MPSC State Services Main Exam 2026 postponed, 20,000+ aspirants affected

The Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) announced on Monday the postponement of the State Services Main Examination 2026, which was originally scheduled to commence on October 3, 2026. This decision also affects the Maharashtra Civil Engineering Main Examination 2026 and the Maharashtra Group-B (Non-Gazetted) Main Examination, which have been deferred.

The MPSC’s announcement follows widespread protests by aspirants, objections regarding the evaluation of the Maharashtra State Services Main Examination 2025, and requests from students, parents, student organisations, and elected representatives. The commission has also decided to re-evaluate the answer sheets of the State Services Main Examination 2025.

Reasons for Postponement and Aspirant Concerns

The postponement of the State Services Main Examination 2026 stems from a series of demands and protests by MPSC aspirants. Students and various organisations have raised concerns over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, including a reported question paper leak in the drug inspector examination. A protest march was held in Pune on September 7, 2026, highlighting these issues.

The decision to re-evaluate the answer sheets for the State Services Main Examination 2025 was made after candidates and student organisations submitted formal objections regarding its evaluation process. Aspirants like Avinash Kangane expressed uncertainty, stating, “The Mains exam was scheduled for December 27, but after this latest postponement, there is no clarity on when it will now be held.” Madhuri Netake highlighted the impact on women aspirants, noting, “Repeated postponements eat into that limited window and often force these women to return home without having achieved their goal.”

Review of Examination System Underway

A high-level panel, headed by senior bureaucrat V Radha, is currently reviewing the existing MPSC examination system. This committee has engaged in detailed discussions with candidates and other stakeholders, and has examined best practices followed in other examination systems. The panel is expected to submit its recommendations on an ideal examination system shortly.

As of September 22, 2026, the V Radha committee had received over 20,000 emails from aspirants containing suggestions and concerns. The panel’s divisional tour was anticipated so by September 30, after which a report would be prepared within three months. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray had previously demanded the postponement of the MPSC State Services Main Examination 2026 until this committee submitted its recommendations and reforms were implemented.

Revised Schedule for Group-C Preliminary Examination

In a separate development, the MPSC Group-C Services Combined Preliminary Examination 2026, originally scheduled for October 25, 2026, has been rescheduled to January 3, 2027. This examination is being conducted under Advertisement No. 017/2026, dated June 25, 2026. The corrigendum for this date revision was issued on September 9, 2026. The MPSC Group C recruitment has expanded from an original 2,619 vacancies to 5,707, including 1,539 Talathi posts, with approximately 12 lakh candidates having applied.

The revised examination date for the Group-C Preliminary Examination aims to provide clarity for the large number of aspirants. The MPSC Group C Combined Preliminary Examination 2026 has experienced multiple postponements, contributing to anxiety and frustration among candidates due to financial and personal disruptions. Revised dates for the other postponed examinations will be announced in a separate notification.

Further reading

• JEE Main 2027 admit card download: common issues and solutions for aspirants
• MPSC Group C Prelims 2026 Postponed to January 3, 2027; Check New Schedule

Written by Nishit Kumar

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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