India, Dec. 11 -- The Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal (MAT) on December 9 granted additional time to the state government to file its response in the ongoing dispute over the appointment of Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers to senior posts in the education department that are traditionally reserved for education-cadre officers.

The appointment of Trigun Kulkarni, an IAS officer, as director of the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (SSC-HSC board) on November 18, 2025, ignited controversy as director-level posts in the state's education department have traditionally been filled through in-department promotions of education-cadre officers.

The case involves senior officers holding the rank ...