Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis held a detailed meeting with a delegation of MPSC aspirants on Wednesday
“Under Article 317 of Constitution, only the President can remove a chairperson or member on the recommendation of Supreme Court . Fadnavis acknowledged systemic issues in govt recruitment, saying around 30,000 to 40,000 promotions remained pending across departments and that recruitment rules in several sectors had not been revised since the 1960s. Govt sources said recruitment rules for nearly 60% of departments had already been updated, while work on the remaining departments was under way.
Govt, therefore, decided to initiate a judicial inquiry into the conduct and functioning of former and incumbent MPSC office bearers,” the CMO said.
Meeting participants said govt also agreed to immediately transfer MPSC secretary Mahendra Harpalkar, a key demand raised by protesting aspirants. “No changes to the examination mode would be introduced without consultations with the aspirants and other stakeholders,” the Chief Minister’s Office said. Govt said the judicial inquiry would be completed within three months, after which further action would be taken based on its findings. The CMO said neither state govt nor the governor had the authority to remove an MPSC chairperson, as the post is constitutional. These shortcomings, he said, had hindered departments from filling sanctioned vacancies in full. Maharashtra Pradesh Youth Congress media department president Akshay Jain said issues concerning students should remain above political considerations. There can be no compromise on matters affecting students’ futures,” he said.
On the contentious issue of examination patterns, govt assured the delegation that MPSC examinations would continue to be conducted offline. A key reform under consideration is the introduction of a single-card system, which would allow candidates to appear for multiple govt examinations without repeatedly submitting the same documents. The proposed integrated digital framework would eliminate duplication of paperwork and reduce the burden on applicants.
Pune: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday assured MPSC candidates that govt would implement a series of measures to address their long-standing concerns, including a judicial inquiry into the functioning of former and current MPSC chairpersons and members, continuation of offline examinations, and recruitment reforms. “Today’s assurances must be implemented within the stipulated timeline and in a transparent manner.