The Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) has officially cancelled the recruitment examination for the position of Drug Inspector after investigations confirmed that the question paper had been leaked. This decision has raised severe concerns regarding the security protocols and integrity of public competitive examinations in the state. Nationalist Congress Party (SP) leader and MLA Rohit Pawar responded aggressively to the development, accusing both the commission and the state government of failing to protect the interests of thousands of dedicated aspirants. He emphasized that the breach was not an isolated technical oversight but a widespread criminal operation, alleging that an organized network of agents sold exam papers across Maharashtra for ₹40 lakh per candidate.
Statewide Agent Racket and Allegations of ₹40 Lakh Paper Sales
Following the official announcement of the cancellation, Rohit Pawar took to social media platform X and wrote on X, directly tagging CM Devendra Fadnavis and the Maharashtra Public Service Commission. He pointed out that opposition representatives had raised the paper leak issue earlier with substantial evidence and had actively coordinated with law enforcement agencies to pursue necessary legal action. The subsequent investigation ultimately validated their claims, proving beyond doubt that the paper was leaked. However, Pawar strongly rejected the commission's assertion that the leaked paper was restricted to merely one candidate. He asserted that according to information received by them, an active agent syndicate operated across multiple districts, selling papers for ₹40 lakh each, and claimed that commission officials were fully aware of these illegal transactions.
Demands for Public Investigation Report and Insider Scrutiny
Rohit Pawar demanded that the authorities immediately publish the entire investigation report online for public scrutiny rather than making attempts to suppress the facts. He raised critical questions regarding the status of the investigation into the specific agents whose identities were previously turned over to law enforcement agencies. Pawar asked whether any internal official within the commission was complicit in facilitating the breach and under whose political or administrative protection such a massive operation was allowed to flourish. He warned that if the commission attempts to conceal the reality or shield those responsible, opposition leaders and youth organizations will not remain silent and will escalate their protests across the state.
Call for Moral Accountability, Resignation of MPSC Chairman, and Government Action
Characterizing the paper leak as a catastrophic blow to the constitutional recruitment body, Rohit Pawar stated that the incident directly compromises the credibility of the commission. He argued that the MPSC Chairman must accept full moral responsibility for this institutional failure and resign from office immediately. Furthermore, he urged the state government to take swift steps to appoint an individual of proven integrity and an unblemished public record to the chairman post. Pawar also called upon the ministers overseeing the General Administration Department to step forward, state the government's position clearly, and present the complete truth to the citizens of Maharashtra to restore trust among young job seekers.
