Pune: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said the state govt has initiated a series of reforms for the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) to increase the number of vacancies and ensure a more streamlined, timely recruitment process.He also issued a stern warning to coaching institutes, advising them not to provoke students into opposing these administrative reforms.The chief minister was in Pune to felicitate successful competitive exam candidates and their parents at an event organised by the Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Research, Training and Human Development Institute (SARTHI).Underlining SARTHI’s role in providing coaching and resources to aspirants, Fadnavis emphasised that the govt is focused on expanding job opportunities through the MPSC. He specifically addressed the proposal to move MPSC examinations online, stating that the move is intended to bring greater transparency to the system. However, he clarified that the transition would not be forced.“I have directed the MPSC chairman to hold extensive discussions with students to explain the rationale behind moving exams online and to address their concerns,” the chief minister said, ensuring that no unilateral decisions would be made.Turning his attention to recent student protests, Fadnavis criticised certain coaching centers for their alleged role in fueling unrest. “The role of coaching institutes is to train aspirants for their future, not to provoke them into participating in agitations. These centres must stop using students as tools to oppose necessary reforms,” he said.The event at the Ganesh Kala Krida Manch was briefly overshadowed by a verbal altercation between two senior BJP members. Rajya Sabha MP Medha Kulkarni and MLA Abhimanyu Pawar were involved in a heated exchange over seating arrangements on the stage. Kulkarni later claimed that Pawar had insulted her by asking her to move to a different row so he could take her seat. Pawar, however, denied the allegations.
