Maharashtra Congress chief questions repeated exam paper leaks, demands answers

Maharashtra Congress President Harshvardhan Sapkal on Tuesday questioned the state government over a series of examination paper leaks, including the latest alleged leak in the MPSC Drug Inspector recruitment exam. He demanded accountability from the Mahayuti government, led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Speaking to reporters, Mr. Sapkal said paper leaks have become a recurring issue under the BJP-led government. He cited the NEET paper leak, the TET paper leak in the state, and now the circulation of the MPSC Drug Inspector question paper on WhatsApp before the exam. He claimed these incidents have shattered the aspirations of lakhs of students.

Mr. Sapkal asked who was protecting the alleged paper leak racket. He said, “With the blessings of which minister in the government, these paper leak rackets are running? Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis-led government have to answer this.” He warned that the BJP will face repercussions of this at the hands of students and the public.

The Congress leader also alleged that the government machinery remained silent despite the impact on students. He said the hard work of lakhs of candidates had been undermined by the leaks.

In addition to the paper leaks, Mr. Sapkal pointed to an alleged scam involving BJP leader Sanjay Garud, who, he said, was arrested in connection with a ₹160 crore school grant scam. According to Mr. Sapkal, 841 teachers and employees were illegally registered based on fake school grant orders.

Mr. Sapkal also highlighted the closure of 28,764 MSMEs in Maharashtra between 2023 and 2026. He said Maharashtra has the highest number of MSME industries in the country. He attributed the closures to challenges in the open market, rising production costs, difficulties in financing, and what he called corrupt administration and gangsterism. He claimed this has led to the loss of crores of jobs and employment opportunities.

The state government had not responded to Mr. Sapkal's allegations at the time of reporting. The BJP and the Mahayuti government have previously denied similar charges and said action would be taken against those responsible for any malpractice.

Paper leaks have been a sensitive issue in Maharashtra and across India, drawing widespread criticism from opposition parties and student organisations. Authorities have often set up special investigation teams to look into such cases.