Pune: Thousands of youths took to the streets on Thursday to protest against changes made in the police enrolment process, setting off on a morcha from River Mutha to the district collector’s office. They are on hunger strike till February 11. So far, the recruitment process involved a 100-mark physical test and a 100-mark written test. Those clearing the physical test would be allowed to take the written exam. Those scoring the highest marks out of 200, would be inducted in the police force.
But now, the state government has modified this entire pattern of examination.The written exam has to be taken before the physical test, while the marks for the latter have been reduced to 50. Thousands of police probables have protested and want the government to revert to the old process of induction.
Over the last five years, the number of aspirants has increased, but the state government is only filling vacant posts, the protesters complain. They had planned to run from Pune to Mumbai and hand over their letter of protest to CM Fadnavis. But they were barred from running on the expressway, so they decided to go on a hunger strike.
