Maharashtra Government Forms Committee for Recruitment Exam Reforms

Mumbai, August 12: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on Wednesday the formation of a high-level committee to implement comprehensive, secure, and consensus-driven reforms in the recruitment examination process for various government services in Maharashtra.

The committee is tasked with visiting each revenue division in the state, engaging directly with students, and submitting a joint report outlining significant changes needed in the system. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who attended the meeting, also provided several important suggestions.

This decision follows recent protests at Jantar Mantar regarding the NEET paper leak and ongoing demonstrations by students in Jharkhand over alleged irregularities in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) recruitment exams. CM Fadnavis issued these directives during a special meeting held at his official residence, ‘Varsha.’

V. Radha, Additional Chief Secretary of the General Administration Department, will chair this high-level panel. Members include Director General of Police Sadanand Date, Secretary of the Information Technology Department Virendra Singh, Secretary of the Animal Husbandry Department N. Ramaswamy, and Nashik Divisional Commissioner Praveen Gedam.

The panel will tour each revenue division, gathering suggestions from students, educational institution administrators, and relevant stakeholders. A comprehensive policy for the state will be developed based on these recommendations.

Referring to the stringent laws recently passed by Parliament to prevent paper leaks and exam irregularities, CM Fadnavis noted that while Maharashtra already has its own legislation, the central law is more stringent. He instructed officials to complete the process of adopting and implementing the central law in Maharashtra within the next two weeks.

The Chief Minister also ordered the establishment of at least 25,000 secure classrooms across the state. The meeting covered various related topics, including defining clear roles for district collectors, police commissioners, superintendents of police, and senior education officials to enhance coordination, reviewing global examination models, assessing current operational methods, and identifying areas for improvement.

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