Andhra Teacher Recruitment Scam Row: YSRCP Demands CBI Probe, Naidu Hits Back

A political confrontation has erupted in Andhra Pradesh over the Mega DSC-2025 teacher recruitment process, with the opposition YSR Congress Party alleging large-scale irregularities and demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation probe. The party, led by Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, has accused the ruling TDP-led NDA government of compromising the integrity of the recruitment exercise and called for the resignation of Education Minister Nara Lokesh. The allegations have been strongly denied by the state government, which maintains that the selection process was conducted transparently and in accordance with established procedures.

The YSRCP claimed that teaching posts were allegedly sold and that deserving candidates were denied appointments despite securing merit-based qualifications. Party leaders argued that the education minister should accept moral responsibility for the alleged lapses and step down from office. They also demanded criminal proceedings against individuals allegedly involved in the recruitment process and insisted that only an independent investigation by the CBI could restore public confidence. The opposition further alleged that audio recordings pointing to irregularities had surfaced and questioned the use of reservations under the sports quota.

Defending the recruitment drive, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu described Mega DSC-2025 as one of the largest teacher recruitment exercises undertaken in the state's history. He rejected the allegations as politically motivated and accused the opposition of spreading misinformation. According to the chief minister, the examination process was designed to eliminate opportunities for manipulation through the use of technology-driven systems managed by professional agencies. He maintained that the recruitment mechanism was robust and transparent from start to finish.

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Naidu explained that thousands of questions were stored digitally and that the examination system automatically selected questions without human intervention. He said the process was managed at the national level by Tata Consultancy Services and that examination content was transmitted directly to centers through secure systems. The chief minister described the recruitment framework as “foolproof” and argued that the opposition's criticism reflected frustration over what he termed a successful and efficiently executed program. He reiterated that no evidence had been presented to substantiate the claims of wrongdoing.

Supporting the government's position, School Education Secretary Kona Sasidhar stated that Mega DSC-2025 was conducted entirely through a computer-based testing system. He said there was no manual intervention at any stage of the examination or evaluation process and that all answer keys, scores, and merit lists were published online to ensure transparency. Sasidhar added that authorities had not received any credible evidence indicating malpractice or manipulation during the recruitment exercise.

The recruitment drive was the first major teacher appointment program in Andhra Pradesh since 2018 and involved the notification of 16,347 vacancies. According to government figures, approximately 3.36 lakh applications were received, and nearly 15,941 appointment orders were ultimately issued. Officials said the process was completed within 145 days despite facing numerous legal challenges, including cases before higher courts. With both the government and opposition standing firm on their positions, the controversy is expected to remain a key political issue in Andhra Pradesh as demands for further scrutiny continue.

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