Crores spent on IAS study circles go waste

Hyderabad: Study circles set up by the state government to provide free coaching for poor students to crack the UPSC civil services exam and other competitive exams have turned out to be “white elephants” in Telangana.

Though more than Rs 225 crore was spent on these study circles, not a single student from these circles has been selected for IAS in the last five years. On the other hand, the Tamil Nadu and Odisha governments’ study circles have become “role models” sending scores of students from poorer sections to the All India Services every year.

The government spends nearly Rs 3 crore per year to run each study circle. The circles have been set up at each district for BC, SCs and STs separately. In undivided Andhra Pradesh, these study circles had the capacity to train 50,000 students per year. After the bifurcation, TS has the capacity to train 30,000 students.

In 2010-11, 47 students were trained for civils in TS, but none got selected. Similarly, 57 students were trained in 2011-12, 56 in 2012-13 and 60 in 2013-14, but none made it to the final selection list. They could not even make it to the interview stage. 

The success rate of these students in other competitive exams has also been poor. While 1,518 students were trained, only 678 were selected. Students were also coached for private sector jobs and state-level jobs like constables etc. In this category, 2,421 were trained in 2011-12, but only 601 got selected. In 2012-13, another 2,393 were trained, but just 352 were selected and in 2013-14, 2,884 students were trained, but only 309 made it to the selection list.

In 2012, out of 300 students trained in TN, 14 got selected for IAS, three for IPS, four for IFS and 28 for AIS. “Study circles in undivided AP were neglected. It will take time for the TS government to get these circles back on track,” said Jogu Ramanna, the minister for BC welfare.

He said Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Maharashtra etc. were holding classes with experienced faculty. The services of retired IAS/ IPS/ IFS officers were also being utilised, which is not the case here.

For some, state-run circles only option:

Government study circles remain the only option for students from economically backward sections, who cannot afford costly private coaching centres. Some private centres charge fees from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh, the elite ones charge up to Rs 2 lakh for the civils.

Earlier, the government used to appoint doctorates as regular faculty for the study circles. For the past seven years, it has stopped the practice due to financial constraints. The government is now dependent on contract staff who are invited to give guest lectures.

Contract lecturers are paid Rs 1,500 per class. Private coaching centres pay on the basis of the number of students in the class. In a way, they share profits with the managements and this is more lucrative.

“In Tamil Nadu, the government provides special classes in Delhi for students who qualify in the Civils Mains exam to face the interview board. It provides accommodation at the Tamil Nadu House in Delhi for a month and pays their transport costs,” said Mr R. Krishnaiah, president, BC Welfare Association, who has been agitating for long to strengthen study circles.

Such encouragement has resulted in more students from Tamil Nadu making it to the All India Services, he said. BC, SC and ST unions in Telangana are demanding that the government admit students in private coaching centres by spending the same amount instead of wasting money on poorly-staffed government study circles.