By Tejas

Pune, August 22, 2024:In a significant development, the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) has decided to postpone the Maharashtra Gazetted Civil Services Combined Preliminary Examination 2024, which was originally scheduled for Sunday, August 25. The decision was taken during an MPSC meeting held on Wednesday, August 22, against the backdrop of growing protests by aspirants demanding the inclusion of 258 posts from the Agriculture Department in the upcoming examination. The Commission has assured that a revised date for the examination will be announced at the earliest.

The protests, which began on Tuesday night, have drawn widespread attention and support from political leaders. Aspirants are demanding that the 258 posts in the Agricultural Service be included in the MPSC State Services Preliminary Examination. However, the MPSC clarified that the request for the Maharashtra Agricultural Service Examination 2024 was not received from the government before the advertisement for the exam was published on December 29, 2023. As a result, these posts could not be included in the original notification.

Despite this clarification, the protests gained momentum, with aspirants staging an agitation on Shastri Road in Pune. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Supriya Sule visited the protest site, lending her support to the students' demands. She argued that it was feasible and technically correct to include the agricultural posts in the State Services Examination if the exam for Maharashtra Krishi Seva Group A, B, and B (junior) cadres were held in October.

The protests have also drawn attention due to the scheduling clash between the MPSC State Services Preliminary Examination and the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) exam, both of which were scheduled for August 25. Aspirants preparing for both exams expressed frustration, as they would have to choose between the two, potentially missing out on one opportunity.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took note of the situation and intervened by requesting the MPSC Chairman to take a positive decision regarding the students' demands. Fadnavis acknowledged the dissatisfaction among students, particularly concerning the exclusion of the 258 agricultural posts from the State Services exam and the clash with the IBPS exam. He conveyed his concerns through social media, urging the MPSC to address the issue.

The MPSC's decision to postpone the exam is seen as a temporary relief, but the aspirants' agitation continues as they press for the inclusion of the agricultural posts in the rescheduled exam. Senior NCP leader Sharad Pawar also voiced his support for the students yesterday, warning the government that the protests could escalate if the demands were not met. Pawar emphasised that the students' concerns were legitimate and deserved immediate attention from the authorities.