Youth will change State’s future: YS Jagan 

Tadepalli, November 06: Former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy called on the students and youth of Andhra Pradesh to rise like tulasi saplings in politics, pure, principled, and rooted in integrity, and to take charge of shaping the State’s future. Addressing the YSRCP State Student Wing at the party headquarters, he said this is a social-media era powered by young minds, and governments today reflect youth choices. “If you say sit, they sit. If you say stand, they stand. That is the power of youngsters. You decide the future of Andhra Pradesh,” he declared, urging youth to become leaders whom society can proudly say, “That is my leader.”

He reminded students that they will enter active politics in one or two terms and must prepare with character and vision, noting that true transformation begins with clean intentions and that good seeds take 10–15 years to bear fruit. “In this generation, social media movements start with youth. When youth rise, nations change,  as seen in Bangladesh. Andhra Pradesh needs such awakening today,” he said.
Recalling the YSRCP government’s education reforms, he cited English-medium instruction in all government schools, TOEFL from Class 3, subject-specific teachers, Oxford dictionaries for every child, tablets for Class 8, and the introduction of the IB curriculum through a Geneva team to reach Class 10 by 2035. These reforms, he said, backed by Nadu–Nedu school upgrades, Amma Vodi, and nutritious Jagananna Gorumuddalu meals, ensured no poor child dropped out. “Students may not have votes, yet we stood by them. That is real leadership,” he stated.

He highlighted sweeping higher-education reforms, job-oriented curriculum, EdEx integration with degree and apprenticeship pathways, NAAC-accredited colleges rising from 257 to 437, and Rs. 16,800 crore disbursed under Vidya Deevena and Vasathi Deevena, raising GER from 27.86% to 37%.
In stark contrast, he criticised the coalition government for scrapping English medium, stopping TOEFL and tablets, diluting mid-day meals, and blocking seven quarters of fee reimbursement, leaving Rs. 4,900 crore pending and Rs. 2,200 crore hostel dues,  Rs. 6,400 crore in total, including halting payments through an Election Commission letter, forcing students to drop out, and reversing GER progress.

On employment, he noted 6.31 lakh government-sector opportunities, including 2,13,662 permanent posts, 1.26 lakh secretariat jobs, 52,000 RTC employees absorbed, 10,300 teachers, and healthcare recruitment reducing specialist shortages to 4% versus 61% nationally. With 2.66 lakh volunteers, APCOS placements, Beverages Corporation jobs, MDU operators, 4.78 lakh MSMEs generating 33 lakh jobs, and large industries adding one lakh, over 40 lakh livelihoods were created.
On infrastructure, he noted that the previous government initiated four ports, ten fishing harbours, international data-cable landing, and Bhogapuram airport works with Rs. 900 crore spent, strengthening future economic growth.
Condemning the privatisation of government medical colleges, he noted AP had only 12 colleges in 96 years, while his government sanctioned 17, completed seven, operationalised five with three batches, and added 2,550 MBBS seats, half free. With Rs. 3,000 crore already spent and only Rs. 1,000 crore per year for five years required, he said, “Naidu even opposed 50 seats in Pulivendula. Selling colleges is not policy, it is plunder.”

Announcing a one-crore signature drive, rallies on November 12, and a December agitation on fee reimbursement, he urged youth to form committees down to the village level and “give a democratic shock to this anti-student regime.” He concluded, “This is your era. Take the wheel, protect your future, and defend Andhra Pradesh.”
The meeting was attended by YSRCP Student Wing State President Panuganti Chaitanya, Zonal Working Presidents A. Ravichandra, Thota Ranjy, Srivatsava, Chevireddy Harshit, Pranay Reddy, and Vice-Presidents Obul Reddy, Neeli Anand, and Narender Reddy, along with district and constituency leaders.