A five-member panel convened on 11 October 2026 to examine alleged irregularities at the Maharashtra Public Service Commission — including claims of a paper leak — has Tukaram Mundhe, a senior IAS officer, serving in the role of Secretary. The panel is headed by Dilip Bhosale, a retired judge who previously served on the Bombay High Court bench.

The body was established in response to discontent among candidates sitting competitive examinations over fairness concerns within the MPSC. That dispute developed against the backdrop of an eleven-day sit-in staged by examination hopefuls at Pune's SM Joshi Bridge, a demonstration that concluded on 11 October 2026.

Events were set in motion on 22 March by a screening examination for Drug Inspector recruitment positions, during which irregularities were reported. Outcry intensified after posts on social media claimed the examination papers had been distributed to students on 20 March, two days ahead of the scheduled test date. The MPSC subsequently moved to void the full recruitment process for Drug Inspectors.

Those who took part in the demonstrations argued that deep-rooted problems run throughout the MPSC as an institution. Before demonstrations began, the state administration had already moved to terminate MPSC Secretary Mahendra Harpalkar's deputation arrangement. Among the demands put forward by the student body was the removal of MPSC Chairman Vivek Bhimanwar from his post. A committee convened by the Maharashtra government placed Bhimanwar on administrative leave while the inquiry runs its course.

Reviewers have 60 days to complete their assessment of how the MPSC structures and administers its examinations. Across all ranks — from senior leadership to frontline employees — the committee intends to examine the personnel involved and draw up changes aimed at rebuilding public trust in how the state hires.

According to reports, requests for Mundhe's placement on the committee came from both demonstrating aspirants and political figures. He currently holds the position of Maharashtra's Food and Drug Administration Commissioner. Colleagues and peers have described him as thorough and principled in his public duties, with a track record of taking action against corruption throughout his career. Pawar, the NCP (SP) legislator, put forward a call to be included in the probe.

Having navigated the UPSC examination himself — encountering setbacks along the way before eventually passing — Mundhe brought a firsthand familiarity with the process that students found reassuring in relation to the demands placed on them. Mundhe's authority to oversee the MPSC inquiry rests on a formal arrangement that allows him to carry both portfolios — the investigation and his existing FDA post — concurrently. Probe panels and other demanding assignments routinely fall to IAS officers on top of their day-to-day administrative duties within India's civil service structure.

The role of committee Secretary sits alongside his existing duties on a provisional, concurrent basis. Mundhe's place on the panel — chaired by Judge Dilip Bhosale — has been described as carrying the day-to-day weight of driving the inquiry forward. Under that appointment, he holds the authority to scrutinise the MPSC's internal workings, draw on restricted state data, and speak directly with staff as part of the inquiry.

Mundhe's role in the process positions the FDA — the body at the centre of the alleged irregularities — as a direct participant in reshaping how recruitment is conducted going forward. Talks held with government officials carved out room for him to pursue the inquiry free from administrative interference.