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The committee was constituted on Sept 4 to study the state-wide recruitment process and consult stakeholders to make recruitment exams more transparent, secure and reliable after a paper-leak scandal rocked the Maharashtra Public Service Commission’s reputation, followed by protests by aspirants across the state, especially in Pune, demanding a systemic overhaul. Approximately 12 lakh candidates had applied for the Group-C Service Combined Preliminary Examination 2026 for over 5,000 posts. But the panel reasoned that since various departments had sent demands for more than 11,000 additional posts to the Maharashtra Public Service Commission, it was recommended to include these additional posts through corrigenda and thereby increase the total number of posts to more than 16,000. Calling it a victory of student unity, NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar , who supported and participated in the 11-day protest by MPSC aspirants in Pune in the Sept-Oct period, thanked the chief minister for keeping his word and shared his expectation that other demands put forth by the students will also be fulfilled. His post on X said that the recommendation to increase the Group C posts to 16,000 will benefit students across the state.
Stating that the main exam syllabus for the newly admitted cadre will be announced soon, the panel emphasised maintaining strict security arrangements for printing, storage and transportation of answer sheets and arrangements for police security, CCTV surveillance, signal jammers and trained manpower at exam centres.