APPSC leaves decision on postponing G-1 exams to govt

The Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) on Friday put the ball right in the government’s court by saying that it is powerless to take a decision on the postponement of the Group-1 preliminary examination unless some clarification is made from the government.

The APPSC is caught in a bind with calls for postponing the examinations are mounting from Telangana protagonists who demand that the government gives a clarification on their demands of a 42 per cent quota in recruitments for G-1 qualifiers from the region.

Chairman Venkatram Reddy on Friday was forced to convene an emergency meeting of the APPSC, in the wake of Osmania University Students Joint Action Committee call for a Telangana bandh on September 5 demanding postponement of Group-1 preliminary examination over the issue.

At this meeting, the APPSC stated that it has no powers to postpone the examination.

According to sources, APPSC members complained at the meeting that, “Only the government can intervene and take a decision on the quota in jobs for Telangana people. It is not under the jurisdiction of APPSC. Till further orders from the government over the quota issue, we cannot take a decision on the postponement.”

Till the government acts and issues some directions to the APPSC, the Commission will go ahead and conduct the examinations as per the schedule under tight security.

The commission has made all arrangements to conduct the examination smoothly across the state.

Meanwhile, students’ organizations affiliated to Telangana Joint Action Committee region on Friday picketed the APPSC office at Nampally and staged a dharna demanding postponement of Group-1 examination until the uncertainty over the quota issue is addressed.

The student leaders raised slogans against APPSC chairman and demanded government to remove the chairman against whom charges of corruption have been raised.

They also demanded that the commission release a ‘White Paper’ on appointments to Group-1 qualifiers since 1956.

Sensing that the law and order going out of control, the police arrested a few student leaders and took them to Nampally police station.