Pune, 7th October 2026: MPSC aspirants continued their protest in Pune for the sixth consecutive day on Thursday, demanding the resignation of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) chairman and greater transparency in the examination process.
As part of the protest, students carried out a symbolic funeral procession for their dreams, expressing anger over alleged paper leaks and irregularities in the recruitment process.
The agitation, which began on October 1, is being held at three locations, near the S.M. Joshi Bridge and Garware College, Ahilyadevi Education Mandal on Shastri Road and Tilak Chowk. Students from different parts of Maharashtra have joined the protest and said they would continue their agitation until their demands are addressed.
The students organised a symbolic funeral procession to highlight how repeated examination-related irregularities are affecting aspirants who spend years preparing for competitive examinations. They said many students from financially weaker families spend several years and significant amounts of money preparing for government recruitment exams.
MLA Rohit Pawar said, "Students from poor and ordinary families spend years preparing to become government officers. Their parents make significant sacrifices for their education and coaching. When irregularities occur in the examination process, the dreams of these students are destroyed."
Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh visited the protest site and criticised the government over alleged paper leaks. He said, "The Chief Minister should come out of his official residence, meet the students and understand their concerns. The MPSC chairman should resign immediately."
Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray said, "Demanding the MPSC chairman’s resignation is justified, but responsibility cannot end with one person. We must find out who is behind the failures in the system. The students’ voices cannot be suppressed."
Former minister Jayant Patil demanded an SIT investigation into the alleged irregularities. He said, "Students from across Maharashtra come to Pune after taking loans and spend three to four years studying sincerely. Paper leaks are destroying their faith in the system. An SIT should investigate the matter and fix responsibility."
NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Rohini Khadse also backed the students. She said, "Students have the constitutional right to question the government when their future is threatened. Those calling this protest a stunt should come to Pune and see the students’ pain."
Students protesting at Tilak Chowk have also demanded that the descriptive examination format be retained. They said reforms could be introduced, but the entire examination should not be shifted to an objective format.
One protesting student said, "We are ready to face any action if our demand is wrong, but we are speaking for what we believe is right. The descriptive format is necessary to select quality candidates. Will you conduct even a doctor’s examination entirely through objective questions?"
Activist Tushar Gandhi said, "Paper leaks are not merely an examination-related irregularity. They represent a larger failure of the system. The students protesting today are fighting against an unjust system."
MLA Rohit Patil said, "The government should set aside its stubbornness and find an immediate solution. We stand firmly with the students in their fight for justice."
Former judge B.G. Kolse-Patil said, "Education was given to people as a means to fight injustice, not to become slaves of the system. Students must continue to raise their voices against injustice."
CJP protester Mohammed Junaid Malik said, "Students study for 12 to 16 hours every day, but repeated paper leaks are wasting their hard work. Raising our voice against injustice through a peaceful, democratic movement is our constitutional right."
The students have said they will continue the agitation until the MPSC chairman’s resignation, greater transparency in examinations and other key demands are addressed.