VISAKHAPATNAM: Tribal communities in Alluri Sitarama Raju district observed a bandh on Friday, demanding the reinstatement of Government Order (GO) No. 3, which earlier ensured 100% reservation for Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates in teacher recruitment in scheduled areas.
The protest saw wide participation, with shops closed voluntarily in places such as Araku Valley. Tourist destinations including the Tribal Museum, Padmapuram Botanical Garden, and the Coffee Museum remained shut, while roads across the region wore a deserted look.
Protesters blocked roads and raised slogans urging the government to restore the provisions under GO No. 3. They recalled the promise made by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu during an election rally, where he assured 100% reservation in government jobs for tribals by reviving the special provisions under GO No. 3.
In response, ASR District Collector AS Dinesh Kumar issued a statement appealing to the tribal communities to withdraw the bandh and cooperate with the government.
He explained that GO No. 3, issued on January 10, 2000, by the Andhra Pradesh Tribal Welfare Department, provided for 100% reservation for local ST candidates in teacher recruitment within scheduled areas and included a 33% sub-reservation for ST women.
He said that this policy was implemented in about 11 General and Special DSCs conducted after the issuance of GO No. 3, with all posts being filled by eligible local ST candidates.
However, the Supreme Court’s Constitution Bench, in a verdict delivered on April 22, 2020, declared GO No. 3 unconstitutional. “Following the court’s decision, the State government was required to re-evaluate and revise its recruitment policies in agency areas,” he explained.
The Collector added that in the recently announced Mega DSC-2025 recruitment, GO No. 3 was not considered due to the Supreme Court ruling, and reservations were allotted as per the general roster. “The government is sincerely exploring legal alternatives to ensure justice for tribals without violating the SC’s directions,” he said.
Tribal Welfare Minister Gummidi Sandhya Rani reiterated the government’s commitment to the welfare of tribal communities. “The coalition government is working on introducing an alternative Government Order to replace GO No. 3. Young unemployed tribal youth should not be misled by the YSRCP’s political narrative,” the Minister said. “Out of the 16,437 DSC posts, 2,024 have been allocated specifically for tribals.” She said
“Is it reasonable to ask for the cancellation of Mega DSC? It was the previous YSRCP government that nullified GO No. 3 and failed to fill even a single teacher post.” She stated.