Mega DSC recruits cannot be branded ‘fake’, says Atchannaidu

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Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu on Monday condemned the branding of teachers recruited through the Mega DSC as “fake” and said their dignity should not be undermined for political gains.

His remarks came after a tense incident outside the State Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh (SAAP) office in Vijayawada, where the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) held a protest alleging irregularities in the recruitment of teachers under the sports quota.

Sports-quota teachers also gathered at the venue and staged a counter-protest, with both sides raising slogans. The police had denied permission for the protest and deployed personnel at the spot. The protesters were reportedly detained, and the police allegedly resorted to a lathi-charge while dispersing them.

The YSRCP alleged that some candidates had secured teaching jobs using fake or questionable sports certificates. The recruited teachers, however, maintained that their certificates were genuine and that their selections had been made in accordance with the prescribed procedure.

Mr. Atchannaidu said political differences could be debated, but they should not result in physical confrontations. Any objections to the recruitment process could be taken up with the authorities or courts, he said, adding that action would be taken according to law against anyone violating it.

He said 16,347 teaching posts had been filled through the Mega DSC process in 148 days, following procedures that included examinations, publication of answer keys, preparation of merit lists, consideration of grievances, certificate verification and final selection.

As for the sports quota, Mr. Atchannaidu said any doubtful certificate could be verified by the competent authorities, but branding all the recruits as “fake” was unjustified.

He also sought an explanation from former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy over alleged irregularities in the evaluation of APPSC Group-I examinations during the previous government.

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