The committee, which was announced on August 12 following public outrage over several paper-leak incidents in Maharashtra, will examine vulnerabilities at every stage of the recruitment process

Published on: Sep 6, 2026, 07:30:10 IST

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MUMBAI: After announcing a high-level committee to undertake a comprehensive overhaul of the state’s recruitment examination system in the wake of a series of paper-leak incidents, the Maharashtra government has now spelt out the committee’s mandate, which is putting the entire examination process under scrutiny.

The committee, which was announced on August 12 following public outrage over several paper-leak incidents in Maharashtra, will examine vulnerabilities at every stage of the recruitment process, including question-paper setting, storage and distribution, examination centres, technology, evaluation and declaration of results. It will also review mechanisms to detect and prevent paper leaks, impersonation and other forms of malpractice.

The sweeping terms of reference indicate that the government is looking beyond individual cases and wants the panel to scrutinise the entire examination ecosystem, including the departments, authorities and agencies responsible for conducting recruitment tests. The panel has been specifically asked to recommend comprehensive measures to make recruitment examinations more secure and transparent after consulting candidates and other stakeholders across the state.

The scrutiny will begin at the source, the question paper itself. The committee will examine question-paper preparation, scrutiny and moderation, the creation of multiple sets, printing or digital distribution, confidentiality, custody and transportation. It will also look at the conduct of examinations, recording of responses, evaluation and declaration of results, and recommend security measures across each stage.

Paper leaks will be the central area of investigation. “(The committee)… will review the mechanisms in place to prevent and detect question-paper leaks, breaches of question-paper confidentiality, impersonation of candidates, collusion, use of prohibited electronic devices and other forms of malpractice, and to recommend preventive, supervisory and accountability measures,” stated a government resolution issued by the state general administration department on Friday.

Technology and the digital security architecture of recruitment exams will also come under the scanner. “The panel will recommend the effective use of information technology and security systems, including ‘authentication, access controls, audit trails, monitoring and other technology-based security measures’,” says the GR.

Importantly, the panel has also been asked to recommend measures to fix responsibility. Its mandate includes preventive and supervisory mechanisms as well as accountability measures to deal with malpractice and lapses in the examination system.

The committee will study relevant best practices adopted by other states and, where necessary, examine examination systems followed in other countries.

Examination centres, another potential vulnerability in the recruitment process, will face a separate review. The panel will recommend minimum standards for the selection of centres, infrastructure, surveillance, security, manpower and operational preparedness.

The government has also acknowledged the need for tighter coordination among the many agencies involved in recruitment examinations. The committee will propose institutional procedures for coordination among district collectors, police commissioners and superintendents of police, education department authorities, examination-conducting agencies and other concerned bodies.

This is the second committee constituted by the state government in an effort to plug loopholes and curb paper leak incidents. The move comes in the wake of the leak of the Maharashtra Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) question paper, which raised concerns over the security and transparency of the state’s recruitment examination process.

On July 17, the government had constituted a separate high-level committee headed by the chief secretary to examine the feasibility of conducting all government examinations online across Maharashtra. The move came after the Maharashtra Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) examination, scheduled for June 28, was postponed a day before it was to be held after the police uncovered a question-paper leak in Bhiwandi. CM Devendra Fadnavis subsequently ordered a probe by a Special Investigation Team.

Concerns about paper leaks have extended beyond Maharashtra’s state recruitment machinery. The CBI has arrested several individuals in Latur and Pune in connection with an alleged organised network involved in the leakage and circulation of NEET-UG question papers. Those arrested include alleged masterminds and local facilitators, including chemistry lecturer P V Kulkarni, who was reported to have links with the National Testing Agency; RCC Latur coaching institute operator Shivraj Motanker; Pune-based teacher Tejas Shah; and Latur-based doctor Manoj Shirure.

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