MPSC Group C Exam 2026 Moved to OMR Mode; Prelims Rescheduled to October 25
- Kamaleesh Don
- Jul 17
- 5 min read
The Maharashtra Public Service Commission has changed the examination mode and schedule for the Maharashtra Group C Services Combined Examination 2026.
The preliminary examination will now be conducted in the traditional offline, OMR-based format instead of as a Computer-Based Test. The commission has deferred the planned introduction of CBT for Group C recruitment examinations until 2027.
MPSC announced the decision through a corrigendum issued on July 16, 2026. The preliminary examination, earlier scheduled for September 27, has been postponed to October 25, 2026.
The main examination is scheduled for December 27, 2026. The recruitment drive is being conducted to fill 2,619 Group C vacancies in different Maharashtra government departments.
MPSC Group C Exam 2026: Major Changes
Candidates should note the following updates:
The preliminary examination will be conducted in OMR mode.
The earlier plan to conduct the exam in CBT mode has been postponed.
CBT implementation for Group C exams has been deferred until 2027.
The preliminary examination has been shifted from September 27 to October 25.
The main examination is scheduled for December 27, 2026.
The application deadline has been extended to July 31.
Online examination-fee payment will remain available until August 3.
Payment through bank challan has been discontinued.
Existing applicants must select their preferred examination district.
The recruitment drive covers 2,619 vacancies.
Candidates should carefully review the revised schedule even if they completed their applications before the corrigendum was issued.
Revised MPSC Group C Examination Dates
The updated schedule for the recruitment examination is as follows:
Corrigendum issued: July 16, 2026
District-centre selection begins: July 19, 2026
Last date to apply: July 31, 2026
District-centre selection closes: July 31, 2026
Last date for online fee payment: August 3, 2026
Preliminary examination: October 25, 2026
Main examination: December 27, 2026
Candidates must follow the exact timings displayed on the MPSC application portal because different activities may close at different hours.
Application Deadline Extended to July 31
The commission has extended the last date for submitting an application from July 17 to July 31, 2026.
Eligible candidates who have not yet applied can use the extended period to complete their registration. They must fill in the required personal, educational and reservation details and upload the prescribed documents.
Applicants should:
Complete the online application before July 31.
Check all information before final submission.
Upload clear and valid documents.
Pay the examination fee through an approved online method.
Save the submitted application form.
Download the payment receipt.
Note the application or registration number.
The deadline extension gives candidates additional time, but they should avoid waiting until the last day because technical problems or heavy website traffic may affect the submission process.
Online Fee Payment Available Until August 3
The final date for paying the examination fee through online payment methods has been extended to August 3, 2026.
MPSC has discontinued the challan-payment facility for this recruitment process. Candidates must therefore use one of the online payment methods available through the official portal.
After paying the fee, candidates should verify that the transaction is shown as successful. A payment amount being deducted from a bank account does not always mean that it has been recorded on the application portal.
Candidates facing a payment problem should retain the transaction reference number and payment receipt.
Existing Applicants Must Select a District
Candidates who submitted their applications before the revised announcement must log in again and select their preferred examination district.
The district-selection window will remain open from July 19 to July 31, 2026.
Candidates should:
Log in to their registered account.
Open the submitted Group C application.
Find the examination-centre or district-preference option.
Select the preferred district.
Review and save the selection.
Download or capture the updated confirmation for reference.
Candidates who do not select a district during the given period will be allotted an examination centre according to the correspondence address entered in their application.
Selecting a district may not guarantee a particular examination venue. The exact centre will be provided later through the admit card.
Why MPSC Postponed the CBT Format
The decision followed protests by competitive examination aspirants in different parts of Maharashtra.
Candidates raised concerns about introducing the computer-based format immediately. Their concerns reportedly included:
Differences in access to digital facilities
Limited computer familiarity among some candidates
Infrastructure challenges in rural areas
Dependence on external examination agencies
Questions about transparency
Use of normalisation when exams are held in multiple shifts
Technical problems during online examinations
A high-level meeting was held under Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. MPSC Chairman Vivek Bhimanwar, the chief secretary and senior officials from the General Administration Department participated in the discussions.
Following the meeting, the commission decided to continue with the established OMR system for the Group C preliminary examination.
What Is an OMR-Based Examination?
In an OMR examination, candidates receive a printed question paper and an Optical Mark Recognition answer sheet.
Candidates must mark the correct answer by darkening the appropriate circle with the permitted pen. The completed sheet is later read using an OMR scanner.
In comparison, a CBT is completed on a computer at an examination centre. Questions appear on the screen, and candidates select their answers using the computer interface.
The change to OMR mode affects how candidates answer questions. It does not automatically change the syllabus, eligibility conditions or selection stages unless MPSC issues a separate notice.
How Candidates Should Prepare for the OMR Exam
Candidates who were preparing for a computer-based examination should adjust their practice method.
They can prepare by:
Solving full-length tests on printed paper
Practising with sample OMR sheets
Learning how to fill circles correctly
Avoiding incomplete or double markings
Managing time between the question paper and answer sheet
Checking question numbers before marking responses
Reading all OMR instructions carefully
Keeping the last few minutes for answer-sheet verification
Candidates should not make unnecessary marks on the OMR sheet. They must use only the writing instrument specified in the examination instructions.
The final rules regarding answer marking, corrections and prohibited items will be mentioned in the admit card or examination guidelines.
MPSC Group C Recruitment Offers 2,619 Vacancies
The MPSC Group C Recruitment 2026 notification was originally issued under Advertisement No. 017/2026.
The recruitment includes posts such as:
Tax Assistant
Clerk-Typist
Industry Inspector
Technical Assistant
Other notified Group C positions
The exact number of vacancies, eligibility rules, age limits and reservation details may differ between posts. Applicants should refer to the original recruitment advertisement and subsequent corrigendum before selecting a post.
What Happens After the Preliminary Examination?
Candidates who qualify in the preliminary examination will become eligible for the next stage according to MPSC rules.
The main examination is scheduled for December 27, 2026. The commission is expected to provide additional details about admit cards, results and the main-examination process separately.
Candidates should preserve the following until recruitment is completed:
Submitted application form
Fee-payment receipt
District-selection confirmation
Registration details
Category and eligibility certificates
Preliminary examination admit card
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