Telangana ministers demand postponement of state exam

Hyderabad: A group of ministers from Telangana region yesterday urged Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K. Rosaiah to postpone the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) selection test as a showdown looks inevitable, with students from the region intensifying their protest and calling for a shutdown on Saturday.

Ministers D. Sridhar Babu, K. Venkat Reddy, D.K. Aruna and Sunita Lakshma Reddy sought Rosaiah's intervention to postpone today's exam, which has divided students and even the political parties along regional lines.

The APPSC, however, was going ahead with the exam as scheduled at 445 centres across the state for recruitment to 198 posts. More than 160,000 candidates are expected to appear in the exam.

Police were making massive security arrangements for the smooth conduct of the exam and prohibitory orders banning assembly of five or more people have been imposed around all exam centres.

Congress MP from Nizamabad Madhu Yashki Goud told reporters in New Delhi that he would join Telangana students to protest the conduct of the exam. He warned that the conduct of the exam despite protests would have serious consequences.

Four students of Osmania University here on Saturday launched a fast for an indefinite period, demanding that the APPSC preliminary exam be postponed until 42 per cent of the jobs at stake are reserved for the Telangana region.