Bombay HC Directs Maharashtra Govt To Ensure Fair MPSC Exams, Calls Protesters Students
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed the Maharashtra government to ensure that public recruitment examinations are conducted impartially, fairly, and without any malpractices. A bench comprising Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna was hearing a petition filed by residents of Pune against ongoing agitations by students protesting alleged irregularities in Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) examinations. The court rejected characterizations of protesters as anti-social elements, stating that "the protesters are students. They are not anti-social elements."
The bench emphasized that aggrieved students have a right to agitate, noting that they have invested considerable time in their studies. "If they do not have an opportunity and they get the idea that there has been hanky panky, they have the right to agitate. Because they have given hours of study," the court observed. The government, it said, must make sincere efforts to restore public trust, especially among students, in recruitment examinations. Advocate General Milind Sathe informed the court that authorities have exercised reasonable restraint and have not lodged any FIRs against protesters. He added that most demands raised by protesters have been addressed, including a recommendation for the MPSC Chairman's resignation sent to the Governor.
The court appreciated the government's decision not to file cases against agitators and directed the state to submit a roadmap to restore confidence in the examination process. The bench requested students to resume their education and studies, assuring them that the court would monitor the state's progress in ensuring fair examinations.
