UPSC 8th ranker Raj Krishna Jha from Sitamarhi, Bihar: ‘Had a premonition of my success
UPSC Results 2024: Full of all vim and vigour, 27-year-old Raj Krishna Jha, a native of Athari panchayat under Runi Saidpur block in Sitamarhi district, who notched up the eighth rank in Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2025 held by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Tuesday said he had premonition about his success in fifth attempt of the examination after his disastrous performance in the first two attempts.
His success has sparked a wave of pride and celebration in his village and across the district. Speaking to Hindustan Times over the phone from Kolhapur, Jha who had failed to qualify the preliminary examination in the first two attempts, said he approached the examination with clear intention to grab a rank.
'After I secured 739 marks in my fourth attempt in mains and missed the boat (selection) by a meagre two marks, I made it a point go for the first ten ranks in the examination. But the elements of the risk was always there,' said Jha, who is posted at Kolhapur as assistant manager for Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL). He said, 'I was a tad confident about my success as I was doing quite well in mock tests as well.'
Raj Krishna completed his early education from a school in Nepal, near the Bhitamore border, and passed his Class 12 examinations under the Bihar School Examination Board. He went on to pursue B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from the Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT), Allahabad. After graduation, he joined Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) in 2018 and is currently serving as an assistant manager in HPCL's City Gas Distribution (CGD) wing at Kolhapur in Maharashtra.
Jha said his father Sunil Kumar Jha's experience in the academic sector as a private school teacher helped him a great deal in shaping his career. 'He is a great source of inspiration and my mentor as well,' said Raj Krishna Jha, a mechanical engineer, who joined BPCL as assistant manager in 2019.
Attributing his success to his parents and other family members, Jha said it was his father who encouraged and mentored him for a bigger role in the society. 'Yes, the first two attempts were eventful. But, then I prepared for the UPSC consistently and devoted 14 to 15 hours on preparation during examination time,' said the UPSC topper, who had opted for geography as the optional subject.
'He has been a bright student since the beginning,' said Anil Jha, his uncle, who ekes out his living working as an astrologer in Muzaffarpur.
Sharing his joy, Tripurari Kumar, deputy mukhiya (deputy chief of Athari Panchayat, said, 'The entire village is proud of Raj Krishna's extraordinary success. He has become a role model for the youth of our area.'
Raj Krishna's father, Sunil Jha, is a teacher in a private school in Nepal and often visits their ancestral village. It was this connection that led Raj Krishna to complete his schooling in Nepal before embarking on his academic and professional journey in India.
His grandfather Sulpani Jha was a headmaster, Raj Krishna's sister is an MBBS doctor.
In the UPSC examination, Raj Krishna opted Hindi and Geography as his main subjects.
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Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
UPSC Key: India-UK ties, First ASW-SWC Arnala, and Buddhist relics
Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for June 8, 2025. If you missed the June 7, 2025, UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here. Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Main Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests. Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests. What's the ongoing story: After meeting visiting UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy Saturday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that India follows a policy of 'zero tolerance against terrorism' and expects its partners to understand that Delhi will never 'countenance' the equivalence of perpetrators and victims. Key Points to Ponder: • What is the history of India-UK relations? • What are the areas of cooperation between India and the UK? • What steps has India taken to strengthen trade ties with the United Kingdom? • Read about the Technology Security Initiative (TSI), UK-India Programme of Cultural Cooperation. • What is the significance of the India-UK FTA? • What is the India-UK Double Contribution Convention? • What is a Free Trade Agreement (FTA)? How many countries has India signed FTAs with? • What are the challenges in India-UK ties? Key Takeaways: • Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who met Lammy as well, said: 'Pleased to meet UK Foreign Secretary Mr David Lammy. Appreciate his substantive contribution to the remarkable progress in our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, further strengthened by the recently concluded FTA. Value UK's support for India's fight against cross-border terrorism.' • This is the first visit by a Foreign Minister from a P-5 country to India after the India-Pakistan hostilities last month. Lammy had visited Islamabad on May 16, when he had welcomed the ceasefire between India and Pakistan. • Jaishankar