AP CM directs Edu dept to recall GO renaming Abdul Kalam award

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday directed the School Education department to retain the name of former President APJ Abdul Kalam for an award, a day after it was replaced with that of his late father Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.

The School Education department had issued orders on Monday, renaming the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Pratibha Puraskar as YSR Vidya Puraskar.

"The Chief Minister has taken a strong view of the GO, issued by School Education Principal Secretary B Rajasekhar without informing him about the change of name of the awards.

Accordingly, he asked that the GO, issued on Monday, be revoked and Dr Kalam's name retained for the awards," Municipal Administration Minister Botsa Satyanarayana told reporters here.

The awards, instituted in 2015, are presented to meritorious students of government schools who excel in the SSC (class X) public examinations.

The award carries merit certificate, memento and scholarships to meet the cost of higher education.

In 2016, the award has been named after former president APJ Abdul Kalam.

This year, the School Education department decided to present the awards on National Education Day, the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, on November 11.

As the Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government has been changing names of every scheme and christening them after the Chief Minister's late father Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, the School Education department officials apparently decided to rename the Pratibha Puraskars after YSR.

Apart from Dr Kalam Puraskar, the state government will also present awards in the name of Mahatma Gandhi, B R Ambedkar, Babu Jagjivanram and Jyoti Rao Phule to eminent persons in various fields, according to the minister.