Is There a Lokesh-Jagan Conflict Over SSC Evaluation Errors?

Amaravati, June 1 (NationPress) Major mistakes in the assessment of 10th class Public Examination answer scripts in Andhra Pradesh have ignited a fierce exchange of accusations between former Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and Education Minister Nara Lokesh.

Jagan blamed Lokesh for the turmoil surrounding the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exams, while Lokesh retorted by criticizing the YSR Congress Party leader, stating he has “failed” in both public and private spheres.

In a sharp rebuke directed at Jagan, Lokesh asserted that the current administration needs no guidance on principles from someone who allegedly stole SSC examination papers during his academic years.

Claiming that the educational framework suffered during the YSRCP's governance, Lokesh maintained that the coalition government is working to amend these issues.

The Education Minister, in an open letter, accused the former administration of politicizing education, such as introducing party colors in uniforms and naming programs after individuals. He further claimed that under YSRCP rule, students lost access to midday meals and free textbooks, leading to a decline in school enrollments.

Previously, Jagan had criticized Lokesh, holding him accountable for the disarray in the SSC answer sheet evaluations.

He charged the Telugu Desam-led coalition with inflicting distress on thousands of students and their families due to administrative shortcomings and a lack of accountability.

In a social media post, Jagan informed Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu that both he and his son Lokesh had “failed” to manage the 10th class examination.

“More than 6.14 lakh students worked diligently for these exams, yet the government could not guarantee proper evaluation and transparent results. This mismanagement has eroded students' trust, leading many to question the validity of their marks,” he stated.

The former chief minister highlighted that the current debacle is jeopardizing students' valuable chances in IIITs, Gurukula Junior Colleges, and other educational institutions. He also pointed out the government's inefficiency, which became evident from the start with question paper leaks and the absence of corrective measures, showcasing its incompetence.

Jagan accused the TDP regime of systematically dismantling the educational reforms initiated by the previous YSRCP government.

“Initiatives like Nadu-Nedu, Gorumudda, English medium education, TOEFL classes from Class 3, tablets for Class 8 students, and subject-specific teaching were all visionary reforms that were abruptly halted. The Amma Vodi scheme, which empowered mothers to educate their children, was also discontinued,” Jagan stated.

The Directorate of Government Examinations announced on Saturday that five evaluators were suspended due to serious errors in the assessment of SSC exam answer sheets.

Out of the total 6,14,459 students who took the examination, 34,709 requested re-evaluation. A total of 66,363 answer sheets were received for re-evaluation, including 64,251 for verification and 2,112 for recounting.

The Directorate confirmed that, among corrected cases, 8,863 scripts had minor mark changes between 1 and 5, while 3,119 scripts had changes exceeding 5 marks.

The department indicated that applications would be processed by the first week of June. Many students are hoping for admission to the IIITs managed by the Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies (RGUKT), Andhra Pradesh.

Meanwhile, the state Congress president, Y. S. Sharmila, remarked that the disagreements between Jagan and Lokesh resemble “devils quoting scripture.”

“During YSRCP governance, each year 20% of the students who initially failed passed with improved marks upon recounting, and now under the TDP-JSP-BJP regime, 11,000 out of 30,000 applicants succeeded with first-class grades. This evidently reflects the sincerity in answer script evaluation,” she stated.

Claiming a lack of transparency in the results, she alleged that the education system has been corrupted.

“In reality, it is not the students who have failed; it is the YSRCP and coalition governments that have failed for the last decade. They are toying with the futures of students,” she asserted.

Sharmila further criticized Lokesh’s performance as Education Minister and called for a comprehensive investigation into the entire episode.

She also demanded that the re-evaluation of answer sheets be conducted at no cost.