said that recent conclusion of the India-UK FTA and the Double Contribution Convention is 'truly a milestone' which will not only propel two-way trade and investment but will have also have a 'positive effect on other strategic aspects of our bilateral ties, it would also contribute to the strengthening of supply and value chains'. • He said that the Technology Security Initiative (TSI) will enable deeper collaboration in strategic technology sectors of AI, Semiconductors, Telecom, Quantum, HealthTech/ Bio-Tech, Critical Minerals and Advanced Materials. • The two sides have also launched the Strategic Exports and Technology Cooperation Dialogue which will increase TSI's effectiveness in promoting trade in critical and emerging technologies, including the resolution of relevant licensing or regulatory issues. • According to the British High Commission, bolstering economic and migration ties and delivering further growth opportunities for British businesses are top on Lammy's agenda. • 'The visit follows the historic Free Trade Agreement agreed between the two countries and will deliver on this government's commitment to boost jobs and prosperity. The new deal with India is expected to increase bilateral trade by over £25 billion every year, UK GDP by £4.8 billion, and wages by £2.2 billion each year in the long run, putting money back in the pockets of working people,' it said. Do You Know: • On May 2, the UK and India signed a new UK-India Programme of Cultural Cooperation to boost collaboration across the arts and culture, creative industries, tourism and sport sectors. The agreement will open the door for increased UK creative exports to India and enable more partnerships between UK and Indian museums and cultural institutions, helping to grow UK soft power. • On May 6, India and the UK concluded a landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The deal grants India zero-duty access to all industrial goods and eliminates import tariffs on over 99.3 per cent of animal products, 99.8 per cent of vegetable/oil products, and 99.7 per cent processed foods. • India is the 12th largest trading partner of the UK, but with a meagre 1.8 per cent ($15.3 billion) share in goods imported to the country. The UK exports goods worth $512.9 billion, mainly to the US ($71.3 billion), China ($46.4 billion) and Germany ($38.8 billion). • India remains the UK's second-largest source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), after only the United States. The United Kingdom is the sixth largest investor in India. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Stitching a new story 📍Takeaways from India-UK Free Trade deal: First off the block, bipartisan, deepens bilateral economy story 📍Four ways in which India gains from an FTA with the UK UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering similar theme: (1) Which among the following is a joint military exercise between India and the United Kingdom (a) Ajeya Warrior (b) Mitra Shakti (c) Indra (4) Varua (2) We adopted parliamentary democracy based on the British model, but how does our model differ from that model? (UPSC CSE 2021) 1. As regards legislation, the British Parliament is supreme or sovereign but in India, the power of the Parliament to legislate is limited. 2. In India, matters related to the constitutionality of Amendment of an Act of the Parliament are referred to the Constitution Bench by the Supreme Court. Select the correct answer using the code given below. (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national importance, History of India Mains Examination: General Studies-I: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times. What's the ongoing story: A CRYSTAL casket believed to be over 2,300 years old was found along with four other caskets at Piprahwa (ancient Kapilavastu) in Uttar Pradesh during an excavation in 1898. Key Points to Ponder: • What are the Piprahwa relics, and why is India trying to stop their auction? • Know about the Brahmi script. • What is India's Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972? • Rise of Buddhism in India and Gautam Buddha or Siddharth – Know in Detail • Know in detail about the doctrines of Buddhism, the Four Noble Truths, the Five Precepts and the Eightfold Path. • When, where and under which king's patronage were the first, second, third and fourth Buddhist councils held? • Read about these: various sects of Buddhism, the spread of Buddhism, and the decline of Buddhism. • Map work – Mark Important Buddhist Sites in India • Read about the Buddhist Circuit. Key Takeaways: • The fish-shaped knob of the 5 cm x 10 cm casket contains precious gems and gold leaves. Another casket, found in a stone coffer buried 18 feet under the ground, has an inscription in Brahmi script that roughly translates as: 'the casket containing the relics of Lord Buddha was donated by Sukirti brothers along with their sisters, sons and wives belonging to the Sakya clan'. • For more than 127 years, several such sacred Buddhist relics from the third century BC, including the five caskets, a sandstone coffer and 221 gems and jewels, were kept in the secure vaults of the Indian Museum in Kolkata — conserved and preserved, never exposed to the public. • Now, for the first time ever, the Ministry of Culture is planning an