SIT Flags Serious Lapses in 2018 AP Group-1 Answer Script Evaluation

The evaluation process for the 2018 Andhra Pradesh Group-1 recruitment examination has come under serious scrutiny, with a Special Investigation Team (SIT) uncovering multiple alleged irregularities at different stages. The findings include unauthorised evaluators, manual evaluation at a private resort, discrepancies in marks, extensive overwriting in answer scripts and lapses in CCTV surveillance.

The Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) had issued the notification in 2018 to fill 169 Group-1 posts, attracting more than 1.14 lakh applications. Following allegations over the examination and evaluation process, the state government constituted the SIT in February 2026 on the directions of the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

According to the SIT, irregularities surfaced during digital evaluation in 2021. Of 158 evaluators approved by the APPSC secretary, only 72 evaluated answer scripts, while another 25 individuals outside the approved list also evaluated papers and received remuneration. Investigators found private email accounts and Google Drive links being used instead of an authorised evaluation system. Differences were detected between marks entered by evaluators and those in the final database.

The SIT said ₹1.38 crore was paid to Stone Media Advisory Services and TrueGrader for digital evaluation-related work, while around ₹10 lakh was paid to Mahankali Raghuram for evaluation and coordination.

After candidates challenged the digital process, the High Court directed manual evaluation. The SIT found that it was conducted at a private resort rather than a government facility, with answer scripts reportedly under a private entity’s control for 84 days.

A subsequent evaluation in Vijayawada after D. Gautam Sawang assumed charge of the APPSC in February 2022 raised further concerns. Investigators found alterations, overwriting, different inks and handwriting variations in nearly 95% of the scripts examined.

The SIT also flagged CCTV gaps, noting that surveillance of the strong room began only 17 days after the 2022 evaluation started. Discrepancies were found between CCTV footage and guard-register entries.

Another concern was the sharp rise in third evaluations. While only 0.45% of scripts required a third evaluation in the previous Group-1 recruitment, the figure reached 10.2% in 2018.

The SIT questioned 173 witnesses and examined forensic reports, financial records, electronic data and video footage. Its findings have intensified scrutiny of the recruitment process and raised questions over answer-script security and evaluation integrity.