Mumbai: Allegations of question paper leaks, answer-key manipulation and other malpractices in Maharashtra’s competitive recruitment examinations are set to face a high-level judicial scrutiny, with the State Government constituting a Commission of Inquiry to investigate alleged irregularities in nine examinations conducted by the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) between 2023 and 2026.
The inquiry assumes significance as the allegations span several major recruitment examinations, raising concerns over the transparency, credibility and fairness of the selection process for government jobs. The commission will examine complaints relating to alleged question paper leaks, manipulation of answer keys and other forms of malpractice that may have affected candidates appearing for these examinations.
The commission is headed by Justice Dilip Bhosale, retired Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court. It is functioning from Room No. 201 on the second floor of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) headquarters at Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), Mumbai. FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has been appointed as its member-secretary.
The commission has invited candidates, students, whistleblowers, individuals and registered organisations possessing relevant information or documentary evidence to submit their statements before November 16, 2026. The submissions must be made in the form of sworn affidavits in either Marathi or English.
The nine examinations under scrutiny include the Drug Inspector Examination (Group B), 2025; Maharashtra Group-B (Non-Gazetted) Services Combined Preliminary and Main Examinations, 2025; Maharashtra Group-C Services Combined Preliminary and Main Examinations, 2025; and Maharashtra Agriculture Services Main Examination, 2024.
The inquiry will also cover the Food and Drugs Administrative Services Main Examination, 2023, Maharashtra Civil Engineering Services Main Examination, 2025, and Maharashtra Electrical Engineering Services Main Examination, 2025, along with the corresponding preliminary and main examination processes specified in the commission’s mandate.
The wide-ranging inquiry is expected to examine the allegations across different examination cycles and recruitment categories rather than restricting the investigation to an isolated incident. The commission will scrutinise the evidence submitted by candidates and other stakeholders and determine whether further examination of witnesses is necessary to establish the facts.
According to Mundhe, the commission is committed to conducting a thorough, transparent and impartial investigation. He has assured that every submission will be treated with strict confidentiality and urged candidates who may have suffered because of alleged irregularities, as well as individuals possessing credible evidence, to come forward.
He said the commission would carefully examine every document and decide whether the persons submitting evidence should be summoned for examination as witnesses.
Candidates and other stakeholders must submit their affidavits, along with valid identity proof and self-attested copies of relevant supporting documents, at Room No. 201, second floor, FDA Building, Bandra-Kurla Complex, Mumbai. Copies of the affidavits and supporting documents must also be emailed to complaints.inquirycomm.mpsc@maharashtra.gov.in.
For assistance and information, the commission has provided a dedicated helpline number, 022-20867677.
The November 16 deadline provides an opportunity for affected candidates and whistleblowers to place specific evidence before the judicial panel. The findings of the commission could prove significant in determining the nature and extent of the alleged irregularities and identifying accountability, wherever established.
With nine major examinations now under the scanner, the inquiry has placed the functioning of Maharashtra’s competitive recruitment system under close scrutiny. For thousands of aspirants who invest years preparing for government examinations, the central issue is whether the selection process offers a genuinely fair and transparent opportunity based on merit.
