The MPSC student protest in Pune has intensified after protesting aspirants submitted a proposal to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis seeking a judicial inquiry into Maharashtra Public Service Commission chairperson Vivek Bhimanwar and his removal until the inquiry is completed.
The proposal was submitted by a delegation of competitive examination candidates after a meeting with the chief minister. The students have demanded that five members suggested by the protesters be included in the inquiry committee, which they want the state government to establish to examine the functioning of the commission.
According to the proposal, retired Justice Abhay Oka should chair the committee, while IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe should be appointed as its secretary. The students have also sought a deadline of one month for the committee to submit its report. They have asked the government to remove Bhimanwar from the post immediately and keep him away from the commission until the inquiry is concluded.
The demands follow an 11-day protest in Pune against the MPSC’s functioning and against Bhimanwar’s continuation as chairperson. Thousands of competitive examination aspirants have gathered since October 1 in the Navi Peth area near the S M Joshi Bridge. The protest has focused on allegations of question-paper leaks, irregularities in examinations and a lack of transparency in the commission’s processes.
The MPSC conducts recruitment examinations for positions in the Maharashtra state administration. Any dispute over the integrity or administration of these examinations can affect candidates who spend months preparing for the recruitment cycle, as well as the state’s process for filling public posts. The students’ proposal places the question of institutional accountability at the centre of the ongoing agitation.
The development also follows a separate meeting between the chief minister and representatives of the protesting students. While the protest in Mumbai was suspended after that meeting, the agitation in Pune has continued under the leadership of MLA Rohit Pawar. The continuation of the Pune protest has given the dispute a new direction, with the students now seeking a formal inquiry mechanism and interim action against the commission’s chairperson.
The state government has not, in the supplied report, announced whether it will accept the proposed committee structure, appoint the named individuals or remove Bhimanwar pending an inquiry. The next phase of the protest is expected to depend on the government’s response to the students’ demands.
