Mumbai: A day after the MPSC decision to postpone the Maharashtra Group-C Services Combined Preliminary Examination-2026 from October 25 to January 3, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday discussed with student representatives the concerns of MPSC aspirants about paper leaks and assured them investigations would be conducted into recruitment exams from past years too.Fadnavis told the student representatives that while an in-depth investigation into the drug inspector paper leak had begun, the govt would investigate the Group B and Group C Main and Preliminary Examination 2025 as well as the Pune Municipal Corporation and MMRDA examinations. He said any other examinations where complaints had been raised would also be looked into again and until then interviews for those posts would be stayed.In the interaction at Varsha, his official residence, Fadnavis assured students of taking investigations to their logical conclusion. He said time-bound action will be taken and the process will begin within eight days. He said the preliminary report of the crime branch investigations would be made public.“We are interested in improving the system, not in hiding anything,” he said.Fadnavis announced a dedicated grievance redressal cell in MPSC headed by a retired judge. He said the govt had also set up a new committee under the chairmanship of ACS V Radha for overall comprehensive reforms.“Only such officers in whom everyone has trust will be appointed. This committee will travel across the state and discuss with students, parents, teachers and other stakeholders. Present your questions and suggestions openly before this committee,” he saidA mechanism will be established to resolve whatever complaints students may have and a special investigation team (SIT) will investigate it. Fadnavis said the govt will make a recommendation to the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC), which conducts the recruitment exams, to provide answer sheets under the Right to Information Act. .“All examinations conducted during the tenure of Lendve, Marathe and Nakhate will be investigated through the SIT. We will verify the Rajurkar Committee recommendations, and implement the appropriate recommendations,” he said.On recruitment for the police force, Fadnavis said an electronic chip on both legs or some other option would be provided, and a single pattern of marks will be followed for police recruitment in every district. He said all doubts with regard to Sarathi, BARTI and Mahajyoti will be resolved. He said the govt would set guidelines for conducting interviews.He said the govt is ready to conduct an independent inquiry against the MPSC chairman and secretary if evidence of malpractice is provided against them.Fadnavis said the govt is carrying out large-scale recuitments for the first time and to ensure examinations are leakproof and the system is fully prepared, it is putting in place safeguards and hence examinations have been postponed.The MPSC decision to postpone the Maharashtra Group-C Services Combined Preliminary Examination-2026 left aspirants questioning the repeated uncertainty around the state’s recruitment process. Group C exams recorded the biggest draw of students this year, with over 11 lakh applications against 5,707 vacancies, including talathi, clerk-typist, tax assistant, and such.Meanwhile, he MPSC has made it clear that reports blaming its joint secretary and others in the alleged leak of marks of the state excise sub-inspector examination are false. The statement followed a departmental inquiry against then crime branch inspector Rahul Shire, who is now posted in the traffic department. The case began on January 3.
