Pune: Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar has voiced his support for students protesting against the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) examination policies.
In a post on 'X' (formerly Twitter), Pawar warned that he would join the ongoing protest in Pune if the government fails to clarify its stance by August 22.
The MPSC students have been staging protests in Pune for the past two days, demanding changes to the upcoming MPSC examinations. The students are calling for the inclusion of positions in the Agricultural Services and are also requesting the postponement of the examination due to a scheduling conflict with the IBPS exams.
Pawar criticized the government's handling of the situation, stating that it is the administration’s responsibility to address the concerns of the protesting students. He emphasized that if the government does not take a decisive position by tomorrow, he will personally join the protest at the site in Pune to ensure that the students receive justice.
Meanwhile, thousands of students continued their protest on Wednesday, frustrated by the lack of response from the authorities. Although Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that a meeting of the commission would be held in the afternoon, the commission later stated that the meeting would take place on Thursday. With no resolution in sight, the protests intensified.
The upcoming 'Maharashtra Gazetted Civil Services Combined Preliminary Examination 2024' is scheduled for this Sunday, August 25.
The students' demands include the inclusion of agricultural service positions and the rescheduling of the exam, as it coincides with the IBPS exam. Approximately four to five thousand students have been protesting at Shastri Road in Navi Peth since Tuesday (August 20) night.
Throughout the day, various political leaders visited the site to show their support, including the Sharad Sports and Cultural Foundation.
