Government to Address Teacher Shortage in Andhra Pradesh, Says HRD Minister Nara Lokesh

In a commitment to tackle the long-standing issue of vacant teaching positions, Andhra Pradesh Minister for HRD and IT, Nara Lokesh, assured the State Assembly that all teacher vacancies will be filled by the next academic year.

Responding to queries during the Assembly session on Friday, Lokesh revealed that 13,497 teaching posts in the School Education Department remain unfilled as of June 2024. “As promised, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu promptly approved the Mega DSC file upon assuming office. Our priority is to address these vacancies while ensuring no legal complications arise,” he said.

The discussion was initiated by NDA members Lokam Madhavi, Kakarla Suresh, and Palla Srinivasa Rao, who highlighted the difficulties faced by teachers under the previous YSRC government. Though YSRC MLAs had raised the question in writing, they were absent from the Assembly session.

Minister Lokesh outlined the government’s strategy to resolve the issue, stating that a comprehensive review of pending legal cases related to recruitment—dating back to 1994—had been conducted. He confirmed that the Mega DSC notification will soon be issued, with plans to complete the recruitment process within six months.

He pointed out that under the TDP's tenure, 15 DSC drives were successfully conducted, resulting in the appointment of 1.8 lakh teachers. In contrast, the previous YSRC government failed to fill even a single vacancy during its term. “A deceptive notification was released just before the 2024 elections, but no concrete action followed,” Lokesh added.

Addressing grievances from teachers, the Minister also criticized the controversial GO 117, introduced by the prior regime, which allegedly caused unnecessary hardships for educators and students under the guise of school mergers. He assured that an alternative policy would be implemented to avoid such issues and promised fair treatment for teachers moving forward.

Lokesh further vowed to lift all false cases filed against teachers who protested during the YSRC regime, pending discussions with the Director General of Police. “Teachers deserve respect and support, not harassment,” he affirmed.

With these steps, the government aims to restore trust and stability in the education sector, ensuring quality education for all students in the state.