Pune: Maharashtra Public Service Commission’s (MPSC) decision to shift its preliminary examination online from 2027 has sparked a three-way standoff involving the state govt, the commission and thousands of civil services aspirants. MPSC says it is examination reform, candidates have strongly opposed it, forcing chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to say that no final decision will be taken without consulting all stakeholders.The commission also removed optional subjects from the main examination. Under the revised format, the mains will carry 1,525 marks instead of 2,025, with seven compulsory papers and a 250-mark essay paper. The changes will come into effect from 2027.However, the proposal to hold the preliminary examination online has drawn sharp criticism from aspirants, particularly those from rural areas. Many fear they may have to travel long distances to reach computer-based examination centres. Others say they lack sufficient exposure to online testing and worry that technical glitches could affect their performance.“We are not against reforms, but the system should be fair for everyone. Students from villages do not have the same access to computers and practice facilities as those in cities,” MPSC aspirant Rohit Shinde from Ahmednagar said.Candidates have also questioned the transparency of the normalisation process if the examination is conducted in multiple shifts. “ Unless the commission explains the process in detail, doubts about fairness will continue,” aspirant Priya Jadhav from Pune said.Fadnavis criticised some coaching institutes, stating that a section of operators was encouraging students to protest for commercial interests. “Using students for business interests is unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” he said at a public event.Students’ organisations have rejected the claims and demanded that the decision be withdrawn immediately. Mahesh Gharbude, president of Competitive Examination Students’ Association, warned that if the online examination plan is not scrapped, aspirants across Maharashtra would launch a statewide agitation.Former civil servant and career guidance expert Anil Deshmukh said the transition to online examinations was inevitable but should be implemented only after adequate infrastructure was created across the state. “The objective should be to improve efficiency without compromising equal opportunity. Unless candidates from rural and urban areas have the same access to facilities, resistance is bound to continue,” he added.
