Aizawl: The Mizoram Public Service Commission (MPSC) has indefinitely postponed several recruitment-related activities after members of the Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) began picketing outside its office over concerns about the commission's recruitment process.
The protest began on Monday, August 10, with MZP members preventing MPSC employees from entering the premises. The disruption continued into Tuesday.
In a notification, the MPSC said the situation had forced it to suspend several recruitment activities and defer programmes that had already been scheduled.
Why are students protesting?
The MZP has raised concerns over the way the MPSC handles recruitment, including its One-Time Registration (OTR) system, scrutiny of application documents and the commission's staffing levels.
The MZP has raised concerns over the MPSC's recruitment process, including its One-Time Registration (OTR) system, scrutiny of application documents and staffing levels, while in recent months it has sought an inquiry into the Junior Grade Mizoram Engineering Service Examination 2025, where eight candidates were selected against seven advertised posts, and questioned the recruitment process for Junior Grade posts in the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary sector.
The commission subsequently issued a correction in the engineering examination, while the MZP sought a fresh recruitment process for the veterinary posts. The current agitation is centred on broader changes to the commission's recruitment system rather than any one examination.
What are the students demanding?
The MZP wants the MPSC to scrap the existing OTR system and replace it with applications made separately for individual posts.
It has also sought a one-time opportunity for candidates whose applications were rejected because of incomplete document uploads to submit the missing documents offline. The demand particularly covers candidates who cleared written examinations but were later rejected during document verification. The organisation is also seeking structural reforms and additional manpower for the commission.
What has the MPSC said?
The commission has rejected the demand to discontinue OTR, saying the system was introduced to streamline recruitment and maintain a uniform process for candidates.
On the demand for a special opportunity to submit missing documents, the MPSC said allowing some candidates to correct incomplete applications after the deadline would compromise equal treatment. Candidates who submitted complete applications within the prescribed period could be placed at a disadvantage, it said.
The commission said candidates could be rejected at any stage if their applications were incomplete, regardless of their performance in a written examination.
At the same time, the MPSC said it had already sought additional manpower and was working to improve scrutiny of applications at the initial stage. It also said improvements to its online recruitment portal were underway.
Recruitment activities affected
The disruption has already affected examinations and interviews.
The MPSC said Group C examinations under various departments could be affected because question papers prepared by the commission could not be distributed.
Written examinations and personal interviews scheduled from August 11 to 14 have been postponed.
Interviews for Assistant Audit and Accounts Officer, Assistant Accounts Officer (Treasury), Assistant Accounts Officer (Works) under the Finance Department and Field Facilitator under the Social Welfare, Women and Child Development Department have also been deferred indefinitely.
Departments that had planned to use MPSC examination halls for their own recruitment examinations have been asked to make alternative arrangements.
The commission has not announced fresh dates. It said these would depend on the situation.
Promotion meetings also deferred
The disruption is also affecting government employees.
The MPSC said Departmental Promotion Committee meetings relating to promotion, regularisation and confirmation of employees in various departments have been temporarily deferred.
The commission expressed concern that candidates appearing for examinations and interviews, as well as government employees awaiting promotion-related decisions, were being affected by the protest.
It has asked the MZP to end the agitation and allow employees to enter the office.
Earlier concerns over the MPSC
The MZP's concerns about the commission predate the current protest.
In April 2024, the organisation had demanded the removal of then MPSC chairman J C Ramthanga, alleging irregularities in recruitment. The Mizoram government subsequently ordered a preliminary inquiry into the allegations, appointing retired IAS officer and former MPSC chairman M Lalmanzuala as the inquiry officer.
The student body's scrutiny of competitive examinations has continued this year. In July, it also held protests in Aizawl over the alleged NEET-UG 2026 question paper leak. The Mizoram BJP, while responding to those protests, said students had the right to demand fairness and transparency in examinations including those conducted by the MPSC.
With inputs from PTI