MPSC exam postponed: Minister Vijay Wadettiwar says 'decision taken at secretary level, he had no idea'

Maharashtra Relief & Rehabilitation Minister Vijay Wadettiwar on Thursday said the letter sent to the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) by the state's Disaster Management Department, which asked for the preliminary examination to be postponed due to the rising COVID-19 cases, was sent without his knowledge.

"According to a letter released by the MPSC, they received a letter from the Disaster Management Department on March 10. However, I am admitted to a hospital for the last seven days after testing positive for COVID-19. The decision was taken at the secretary level and I do not support it," Wadettiwar tweeted.

In another tweet, Wadettiwar said that the decision was taken by his department keeping him in the dark. "The decision has been taken at the secretary level without even discussing the issue with me. I know nothing about it....there will be inquiry into this matter," he added.

For the uninitiated, the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) on Thursday again postponed the preliminary examination for government jobs scheduled for March 14 in view of the rising COVID-19 cases in the state. The decision received criticism from leaders of the ruling coalition members Congress and NCP as well as opposition BJP.

Thousands of students took to the streets across Maharashtra to protest the state government notification postponing the preliminary examinations, leading to police carrying out a baton charge in some places to disperse them.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray later in the evening assured students appearing for the MPSC examination that the date of the preliminary exam will be announced tomorrow. He promised that the exam will be held in a week's time from the earlier scheduled date (March 14).