HC Tells Maharashtra To Ensure Fair MPSC Exams

Mumbai: Hearing a petition regarding the ongoing student protest in Pune, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday said that the State government must ensure public recruitment examinations are conducted fairly, impartially, and without malpractices. However, noting that the court has now taken the cognisance of the matter, the bench appealed to the students to call off their agitation and resume their studies, assuring them that their concerns would be examined by the court.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna observed that sincere efforts are required to rebuild public trust in the examination framework, adding that the State carries the responsibility to ensure the recruitment process is streamlined and carried out efficiently without unnecessary delays.

“The State has to give an assurance that whatever examinations are conducted, is impartial, fair and there should be no malpractices. There should be sincere effort in restoring trust,” the bench said.

Observing that candidates dedicate substantial time and effort to prepare for competitive tests, the bench acknowledged that students possess the right to protest when they have legitimate grievances or suspect irregularities in the process. “If students are agitated, there are some things that need to be considered. In case they find examinations are not in line, that action should be taken. If they do not have an opportunity and they get the feeling that there has been hanky-panky, they have the right to agitate. Because they have given hours of study,” it said.

The court was informed that the police had exercised restraint during the demonstrations and had not registered any First Information Reports against the participants. To this, the Chief Justice remarked that the demonstrators were students and not anti-social elements.

The judges noted that the examination system must be fair and transparent, and advised the protesters to consider the difficulties faced by their families. It cautioned that prolonged demonstrations could harm their academic and professional careers. The court further requested that the protests be conducted without causing inconvenience to local residents or disrupting civic life in Pune.

“They should trust the court. Most students are genuinely interested in studies. They do not come for these things (protests). I will request all students to go back to your faculty,” judge said.

The petition was filed by Pune residents Amit Supekar and Sourabh Virkar, naming the State along with protest organisers Pramod Patil, Nitin Andhale, and Chetan Wagaj as respondents. The petitioner urged the court to designate specific protest locations in Pune and to take legal action against persons occupying public areas without authorisation, arguing that the demonstrations had disrupted daily civic activities and worsened traffic congestion.

The court directed the State to submit a comprehensive roadmap detailing its measures to resolve the students’ concerns and investigate any improprieties, granting the State three weeks to file its report before the next hearing scheduled for 25 November.

The MPSC aspirants are holding a protest in Pune over alleged question paper leaks, administrative delays, and recruitment irregularities. Their demands include transparent examinations, lower fees, immediate recruitments on vacant government posts, and the resignation of MPSC chairperson Vivek Bhimanwar.