Nara Lokesh: YSRCP filed 141 cases in 148 days to derail Mega DSC
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Andhra Pradesh Education Minister Nara Lokesh on Monday mounted a sharp defence of the state's Mega District Selection Committee (DSC) teacher recruitment drive in the Assembly, alleging that YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leaders deliberately attempted to derail the process by filing a barrage of court cases. Lokesh challenged former Chief Minister and YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to debate the issue on the floor of the House rather than at press conferences.
The Legal Offensive, by the Numbers
Lokesh told the Assembly that 141 cases were filed over 148 days with the stated or implied objective of halting the DSC process. He argued that the recruitment notification survived every legal challenge because it had been drafted meticulously and in full compliance with applicable rules. Lokesh said he had personally warned his department that any lapse in legal compliance would invite serious consequences — a precaution he credited for the government's clean record in court.
What the Mega DSC Delivered
Despite the litigation, the coalition government completed the Mega DSC recruitment cycle end-to-end: offer letters were issued, selected teachers underwent training, and they were subsequently deployed in schools. Lokesh described the completion as an achievement of what he called the 'people's government.' The state has already filled 3,000 teacher posts through DSC this year alone under the Mega Job Calendar. Cumulatively, the Mega Job Calendar has facilitated the filling of around 10,060 posts, spanning Group-1, Group-2, and DSC recruitments. The Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) examinations were also recently concluded.
Sports Quota and Expanded Disciplines
Lokesh also addressed questions around recruitment under the sports quota, asserting that the process was conducted transparently and was designed to encourage athletic talent rather than subject sportspersons to conventional written examinations. He added that, in line with the Centre's recommendations and under the relevant minister's guidance, the number of officially recognised sports disciplines eligible under the quota was expanded from 29 to 65.
Annual DSC Commitment and the Reservation Debate
The minister announced that the state government is committed to conducting the DSC every year, stating there would be 'no second thought' on the matter. He also took aim at Jagan's criticism of the reservation process, arguing that opposition to the government's vertical and horizontal reservation framework amounted to questioning the constitutional legacy of B.R. Ambedkar. Lokesh challenged Jagan to debate reservations anywhere — inside the Assembly or outside it. He also questioned the timing of the YSRCP's agitation, noting that it came a full year after the recruitment programme and teacher training had been completed.