exposition of these relics of Lord Buddha that were deposited by the Sakyas, his kin, and found in a stupa belonging to Emperor Ashoka, The Indian Express has learnt. • According to records, during the January 1898 excavation at a mound in Birdpur Estate, William Claxton Peppe — son of a British estate manager — unearthed an 18-foot shaft leading to a sandstone coffer containing the relics, which also included sacred bones and ashes. Recognising the religious importance of the relics, the then Viceroy of India, Lord Elgin II, donated the sacred bones and ashes to Siamese King Rama V. However, the caskets, coffer, and associated relics were retained in India, in the custody of the Imperial Museum, which is now known as the Indian Museum, Kolkata, its Director in-charge Arijit Dutta Choudhury told The Indian Express. • Recently, the Culture Ministry sent a legal notice to Sotheby's Hong Kong to stop the auction of a part of the sacred relics that were held by Peppe's family, and asked that the items be returned to India. Although the auction house stopped the auction — slated for May 7 — India's legal claim on such items is yet to yield any result. • The attempted sale of the Piprahwa Buddhist relics at Sotheby's has raised global concerns as it commodified the sacred remains believed to be of Lord Buddha. For many across the globe, such relics are not artefacts but living embodiments of faith, said Khushi Kesari, Program Officer-History Lab: Community, Heritage & Material Culture, Advanced Study Institute of Asia at SGT University in Gurugram. Do You Know: • Buddhism emerged in India around the fifth-sixth centuries BC during a period that scholars call 'the second urbanisation of India', a time of great socio-cultural change in the Gangetic plains. It emerged, along with other heterodox traditions such as Jainism, as a response to Vedic Hinduism's highly rigid and ritualistic ways. • India is home to numerous Buddhist sites that attract devotees and tourists from around the world. These sacred sites not only offer a glimpse into the ancient traditions and teachings of Buddhism but also provide serene environments for meditation and reflection. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍What are the Piprahwa relics, and why is India trying to stop their auction? 📍Knowledge Nugget | Conclave on Buddhism: Must-know teachings, paths, and sects of Buddhism for UPSC Exam Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (3) With reference to ancient India, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2023) 1. The concept of Stupa is Buddhist in origin. 2. Stupa was generally a repository of relics. 3. The stupa was a votive and commemorative structure in Buddhist tradition. How many of the statements given above are correct? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three (d) None Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc. Mains Examination: General Studies II: Indian Constitution—historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure. What's the ongoing story: Preventive detention is an extraordinary power in the hands of the state that must be used sparingly, said the Supreme Court as it set aside an order to detain a man indulging in money lending in Kerala. Key Points to Ponder: • What is preventive detention? • What are the constitutional provisions related to preventive detention? • Detention is of two types, namely, punitive and preventive. Know them in detail. • Under what laws can the state order preventive detention? • Article 22 confers certain rights on a person who is arrested or detained under an ordinary law. What are they? • What are the fundamental rights provided to citizens of India in the Constitution? Key Takeaways: • A bench of justices Sanjay Karol and Manmohan said the circumstances pointed out in the order by the detaining authority may be ground enough for the state to approach the competent courts for cancellation of bail in cases against him, but it cannot be said that the same warranted his preventive detention. • Noting that the power of preventive detention finds recognition in the Constitution under Article 22(3)(b), the bench said, 'The provision for preventive detention is an extraordinary power in the hands of the state that must be used sparingly. It curtails the liberty of an individual in anticipation of the commission of further offence(s), and therefore, must not be used in the ordinary course of nature.' Do You Know: • Article 22 of Constitution of India prescribes protection against arrest and detention but has a major exception. It says in Article 22 (3) (b) that none of those safeguards apply 'to any person who is arrested or detained under any law providing for preventive detention.' The remaining clauses — Article 22(4)-(7) — deal with how preventive detention operationalises. • First, the state, which would be the district magistrate, would issue an order to detain a person when it is necessary to maintain 'public order.' The state can delegate this power to the police as well. • If the detention ordered is for more than three months, under Article 22(4), such a detention requires the approval of an Advisory Board. These Boards are set up by states and normally consist of retired judges and bureaucrats. A detainee is generally not allowed legal representation