The preliminary examination of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC), which was earlier scheduled for coming Sunday, will now be held on March 21, the commission announced on Friday (Representational) THE PRELIMINARY examination of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC), which was earlier scheduled for coming Sunday, will now be held on March 21, the commission announced on Friday.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar criticised the commission, saying it did not handle the issue properly.
The MPSC had on Thursday once again postponed the exam, which is required for government jobs, citing the Covid-19 situation. It led to protests by students all over the state.
“The exam will now be held on March 21 across the state at the same centres. The students who have received hall ticket to appear for the exam (on March 14) will be considered eligible for the March 21 exam,” the commission said on Friday.
It also announced that other two examinations scheduled for March 27 and April 21 will be held as per schedule.
The preliminary examination was to take place last April but was repeatedly delayed due to the pandemic.
Speaking to reporters in Pune, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said the MPSC failed “to handle the situation in my opinion”.
But the issue was now over, as the new exam date has been announced, the NCP leader added.
On Thursday, angry students protested in Pune and many other parts of the state
while leaders of the ruling coalition members Congress and NCP as well as Opposition BJP slammed the postponement decision.
Later in the evening, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray assured that the new date will be announced on Friday.
Earlier on Friday, state BJP president Chandrakant Patil wondered if the Maha Vikas Aghadi government was deliberately postponing MPSC
examinations to avoid backlash from Maratha organisations, which have warned that they would not allow any such exams to be held till the reservation issue is resolved in the Supreme court.
“The Uddhav Thackeray government lacks clarity and courage. It should come forward and explain the real reason for repeated postponement of MPSC exams,” Patil told mediapersons.
PTI inputs.