MPSC Paper Leak: Chairman Bhimanwar Sent on Compulsory Leave
Maharashtra government sends MPSC Chairman Vivek Bhimanwar on compulsory leave following student protests over alleged paper leaks.
In a major breakthrough following intense student agitation, the Maharashtra government has ordered Vivek Bhimanwar, the Chairman of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC), to go on compulsory leave. This decision comes in the wake of an 11-day-long protest in Pune by aspirants demanding his immediate resignation over an alleged MPSC paper leak case.
The move has led to a significant shift in the ongoing unrest. Protesting students, who had been camping at the S M Joshi Bridge in Pune under the leadership of NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) MLA Rohit Pawar, have provisionally decided to suspend their agitation.
Government Intervention and Relief for Students
The breakthrough occurred after State Minister Shivendraraje Bhosale met with the protesting aspirants. During the meeting, the Minister provided several assurances to the students to ease the tension:
- Withdrawal of Cases: The Minister announced that legal cases registered against students during the agitation would be withdrawn.
- Strict Accountability: He promised that rigorous action would be taken against anyone found guilty of involvement in the paper leak scandal.
- Technical Adjustments: Bhosale noted that a positive stance has been established and that technical adjustments to the commission's processes are being submitted.
"A positive stance regarding the MPSC has been established; the committee simply needed to make some technical adjustments," Bhosale stated, adding that these changes are currently being processed.
Chairman Bhimanwar's Response
Addressing the development on social media platform X, Vivek Bhimanwar expressed his commitment to ethics. He stated that while the students had demanded his resignation, he has chosen to step aside to maintain the integrity of the office during the investigation.
"Throughout my entire life, I have always prioritised ethics. Therefore, I have decided to go on leave during this period instead of continuing to serve in the post until this inquiry is completed,"Bhimanwar wrote. He further emphasized that the autonomy, credibility, and interests of MPSC students remain his top priority.
The Inquiry and the Paper Leak Allegations
To ensure a thorough investigation, the state government has appointed senior IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe as the secretary of the committee tasked with inquiring into the MPSC matters.
The controversy traces back to a screening examination conducted on March 22. While the recruitment process for the Drug Inspector post had moved through several stages—including interviews held in July—it was halted due to serious allegations of malpractice.
Timeline of the Controversy:
- March 22: The screening examination was conducted offline at six divisional headquarters across Maharashtra.
- June 12: The results of the screening examination were officially declared.
- July 22–26: The Commission received a wave of complaints via email from candidates and public representatives.
- The Allegation: It is alleged that certain candidates obtained the question paper or specific questions as early as March 20, with the content subsequently circulating on social media and electronic platforms.
Following these irregularities, the MPSC was forced to cancel the entire recruitment process for the post, triggering the massive student protests that have now led to this high-level administrative shake-up.