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Andhra Pradesh School Education Commissioner Tameem Ansaria has rejected social media claims that deserving candidates were denied teaching posts in the Mega District Selection Committee (DSC), 2025, because vacancies were filled by Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD).
Speaking to reporters at the State Secretariat in Amaravati on Friday, August 7, Tameem said the entire recruitment process was conducted according to the prescribed merit, roster and reservation norms. She was accompanied by the Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh (SAAP) Vice-Chairperson and Managing Director Bharani.
The Commissioner stated that the horizontal reservation mechanism under GO Ms No 77, issued on August 2, 2023, does not provide separate roster points for women, PwBD candidates, ex-servicemen or meritorious sportspersons. Instead, eligible candidates from these groups are accommodated within their respective vertical reservation categories.
She said the appointment of a PwBD candidate should therefore not be viewed as taking away a post from a higher-ranking candidate, as such selections form part of the statutory reservation system.
Tameem also detailed the scale of Mega DSC-2025 and said that of the 5.77 lakh applications received for 16,347 teacher posts, around 3.36 lakh candidates took the examination. The computer-based test was held across 154 centres in 89 sessions over 24 days.
The department also addressed more than 32,695 queries and 1,135 grievances raised during the recruitment process, she said.
SAAP MD Bharani also dismissed allegations of manipulation in the Sports Mega DSC-2025 recruitment, particularly claims concerning sports certificates submitted by candidates such as Pinjari Ismail Basha and Shaik Anwar Basha.
She said the certificates were subjected to verification through the Andhra Pradesh State Judo Association and other prescribed channels before the candidates were considered for selection under the sports quota.
After an alleged audio recording concerning sports quota recruitment emerged, SAAP approached both the Vijayawada Police Commissioner and the NTR District Police Commissioner. Following the complaints, the Cyber Crime Police registered a case, conducted an investigation and arrested the accused, Bharani said.
She maintained that selections under Sports Mega DSC-2025 were made only after the required verification and in accordance with government orders and recruitment regulations. Social media claims that were not supported by official verification, she added, had no role in the selection process.