before the Board. If the Board confirms the detention, the detainee can move Court challenging the detention order. • Article 22(5) of the Constitution mandates that the state is required 'as soon as maybe,' to communicate to the detainee the grounds of detention and 'shall afford him the earliest opportunity of making a representation against the order.' • A basic set of facts that are the grounds for detention are required to be communicated in one instalment, and the state cannot then add fresh, new or additional grounds to strengthen its original detention order. The grounds have to be read in a language that the detainee understands. • However, even this safeguard is diluted to a certain extent by Article 22(6), which says that nothing in clause 5 shall require the state to 'disclose facts that the state considers to be ' against the public interest to disclose.' Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Preventive detention by routine exercise of powers must be nipped in bud: Supreme Court UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering similar theme: (4) With reference to the preventive detention, consider the following statements: 1. It means detention of a person by the state without trial and conviction by court, but merely on suspicion. 2. Article 22 prescribes protection against arrest and detention but has a major exception. 3. Detention period up to the period of one year does not require the approval of an Advisory Board. How many of the statements given above are correct? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three (d) None Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance- Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues Mains Examination: General Studies-I, II: Population and Associated Issues, Government Policies & Interventions, Constitution of India. What's the ongoing story: Deeptiman Tiwary writes– 'The announcement of Census, to be conducted in two phases in 2026 and 2027, opens the doors to not only delimitation and the implementation of the Women's Reservation Bill but also paves the way for the National Population Register (NPR) to be updated and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise.' Key Points to Ponder: • What is a census? Who has the power to conduct the census in India? • What is the significance of the census? • How has the census evolved historically in India? • What is the role of the census in social mobility? • How is the census conducted in India? • How are census data and delimitation related? • Read about the National Population Register (NPR) and National Register of Citizens (NRC). • What are the issues and challenges associated with NPR and NRC? Key Takeaways: • 'Sources said that while the NPR would likely be updated during the house listing phase of the Census next year, taking it forward to the NRC remains the government's decision.' • 'While the government's announcement on Wednesday made no mention of either NPR or NRC, Census enumeration and updating the NPR were cleared back in December 2019 by the Cabinet. It was then supposed to happen in 2020 along with the housing listing phase of the Census, but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The government has already allocated a budget of close to Rs 4000 crore for the exercise.' • 'The NPR is the precursor to the NRC and the same stands enshrined in law. The NPR, which is an enumeration of the 'usual residents' of the country and is a data collection exercise based on voluntary disclosure of information by people, is governed by the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003. The rules were framed under sub-sections (1) and (3) of Section 18 of the Citizenship Act, 1955.' • 'Under Rule 3, which provides for NRC, sub-rule (4), says, 'The Central Government may, by an order issued in this regard, decide a date by which the Population Register shall be prepared by collecting information relating to all persons who are usually residing within the jurisdiction of Local Registrar.' • 'Sub-rule (5) of the Rule then says, ' The Local Register of Indian citizens shall contain details of persons after due verification made from the Population Register.' • Under Rule 4, titled 'Preparation of the National Register of Indian Citizens', sub-rule 4 says, 'During the verification process, particulars of such individuals, whose Citizenship is doubtful, shall be entered by the Local Registrar with appropriate remark in the Population Register for further enquiry and in case of doubtful Citizenship, the individual or the family shall be informed in a specified proforma immediately after the verification process is over.' • 'The data for NPR was first collected in 2010 along with the house listing phase of the 2011 Census. In 2015, this data was further updated in a door-to-door survey.' • 'Conducting the NRC had been inserted in the Citizenship Act of 1955 through an amendment in 2003 under the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. The government at the time, among other amendments, inserted Section 14A into the principal Act that says, 'The Central Government may compulsorily register every citizen of India and issue national identity card to him … The Central Government may maintain a National Register of Indian Citizens and for that purpose establish