Mega DSC conducted transparently, no irregularities: School education secretary

Vijayawada: School education secretary Kona Sashidhar on Saturday strongly rejected allegations of irregularities in the conduct of Mega DSC-2025, asserting that the teacher recruitment process was carried out transparently and strictly as per rules.

Addressing a media conference, Sashidhar said allegations being raised over Mega DSC were largely linked to horizontal reservations and lacked factual basis. He said the govt had introduced several safeguards and completed the recruitment process for 16,347 teacher posts in a record 148 days.

Defending the recruitment exercise, the secretary said Mega DSC was conducted through computer-based tests at 154 TCS iON centres after extensive planning and security measures. Question papers were prepared under strict confidentiality, with nearly 42,000 questions developed for various subjects and access restricted to only authorised personnel, he said.

Sashidhar said the department published answer keys, response sheets, district-wise scores and merit lists online and invited objections before finalising results. Allegations that scores or selection details were withheld were incorrect, he said.

He said the govt adopted a 1:1 certificate verification process instead of maintaining waiting lists and scrutinised every case before final selection. According to him, over 241 court cases were filed challenging different aspects of Mega DSC, but courts permitted the recruitment process to continue.

The secretary said many of the recent reports and allegations centred on the implementation of horizontal reservations, including sports quota appointments. He maintained that horizontal reservations for women, sportspersons, persons with disabilities and ex-servicemen were implemented as per norms and no irregularities occurred in the sports quota.

Referring to allegations involving an SCERT outsourcing employee, Naveen, Sashidhar said the candidate had figured in the selection list but did not attend certificate verification and hence could not be recruited as per rules. He said the matter was taken to court and the department acted in accordance with judicial directions.

Questioning the timing of the allegations, Sashidhar said it was surprising that accusations were surfacing nearly a year after the completion of the recruitment process. He said every grievance and doubt raised by candidates was examined and clarified by the department.

“Those who secured teacher jobs through Mega DSC earned them through hard work,” Sashidhar said, urging that criticism, if any, be based on facts rather than misinformation.