Maharashtra Government Appoints Satish Waghole as Interim Chair of MPSC

Mumbai, October 16 (Daily Kiran) : The Maharashtra government has appointed Satish Waghole as the interim chair of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) as of October 16. This decision was announced on Friday by the General Administration Department.

The order states, “MPSC member Satish Baban Waghole has been given the additional charge of MPSC chairperson.” Alongside him, Saurabh Katiyar, the District Collector of Mumbai Suburban, has been tasked with the additional responsibility of MPSC secretary.

This change comes in the wake of a committee formed under the leadership of retired Justice Dilip Bhosale to investigate the MPSC paper leak scandal. Following this announcement, the previous chair, Vivek Bhimanwar, has taken a leave of absence, leaving the position vacant. The committee has been given two months to complete its investigation.

Once the governor approves the notification for the investigation committee, it will commence its work. Given the anticipated timeline for the committee’s report and subsequent government action, the process of assigning the additional charge of chairperson to another member is already underway. Bhimanwar, who has emphasized his commitment to ethics throughout his career, is currently on leave.

Earlier this week, the Maharashtra government also assigned the additional charge of MPSC secretary to Saurabh Katiyar. This move follows the transfer of the former secretary, Mahendra Harpalkar, amid student protests regarding allegations of paper leaks in MPSC recruitment examinations.

Students preparing for competitive exams have staged significant protests in Pune for 11 days, raising serious allegations about the recent paper leaks. They are demanding a fair and thorough investigation, transparency in the process, and the immediate resignation of the MPSC leadership.