Maharashtra Public Service Commission postpones major civil services exams amid student protests

The Maharashtra Public Service Commission has postponed the State Services Main Examination 2026, which was earlier set for October 3.

Exams Delayed

The commission has also shifted the Maharashtra Civil Engineering Main Examination 2026 and the Maharashtra Group-B Non-Gazetted Main Examination to later dates. New dates for all these tests will be shared later. The changes come after protests by students over a suspected question paper leak in the drug inspector test and general concerns about how exams are run.

Re-evaluation and Protests

The commission will re-evaluate the answer sheets of the 2025 State Services Main Exam after receiving many complaints from student groups and test-takers. A high-level committee led by senior bureaucrat V Radha is reviewing current exam methods and talking to candidates to build a better system. The panel will submit its suggestions soon, while the overall exam process is expected to face delays.

Political Reactions

Shiv Sena UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray stated that his party asked Governor Jishnu Dev Varma to delay the exam, and the request was accepted. Thackeray also expressed hope that the Governor would ask the MPSC chairman to step down.

Context

Public service commission exams in India attract hundreds of thousands of applicants for a limited number of government posts, making test schedules and fair evaluation processes a major public issue. When exam disruptions or paper leaks occur, they often spark widespread protests from job aspirants who spend years preparing.