MPPSC FSO Exam 2025: After a gap of 17 years, when the Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission (MPPSC) finally issued a recruitment notification for the post of Food Safety Officer (FSO), it rekindled hope among thousands of aspirants across the state. However, those dreams were short-lived. The exam was abruptly cancelled after forms were filled, fees were collected, and study preparations had begun. Now, candidates have been asked to pay the fees once again for a revised notification - leaving many feeling frustrated, demoralised and betrayed.
The FSO recruitment notification was released in December 2025 for 120 posts. Nearly one lakh students applied, each paying a non-refundable fee of ₹540 - an estimated total of Rs. 5.4 crore collected by the commission. But in March 2025, the Central Government revised the eligibility criteria for the post. Despite this, MPPSC cancelled the exam only a month later, in April, and has now reissued a notification - with fewer posts and a demand for fresh fees.
Aspirants Speak Out: "We are being pushed to the edge"
Bhagirath Rawat, a resident of Vijaypur tehsil in Sheopur district, has been living in Indore for two years to prepare for government exams. He stays in a small tin-roofed room, which becomes unbearably hot in summers and leaks during the rains. His father, a marginal farmer, took loans from local moneylenders to support his son's dreams. "I had paid the fees, bought books, and started preparing. Now MPPSC has cancelled the exam and wants us to pay again. My heart and my pocket are both empty," said Bhagirath.
Richa Chaudhary, who came to Bhopal at the age of 17 from Raisen district, is now 30. Despite over a decade of preparation, she remains unemployed. "I've lost all hope in MPPSC. Every recruitment is mired in some controversy or cancellation. My relatives have started pressuring me to get married. I feel ashamed when people look at me as just another unemployed girl. Sometimes I feel it's better to die than live with this burden," Richa said, holding back tears.
Ravindra Sakhya from Morena has been preparing in Gwalior for five years. He too applied for the FSO post, but now says he has lost all motivation. "When the first notification came, I thought this was my chance. I paid the fee, bought books, started preparing. Then it was cancelled. Now there's a new notification with fewer posts, and I'm being asked to pay again. I'm mentally and financially exhausted," he said.
R. Panchbhai, Officer on Special Duty (OSD), MPPSC, said the cancellation was due to a mismatch between the educational qualifications mentioned in the department's demand letter and the amended notification issued later by the Government of India. "After receiving applications, we identified a discrepancy in the eligibility criteria. On contacting the department, this was confirmed, which led to the cancellation," he explained.
But critics argue that the commission should have anticipated these changes and acted sooner, especially since the central government had amended the eligibility criteria a month before the cancellation.
Students across the state are raising serious questions about the functioning and accountability of MPPSC. Many are demanding an immediate refund of their earlier fees and clarification about how such administrative oversights occurred. With growing public outrage and continued silence from top officials, the MPPSC finds itself in the eye of yet another credibility crisis. And for the aspirants, it's not just an exam that's been cancelled - it's years of effort, trust, and belief in the system.
