Maharashtra TET 2026 paper leak: Teachers who juggled Census, SIR duty left devastated
Synopsis
Maharashtra's TET 2026 was derailed by a paper leak just 24 hours before the exam — but what makes this collapse particularly stark is that thousands of aspirants had been preparing while simultaneously serving the state as Census enumerators and electoral roll officers. Chief Minister Fadnavis has ordered an SIT probe, but for teachers who gave up their only free hours to study, the damage is already done.
Key Takeaways
The Maharashtra TET 2026 exam was postponed on 27 June 2025 , a day before it was scheduled, after Bhiwandi police exposed a question paper leak.
The Maharashtra State Council of Examinations (MSCE) announced the abrupt postponement following the joint raid.
Many aspirants had been preparing while simultaneously working as Booth Level Officers (BLOs) for the SIR of electoral rolls and as enumerators for Census 2027 .
Aspirant Girish Patil from Dhule said teachers prepared through the 'blistering heat' of May despite their official workload.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the irregularities.
A revised exam date has not yet been announced by the MSCE.
Thousands of teacher aspirants across Maharashtra were left shattered on Sunday, 28 June 2025, after the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) 2026 was abruptly postponed following the exposure of a major question paper leak — a blow made sharper by the fact that many candidates had prepared for the exam while simultaneously discharging official duties as Booth Level Officers (BLOs) for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and as enumerators for Census 2027.
The Maharashtra State Council of Examinations (MSCE) announced the postponement on Saturday, 27 June, a day before the state-wide examination was scheduled, after a joint raid by the Bhiwandi police uncovered the leak.
Aspirants Speak: Months of Effort Wasted
Aspirant Girish Patil from Dhule described the mood among candidates as one of deep disappointment. 'Due to the exam paper leak, the candidates are extremely disappointed. All the teachers had worked hard in the blistering heat during the month of May for TET 2026 exam. The teachers had prepared for the exam while undertaking visits for Census-related work and working as Booth Level Officers for SIR,' he said.
Patil further noted that schools in Maharashtra had reopened on 15 June this year, adding another layer of responsibility to teachers' already packed schedules. 'Despite all this, the candidates worked hard for the exam but due to the paper leak their entire effort has been wasted,' he added.
The Dual Burden on School Teachers
School teachers across the state have been appointed as BLOs to assist the Election Commission of India (ECI) in the SIR of electoral rolls. Simultaneously, they are deployed as enumerators required to conduct door-to-door house visits for Census 2027. The convergence of these official duties with exam preparation placed an extraordinary burden on aspirants, making the paper leak an especially bitter development.
Primary teacher Kiran Patil called the incident a 'disappointment' for democracy, saying such incidents are 'extremely wrong, wherever it happens in the country.' He also questioned the broader policy of requiring experienced teachers to sit for eligibility tests, calling it 'unfair' given their years of service. 'Now, teachers are involved in so many works like SIR, Census... even after that so many teachers worked hard and prepared for the exam and then the exam paper got leaked. This is so wrong,' he said.
SIT Ordered, Probe Underway
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a thorough probe into the alleged irregularities surrounding the TET examination. Both aspirants quoted in this report urged the state government to ensure an impartial investigation and strict action against those responsible.
What Happens Next
The MSCE has yet to announce a revised date for the TET 2026 examination. With the SIT now constituted, attention will turn to how swiftly the investigation identifies the leak's source and whether the state government can restore credibility to a process that directly determines eligibility for thousands of teaching positions across Maharashtra.
Point of View
BLOs for electoral roll revision, and school educators post the June 15 reopening, then expected them to compete in a high-stakes eligibility test on the same calendar. That the paper was compromised under such conditions raises questions not just about MSCE's security protocols but about whether Maharashtra has a coherent policy on teacher workload at all. The SIT is a necessary first step, but without structural reform to exam security — and a rethink of how many parallel state duties can be piled onto a single cadre — the next leak is only a matter of time.
NationPress
28 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was the Maharashtra TET 2026 exam postponed?
The Maharashtra TET 2026 exam was postponed on 27 June 2025, a day before it was due to be held, after a joint raid by the Bhiwandi police uncovered a major question paper leak. The Maharashtra State Council of Examinations (MSCE) announced the postponement following the raid.
What is the SIT ordered by CM Fadnavis for TET 2026?
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a thorough probe into the alleged irregularities surrounding the TET 2026 examination. The SIT is expected to identify the source of the paper leak and recommend action against those responsible.
Why are Maharashtra teachers particularly affected by the TET 2026 postponement?
Many teacher aspirants had been simultaneously discharging official state duties — conducting door-to-door visits as Census 2027 enumerators and serving as Booth Level Officers for the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls — while preparing for the exam. The convergence of these responsibilities made the last-minute postponement especially damaging to candidates.
When will the Maharashtra TET 2026 exam be rescheduled?
As of 28 June 2025, the MSCE has not announced a revised date for the TET 2026 examination. The timeline is likely to depend on the progress of the SIT investigation into the paper leak.
What have teacher aspirants demanded after the TET 2026 paper leak?
Aspirants including Girish Patil from Dhule and primary teacher Kiran Patil have urged the Maharashtra government to conduct an impartial investigation and take strict action against those guilty of the leak. They have also called for measures to prevent recurrence of such incidents.
