protesting students and has been staying with them at the protest site in Pune for the past four days, said that if their demand for the removal of the MPSC chairman was not met within two days, they would call for a Pune bandh.
Pawar is also seeking the support of other Opposition leaders and has appealed to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to meet the student protesters in Pune and support their demand.
The student protest is not confined to Pune and has spread to other cities across Maharashtra. The students have alleged malpractices in competitive examinations, irregularities in examination patterns and issues with evaluation.
The latest alleged paper leak involved the Drug Inspector examination conducted by the Food and Drug Administration in Maharashtra. Two days before the examination, the question paper was circulated on social media and was allegedly sold for Rs 5 lakh.
The Maharashtra government has also formed a separate committee to recommend reforms in competitive examinations. The committee is headed by Additional Chief Secretary V. Radha.
Meanwhile, amid the ongoing controversy surrounding MPSC examinations, Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad publicly criticised his own government. He claimed to have evidence of corruption against MPSC board members and demanded the dissolution of the commission, alleging that corrupt individuals had been appointed and were indulging in malpractices and making money.
