Bhubaneswar: Performance of aspirants from Odisha in Union Public Service Commission’s (UPSC) All India Civil Service Examination was far from satisfactory despite the launch of a dedicated civil services coaching programme by the Higher Education Department, Chief Minister Mohan Majhi informed the Odisha Assembly on Monday.
Giving year-wise break-up, Majhi stated that seven aspirants cleared the All India Civil Services Examination in 2019, while the number dropped to four and five in 2020 and 2021 respectively. In 2022 and 2023, seven and eight candidates respectively made it to the final list.
However, none enrolled for training under the government-sponsored coaching programme cracked the All India Civil Service examination.
Currently, the department is offering free residential UPSC coaching through its ‘Residential Coaching’ scheme to over 200 aspirants, which includes 11 months of intensive training for prelims and mains, along with free food and accommodation. The programme targets those from economically weaker backgrounds, who cannot afford to move outside the state for coaching.
However this November, it proposed to offer free UPSC coaching to students in non-residential mode for both prelims and mains in Bhubaneswar by collaborating with an experienced and popular IAS coaching centre, complementing the existing residential model, with an aim to expand access to UPSC preparation for a larger number of deserving candidates in the state.
