Mumbai: In a huge scare in corona times, thousands of students took to the streets in Pune, Aurangabad, and Nagpur on Thursday afternoon following a state government notification postponing the upcoming prestigious Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) preliminary examinations.

The MPSC 2020 prelims exams, scheduled to be conducted on March 14, have been postponed for the 5th time in the past year owing to the Covid-19 crisis, putting the future of many in jeopardy.

An estimated 260,000 plus candidates, including several women, who have traveled from remote parts of the state, were hoping to appear for the prelims exams for two objective-type papers at various centers in the state on Sunday.

Conducted annually by the statutory body, the exams would open the door for success in various government jobs across sectors based on merits and the applicable reservation criteria.