When and why was this institute set up?
This institute was founded in 1976 to boost the chances of Maharashtrian students to get into Civil Services. Normally it is the UP and Bihar students who very actively participate in the Civil Services exams and get through. If you go to JNU 90 per cent students are preparing for the Civil Services. Even their syllabus is based on the pattern of the UPSC. But in Maharashtra not many try for the Civil Services mainly because they don’t want to leave the state and moreover they don’t want to spend their time preparing for these competitive exams. So the Maharashtra Governmnet decided to open an institute to train Maharashtrian candidates for the UPSC exams.

What is the kind of training that is imparted at this institute? Our batch starts in January. First they are trained for the prelims, which are in May. So from Jan to April end we train them for prelims – general knowledge and one optional subject. There are lectures held by senior professors. We also arrange for interaction between past students with the current batch so that they can discuss winning strategies.

There are periodical tests according to the pattern of the prelims. Those who successfully clear the prelims come for coaching for the mains.

What is the screening procedure for admitting students to the institute?
Initially we had no entrance test and we admitted whoever needed coaching for the UPSC. Then in 1985 we introduced an entrance test on the lines of the UPSC exams. Last year itself there were 3000 candidates applied for training when we have a capacity for only 60 students.

The entrance test comprises of a general knowledge test followed by a test of the optional subject chosen by the candidate. The last step is the personal interview conducted by a panel of professors.

Of course to be able to appear for the entrance exam you have to be a graduate in any discipline and a domicile of Maharashtra.

What are the kinds of candidates who enroll for coaching?
Apart from graduates, nowadays doctors, engineers, post graduates and even PhD holders opt for Civil Services. These days it is very difficult to establish yourself professionally even if you are a doctor. The lure of the civil Services drives them here. They are enamoured by the prospects of helping the government in the day-to-day business, working on large projects and making decisions. A regular job doesn’t hold these responsibilities.

Is it important to join a coaching institute to prepare for the UPSC or does self study help?
Of course self-study always helps. But the exact information on how to study, which books to refer, interaction with past students and other students in the class, solving of papers of past years, etc is only possible within a class. In coaching institute students discuss the papers with other students and this helps. Teachers are always there to guide the students on how to best prepare for the exams. Interaction with old students who tried a couple of times discuss what went wrong. All these things really help.

Can you suggest ways in which students can prepare for these competitive exams?
Anyone who aspires to clear the UPSC exams should read competitive exam periodicals, general knowledge books, newspapers and watch the news everyday. This is the basis on which you should prepare for the exams. You have to develop a concern about the society and its problems. If you are not at all interested in matters concerning the state and the nation you don’t go for it.

Last year 5,00,000 students appeared for the prelims. Out of which 5,000 were selected for the main. Only 500 students could make it through the exams and were selected for training.

What are the subjects that help for the preparation of UPSC exams?
Yes, the study of political science helps a lot. Indian administration, Sociology, Psychology and Geography are some of the hot favourites among students these days. But the all time favourite remains History. Even Marathi literature is getting quite a number of students. People with post graduate degrees opt for their subject of specialisation. Arts students generally opt for Economics, Political science, Psychology, History and so on.

-Nivedita Jayaram Pawar