MPSC Aspirants Call Off 10-Day Agitation as Maharashtra Names Bureaucrat Tukaram Mundhe to Probe Body; Commission Chairman Goes on Leave

PUNE — MPSC job aspirants in Pune called off their 10-day-long sit-in agitation late on Sunday night after the Maharashtra government announced a high-level inquiry committee to probe alleged examination paper leaks and overhaul the recruitment body.Senior IAS officer and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has been appointed as Secretary of the five-member panel.In a swift turn of events following the government's announcement, Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) Chairman Vivek Bhimanwar announced on social media platform X that he was proceeding on leave until the judicial inquiry concludes.

The breakthrough followed intense negotiations led by State Minister Shivendraraje Bhosale, who met protesting students at Pune's SM Joshi Bridge.The protesters, backed by NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar and Congress MLA Vishwajeet Kadam, had been staging demonstrations demanding institutional accountability over the Drug Inspector examination paper-leak controversy, administrative reforms, and a comprehensive review of the commission's operational leadership.

High-Powered Panel Named Under Former High Court Judge

The newly constituted five-member judicial committee will be chaired by former High Court judge Dilip Bhosale. Alongside IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe as Secretary, the panel comprises IPS officer Laxmi Gautam, retired IAS officer Ganesh Patil, and retired judge P.D. Naik.

The committee has been tasked with investigating examination irregularities, assessing systemic flaws, and submitting a detailed report with recommendations within two months to restore trust in the state recruitment process.

Key commitments made by the state government to the protesting aspirants include:

• High-Level Overhaul Panel:Appointment of a 5-member committee led by ex-Judge Dilip Bhosale with IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe as Secretary.
• MPSC Chairman Steps Aside:Chairman Vivek Bhimanwar proceeded on leave pending the completion of the probe.
• Withdrawal of Police Cases:Action initiated to revoke cases registered against student protest representatives.
• Phased Recruitment Drive:Assurance of recruiting for 70,000 vacant government posts over three years.
• Expansion of Group C Seats:Commitment to increase seat quotas for the upcoming Group C examinations scheduled for January.

MPSC Chairman Takes Leave Citing Ethical Stand

Following the committee's announcement, MPSC Chairman Vivek Bhimanwar publicly confirmed his decision to step aside temporarily.

"The State government has announced a judicial inquiry into the MPSC paper leak case. Throughout my entire life, I have always prioritised ethics," Bhimanwar stated on X, explaining his decision to proceed on leave while the panel conducts its probe.

The development comes shortly after the state government terminated the deputation of MPSC Secretary Mahendra Harpalkar earlier this month amid mounting public outrage over recruitment examination irregularities.

NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar welcomed Tukaram Mundhe’s inclusion in the inquiry panel, stating that aspirants hope the committee will function with full independence to deliver justice to Maharashtra's youth.