MUMBAI: Following alleged question paper leaks in MPSC exams and the postponement of other papers, the state has provided relief to thousands of government job aspirants in Maharashtra. Accordingly, the government has raised the upper age limit by a year for candidates applying for recruitment examinations conducted by the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) and other government recruitment agencies.
The age-limit relaxation is a one-time special measure, not a permanent revision of the recruitment age criteria. The one-year relaxation raises these age limits by a year each. Moreover, the age-limit relaxation will not be restricted to MPSC exams. Other agencies that conduct government recruitment examinations will also have to abide by the provision. This makes the decision relevant to a wider pool of government job aspirants across various departments and recruitment bodies in Maharashtra. The age relaxation is among steps being taken by the government amid irregularities in the recruitment process. It is also part of the recommendations made by a high-level committee to inquire into alleged paper leaks and irregularities in MPSC exams. NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar, who led the protest called it a victory of students’ unity. This will benefit students across the state.
At present, the maximum age limit for entry into government service through competitive examinations is 38 years for open-category candidates and 43 years for backward classes. The benefit will extend to posts for which separate service recruitment rules prescribe maximum age limits different from those specified in the April 25, 2016 order. In another major setback, the recruitment process for drug inspectors in the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) department was cancelled following an alleged question paper leak on March 22. The Maharashtra Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) 2026 was also postponed just a day before the examination in June, after police uncovered an alleged question paper leak in Bhiwandi. The controversy led to a major agitation by MPSC aspirants, especially in Pune, that lasted 11 days. “A high-level committee has recommended increasing the number of posts in the Group C exam by nearly 11,000, making a total of 16,000 posts to be filled.
“From January 1, 2028, the existing maximum age limits prescribed under the respective service recruitment rules or the government order dated April 25, 2016, will once again apply,” said an order issued by the state general administration department (GAD) on Friday. It has once again been underscored that if one stands firm for just demands, victory is certain,” he said.
