Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) Chairman Vivek Bhimanwar on Friday, 26 June announced that all upcoming MPSC preliminary examinations will be conducted exclusively through the Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode, marking a significant shift in how the state recruits for public service posts. The move is part of a broader reform drive aimed at slashing delays and delivering results to candidates within 21 days of each preliminary examination.

Key Reforms Announced

Bhimanwar told reporters that candidates had long suffered due to prolonged gaps between examinations and the declaration of results, creating career uncertainty for thousands of aspirants. To address this, the Commission has set a firm internal target: preliminary examination results will be declared within 21 days. As a benchmark, the recently concluded State Services Preliminary Examination results were declared in 22 days — and the Commission intends to better that going forward.

Beyond results, the MPSC has also committed to completing the entire recruitment cycle within the same calendar year in which the examination is held. According to Bhimanwar, posts that require interviews will see the full selection process wrapped up within 9 to 11 months, while roles requiring only a written examination will be completed within six to seven months.

Scope of the CBT Change

Bhimanwar was careful to clarify the limits of the CBT transition. The shift to computer-based testing applies only to preliminary examinations. The Main Examinations for State Services, Group A, Group B, and Group C posts will continue in their traditional pen-and-paper format this year, with no changes planned in the near term.

Why CBT and Normalisation Are Not New

Addressing potential concerns about the technology, Bhimanwar emphasised that both CBT and the accompanying normalisation process are well-established systems with a proven track record. The MPSC itself has already conducted approximately 140 examinations using the CBT platform. He noted that the system has been upheld by courts and is widely accepted across India.

Notably, the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) uses CBT and normalisation for examinations involving lakhs of candidates annually, and the Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) has successfully run recruitment tests for around one crore candidates through the same method. Closer to home, the Maharashtra State Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell recently administered examinations for 16.30 lakh students via CBT and normalisation, and the National Testing Agency (NTA) follows the same approach.

What This Means for Candidates

The Commission expects the CBT transition to make the examination process more transparent, faster, and time-bound. For candidates — many of whom spend years in recruitment limbo — the promise of a calendar-year completion cycle represents a meaningful change. Bhimanwar expressed confidence that the reforms will significantly reduce delays and bring greater predictability to career planning for public service aspirants across Maharashtra.

With the reforms now formally announced, the focus shifts to implementation — and whether the MPSC can consistently deliver on the 21-day result and same-year recruitment targets it has set for itself.