DYFI to protest across Andhra Pradesh over police recruitment notification

The Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) has announced State-wide protests on Thursday and Friday, accusing the State Level Police Recruitment Board (SLPRB) of misleading unemployed youth by issuing a police recruitment notification that does not carry adequate vacancies for constables.

In a statement released on Wednesday, DYFI State president M.V. Ramana and secretary G. Ramanna said the coalition government had promised before assuming office to support the youth and fill vacant posts. They recalled that during the 'Yuva Galam' padayatra, Nara Lokesh had assured unemployed candidates that vacancies would be filled and justice done to them.

The leaders said the Home Minister and the State government had stated on several occasions that around 20,000 police constable posts were vacant and would be filled shortly. Relying on these assurances, aspirants had spent years preparing for the recruitment examinations, attending coaching centres, study halls and libraries, and investing considerable time and money, they said.

The federation alleged that the latest notification, with only 1,156 constable and 378 Sub-Inspector posts, had disappointed the aspirants. It said nearly eight lakh unemployed youth in the State were preparing for police constable recruitment.

Describing the situation of unemployed youth as "very unfortunate", the DYFI leaders alleged that even their right to express grievances was being curtailed through police action.

The federation demanded that the notification be revised immediately and the number of vacancies increased by 11,639. It also sought an increase in the upper age limit for police constable aspirants to 35 years.

The leaders urged the government to stop what they termed harassment of private coaching centres and demanded that the government itself run coaching centres for unemployed candidates. They also called for an end to the alleged harassment of unemployed youth.