The AP MEO-1 Association strives for self-restraint of powers for officials in education

The Andhra Pradesh MEO-1 Association has been urging the state government to grant self-recruitment powers to Mandal Education Officers-I (MEO-1s), citing that the absence of such powers affects their ability to discharge their duties effectively.

AP MEO-1 Association state president Samala Simhachalam in a statement on Sunday (July 12, 2026) requested the government to issue orders empowering MEO-1 with self-pumping capabilities. He said the MEO-1s function as Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) for nearly 200 teachers working in primary and upper primary schools in their respective mandals. Despite holding public office and managing the Mandal Education Department, they did not get powers to draw their own, which he said became a matter of concern and self-esteem of the cadre.

He pointed out that the government has already extended self-recruitment powers to secondary school principals, who oversee relatively fewer staff, while MEO-1s continue to operate without similar powers.

Mr. Simhachalam said he had raised the issue with Education Minister Nara Lokesh on several occasions. Although the Minister has responded positively, no orders have been issued yet.

The association also alleged that in some districts, District Educational Officers (DEOs) were assigning tasks to MEO-1s that were not in accordance with the prescribed work schedule, causing administrative hassles.

Mr. Simhachalam, along with the association’s state general secretary B. Ravi Nayak, urged the government to resolve the long pending issues regarding MEO-1 at the earliest.

Published – 12 Jul 2026 23:34 IST