Maharashtra sets up inquiry commission into alleged irregularities in nine MPSC exams

The Maharashtra government has set up a Commission of Inquiry to probe alleged irregularities in nine examinations conducted by the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC). The exams were held between 2023 and 2026. Allegations of paper leaks, answer-key manipulation and other irregularities will now be examined at the judicial level.

The allegations relate to several major recruitment exams, raising questions over the transparency, credibility and fairness of the selection process for government jobs. The commission will look into complaints of paper leaks, answer-key manipulation and other irregularities that may have affected candidates who sat the exams.

The commission is headed by Dilip Bhosale, a retired Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court. Its office is at Room No. 201 on the second floor of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) headquarters in the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), Mumbai. FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has been made the commission's member-secretary.

The commission has asked candidates, students, whistleblowers, members of the public and registered organisations who have information or documentary evidence on the matter to submit their statements before November 16, 2026. The statements must be in the form of affidavits, in Marathi or English.

The nine exams to be investigated include the Drug Inspector Exam (Group B) 2025, the Maharashtra Group-B (Non-Gazetted) Services Combined Preliminary and Main Examination 2025, the Maharashtra Group-C Services Combined Preliminary and Main Examination 2025, and the Maharashtra Agriculture Services Main Examination 2024.

The Food and Drug Administrative Services Main Examination 2023, the Maharashtra Civil Engineering Services Main Examination 2025 and the Maharashtra Electrical Engineering Services Main Examination 2025 will also be investigated. The preliminary and main examination processes linked to these exams also fall within the commission's terms of reference.

The inquiry is expected not to be confined to a single incident. The commission will look at allegations across different exam cycles and recruitment categories. It will scrutinise the evidence given by candidates and other parties and decide whether further questioning of witnesses is needed to establish the facts.

According to Mundhe, the commission is committed to a thorough, transparent and impartial inquiry. He assured that every statement would be kept in strict confidence. He appealed to candidates who suffered because of the alleged irregularities, and to people with credible evidence, to come forward. He said the commission would examine every document closely and decide whether those giving evidence should be summoned as witnesses.

Candidates and other parties must submit their affidavits, valid identity proof and self-attested copies of relevant documents at Room No. 201, second floor, FDA building, Bandra-Kurla Complex, Mumbai. Copies of the affidavits and documents must also be emailed to [email protected]. The commission has given a helpline number, 022-20867677, for information and assistance.

The November 16 deadline gives affected candidates and whistleblowers a chance to place concrete evidence before the judicial panel. The commission's findings may show the nature and extent of the alleged irregularities and, where they are proved, fix responsibility.

With nine major exams now under inquiry, attention is on the functioning of Maharashtra's competitive recruitment system. For thousands of candidates who spend years preparing for government exams, the biggest question is whether the selection process truly offers a fair and transparent chance on merit.