The MPSC student protest in Pune continued for a seventh day on October 8, with demonstrators demanding the resignation of Maharashtra Public Service Commission chairman Vivek Bhimanwar, investigations into alleged examination irregularities and the restoration of offline examinations. The agitation has also led to traffic diversions around Navi Peth, Lal Bahadur Shastri Road and the S M Joshi Bridge area.
Students are seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation and Crime Investigation Department inquiry into alleged irregularities, including the reported paper leak in the drug inspector examination. One group is also demanding a mega recruitment drive for 70,000 posts. The demands are being raised at the S M Joshi Bridge area, where a large number of students have gathered over the past week.
The protest has developed into multiple groups with different positions on the format of competitive examinations. A group outside Ahilya Study Centre on Shastri Road is demanding that examinations follow an objective pattern. Another group had begun an agitation at Alka Chowk from October 2, seeking descriptive examinations for competitive tests. That group withdrew its protest on October 7 following an order of the Bombay High Court, according to the report.
The differences have centred on the commission’s proposed examination changes, including the exclusion of optional subjects. Students opposing the change say it could disadvantage candidates from arts backgrounds and rural areas. They argue that removing optional subjects from a descriptive main examination could favour candidates with engineering or medical backgrounds.
Other students at the Shastri Road protest have opposed the descriptive format introduced in 2025. They cited difficulties related to answer-sheet evaluation, inadequate manpower and variations in marks, and said that an objective examination would provide a more uniform assessment. These views reflect the division among protesters over the examination method, even as several groups have raised concerns about recruitment delays and confidence in the commission.
Students quoted in the report said that a resignation alone would not resolve every issue, but argued that fixing responsibility was necessary to establish administrative accountability. They also demanded timely examinations, transparency and recruitment rather than political exchanges. The allegations and demands remain claims made by the protesters; the supplied report does not establish the outcome of any investigation into them.
Police have deployed a sizeable force at the protest locations to prevent any untoward incident. Notices have reportedly been issued to protesters and political leaders supporting the agitation. Two camera vans are recording activity, while police are monitoring the gathering as student numbers increase in the evening.
The demonstrations have affected movement in Navi Peth and along Lal Bahadur Shastri Road, with traffic being diverted through alternative routes. The protest is continuing at the S M Joshi Bridge area, where students remain firm on their demands for accountability, examination certainty and recruitment.
