Rohit Pawar alleges ₹2,300 crore scam in Maharashtra CET, demands judicial inquiry
Synopsis
NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar has alleged a ₹2,300 crore corruption racket at the heart of Maharashtra's CET system, naming a sitting minister and a private firm, EduSpark, while a teacher's sting operation reportedly caught an agency selling guaranteed top scores for ₹25 lakh per student — and the police have yet to file a single FIR.
Key Takeaways
Rohit Pawar (NCP–Sharadchandra Pawar) alleged a ₹2,300 crore scam in Maharashtra CET exams on 3 November 2026 .
Private firm EduSpark and its sister concerns allegedly secured government contracts through rigged tendering across CET management, skill development, and software services.
A teacher at the press conference claimed a sting operation exposed an agency selling guaranteed top CET results for ₹25 lakh per student .
Despite documentary proof submitted to Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Commissionerate , no FIR has been registered.
Pawar demanded Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis order a judicial inquiry and forensic audit within 10 days , and shift the March CET to offline mode.
Minister Chandrakant Patil's office said evidence should be formally submitted to investigative agencies, promising an impartial probe.
Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) MLA Rohit Pawar on Tuesday, 3 November levelled serious allegations of a ₹2,300 crore corruption scam in the conduct of Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (CET) examinations and centralised admissions, calling for an immediate judicial inquiry and a forensic audit of all related contracts. The allegations were made at a press conference in Mumbai.
What Rohit Pawar Alleged
Pawar accused a private firm, EduSpark, and its associated sister concerns of securing lucrative government contracts through what he described as rigged and manipulated tendering processes. According to him, these contracts covered CET examination management, skill development projects, educational software, and infrastructure services across multiple state departments.
He directly named Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil and Maharashtra CET Commissioner Dileep Sardesai, demanding their immediate resignations. 'If anyone is involved, it could be the former minister and the present Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil and a person associated with him,' Pawar said, adding that he would shortly reveal the identity of the unnamed associate on social media.
Pawar also stressed the institutional character of the alleged irregularities. 'The CET cell is a government department, not an autonomous body like the MPSC,' he said, underlining direct government accountability.
Sting Operation and Whistleblower Claims
Adding a significant dimension to the press conference, a teacher present at the event claimed to have conducted a sting operation that reportedly exposed an agency offering guaranteed top CET results for ₹25 lakh per student. Pawar criticised state authorities and police for allegedly ignoring evidence already submitted to them.
He noted that despite whistleblowers submitting documentary proof to the Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Commissionerate, no First Information Report (FIR) has been registered. He demanded state protection for the teachers who risked their safety to carry out the sting.
Questions Over the SIT Probe
Pawar also raised doubts about the credibility and progress of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) previously constituted to probe CET irregularities. He argued that the SIT's track record has failed to instil confidence among students and their families, pointing to the absence of any FIR as evidence of systemic inaction. This comes amid broader national concerns over examination integrity, following high-profile paper-leak controversies in competitive exams earlier in 2024.
Key Demands from the Opposition
Pawar laid out a set of concrete demands for the Maharashtra government. He called on Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to immediately order a high-level judicial inquiry and a comprehensive forensic audit of all contracts awarded to EduSpark and its affiliates. He also demanded that the upcoming March CET examinations be held in offline mode to eliminate the risk of software manipulation and digital malpractice.
He warned that if the state government fails to take decisive action within 10 days, the opposition will escalate the issue politically across Maharashtra.
Government's Response
Sources from Minister Chandrakant Patil's office responded to the allegations, stating that the complainant should formally submit all evidence to competent investigative agencies, and assured that an impartial probe would be conducted. No direct rebuttal of the specific allegations or the ₹2,300 crore figure was offered at the time of reporting.
Point of View
And a ₹2,300 crore figure tied to student welfare is a potent charge. The more troubling detail, however, is the FIR silence: if whistleblowers submitted documentary proof to the Pimpri-Chinchwad Commissionerate and no case was registered, the accountability gap is in the policing system, not just the exam cell. The government's non-committal response — 'submit evidence to investigators' — essentially sidesteps the question of why investigators have not acted on evidence already before them. With the SIT's credibility already in doubt and March CET on the horizon, the Centre's political ten-day clock may be the least of the administration's problems.
NationPress
3 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ₹2,300 crore Maharashtra CET scam alleged by Rohit Pawar?
NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar alleged on 3 November that a private firm, EduSpark, and its affiliates obtained government contracts worth ₹2,300 crore through rigged tendering across CET examination management, skill development, educational software, and infrastructure services. He has demanded an immediate judicial inquiry and forensic audit of all related contracts.
Who has Rohit Pawar named in his allegations?
Pawar named Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil and Maharashtra CET Commissioner Dileep Sardesai, demanding their immediate resignations. He also referenced an unnamed associate of Patil, whose identity he promised to reveal on social media shortly after the press conference.
What did the sting operation reportedly uncover?
A teacher present at Pawar's press conference claimed to have conducted a sting operation that exposed an agency offering guaranteed top CET examination results for ₹25 lakh per student. Despite this evidence being submitted to the Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Commissionerate, no FIR has reportedly been registered.
What are the opposition's demands from the Maharashtra government?
Pawar has demanded that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis order a high-level judicial inquiry and a comprehensive forensic audit of EduSpark's contracts within 10 days. He has also called for the upcoming March CET examinations to be conducted in offline mode to prevent digital manipulation.
How has the Maharashtra government responded to the allegations?
Sources from Minister Chandrakant Patil's office said the complainant should formally submit all evidence to competent investigative agencies, assuring that an impartial probe would follow. No direct rebuttal of the ₹2,300 crore figure or the specific contract allegations was provided at the time of reporting.
