Tukaram Mundhe, FDA Chief, Leads Probe into MPSC Paper‑Leak Scandal

On October 11, 2026, the state government announced a new five‑member inquiry panel to dig into the swirling allegations of paper leaks at the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC). The panel’s secretary? None other than senior IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe, who currently heads the state’s Food and Drug Administration.

It wasn’t a random appointment. During the 11‑day sit‑in at Pune’s SM Joshi Bridge, aspirants and opposition leaders repeatedly shouted for Mundhe’s name. They saw in him a straight‑talking bureaucrat who had earned a reputation for cracking down on corruption, whether it was in the food‑safety wing or in other departments he’s been shuffled through over his 21‑year career.

The protests were sparked by a leaked question paper for the Drug Inspector recruitment exam held on March 22, 2026. WhatsApp screenshots posted online suggested the paper had been circulated two days early, on March 20. The outrage was enough to force the MPSC to cancel the entire recruitment process and, earlier in October, to send its secretary Mahendra Harpalkar on deputation.

With the MPSC chairman Vivek Bhimanwar placed on compulsory leave, the government needed a credible, hard‑nosed figure to head the investigation. That’s where Mundhe’s personal story resonated – he cleared the UPSC exam on his fourth try after growing up in a drought‑hit village, so aspirants felt he could truly understand their anxieties.

Legally, there’s nothing preventing an IAS officer from holding a concurrent charge. Mundhe will remain FDA commissioner while serving as the panel’s secretary. The committee itself is chaired by retired Bombay High Court judge Dilip Bhosale, ensuring a judicial oversight layer. Mundhe’s role, however, is the executive engine: he can audit MPSC’s exam infrastructure, access secured state IT systems and question officials at every level.

The panel has a 60‑day deadline to complete a forensic audit of the exam‑conducting process, identify lapses – from paper handling to electronic security – and recommend sweeping reforms. If the findings confirm foul play, disciplinary action could range from departmental transfers to criminal prosecution.

For many of the protesting candidates, Mundhe’s appointment is a sign that the government is finally taking the leak seriously. Whether the panel will restore faith in Maharashtra’s recruitment exams remains to be seen, but the eyes of thousands of hopeful civil‑service aspirants will be on every report that comes out of this inquiry.