MPPSC candidates protest in Indore seeking postponement of state services main exam dates

A group of candidates, having successfully cleared the preliminary round of the State Service Examination 2023, initiated an indefinite agitation on Monday in front of the Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission (MPPSC) headquarters in Indore. The protesters are urging an extension of the main exam dates, citing insufficient preparation time.

Laying siege to the MPPSC headquarters building, the candidates are staging an indefinite sit-in to voice their concerns. The preliminary round results were declared on January 18, with the main examination scheduled from March 11 to 16, as per the commission's timeline. The protesters argue that this timeframe is inadequate for proper preparation.

Akash Pathak, one of the candidates among the protestors, stated, "The MPPSC has not given us enough time to prepare for the main exam." He emphasized that candidates selected in the preliminary examination should be granted a minimum of 90 days to adequately prepare for the main test. The agitation will persist until their demand is acknowledged by the authorities, according to Pathak.

In response to the protest, additional police forces were deployed around the MPPSC headquarters, as reported by eyewitnesses. Officials disclosed that out of approximately 2 lakh aspirants, 5,589 candidates were selected for the main exam based on the results of the State Service Preliminary Examination-2023 declared on January 18. The ongoing examination aims to fill 229 posts in various state administrative services.