Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray has met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for the second time in 10 days over the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) protest, saying the government is taking the concerns of protesting students seriously and urging them to remain patient.
Thackeray said he discussed alleged irregularities in the MPSC examination and other issues related to the commission during his meeting with Fadnavis on Friday. In a post on X, he said he was “completely positive” about the chief minister’s response and expected an announcement on employment-related concerns of MPSC students in the coming days.
The meeting followed Thackeray’s interaction with protesting students in Pune on October 5. According to his post, he had assured the students that he would convey their views and legitimate demands to the chief minister. He referred to students who had left their home districts, talukas and families to prepare for government employment and appealed to them to maintain patience while the process moves forward.
The students have been protesting in Pune over alleged irregularities in the MPSC examination and other concerns involving the commission. The agitation has brought renewed attention to the institutional process governing a constitutional public service commission and the safeguards available to candidates appearing for competitive examinations.
The state government has already initiated a formal step in response to the dispute. Fadnavis recently recommended to Governor Jishnu Dev Varma that a high-level inquiry committee be established under Article 317 of the Constitution. The proposed committee would examine allegations involving current and former members and chairpersons of the MPSC and consider whether further action is required.
The chief minister has proposed that the committee be headed by a retired High Court judge. It would be expected to submit a detailed report within three months, after which the next course of action could be determined. Fadnavis has also said that removing officials holding constitutional positions requires a strict procedure.
The Article 317 process is significant because the MPSC is not an ordinary state department. Its members and chairperson hold constitutional positions, meaning that any action against them must follow a defined legal and institutional route rather than an immediate administrative order. The proposed inquiry is therefore positioned as a mechanism to examine the allegations and establish whether further action is warranted.
For candidates, the immediate issue remains the government’s response to the alleged examination irregularities and the effect of any findings on recruitment and employment processes. Thackeray’s latest meeting indicates that the political response is continuing alongside the proposed constitutional inquiry. The next formal milestone is the establishment of the committee and its examination of the allegations, followed by the submission of its report within three months.
