Rohit Pawar of the NCP(SP) spoke out in support of the students on January 1 (File photo)Thousands of Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) aspirants took to the streets of Pune in protests on January 1 and 2 to demand age relaxation for Police Sub Inspector (PSI) recruitment through the MPSC Group-B (Non-Gazetted) Services Combined Preliminary Examination 2025, scheduled to be held on January 4, 2026.The Vishrambaug Police on Friday booked 20 protesters under multiple sections of the BNS and Maharashtra Police Act for the smaller protest on January 1 which involved around 30 to 40 aspirants. The police said that the protestors gathered in an illegal protest on Shastri Road and shouted slogans.On January 2, an even larger crowd of thousands of aspirants gathered near the Bhide Bridge as Maratha agitation leader Manoj Jarange-Patil also arrived to support the protesting aspirants.Choosing to be anonymous, an aspirant present at the protest explained, “Regular advertisement for the MPSC 2025 prelims exams should have been released in November-December 2025. However this time it was released in July 2025 and the exam is being held in January 2026. The age limit cutoff for this exam has been set as November 2025. Due to delay of announcement by the government, aspirants who would usually be eligible to appear for the 2025 exam are now excluded. This is unfair and which is why thousands of us have taken to the streets.” The age limit for an open category candidate for the PSI recruitment is 31 years.ALSO READ | Maharashtra MPSC CSE Prelims 2025: Exam to be held on November 9Rohit Pawar of the NCP(SP) spoke out in support of the students on January 1 by posting on X (formerly Twitter), “Even as the Combined Preliminary Exam 2025 is just a few days away, students are unnecessarily suffering due to the delay in the decision on increasing the age limit for PSI. The advertisement itself was already delayed by 7-8 months, and even the effort to resolve the age limit issue was not taken. Instead of trying to suppress the ongoing student agitation in Pune by using force, the government should engage in dialogue with the students and resolve this issue amicably.” Pawar also wrote that he had spoken with the police officers to reconsider the filing of cases on the protesting aspirants.This Maharashtra Group-B (Non-Gazetted) Services Combined Preliminary Examination – 2025 was set to be conducted on December 21 but was postponed to January 4 as the State Election Commission announced that the counting of votes for Municipal Council in Maharashtra would be held on December 21. The Maharashtra Group-C Services Combined Preliminary Examination – 2025 is also set to be conducted soon afterwards on January 11, 2026.Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting. Professional Background Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune. Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights, and state politics. Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories: 1. Investigations & Governance "Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents. "44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families. 2. Education & Campus Life Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University. "Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial. "Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers. 3. Human Rights & Social Issues "Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India. "'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting issues of disability and cyber-bullying. Signature Style Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized—whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions). He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune issues to larger national conversations about law and liberty. X (Twitter): @SohamShah07 ... Read MoreSushant Kulkarni is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express in Pune with 12+ years of experience covering issues related to Crime, Defence, Internal Security and Courts. He has been associated with the Indian Express since July 2010. Sushant has extensively reported on law and order issues of Pune and surrounding area, Cyber crime, narcotics trade and terrorism. His coverage in the Defence beat includes operational aspects of the three services, the defence research and development and issues related to key defence establishments. He has covered several sensitive cases in the courts at Pune. Sushant is an avid photographer, plays harmonica and loves cooking. ... Read MoreClick here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Pune news