Pune, September 9, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
A youth preparing for the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) examination allegedly died by suicide in Pune, with police suspecting severe financial distress as a possible factor. The incident has triggered fresh outrage among competitive examination aspirants amid ongoing allegations of paper leaks and irregularities in recruitment examinations.
The deceased has been identified as Prathamesh Deshmukh. Police suspect that financial difficulties, including an unpaid debt of around Rs 2.5 lakh, may have contributed to the extreme step.
The incident has intensified concerns among MPSC aspirants, particularly as Pune, a major education hub in Maharashtra, has recently faced scrutiny over allegations of examination paper leaks involving tests including NEET, CET and the drug inspector examination.
Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) President Harshvardhan Sapkal and Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijit Dipke criticised the state government following Deshmukh’s death. Sapkal demanded the immediate resignation of the MPSC Chairman and Secretary, alleging that the government was evading responsibility.
“The government is acting deaf and blind. A student from Dharashiv ended his life—this is a victim of government apathy,” Sapkal said.
He further alleged that failure by the MPSC Chairman to resign would raise questions about his proximity to the Chief Minister and his appointment.
Dipke expressed grief over Deshmukh’s death and appealed to competitive examination aspirants not to take extreme steps. He highlighted the difficulties faced by students from rural areas who move to Pune for exam preparation, saying their families depend on them.
Deshmukh’s death comes days after MPSC aspirants staged protests in Pune on Monday and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on Tuesday, demanding the resignation of the MPSC Chairman and other officials over alleged paper leaks.
Protesters have also raised concerns over alleged irregularities in the MPSC Excise (Departmental) Examination. They claimed that reports had implicated a senior joint secretary-level officer in the alleged leakage of examination marking patterns.
The protesters have demanded the removal and replacement of the MPSC Chairman and Secretary with officers of unblemished integrity, comprehensive criminal investigations into the allegations and strict legal action against officials and middlemen found involved. They have also called for structural reforms in the MPSC examination and recruitment system.
NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar, who has supported the aspirants’ demands, said students devote long hours to examination preparation and alleged that officials within the commission were involved in selling examination material.
“This injustice against hardworking candidates will not be tolerated. This march is not political; it is a fight for the future of our youth,” Pawar said.
Rejecting claims that opposition parties were politicising the issue, Pawar said the protests reflected genuine anger among students seeking a fair opportunity.
“Are the demands of students seeking fair opportunities political? These candidates have assembled on their own accord to protect their rights,” he said, adding that candidates would not accept alleged corruption involving large sums of money to secure government posts.
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