How exam protests are turning the heat on Andhra Pradesh education minister Nara Lokesh
The Opposition YSRCP is demanding his resignation over 'irregularities' in a mega teachers' recruitment that has left young job aspirants aggrieved
Jagan Mohan Reddy’s party is giving a statewide push to the campaign and raking up alleged corruption and irregularities in the DSC-2025 recruitment of teachers in Andhra Pradesh.
The DSC (District Selection Committee) process is a state-level and highly competitive examination held in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to recruit teachers for government schools.
YSRCP leaders are seeking Lokesh’s immediate resignation and a comprehensive CBI investigation into the DSC process adopted under the Telugu Desam party (TDP)-led government. Student and youth wings of the YSRCP held demonstrations at district headquarters around the state on July 28.
Reddy pitched the protests as “the growing public demand for justice” and frustration among Gen Z and unemployed youth. The YSRCP has been raising the DSC issue for some time now, with Reddy in June even meeting some aspirants who alleged anomalies.
From the alleged question paper leak to lopsided sports quota appointments, Reddy charged that the Chandrababu Naidu government's failures had forced talented and hardworking youth, who should otherwise be building their careers through merit, onto the streets in protest.
“Thousands of unemployed youth spent years preparing day and night to secure teaching jobs, but the government's handling of the Mega DSC recruitment shattered their aspirations due to paper leaks and irregular appointments. Despite evidence and documents coming into the public domain, neither chief minister Chandrababu Naidu nor education minister Nara Lokesh have responded, choosing to divert public attention rather than answer legitimate questions,” said Reddy.
The issue resonated in Delhi as well when YSRCP MP Maddila Gurumoorthy participated in the discussions on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha. Gurumoorthy cited the case of Andhra Pradesh Mega DSC recruitment for 16,347 teacher posts, which was attempted by 352,000 aspirants.
Gurumoorthy alleged serious irregularities, pointing to the temporary removal and restoration of mandatory qualifying examination requirements for sports quota candidates, under which, he claimed, “384 appointments were made without the prescribed examination or interview”.
Gurumoorthy demanded state recruitment boards be brought under the purview of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, the CBI probe the Andhra Pradesh Mega DSC process, and Lokesh resign on moral grounds.
On July 29, at a media conference in New Delhi, YSRCP Rajya Sabha MP Golla Babu Rao, Gurumoorthy and Lok Sabha MP Dr G. Thanuja Rani intensified the attack on TDP and Lokesh, alleging that the state government violated norms by sidelining the DSC convener and entrusting the conduct of the examination to the director of the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT).
The MPs claimed confidential work, including question paper preparation and uploading, was handed over to outsourced employees, creating conditions for a paper leak. They also questioned how an outsourced SCERT worker had allegedly secured top rank in the DSC.
The MPs alleged the Naidu government had manipulated sports quota rules to enable irregular appointments, and national-level sport medal winners were ignored while candidates who had merely participated in events received jobs. They claimed audio and video evidence showed demands of Rs 15 lakh to Rs 20 lakh for sports quota jobs.
Challenging Lokesh to an open debate, former state education minister and YSRCP leader Audimulapu Suresh said the Naidu government had changed rules to favour ruling-party candidates, withheld merit and roster lists, and failed to answer the documentary evidence placed before the public.
In response, Lokesh has said he is ready for any debate with YSRCP leaders on the DSC recruitment. “But are they ready for a discussion on the liquor scam and land mafia cases during their rule? The TDP has a history of recruiting 200,000 teachers while YSRCP did not appoint even one,” Lokesh said at a meeting near Vijayawada recently.
Lokesh claimed his government had conducted the DSC recruitment successfully and in the most transparent manner and that the courts dismissing the various challenging petitions proved the government’s sincerity.
However, Reddy has reaffirmed that the YSRCP would continue to stand firmly with the students and unemployed youth and intensify the movement until its demands are addressed.
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Jagan Mohan Reddy’s party is giving a statewide push to the campaign and raking up alleged corruption and irregularities in the DSC-2025 recruitment of teachers in Andhra Pradesh.
The DSC (District Selection Committee) process is a state-level and highly competitive examination held in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to recruit teachers for government schools.
YSRCP leaders are seeking Lokesh’s immediate resignation and a comprehensive CBI investigation into the DSC process adopted under the Telugu Desam party (TDP)-led government. Student and youth wings of the YSRCP held demonstrations at district headquarters around the state on July 28.
Reddy pitched the protests as “the growing public demand for justice” and frustration among Gen Z and unemployed youth. The YSRCP has been raising the DSC issue for some time now, with Reddy in June even meeting some aspirants who alleged anomalies.
From the alleged question paper leak to lopsided sports quota appointments, Reddy charged that the Chandrababu Naidu government's failures had forced talented and hardworking youth, who should otherwise be building their careers through merit, onto the streets in protest.
“Thousands of unemployed youth spent years preparing day and night to secure teaching jobs, but the government's handling of the Mega DSC recruitment shattered their aspirations due to paper leaks and irregular appointments. Despite evidence and documents coming into the public domain, neither chief minister Chandrababu Naidu nor education minister Nara Lokesh have responded, choosing to divert public attention rather than answer legitimate questions,” said Reddy.
The issue resonated in Delhi as well when YSRCP MP Maddila Gurumoorthy participated in the discussions on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha. Gurumoorthy cited the case of Andhra Pradesh Mega DSC recruitment for 16,347 teacher posts, which was attempted by 352,000 aspirants.
Gurumoorthy alleged serious irregularities, pointing to the temporary removal and restoration of mandatory qualifying examination requirements for sports quota candidates, under which, he claimed, “384 appointments were made without the prescribed examination or interview”.
