YSRCP held statewide protests demanding Nara Lokesh’s resignation and a CBI investigation into alleged irregularities in Mega DSC-2025.
YSRCP Intensifies Mega DSC Campaign Against Nara Lokesh
The YSR Congress Party has intensified its campaign against Andhra Pradesh Education Minister Nara Lokesh by organising statewide demonstrations over alleged irregularities in the Mega DSC-2025 teacher recruitment process.
YSRCP leaders and cadres held protests across Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday, demanding Lokesh’s resignation on moral grounds and seeking an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation. The opposition party has alleged that the recruitment process involved paper leaks, manipulation and irregularities in the implementation of reservations and sports quota selections.
The allegations have been repeatedly raised by former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and senior YSRCP leaders. However, the state government and School Education Department have rejected the charges, maintaining that the recruitment was conducted transparently and in accordance with applicable rules.
YSRCP Compares Mega DSC Row With NEET Controversy
YSRCP has sought to draw a comparison between the Andhra Pradesh teacher recruitment controversy and the nationwide protests over the NEET-UG paper leak. Jagan questioned whether Lokesh would accept responsibility after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned amid pressure over the NEET controversy.
The opposition argues that the same standards of ministerial accountability should apply in Andhra Pradesh. However, the two controversies currently differ in their established facts. The NEET examination was cancelled following confirmation of a question-paper leak, while allegations concerning Mega DSC remain disputed between YSRCP and the state government.
The Andhra Pradesh government has said no evidence has established that the DSC question paper was leaked. Officials stated that the examinations were conducted through the TCS iON computer-based testing platform and that selection procedures followed statutory reservation requirements.
YSRCP Faces Government’s Case-By-Case Rebuttal
School Education Secretary Kona Sasidhar previously said the department had reviewed the allegations individually and found no manipulation or procedural deviation. Officials attributed some complaints to misunderstandings surrounding horizontal reservations, certificate verification and final merit allocation.
The Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh also defended appointments made under the sports quota, saying candidates underwent a rule-based, multi-stage verification process. The authority stated that the recruitment was carried out transparently while following eligibility and documentation requirements.
Mega DSC-2025 was announced to fill 16,347 teaching vacancies. The final merit list covered 15,941 posts, while 406 positions remained vacant because eligible candidates were unavailable in certain categories. The government described the recruitment as one of Andhra Pradesh’s largest teacher appointment exercises.
YSRCP Protest Could Strengthen Wider Political Debate
The statewide agitation ensures that Mega DSC remains a prominent political issue, but its broader impact will depend on whether YSRCP produces independently verifiable evidence supporting its allegations.
The party is attempting to present the dispute as an issue of employment, fairness and accountability. The ruling TDP, meanwhile, is using the recruitment figures and official clarifications to portray Mega DSC as a major employment achievement.
YSRCP has also faced criticism from TDP leaders for attacking a recruitment drive after its government was accused of failing to conduct a comparable large-scale DSC exercise during its term. The opposition maintains that the number of appointments cannot prevent questions from being raised about the process. The Mega DSC controversy remains a political confrontation involving allegations from YSRCP and categorical denials from the government. A formal independent investigation or judicial finding would be required to conclusively determine whether any wrongdoing occurred.
