COVID-19 scourge: Maharashtra postpones public service exams indefinitely  

In view of the massive Covid-19 spread, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government has decided to postpone the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) exams scheduled for April 11, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced on Friday.

"The government has decided to postpone the MPSC's pre-service non-gazetted Group B Joint Pre-examinations, 2020. The fresh dates of these exams shall be announced later after a review of the Covid situation in the state," he said.

The decision followed a high-level overview of the pandemic situation with Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil, Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat, Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde, Water Resources Minister Jayant Patil, Relief & Rehab Minister Vijay Wadettiwar and others.

Also present was Leader of Opposition in the Council, Pravin Darekar of the BJP, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray, besides top government officials.

Thackeray added that the postponement would not be detrimental to the students in any manner, and they would be given age-protection while filling up the forms.

He sought the opinions of all the alliance partners comprising Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party, Congress, the Opposition parties and students representatives, many of whom demanded putting off the exams in view of the pandemic and the infections shooting up phenomenally since last month.

Currently, the state Covid-19 tally stands at 32,29,547 with 57,028 deaths and 521,317 active cases, as per official figures.