MPSC Row: Protests Erupt In Pune As PSI Aspirants Demand Age Limit Relaxation; Rohit Pawar, Satej Patil & Others React

Despite demands for an increase in the age limit for the Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) recruitment examination over the past few days, the state government has not yet made a decision. This has led to unrest among competitive exam aspirants, who staged a protest on Shastri Road on Thursday evening. Police intervened and detained some of the protesters. Following the police action, the protesting candidates were forced to end their demonstration.

The Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) is scheduled to conduct the Maharashtra Group B Non-Gazetted Services Combined Preliminary Examination 2025 on January 4th. However, the advertisement was published on July 29, 2025, and the age limit calculation date is given as November 1, 2025.  The advertisement was delayed by seven months. 

“This delay will render many candidates ineligible and deprive them of an opportunity. So we are demanding an increase in the age limit and that the age limit calculation period be considered as January 1, 2025,” said Sagar Bramhande, a competitive exam aspirant.

Another aspirant, Rahul Mahale, said, “Our request is that the age limit for the PSI (Police Sub-Inspector) exam be increased by one year and the exam be postponed. The government should not test the patience of the students.” Aspirants have demanded that the government announce the decision to increase the age limit for the preliminary exam and give justice to the students.

Several MLAs and Member of Parliament have voiced their concerns on the issue as well. However, the state government did not decide to extend the deadline. Furthermore, the MPSC has also released the exam admit cards and guidelines. Therefore, uncertainty has arisen among many candidates regarding whether the age limit will be increased or not.

MLA Rohit Pawar said, “The government has kept students in the dark for the past eight to ten days regarding the decision on age limits, as a result of which students are now compelled to resort to protests today out of sheer necessity. Upon receiving information that cases are being registered against the protesting students, I spoke with the concerned police officers over the phone and requested them to reconsider, keeping in mind that such cases should not impact the students' futures. It is expected that the police administration will extend cooperation to the students!”

MLA Vijay Waddetiwar said, “As the MPSC Combined Preliminary Examination 2025 approaches, the government's silence on increasing the PSI age limit is deeply concerning. Due to the PSI exam advertisement being delayed by 7–8 months, thousands of eligible candidates have aged out. This mistake is not the students' but the result of the government's failed planning. With unemployment already a serious issue, hardworking youth are facing injustice. The government must immediately decide to increase the PSI age limit and deliver justice to thousands of students.”

MLC Satej Patil, President, Kolhapur District Congress Committee, said, “The entire confusion regarding the Combined Preliminary Examination 2025 has arisen due to the government's failure to issue the advertisement on time. Due to the commission's lack of planning and delays, the educational age calculations of thousands of students have been disrupted, and the entire responsibility for this falls on the government itself. The demand of the examinees who are peacefully protesting is just, and suppression tactics should not be used against it; moreover, the government should postpone the scheduled preliminary examination on January 4.” 

MP Dr Medha Kulkarni said, “Due to the M.P.S.C exam advertisement for students arriving 7 months late, many students are not falling within the age limit, leading to the question of the exam arising. As per the students' request, it has been noted that there is a need to contact the Chief Minister's office and all officials to make an immediate decision.” 

Moreover,  the rage among aspirants increased manifold following the denial of the candidates’ meeting with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis when he was in Pune on Thursday. Upon which Prashant Jagtap from Congress said, “The Chief Minister has time to meet disgruntled candidates, to smooth out their ruffled feathers and 'settle' things with them, but no time to meet the MPSC students whose lives have been put at stake due to the government's blunders, to understand their feelings. This is the hallmark of a government that is devoid of emotions and dead to all sensitivity!”