Pune: MPSC Students Suspend October 2 Protest After CM Fadnavis Assures Recruitment Near 70,000 Posts

Reported by Shoaib Tadvi
Pune, 30th September 2026: The proposed October 2 protest by MPSC aspirants has been temporarily suspended following a meeting between a delegation of students and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday.

According to the student delegation, the meeting was positive and the Chief Minister gave assurances on several major demands, including large-scale recruitment, continuation of offline examinations, a judicial inquiry into the functioning of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC), immediate transfer of the MPSC Secretary and a single-card system for candidates.

Recruitment figure likely to be around 70,000

One of the major demands raised by the students was the filling of 70,000 government posts. However, the Chief Minister did not officially confirm the exact figure of 70,000 posts during the meeting.

According to the students, Fadnavis indicated that the number of posts to be filled would be around this figure and that recruitment would take place on a record scale. The exact number of vacancies is yet to be officially finalised.

According to the points shared after the meeting, around 30,000 to 40,000 promotional posts had remained unfilled in the state government. The recruitment rules had not undergone major changes since 1960, due to which departments were generally permitted to fill only around 30 to 40 per cent of vacancies.

The government has now prepared recruitment rules for around 60 per cent of departments, while work on the remaining departments is underway. The government has indicated that preparations are being made to fill the available vacancies fully.

Three years of vacancies to be announced together

The government has also assured students that vacancies for three years will now be announced together.

For posts expected to become vacant due to the retirement of employees, the recruitment process will be started one year in advance.

According to the assurance given to students, vacancies will be filled in record numbers and the complete recruitment programme will be finalised within one month.

MPSC examinations to remain offline

Another major assurance concerns the examination system.

The government has told the students that MPSC examinations will continue to be conducted offline. According to the points shared after the meeting, no decision to introduce another examination mode will be taken without discussions with all sections of students.

Single card for all examinations

The government has also agreed to develop a single-card system through which candidates will be able to appear for different examinations.

According to the students, the card will be made available at an affordable cost. A system will also be developed so that candidates do not have to repeatedly submit the same documents for different examinations.

Judicial inquiry under Article 317

Another major demand concerned action against the MPSC Chairman and members.

Students had demanded action under Article 317 of the Constitution. According to the points shared following the meeting, the MPSC Chairman holds a constitutional post and the State Government or Governor does not have the authority to remove the Chairman. The power lies with the President of India, based on the procedure involving the Supreme Court.

The government has assured the students that a judicial inquiry will be conducted within three months, following which further action will be taken based on its findings.

MPSC Secretary to be transferred

The government has also assured the delegation that the MPSC Secretary will be transferred immediately.

Students temporarily suspend October 2 agitation

Following the meeting, Nitin Andhale, a student representative, said the delegation had a positive discussion with the Chief Minister.

According to Andhale, the Chief Minister assured students regarding the judicial inquiry into the MPSC, large-scale recruitment, continuation of offline examinations, transfer of the MPSC Secretary and introduction of a single-card system.

“On behalf of all the students, we thank the Chief Minister. All the students in the delegation unanimously decided to temporarily suspend the agitation,” Andhale said.

Another student representative criticises delegation

However, another section of students has criticised the delegation’s decision.

Student representative Nikhil Patil alleged that the delegation that met the Chief Minister had “completely failed” to represent the students’ demands.

Patil also alleged that the delegation had gone to the meeting with the Chief Minister primarily to take credit for the discussions.

He further claimed that the October 2 protest was suspended because the organisers expected that the agitation would not attract sufficient numbers.

These allegations are Patil’s claims and have not been independently established.

The student delegation has now decided to temporarily suspend the October 2 agitation while awaiting implementation of the assurances given by the government. The 70,000 figure remains a student demand and an approximate figure indicated in the discussion, rather than a formally confirmed final vacancy figure.