Overview
- The Maharashtra government announced the postponement on Thursday, July 16, 2026, and told the Maharashtra Public Service Commission to keep using pen-and-paper preliminaries until the new date.
- Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis chaired a Mantralaya review with MPSC chair Vivek Bhimanwar and senior officials before directing a phased transition and further institutional decisions.
- Student groups had protested the June CBT plan over lack of computers, standardised test centres in rural areas, and worries about server glitches and the proposed normalisation process.
- The state said the extra year will be used to build robust digital infrastructure, strengthen administrative systems, and give candidates time to practise the online format.
- The MPSC initially proposed CBT to cut paper leaks, improve transparency, and enable normalisation for multiple sessions, and authorities say the delay aims to balance reform with fair access.