Mumbai, Sep 22 (IANS) : Amid protests over paper leaks, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday announced that Maharashtra will soon launch a recruitment drive for government positions through competitive examinations.
He said a committee headed by Additional Chief Secretary V. Radha is touring the state to engage with students and stakeholders and gather feedback on examination processes.
Speaking to reporters after the weekly cabinet meeting, Fadnavis expressed optimism about the committee’s upcoming recommendations. Addressing student concerns, he noted strong demands to shift the examination format from descriptive back to an objective (multiple-choice) pattern.
He explained that the earlier decision to adopt a descriptive format was based on the Dalvi Committee’s recommendations. Still, the government remains open to student-friendly adjustments following the V. Radha Committee’s final report.
Acknowledging complaints about low vacancy counts in Group ‘C’ posts, Fadnavis assured that the administration aims to recruit record numbers across Group ‘C’ and other cadres. The administration will also soon decide whether to establish an independent recruitment framework for local bodies or conduct those recruitments directly through the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC).
Meanwhile, the V. Radha-led panel has been travelling across the state, holding interactions with stakeholders including students. Discussions have covered exam timetables, question paper quality, leak prevention, vacancy announcements, answer keys, exam centre logistics, grievance redressal and candidate ‘opting-out’ policies.
MPSC candidates urged the Task Force to publish and strictly adhere to an annual examination calendar, emphasising the need for procedural stability without frequent policy changes. Pre-declaring minimum vacancies for various cadres was also strongly recommended.
Task Force Chairperson V. Radha announced that competitive examinations will not be conducted online next year. Instead, they will be held using the Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) sheet pattern, with standardised operating guidelines being framed.
To achieve a zero-leak environment, the committee plans to leverage advanced technology across question creation, printing, transport and distribution. It is evaluating an encrypted ‘e-question bank’ system where even item writers remain unaware of which exam their questions will feature in.
Students demanded rigorous quality checks to eliminate errors in question papers and answer keys, alongside standardised evaluation metrics and reviewer audits for answer script verification. Stakeholders also called for a unified online portal for candidate queries and objections, as well as a single-window system for one-time registration and fee payment across all state exams.
Emphasis was placed on ensuring basic amenities at test centres, including clean restrooms, drinking water and proper seating arrangements. Participants advocated for a clear policy on post-selection candidate ‘opting-out’ to avoid seat wastage when a candidate qualifies for multiple posts, along with timely verification of disability and sports quota certificates.
The Task Force is studying operational models of public service commissions across the country, specifically systems in Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), to adapt proven best practices for Maharashtra, Radha said.
