Number of students aspiring to crack Civil Services examination are choosing Nagpur’s Pre-IAS Coaching Centre. The Centre is delivering fantastic results for the past 10 years as it is monitoring the students’ studies on personal basis. This year, 12 students have cleared the examination from this Centre. There are six Pre-IAS Coaching Centres in Maharashtra run by Higher and Technical Education Department. Till 10 years ago, Maharashtra students’ number was very low as far as the list of successful students of Civil Services Examination is concerned. The number of students in Vidarbha opting for civil services was also not satisfactory.

 

In last five years, the number of students from Vidarbha opting and cracking Civil Services examination has grown drastically. Prof Pramod Lakhe, who took over as Director of Pre-IAS Coaching Centre at Nagpur in 2015, brought changes at this centre. At the same time, the then Devendra Fadnavis- led Government too made some changes regarding physical infrastructure. “Confidence building was an important component. Vidarbha’s students were shy and had inferiority complex. When I took over, I worked on two aspects--giving these students confidence that they too can do it and bringing discipline,” Prof Lakhe made it clear. Like Nagpur, the other centres are situated at Amravati, Kolhapur, Nashik, Mumbai and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar. Government strengthened these centres and facilitated them resulting in rising number of students cracking this important examination. “If we compare students from other parts of the State and Vidarbha, there was a difference. Students from Vidarbha lacked in awareness, presentation, and language. We worked on these three factors and percentage of students opting Civil Services started rising. Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) tests the personality in all aspects. Only those students who use their own heads and can think independently will survive.

 

This is what we tried to imbibe among these youngsters,” elaborated Dr Lakhe. “In the course of 11 months, we conduct written tests on the lines of UPSC which students have to write sitting in the class. We make students practice writing as they are not very habitual of writing on paper due to rising use of electronic gadgets. We also conduct practice interviews on behalf of the Government in Delhi. Anyone who wants to crack UPSC, has to appear in this mock interview. I am also on the panel. This interview helps the students a lot,” expressed Dr Lakhe. The centre has developed a good library. The discipline is maintained at the campus as the students can’t leave till evening. The students also get to interact with top bureaucrats who guide them regarding preparations.

 

 

Nagpur’s Pre-IAS Coaching Centre has the intake of 120. Government publishes the advertisement regarding admissions during the month of June-July every year. The students who have completed graduation can apply. The Centre conducts an entrance test. Those who crack the test have to appear for the interview. On the basis of average score of interview and test, the merit list is prepared. Students scoring well get the admission. The duration of the students at the centre is of 11 months. If the students fail to crack, then they can’t get admission again at the same centre. They can apply to other centres in Maharashtra but have to go through the complete procedure once again.