Maharashtra TET 2026: Fadnavis orders SIT probe after question paper leak hits 4.28 lakh candidates
Synopsis
A day before 4.28 lakh candidates were to sit Maharashtra's Teacher Eligibility Test, a Bhiwandi police raid blew open a question paper leak — forcing a last-minute postponement and prompting CM Fadnavis to order an SIT probe. With Deputy CM Shinde pushing for MCOCA charges, the state is treating this not as an exam glitch but as organised crime.
Key Takeaways
CM Devendra Fadnavis ordered an SIT probe into TET 2026 irregularities on 27 June after a question paper leak was exposed.
The SIT will be led by Thane Joint CP (Crime) Panjabrao Ugale , a senior IPS officer specialising in crime and anti-corruption.
The Bhiwandi Police raid uncovered the leak just 24 hours before the exam, prompting the MSCE to postpone it across 1,028 centres .
More than 4,28,122 candidates are affected by the postponement, with no revised date announced yet.
Deputy CM Eknath Shinde has called for MCOCA charges against the masterminds, signalling the state views this as organised crime.
School Education Minister Dada Bhuse has pledged to review structural loopholes in the examination system.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday, 27 June ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a comprehensive probe into alleged irregularities in the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) 2026, a day after a question paper leak forced the abrupt postponement of the state-wide examination. The move affects more than 4,28,122 registered candidates across Maharashtra and has triggered widespread outrage over systemic malpractice in teacher recruitment.
The Leak That Triggered the Crisis
The crisis unfolded when a joint raid by the Bhiwandi Police exposed a major question paper leak just 24 hours before the scheduled examination. The test had been set to take place across 1,028 centres throughout Maharashtra on Sunday. Following the raid, the Maharashtra State Council of Examinations (MSCE) abruptly postponed the TET, citing the need to preserve transparency and fairness for all candidates. The Council urged candidates not to panic and assured them that revised examination dates would be published on its official website once the preliminary investigation yields clarity.
SIT Formation and Scope of Probe
The newly constituted SIT will be led by Thane Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Panjabrao Ugale, a senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer with extensive experience in crime investigation and anti-corruption units. The SIT's mandate is broad: it will focus on identifying kingpins and intermediaries behind the leak, tracing financial trails and monetary exchanges linked to qualifying certificates, probing any internal department officials involved in tampering, and reviewing past examination data to establish the full scale and timeline of the malpractice.
High-Level Meetings and Political Response
Chief Minister Fadnavis held high-level discussions with School Education Minister Dada Bhuse and Maharashtra Director General of Police (DGP) Sadanand Date to assess the depth of the irregularities. During the meeting, Fadnavis explicitly directed the state's top police officer and the Education Ministry to ensure the strictest legal action against those responsible. 'There will be zero tolerance for any malpractice that compromises the integrity of our educational recruitment system and toys with the future of honest candidates,' government sources quoted the Chief Minister as saying.
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also reacted sharply, calling for the masterminds to be charged under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) — a significant escalation that signals the state government views the racket as an organised criminal network rather than isolated misconduct.
Education Department's Assurances
School Education Minister Dada Bhuse assured full cooperation from the Education Department and confirmed that structural loopholes in the examination system are being actively reviewed to prevent future leaks and manipulation. Notably, this is not the first time Maharashtra's teacher recruitment examinations have faced integrity concerns, making the political pressure for accountability particularly intense this time.
What Happens Next
The MSCE has not yet announced a revised date for TET 2026. The SIT under Joint CP Ugale is expected to begin unravelling the full nexus promptly, with its findings likely to determine the timeline for rescheduling the examination. All eyes are now on whether MCOCA charges materialise — a step that would mark one of the most serious legal responses to an exam malpractice case in Maharashtra's recent history.
Point of View
Raising the stakes for investigators and accused alike. What mainstream coverage underplays is that over four lakh aspirants — many from economically marginal backgrounds who have spent years preparing — bear the real cost of systemic impunity. The SIT's credibility will hinge on whether it pursues the financial trail all the way up the chain, or settles for arresting a few low-level operatives while the kingpins remain untouched.
NationPress
27 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Maharashtra TET 2026 postponed?
The Maharashtra TET 2026 was postponed after a joint raid by the Bhiwandi Police exposed a major question paper leak just one day before the examination was scheduled to be held on Sunday. The MSCE called off the test across 1,028 centres to protect the integrity of the process.
Who is leading the SIT probe into the TET irregularities?
The SIT has been placed under the command of Thane Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Panjabrao Ugale, a senior IPS officer with extensive experience in crime investigation and anti-corruption work. The team is mandated to identify kingpins, trace financial trails, and examine past examination data.
How many candidates are affected by the TET postponement?
More than 4,28,122 candidates registered for TET 2026 are directly affected by the postponement. No revised examination date has been announced yet; the MSCE has said it will publish fresh dates on its official website once the preliminary investigation is complete.
What is MCOCA and why is it being invoked?
The Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) is a stringent state law designed to prosecute organised criminal syndicates. Deputy CM Eknath Shinde has called for MCOCA charges against the masterminds of the TET leak, indicating the state believes the racket involves a structured criminal network rather than isolated wrongdoing.
What action has the Maharashtra government committed to taking?
CM Fadnavis has directed the DGP and Education Ministry to ensure the strictest legal action with zero tolerance for malpractice. School Education Minister Dada Bhuse has pledged full departmental cooperation and a review of structural loopholes in the examination system to prevent future leaks.