a National Registration Authority … On and from the date of commencement of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2003, the Registrar General, India, appointed under sub-section (1) of section 3 of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 (18 of 1969) shall act as the National Registration Authority and he shall function as the Registrar General of Citizen Registration.' Do You Know: • The Government recently said the process of data collection for the Census, along with caste enumeration, would commence early next year and give the snapshot of the country's population as on March 1, 2027. The last Census provided population data as on March 1, 2011. The next Census was due in 2020-2021, but was delayed due to Covid pandemic. • The exercise this year will officially begin with a notification announcing the government's intent of conducting the Population Census to be published in an official gazette tentatively on June 16 this year. • The Census would be conducted in two phases — house listing and population count. House listing, the first phase, is expected to take about 5-6 months and the population count, which is the second phase, sources said, is expected to start in February 2027 and will be completed in a month. • The reference date for hilly areas, including the Union Territory of Ladakh, and snow-bound areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, is October 1, 2026. For the rest of India, it is March 1, 2027. The reference date is the specific point of time for which the data on population is collected. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍UPSC Issue at a Glance | Census and Delimitation: 4 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains 📍Long wait ends, Census by March 2027, will include caste count too Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (5) Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2009) 1. Between Census 1951 and Census 2001, the density of the population of India has increased more than three times. 2. Between Census 1951 and Census 2001, the annual growth rate (exponential) of the population of India has doubled. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national importance. Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Government Policies & Interventions, Indigenization of Technology, Defence Technology What's the ongoing story: The Indian Navy will induct nine to 10 warships between June and December 2025, significantly expanding its fleet. The first of these—the Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow-Water Craft (ASW-SWC) Arnala—is scheduled for commissioning on 18 June at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam. Key Points to Ponder: • Read about the Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow-Water Craft (ASW-SWC) Arnala. • Know about the INS Tamal and INS Tushil. • What is Project 75? • What is the significance of the induction of ASW-SWC Arnala into the Indian Navy? • What is the importance of stealth and anti-submarine capabilities in modern naval warfare? Key Takeaways: • This would significantly bolster India's naval fleet and most of the ships to be commissioned have been made indigenously, officials said. • The Navy said that Arnala's commissioning will mark the formal induction of the first of sixteen ASW-SWC ships into the Indian Navy. These vessels have been designed and constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, under a Public–Private Partnership with L&T Shipbuilders. • Named after the historic Arnala Fort in Vasai, Maharashtra, Arnala is equipped for a range of anti-submarine warfare operations, including subsurface surveillance, search-and-rescue missions, and low-intensity maritime tasks. • At 77.6 m in length and over 1,490 gross tonnes, Arnala is the largest Indian naval warship to be propelled by a diesel-engine–waterjet combination, the Navy said. • INS Tamal, the second Talwar-class stealth frigate under a 2016 Indo-Russian agreement, is set to be commissioned by the end of this month. Tamal is one of four frigates acquired in a $2.5 billion deal with Russia: two were constructed in Russia, and two at Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) with Russian technology transfer. Its sister ship, INS Tushil, was commissioned in December 2024 at Russia's Yantar Shipyard and reached India in February 2025. • The Indian Navy aims to become a 175-ship by 2035. An official said that the Navy is close to achieving full self-reliance in warship building and this is showing in the way ships are getting commissioned faster than before. • INS Vagsheer, the sixth Kalvari-class submarine under Project 75, was commissioned in January 2025. This diesel-electric submarine operates underwater on battery power and on the surface using diesel engines, offering silent patrol capability close to the coast. • Staff evaluation and cost negotiations for Project 75I—which will build six advanced conventional attack submarines—are currently under way. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Navy launches indigenously-built ship 'Arnala' in Chennai Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – Indian Express UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for May 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Roshni Yadav is a Deputy Copy Editor with The Indian Express. She is an alumna of the University of Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru University, where she pursued her graduation and post-graduation in Political Science. She has over five years of work experience in ed-tech and media. At The Indian Express, she writes for the UPSC section. Her interests lie in national and international affairs, governance, economy, and social issues. You can contact her via email: ... Read More
