Maharashtra Drug Inspector recruitment cancelled over paper leak
Preliminary report submitted by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch found that one candidate received the question paper and benefited from it; it was not clear if multiple people had benefited from the paper leak
The Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) suspended the recruitment procedure for Drug Inspector positions within the Food and Drug Administration Department on August 26, 2026, following an inquiry by the Mumbai Police. The investigation revealed that the question paper for the screening test on March 22, 2026, had been leaked.
Candidates reported receiving the paper either before the exam or via social media platforms. The Mumbai Police reported that at least one candidate gained an unfair advantage from the leaked material. The MPSC had initially notified the candidates on July 29, 2025, and conducted the offline examination at six state headquarters on March 22, 2026.
Out of 506 eligible candidates, 488 successfully cleared the interview round between July 1 and July 22. A provisional general merit list of 488 candidates was released, and no additional charges were imposed for the application. The commission announced a re-examination for those who had applied earlier, with no reapplication fee.
NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar's party had previously raised concerns about the paper leak, providing evidence to the investigation agencies. Pawar contended that the leak was more widespread than initially stated and claimed that the paper was sold for ₹40 lakh through an agent racket. He urged the MPSC chairman to resign, citing the severity of the credibility issue for the commission.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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