Andhra HRD Minister Lokesh directs officials to issue DSC 2.0 notification within a month

Andhra Pradesh HRD Minister Nara Lokesh on Thursday directed officials to initiate measures to issue the DSC 2.0 notification within a month and ensure complete transparency at every stage, from notification to the issuance of posting orders to the selected candidates.

Reviewing the functioning of the Education Department at his Undavalli residence, Mr. Lokesh said Andhra Pradesh’s recruitment model was being keenly watched across the country, and other States could adopt it.

‘Mission March’

He directed officials to ensure comprehensive implementation of the ‘Mission March’ programme which aims to secure the best results in the Class X public examinations.

Referring to the recent observations of Singapore Home Minister K. Shanmugam during his visit to Tirupati, Mr. Lokesh said school dropouts could become vulnerable to drug abuse and other social problems.

He asked officials to launch a ‘Zero Dropout Mission’ by involving community leaders.

He said that awareness campaigns such as ‘Drugs Vaddu Bro’ were being implemented on a large scale to prevent youth from falling into substance abuse. He also said Mr. Shanmugam would soon be invited to visit Nidamarru School, which had been developed as a model institution in the State.

Mr. Lokesh directed officials to identify 175 schools, one in each Assembly constituency, and submit proposals to develop them as Learning Excellence in Andhra Pradesh (LEAP) Schools. He reviewed the implementation of the Presidential Order-2025 in the Education Department.

The Minister called for concerted efforts to fill 1,523 vacant faculty posts in universities across the State. Higher Education Director Narayana Bharat Gupta said the application process had been completed and the APPSC was making arrangements to conduct the written examination in December.

Officials said that several institutions, including JSS University, Thapar University, UPES, JUS University, Bennett University and Savita University, had evinced interest in establishing campuses in the State. Mr. Lokesh directed officials to identify suitable land and facilitate early commencement of construction.

Reviewing the Supporting Andhra’s Learning Transformation (SALT) programme, he directed officials to initiate steps for its second phase, as the first phase would conclude in December.

He ordered expeditious measures to establish 125 autism centres across the State. Officials said counsellors had been identified for 21 centres in the first phase and 14 centres would complete civil works by the end of October.

Mr. Lokesh also examined designs for a modern library proposed to be constructed in Visakhapatnam in collaboration with the Public Libraries Department as part of the legacy of Andhra University’s centenary celebrations.