Rahul Gandhi hails MPSC chairman’s leave as victory for students’ Satyagraha

• Rahul Gandhi hailed MPSC chairman Vivek Bhimanwar’s decision to go on leave as a victory for students, young people and Satyagraha

• Pune aspirants suspended their protest after Maharashtra announced an inquiry committee, with Tukaram Mundhe as secretary

• The agitation reflected wider concerns over alleged paper leaks, examination delays and the financial burden of prolonged preparation

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday described Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) chairman Vivek Bhimanwar’s decision to go on leave pending an inquiry as a major victory for students who had protested against alleged irregularities in the recruitment body.

In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi credited the outcome to the young protesters and their campaign of Satyagraha. He said the chairman had “finally had to go” and that corruption would now face a full investigation.

Bhimanwar has announced leave until the inquiry is completed; he has not resigned.

The development followed late-night negotiations on Sunday between protesting aspirants in Pune and a state government delegation led by Public Works Minister Shivendra Raje Bhosale. The delegation informed students that most of their demands had been accepted, prompting them to suspend the agitation.

The government announced a high-level inquiry and review committee headed by former Bombay High Court chief justice Dilip Bhosale, with senior IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe serving as secretary.

The panel will examine allegations of paper leaks and administrative irregularities, identify weaknesses in the commission’s functioning and recommend reforms. It has been asked to submit its report within two months.

Its other members include former justice P.D. Naik, retired secretary Ganesh Patil and inspector general of police Lakhmi Gautam.

Bhimanwar announced his decision on X at around 1.24 am on Monday. He said ethical conduct had guided his public service and maintained that the commission’s autonomy, credibility and students’ interests remained his priorities.

The agitation began on 2 October, Rahul Gandhi Jayanti, with aspirants gathering near Pune’s S.M. Joshi Bridge. Their grievances extended beyond the latest alleged paper leak to repeated postponements, question-paper errors, changes in examination patterns, disputed vacancies and concerns over evaluation.

Demands included the chairman’s removal and greater transparency in recruitment. Aspirants also differed over examination formats, with some seeking descriptive papers and others favouring the objective system.

For many participants, uncertainty over recruitment carries a substantial financial cost. Pune attracts candidates from rural districts and smaller towns across Maharashtra, including Marathwada and Vidarbha, whose families often stretch limited incomes to pay for accommodation, food, coaching and study materials.

Vivekanand Maruti Patil, a 24-year-old farmer’s son from Radhanagari in Kolhapur district who emerged as a prominent voice in the movement, warned against turning recruitment into a marketplace accessible through money and influence.

Repeated delays can leave such candidates financing additional months or years of preparation, while narrowing their prospects of securing stable employment.

The scale of competition adds to the pressure. The 2026 Group C Combined Preliminary Examination attracted 10.86 lakh applications for 5,700 posts, while 44,500 candidates competed for 154 drug inspector vacancies. The 2025 State Services examination drew 1.75 lakh applicants for 385 posts.

For these aspirants, the inquiry’s significance will depend on whether it produces a recruitment process they can trust. The suspension of the protest marks a breakthrough, but the promised investigation and reforms remain to be completed.

With PTI inputs