Hans India
3 hours ago
- Hans India
India needs inclusive, resilient Viksit Bharat in the real sense of the term
It is difficult to say if today's India is aware of what celebrated economist Raj Krishna dubbed as 'Hindu rate of growth' in 1978 to describe the country's sluggish economic advancement, which averaged around 3.5 per cent per annum from 1950s to the 1980s. As a newly independent nation, India faced numerous challenges, the most pressing of which was the widespread socio-economic deprivation affecting a vast majority of its population. Land and education, two critical components for individual progress, were largely controlled by a privileged few. Deep-rooted issues such as untouchability, poverty, and caste and religion-based discrimination by the privileged against the underprivileged posed significant obstacles to the country's holistic development. It was our electoral democracy – government by the people, for the people, and of the people – which emerged as a beacon of hope for millions of men and women seeking dignity, equality, and opportunity in free India, for which we should be ever grateful to Bharat Ratna Dr B R Ambedkar. Though struggle continues even today, we have traversed a long distance in our collective pursuits to realize the goal of inclusive development. Unfortunately, income and wealth disparities among our people continue to widen. The task of equitable distribution of national resources, opportunities, facilities, privileges, and responsibilities among all in proportion to their population still remains colossal. Thanks to our affirmative measures such as reservation in government jobs and in admissions in public sector educational institutions, we have been able to add some critical value to the idea of unity and prosperity in diversity, the very foundation of our nation. It is, therefore, necessary to maintain the momentum of debate and discussion about wholesome inclusive development of India as we are moving towards celebrating the centenary of our Independence in 2047. One may not be sure if we become a $30 trillion economy by then but we must not be lacking in our honest efforts in this regard. In a policy paper of NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India Aayog) brought out in May 2023, Dr Arvind Virmani, a celebrated economist, talked of 'Bharatiya Model of Inclusive Development - Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas.' According to him, 'the Indian model of inclusive growth, viewed from a development economics perspective, has three pillars - market economics, empowerment, and pragmatism.' He also briefly dwelt on 'market competition, oligopoly and monopoly, public and welfare economics' among other things. He also referred to 'the communist-socialist, command and control approach to economy, which many educated intellectuals and academics favoured for almost half a century after independence' and stated that 'individual initiative including involuntarily formed groups, are the drivers of economic growth and employment generation, not the government. Government can be the enabler and facilitator and must ensure equal opportunity for all.' Under the sub-head 'Antyodaya Welfarism,' Dr Virmani writes: 'Antyodaya empowerment is the Indian competitor to the European Welfare state. The Bharatiya Welfare State focuses on the lowest rungs of society, socio-economic development, and income levels, as Mahatma Gandhi said: 'Recall the face of the poorest and weakest man you have seen and ask yourself if this step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him.' This is something on which an overwhelming majority of the public, every community, socioeconomic group, and political party has agreed-on. The Bharatiya approach to social welfare is multi-faceted, including direct transfers to recipients and indirect subsidies through service providers, cash transfers and in-kind transfers such as free or below market price provision of goods and services such as scholarships and a broad range of basic needs.' Unfortunately, Dr Virmani did not even briefly talk about high level of health, wealth, education and justice deprivation among the country's major social groups such as SCs, STs, OBCs, and minorities even after so many decades of Independence, though they account for the country's not less than 85 per cent population. They continue to struggle with chronic problems such as malnutrition, poverty and lack of quality education. They are still not in a position to assert their social identity, and hence are forced to lead a life of anonymity in many cases. A large number of poor people from among them are languishing in jails for years for committing petty offences, an issue which President Droupadi Murmu herself flagged in her valedictory address at the Constitution Day celebrations organised by