Kurnool to Host Andhra Pradesh's First Pilot Training Centre
Kurnool is on the verge of hosting Andhra Pradesh's first dedicated pilot training facility, with Mysuru-based Orient Flights Aviation Academy investing Rs 100 crore in a centre designed to meet international standards under DGCA norms. The city's education sector also drew scrutiny after the District Education Officer confirmed a teacher was hired under the sports quota in Kurnool district without the mandatory Teacher Eligibility Test certificate. Former Chief Minister and YSRCP President YS Jagan Mohan Reddy additionally visited the city, underscoring Kurnool's continued prominence in the state's political landscape.
First Pilot Training Centre Set to Launch in Kurnool
Andhra Pradesh is set to gain its first dedicated pilot training centre, located in Kurnool, with the facility constructed by Orient Flights Aviation Academy, an aviation training organisation headquartered in Mysuru, Karnataka. The academy has invested Rs 100 crore in building the centre, which is designed to offer training that meets international standards and complies fully with the regulatory requirements of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the apex body governing civil aviation in India. Sources from the aviation academy indicated that the centre was expected to launch soon, as reported by ETV Bharat on August 30, 2026. The initiative represents a maiden development for Andhra Pradesh in the field of dedicated pilot training infrastructure, meaning the state had not previously hosted a comparable purpose-built facility. The Rs 100 crore investment by the Mysuru-based Orient Flights Aviation Academy brings specialised aviation training capacity into the Rayalaseema region, with Kurnool serving as the chosen location for the facility. Compliance with DGCA norms ensures that certifications and training outcomes from the centre will align with the standards required for professional aviation careers in India. The development is expected to draw aspiring pilots from across Andhra Pradesh seeking internationally benchmarked pilot training at the new Kurnool campus. [5]
🎓 Teacher Appointed Without TET Certificate in Kurnool District
A teacher serving in Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh, was found to have been appointed under the sports quota for a teaching post without possessing the mandatory Teacher Eligibility Test certificate, and the District Education Officer confirmed the lapse. The TET certificate is established under prescribed teacher recruitment norms as a non-negotiable qualification for candidates appointed to teaching posts through the sports quota. The rules governing teacher recruitment specify that all candidates selected under the sports quota for teaching positions must hold a valid TET certificate, placing it among the baseline qualifications required regardless of the category under which a candidate enters the workforce. The confirmation by the District Education Officer represents an official admission that the appointment in Kurnool district did not meet the minimum qualification criteria outlined in the recruitment framework applicable to sports quota appointments. The Teacher Eligibility Test is a formal examination administered to assess the academic competence and pedagogical aptitude of candidates seeking to enter the teaching profession. The case in Kurnool district brought attention to the importance of enforcing mandatory qualification requirements during the recruitment of teaching staff under quota-based appointments across Andhra Pradesh. The New Indian Express reported the matter on September 4, 2026, citing the DEO's confirmation of the irregular appointment. [7]
🗳️ YSRCP Chief Jagan Mohan Reddy Scheduled to Visit Kurnool
Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party President and former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh YS Jagan Mohan Reddy was scheduled to visit Kurnool on August 13, 2026, according to a report filed by the national news agency ANI on August 12. Jagan Mohan Reddy is the president of the YSRCP, the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party, which he led into government in Andhra Pradesh before the party subsequently lost power in the state. The ANI report, datelined Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, India, on August 12, 2026 at 11:42 IST, stated that the visit to the city was planned for the following day. Kurnool, located in the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh, carries historical and political significance within the state, and a visit by the YSRCP president and former chief minister reflected the party's continued engagement with constituencies in the region. YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had served as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh before the YSRCP lost the subsequent state assembly elections. His planned visit to Kurnool was reported by ANI, one of India's principal wire news agencies, with the report confirming that August 13, 2026, was the date of the scheduled visit. The report identified him by both his role as YSRCP president and his status as a former chief minister of the state. [8]
Sources: [5] ETV Bharat · [7] The New Indian Express · [8] ANI News