MVA Govt. postpones MPSC exam amidst widespread protests across State

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Uddhav assures of new exam dates will be announced by tomorrow

Pune: The Maharashtra government’s decision to postpone the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) exams in wake of rising Covid-19 cases sparked off widespread protests across the State on Thursday. Agitated MPSC aspirants took to the streets in Pune, Aurangabad and other cities even as Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray assured that fresh dates would be announced on Friday. 

“This postponement of the exams is not for two or three months, but merely for a few days. I have directed MPSC officials to end this confusion and announce the new exam date on Friday. The exams will be held within eight days as per the new schedule,” assured Thackeray.

Even though the Chief Minister tried to placate the agitated students, strident protests from the aspirants, the majority of whom hail from Maharashtra’s rural hinterland, rocked most parts of the State. The protests saw agitators threw social distancing and other pandemic norms to the winds. 

In damage control mode, the Chief Minister said that the alarming case surge had compelled a majority of the administrative staff to be deployed in combating the renewed pandemic wave. 

Trying to reason with the agitated students, Thackeray remarked “Before Diwali last year, when we had announced the MPSC exam dates (March 14), I had promised that it would not be postponed again…While I completely sympathize with the feelings of students, we have been forced to push it because of the Covid-19 situation and the fact that a lot of government officials who were to be deployed in various capacities during the conduct of the exam, be it collecting papers or supervision, are engaged in combating the pandemic,” he said. 

The Chief Minister further argued that the soaring cases had made it imperative to get these officials tested before they were deployed for exam duties. “We cannot play with the health of the students. So, it is vital to ensure whether or not these officials are negative. Students should not be in any doubt that whether officials in the room, who are handing out the question papers, are Covid-positive or not,” the Chief Minister said.      

The spike in cases had also posed the problem of exam centres being in containment zones, noted Thackeray.  “I have no intention of playing either with the emotions of students nor with their health. The dates will be announced tomorrow. So, I appeal to you all to drop this worry. There will be no problem regarding the age limit of students. I apologize for this inconvenience,” Thackeray said. 

In a thinly veiled rebuke to the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), he urged students not to let others fire their political guns over their shoulders.  

The State government’s decision provoked sharp criticism not only from the opposition BJP, but also from ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders, notably from the Congress as well. 

Senior Congressman and former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan termed the move to postpone the exams as being “grossly unfair” on the students, while Maharashtra Youth Congress president Satyajeet Tambe called the decision “unjust” and inimical to students.  

“It is not as if other exams have not been conducted in the State and in the country…the UPSC exam was conducted, the Assembly sessions have taken place with due precaution, so many marriages are underway. One must bear in mind that the aspirants are children of humble farmers, many of whom have spent thousands living and bearing the high hostel costs in Pune. They don’t have any financial backing and many have mortgaged their lands to pay for their education,” Chavan said, urging the government, to immediately reconsider its decision. 

He further expressed confidence that as future officers in the making, the students would take all due precautions while giving exams.  

Meanwhile, agitators staged road-blocks in Pune and tore books in despair. Several students complained that the exam had been postponed at least five times previously and accused the government of playing with their careers. 

“Will the State government again postpone the exam if cases continue to surge next week as well? Should they not have planned adequately? Why cannot they conduct a day-long exam at a time when other exams elsewhere like the Railway recruitment, the UPSC, the State board exams have been conducted or will commence in a fairly smooth manner,” asked Student leader Kuldeep Ambekar, president, Student Helping Hand. 

At the same time, Ambekar said that while protesting is a constitutional right, students ought to follow rules for their own safety. 

Meanwhile, BJP MLC Gopichand Padalkar, who led the protests in the Navi Peth area of Pune slammed the Uddhav Thackeray government for being utterly apathetic towards the plight of students. Padalkar, who tried to remain entrenched at the protest site, was finally physically removed from the protest site by Pune city police late on Thursday evening.