Thousands march in Pune, seek MPSC chief’s resignation over paper leak

Thousands march in Pune, seek MPSC chief's resignation over paper leak Politicians, including MP Supriya Sule and MLAs Rohit Pawar and Vishwajeet Kadam, joined the protest.

Key points

• Students marched from Omkareshwar Temple to the District Collectorate and submitted a letter outlining their demands to the Collector.
• Multiple individuals, including office-holders of the MPSC, have been arrested in connection with the paper-leak case. © The Indian Express Pvt Ltd.
• NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar and Congress MLA Vishwajeet Kadam additionally joined the march.
• Responding to the allegations, MPSC Chairperson Vivek Bhimanwar remarked the Commission and the state administration had separately formed high-level committees to prevent such incidents from recurring.
• Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune.

Meanwhile, the accused being taken to court in the MPSC leak case. (Express Photo).

Thousands of individuals took to the streets of Pune on Monday seeking the resignation of Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) Chairperson Vivek Bhimanwar and pressing for 13 other measures over recent paper-leak controversies. Students marched from Omkareshwar Temple to the District Collectorate and submitted a letter outlining their demands to the Collector.

For context, the MPSC cancelled the recruitment process for Drug Inspector, Group-B posts in the Food and Drug Administration department in August after an inquiry made public that the examination paper had been leaked. The cancellation came months after the examination was conducted.

Nitin Andhale, an organiser of the protest, remarked, "It is imperative to put a stop to the corrupt system that is jeopardising the futures of sincere students who have dedicated years to their studies. The state administration must immediately secure the resignations of the MPSC Commission Chairman and other responsible office-holders and order a high-level judicial inquiry into the entire matter. Furthermore, a thorough investigation must be conducted into all previous examinations held during the tenures of these corrupt authorities."

"I am sincerely requesting the Maharashtra government that they should send a responsible person and have a dialogue with the students, " she remarked.

NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar and Congress MLA Vishwajeet Kadam additionally joined the march. Pawar remarked, "Considering the sentiments of lakhs of students across the state, the government must immediately accept these demands, thoroughly scrutinise the operations of the MPSC, which has become a hub of corruption, and appoint an officer with a clean reputation to lead it."

Akshay Jain, president of the Maharashtra Pradesh Youth Congress's Media Department, remarked, "MPSC needs to answer one simple question: Is the Commission meant to conduct examinations, or to test the patience of students? We do not need assurances, we need answers and accountability."

Responding to the allegations, MPSC Chairperson Vivek Bhimanwar remarked the Commission and the state administration had separately formed high-level committees to prevent such incidents from recurring. A police case has additionally been registered in connection with the paper leak.

In an official note, Bhimanwar remarked, "I am deeply distressed that, despite the facts being clarified, personal and politically motivated allegations aimed at tarnishing my reputation continue to be produced against me. Since assuming charge, I have implemented numerous reforms within the MPSC. We have successfully conducted a total of 84 examinations, comprising eight competitive examinations and 76 screening tests for direct recruitment. Nevertheless, if even a single piece of evidence is produced against me, I will not remain in this position for even a moment longer. I have already clarified that the sequence of events concerning the leak of the question paper for the Drug Inspector examination predates my assumption of office."

Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting. Professional Background Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune. Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he additionally maintains a robust focus on civic problems, public health, human rights, and state politics. Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, administration reports, and public infrastructure. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories: 1. Investigations & Governance "Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) after his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents. "44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families. 2. Education & Campus Life Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in plenty of depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University. "Maharashtra's controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial. "Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers. 3. Human Rights & Social Problems "Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India. "'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting problems of disability and cyber-bullying. Signature Style Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized-whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions). He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune problems to larger national conversations concerning law and liberty. X (Twitter): @SohamShah07.

Taken together, the developments around thousands march in Pune, seek MPSC chief's resignation over paper leak point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.