The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) on Friday, 14 August alleged that the Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu-led coalition government in Andhra Pradesh was using the Special Investigation Team (SIT) report on the APPSC Group-I examination of 2020 as a smokescreen to deflect scrutiny from alleged irregularities in District Selection Committee (DSC) teacher recruitment. The opposition party called the move a calculated political diversion ahead of the upcoming Assembly session.

YSRCP Calls It 'Political Drama'

YSRCP spokesperson Konda Raajev described the government's actions as a 'political drama' orchestrated by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu to protect his son and Education Minister Nara Lokesh from accountability over alleged DSC recruitment irregularities. He alleged that the government hurriedly initiated a review of the APPSC Group-I matter just ahead of the Assembly session, obtained an SIT report, and launched what he termed a 'political campaign' through aligned media outlets.

Raajev further alleged that the government was attempting to destabilise the careers of 163 Group-I officers, even though the SIT reportedly found no wrongdoing in candidates' qualifications, conduct of the examination, answer sheets, merit evaluation, or the final selection list. He noted that the answer sheets remain in the custody of the High Court and that candidate selection was carried out strictly in accordance with High Court guidelines.

Candidates' Credentials Highlighted

The YSRCP spokesperson pointed out that 326 candidates had appeared for the interviews, many of whom were graduates of IITs and IIMs, with several having cleared civil services interview rounds. The party argued this credential profile underscores the legitimacy of the selection process.

DSC Controversy at the Centre of Dispute

Another YSRCP spokesperson, Yanamala Nagarjuna Yadav, along with Party Youth Empowerment Cell Convener Salambabu, echoed the charge that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu was deploying the Group-I SIT report as a diversion from the Mega DSC controversy. They noted that unemployed youth have been protesting over alleged DSC paper leaks and sports quota irregularities, and argued that surfacing the Group-I issue at this juncture was intended to suppress those demands and pre-empt difficult questions during the Assembly session.

What the SIT Found

The SIT, headed by DGP (CID) Ravi Shankar Ayyanar and constituted through a government order dated 14 February 2026, probed alleged violations in the digital and manual evaluation of APPSC Group-I answer sheets. According to reports, the SIT found multiple lapses, including alleged flouting of the APPSC's own procedural rules.

The Group-I recruitment cycle began with a notification issued on 31 December 2018. The preliminary examination was held on 26 May 2019, followed by the Main (written) examination in December 2020. Results of the Main examination were declared on 28 April 2021 after the adoption of a digital evaluation process, with 326 candidates shortlisted for interviews. The political battle over the SIT's findings now threatens to overshadow both the Group-I officers' futures and the unresolved questions around the Mega DSC process.