Leaders of the Forum of Registered Teachers Organisations (FORTO), D. Srinu and Maganti Srinivasa Rao, on Tuesday met the Director of School Education, Thameem Ansariya, and urged that all first-level gazetted posts in the School Education Department be constituted strictly as zonal cadres, in accordance with the Andhra Pradesh Public Employment (Organisation of Local Cadres and Regulation of Direct Recruitment) Order, 2025.Citing paragraph 3(3) of the Presidential Order-2025, they said it clearly specifies that first-level gazetted posts are to be treated as a distinct category and must be organised as zonal cadres. They pointed out that constituting posts such as Gazetted Headmasters, Mandal Educational Officers (MEOs) and DIET Lecturers as multi-zonal cadres would be contrary to the provisions of the order.The leaders further noted that teachers and headmasters working in Mandal Parishad and Zilla Parishad schools were government employees functioning under the administrative control of the School Education Department. They also recalled that the posts of headmasters of Zilla Parishad High Schools had been recognised as gazetted posts.The leaders expressed concern that if first-level gazetted posts were constituted as multi-zonal cadres, the recruitment and promotional opportunities available to local candidates would be adversely affected. Therefore, the government should take immediate steps to ensure that all first-level gazetted posts were constituted only as zonal cadres, they said.State general secretary of Navyandhra Teachers’ Association and a representative of FORTO M. Srinivasa Rao and others also met Ms. Ansariya. Published - June 02, 2026 11:23 pm IST