Gurumoorthy demanded state recruitment boards be brought under the purview of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, the CBI probe the Andhra Pradesh Mega DSC process, and Lokesh resign on moral grounds.
On July 29, at a media conference in New Delhi, YSRCP Rajya Sabha MP Golla Babu Rao, Gurumoorthy and Lok Sabha MP Dr G. Thanuja Rani intensified the attack on TDP and Lokesh, alleging that the state government violated norms by sidelining the DSC convener and entrusting the conduct of the examination to the director of the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT).
The MPs claimed confidential work, including question paper preparation and uploading, was handed over to outsourced employees, creating conditions for a paper leak. They also questioned how an outsourced SCERT worker had allegedly secured top rank in the DSC.
The MPs alleged the Naidu government had manipulated sports quota rules to enable irregular appointments, and national-level sport medal winners were ignored while candidates who had merely participated in events received jobs. They claimed audio and video evidence showed demands of Rs 15 lakh to Rs 20 lakh for sports quota jobs.
Challenging Lokesh to an open debate, former state education minister and YSRCP leader Audimulapu Suresh said the Naidu government had changed rules to favour ruling-party candidates, withheld merit and roster lists, and failed to answer the documentary evidence placed before the public.
In response, Lokesh has said he is ready for any debate with YSRCP leaders on the DSC recruitment. “But are they ready for a discussion on the liquor scam and land mafia cases during their rule? The TDP has a history of recruiting 200,000 teachers while YSRCP did not appoint even one,” Lokesh said at a meeting near Vijayawada recently.
Lokesh claimed his government had conducted the DSC recruitment successfully and in the most transparent manner and that the courts dismissing the various challenging petitions proved the government’s sincerity.
However, Reddy has reaffirmed that the YSRCP would continue to stand firmly with the students and unemployed youth and intensify the movement until its demands are addressed.
Subscribe to India Today Magazine
Jagan Mohan Reddy’s party is giving a statewide push to the campaign and raking up alleged corruption and irregularities in the DSC-2025 recruitment of teachers in Andhra Pradesh.
The DSC (District Selection Committee) process is a state-level and highly competitive examination held in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to recruit teachers for government schools.
YSRCP leaders are seeking Lokesh’s immediate resignation and a comprehensive CBI investigation into the DSC process adopted under the Telugu Desam party (TDP)-led government. Student and youth wings of the YSRCP held demonstrations at district headquarters around the state on July 28.
Reddy pitched the protests as “the growing public demand for justice” and frustration among Gen Z and unemployed youth. The YSRCP has been raising the DSC issue for some time now, with Reddy in June even meeting some aspirants who alleged anomalies.
From the alleged question paper leak to lopsided sports quota appointments, Reddy charged that the Chandrababu Naidu government's failures had forced talented and hardworking youth, who should otherwise be building their careers through merit, onto the streets in protest.
“Thousands of unemployed youth spent years preparing day and night to secure teaching jobs, but the government's handling of the Mega DSC recruitment shattered their aspirations due to paper leaks and irregular appointments. Despite evidence and documents coming into the public domain, neither chief minister Chandrababu Naidu nor education minister Nara Lokesh have responded, choosing to divert public attention rather than answer legitimate questions,” said Reddy.
The issue resonated in Delhi as well when YSRCP MP Maddila Gurumoorthy participated in the discussions on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha. Gurumoorthy cited the case of Andhra Pradesh Mega DSC recruitment for 16,347 teacher posts, which was attempted by 352,000 aspirants.
Gurumoorthy alleged serious irregularities, pointing to the temporary removal and restoration of mandatory qualifying examination requirements for sports quota candidates, under which, he claimed, “384 appointments were made without the prescribed examination or interview”.
Gurumoorthy demanded state recruitment boards be brought under the purview of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, the CBI probe the Andhra Pradesh Mega DSC process, and Lokesh resign on moral grounds.
On July 29, at a media conference in New Delhi, YSRCP Rajya Sabha MP Golla Babu Rao, Gurumoorthy and Lok Sabha MP Dr G. Thanuja Rani intensified the attack on TDP and Lokesh, alleging that the state government violated norms by sidelining the DSC convener and entrusting the conduct of the examination to the director of the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT).
The MPs claimed confidential work, including question paper preparation and uploading, was handed over to outsourced employees, creating conditions for a paper leak. They also questioned how an outsourced SCERT worker had allegedly secured top rank in the DSC.
The MPs alleged the Naidu government had manipulated sports quota rules to enable irregular appointments, and national-level sport medal winners were ignored while candidates who had merely participated in events received jobs. They claimed audio and video evidence showed demands of Rs 15 lakh to Rs 20 lakh for sports quota jobs.
Challenging Lokesh to an open debate, former state education minister and YSRCP leader Audimulapu Suresh said the Naidu government had changed rules to favour ruling-party candidates, withheld merit and roster lists, and failed to answer the documentary evidence placed before the public.
In response, Lokesh has said he is ready for any debate with YSRCP leaders on the DSC recruitment. “But are they ready for a discussion on the liquor scam and land mafia cases during their rule? The TDP has a history of recruiting 200,000 teachers while YSRCP did not appoint even one,” Lokesh said at a meeting near Vijayawada recently.
Lokesh claimed his government had conducted the DSC recruitment successfully and in the most transparent manner and that the courts dismissing the various challenging petitions proved the government’s sincerity.
However, Reddy has reaffirmed that the YSRCP would continue to stand firmly with the students and unemployed youth and intensify the movement until its demands are addressed.
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