In Pune, the long wait for a government job
Students in Pune are protesting against alleged corruption in the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) recruitment process, demanding the chairman's resignation and systemic reforms. Many participants remain anonymous due to fears that being identified at a protest could jeopardize their future government career prospects.
Why it matters
The protest highlights the high stakes of government employment in India and the growing frustration among youth regarding transparency and efficiency in public sector hiring.
A t 2 p.m., the protest site in Pune is close to empty. An hour later, around 200 people gather, many grouped under trees flanking Pune’s S.M. Bridge. The crowd comes with the evening, as does a breeze. With the ebb of the day’s studying, women and men in their 20s begin to arrive. By night, Rushikesh Dhode, 25, estimates that between 500 and 700 students have gathered on the bridge over the Mutha river.
Students sit and stand on one half of the bridge, facing a stage, where seven people are on hunger strike. Many of the women don’t want to be photographed or quoted. “Our families do not know we are here,” says one, asking not to be named.
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