YSRCP Alleges APPSC Group-I Exam Report Diverts Focus From Mega DSC Dispute

The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has accused the N Chandrababu Naidu-led Andhra Pradesh government of attempting to divert attention from alleged irregularities in the Mega District Selection Committee (DSC) recruitment by highlighting a Special Investigation Team (SIT) report on the APPSC Group-I examination. YSRCP spokesperson Konda Raajev described the government's handling of the Group-I issue as a political exercise and alleged that it was being used to shield Education Minister Nara Lokesh from questions surrounding teacher recruitment.

Raajev alleged that the government began reviewing the APPSC Group-I matter ahead of the upcoming Assembly session and subsequently publicised the SIT report. He claimed that the move was intended to shift attention away from allegations surrounding the Mega DSC recruitment process, including claims of paper leaks and irregularities related to the sports quota. The YSRCP has argued that the Group-I issue could be used to avoid scrutiny over these allegations during the Assembly session.

The YSRCP spokesperson also expressed concern over the careers of 163 Group-I officers. He claimed that the SIT had not found wrongdoing relating to the candidates' qualifications, examination conduct, answer sheets, merit or final selection list. Raajev further pointed out that the answer sheets were in the custody of the High Court and that the selection process had been conducted in accordance with court guidelines. He said 326 candidates appeared for interviews, including candidates from institutions such as IITs and IIMs and some who had previously appeared for civil services interviews.

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The controversy relates to the APPSC Group-I recruitment process that began with a notification issued on December 31, 2018. The preliminary examination was conducted on May 26, 2019, followed by the Main written examination in December 2020. The Main examination results were declared on April 28, 2021, after APPSC adopted digital evaluation, with 326 candidates shortlisted for interviews.

The SIT was constituted through a government order dated February 14, 2026, under the leadership of DGP (CID) Ravi Shankar Ayyanar to investigate alleged violations in the digital and manual evaluation of Group-I answer sheets. According to the reported findings, the investigation identified multiple lapses, including alleged violations of APPSC's own rules. The findings have since become a point of political contention between the ruling coalition and the opposition YSRCP.

Other YSRCP leaders, including Yanamala Nagarjuna Yadav and Youth Empowerment Cell Convener Salambabu, have also alleged that the Group-I controversy is being used to divert attention from the Mega DSC issue. The opposition has demanded greater scrutiny of teacher recruitment allegations, while the Group-I matter remains linked to questions over the examination and evaluation process. Further developments are expected as the government and opposition present their respective positions during the upcoming Assembly session.

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