Tukaram Mundhe named secretary of panel to revamp Maharashtra civil services amid stir by job aspirants

Tukaram Mundhe named secretary of panel to overhaul Maharashtra's MPSC

The Maharashtra government has formed a committee to reform MPSC, naming FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe as secretary, amid a 10-day protest in Pune. The panel will examine recruitment reforms, while the government has promised to address aspirants' demands, including filling 70,000 posts.

by · India Today

In Short

  • Former judge Dilip Bhosale appointed chairman of the five-member committee
  • Maharashtra government forms committee to overhaul MPSC amid protests
  • MPSC aspirants’ protest in Pune enters its 10th day

The Maharashtra government on Sunday formed a committee to overhaul the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC), naming Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe as its secretary, amid a 10-day protest by recruitment aspirants in Pune.

State minister Shivendraraje Bhosale announced the decision after meeting the protesters at SM Joshi Bridge, where aspirants have been demonstrating over several demands, including reforms in the state recruitment body.
The committee will be headed by former judge Dilip Bhosale. Its other members are IPS officer Laxmi Gautam, former IAS officer Ganesh Patil and retired judge P D Naik, apart from Mundhe as secretary.

Bhosale also assured the protesters that their other demands would be addressed. These include withdrawing cases against some representatives of the agitation, recruiting candidates to 70,000 posts over the next three years and increasing the number of seats in the Group C examination scheduled for January.

The aspirants have also demanded background checks on the MPSC chairman and secretary before their appointments.
However, it was not immediately clear whether the government had taken a decision on the protesters' demand for the removal of MPSC Chairman Vivek Bhimnawar.

NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar, who has been protesting alongside the aspirants, welcomed Mundhe's inclusion in the committee.

"We hope that the committee will have the freedom to work properly," Pawar said.

- Ends