the Supreme Court of India in New Delhi on November 26, 2022. The Bharatiya development model focussed on 'sustained, fast, inclusive growth where inclusive means all round development of the society and empowerment of every citizen, to develop own capabilities and competence through application of mind and effort' won't be possible if the Central and state governments do not spend adequately on imparting quality and competitive education to children from weaker sections of society, right from schooling to higher education. At the moment, there is an abysmal level of gross enrolment ratio (GER) among them. Majority of them have degrees but not skills and vice versa. Thus, they are caught in such a vicious circle that they don't know how to get out of that. After all, they have to feed their families as well, and whatever little bit they have in the name of savings, that is spent on making a house and children's marriage. For education, they are solely dependent upon the facilities in the public sector, the condition of which is known to all. It is, therefore, necessary for all stakeholders including writers, public policy experts, economists, businessmen, corporate entities and the elite among us to come forward and contribute to building an inclusive and resilient Viksit Bharat in the real sense of the term. A special request for the private sector – they need to make affirmative policy an integral part of their recruitments. Today students from deprived social groups have limited access to well-paid jobs in the private sector, not because they are not lacking in merit and other wherewithal but because of the poor transparency in the recruitment processes. If I correctly remember, India Inc had agreed in principle to give preference to the candidates from socially and education backward classes while making recruitments when former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh led UPA government wanted to introduce quotas in the private sector. Neither quota nor preferential treatment, the white collar jobs in the private sector remain the fiefdom of a few among us. Who cares! Perhaps, none!
The Print
a day ago
- The Print
Drishti IAS to continue independently 'for now', after considering Physics Wallah deal, funding via IPO
'At Drishti IAS, our decisions are always based on a long-term vision. Though we explored various funding options during last year, including Initial Public Offering (IPO) and discussions with a few strategic investors including Physics Wallah, we have decided to continue independently for now. We hope we'll keep doing better on our own, and if required, we'll explore other options as per circumstances in the future,' Drishti IAS CEO Vivek Tiwari told ThePrint. The institute said it will continue to run independently, as it has for several years. New Delhi: A few months ago, reports suggested that unicorn Physics Wallah was in talks to acquire Drishti IAS, which is among the oldest coaching institutes for civil services preparations. While they were dismissed as mere speculations, the IAS coaching institute has now said it was indeed exploring funding options last year, including through Physics Wallah, but ultimately decided not to go ahead with it. Four major coaching institutes—Drishti IAS, Chaitanya Academy, Rau's IAS Study Circle, and Sarathi IAS—were being considered for potential acquisition as part of a larger consolidation wave in the Indian EdTech and test prep market. With online-first players like Physics Wallah and Unacademy looking to strengthen their offline footprint and diversify into civil services coaching, talks with these legacy UPSC institutes had emerged as strategic opportunities to tap into a loyal student base, particularly in Hindi-medium and regional markets. Drishti IAS was founded in 1999 by popular teacher Vikas Divyakirti in Mukherjee Nagar. It became one of the most well-known institutes for Hindi-medium UPSC aspirants. The Delhi-based institute reported a revenue of Rs 405 crore and a profit after tax of Rs 90 crore in FY24. Vikas Divyakirti's popularity is such that he even appeared in the movie 12th fail, Videos of his classes and lectures receive millions of views on social media. The institute moved to Noida last year after infrastructure issues in Mukherjee Nagar were flagged, following the death of three UPSC aspirants in another institute in the Old Rajinder Nagar area, and fire incidents at other institutes in Mukherjee Nagar. Coaching institutes came under intense scrutiny by public and authorities for infrastructure lapses and licensing issues after these incidents. Sources at Drishti IAS said the institute remains profitable. Physics Wallah is known for offering affordable online coaching. It first gained popularity through YouTube and later launched online courses for JEE and NEET aspirants for admission in engineering and medical courses. But over the last few years, it has been expanding its offerings. It entered the UPSC coaching space after joining forces with OnlyIAS in 2022. The potential acquisition of Drishti IAS was seen as a strategic move to bolster Physics Wallah's offline presence and diversify its portfolio ahead of its planned IPO. (Edited by Ajeet Tiwari) Also Read: Drishti IAS relocating to Noida, Mukherjee Nagar may see exit of other coaching centres too
