Pune city is known as the education hub. Every year, thousands of students from rural Maharashtra, including Vidarbha, Marathwada, Beed and even other states, migrate to Pune, hoping to crack competitive exams and land a secure government job. But the ground reality is harsh and reveals disappointment among aspirants.
Students preparing for MPSC (Maharashtra Public Service Commission) and other civil service exams are facing various issues - from room rents, poor living conditions, unhealthy food and rising exam fees to the limited number of vacancies.
FPJ
FPJ
Anil Devkate, an MPSC aspirant and a native of Solapur, speaking to The Free Press Journal, said, “I came to Pune four years ago dreaming of cracking the exam. Belonging to a farmer family, it is not easy for me to stay in Pune. Meanwhile, I started working as a library coordinator to continue my studies. The biggest issue is the delay in the completion of the recruitment process. There are so many exams that have taken more than three years to complete. If the government needs three years to complete recruitment for a single vacancy, then when will aspirants get a second opportunity? It is not possible to be selected in one chance. The government opens vacancies for 200–400 posts, but approximately 5 lakh aspirants apply for the same. This ratio impacts our mindset. No matter how much we study, if there are not enough vacancies, it is pointless.”
Raje Saheb Chilgar, a native of Beed, highlighted, “Fighting with bed bugs is mentally more stressful than the actual exams. Students come in the hope of getting selected in six months. As time passes, the pressure increases each day. In Beed, there is no good environment for studying, and it forces us to come to Pune city. There are no options for private jobs in our district. Preparing for government jobs is the only option for us. Around 1.5 to 2 lakh aspirants are here, and most of them belong to middle-class or poor families. With rent prices skyrocketing, aspirants are forced to cram into shared spaces. In many one-bedroom flats, 7–8 students share a single room, struggling to find peace to study, let alone sleep.”
Sachin Ghorpade has come to the city from Shirur and is preparing for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam. He expressed, “Bed bugs and unhealthy food are basic problems. Flat owners take advantage of the high demand for rooms. No routine cleanliness is done in the buildings. We are paying ₹3,000–4,000 per month for tiffin, which is mostly unhealthy. But we don’t have another option because there is no space in our rooms to cook food. We spend most of our time in the library. For sleep, we only go to the room.”
"Most students spend their most crucial years, till at least 30 years of age, preparing for government exams. Meanwhile, they focus only on preparation and do not learn other skills, which leaves them ineligible for private jobs as well. Direct recruitment exam fees are more than ₹1,000, which is high, while the number of vacancies has either stagnated or decreased. Many students are forced to work as watchmen or take up part-time work due to the irregularities in and scheduling of government job procedures," Ghorpade added.
Nitin Andhale, another MPSC aspirant, emphasised, “The recurring delays in MPSC exams, uncertainty in results, and increasing costs are now driving many into depression. Urgent reforms and support mechanisms are needed, including subsidised hostels, affordable canteens, mental health support, and transparency in exam calendars. With every passing year, more dreams are being put on indefinite hold. The government should focus on us as well, not just roads and flyover projects.”
