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Time of India

Smaller towns & state boards: How the bet to go vernacular paid off for Drishti IAS

In 1999, when Vikas Divyakirti and Taruna Verma founded Drishti IAS , they began with a bold premise—creating a structured, high-quality learning environment for Hindi-medium aspirants, who were long underserved in India's civil services preparation ecosystem. At a time when most coaching resources catered primarily to English-speaking students, Drishti wanted to cater to students in the vernacular medium, believing that language should never limit ambition. The institute was started with a modest investment of approximately Rs 50,000–60,000. From the beginning, the goal was not to build a commercial venture, but to create an inclusive academic space for serious UPSC aspirants—particularly those from Hindi-medium and rural backgrounds. Over the years, despite multiple offers to raise external capital, Drishti has chosen to remain self-funded and independent. Those familiar with Divyakirti's thinking say the approach has been guided by a strong belief that education—especially in the civil services domain—must be value-led, not venture-led. While the focus so far has been on organic growth and academic integrity, the leadership is now open to future partnerships that align with the institute's ethos and long-term mission. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Raw Honey Scrolling Bee India Shop Now Undo Over two decades later, Drishti IAS has evolved into a leading player in the civil services preparation operating across a hybrid model with an offline foundation and growing digital footprint. 'Students from smaller towns and state board backgrounds deserve the same level of mentorship and clarity as anyone else,' says Vivek Tiwari, CEO of Drishti IAS. Live Events Unlike many of its peers that aggressively chase growth, Drishti says it is focused on controlled expansion. 'Every new centre, course, or product is launched only after rigorous internal benchmarking. We scale only when we are confident about maintaining our standards,' Tiwari explains. This philosophy has also translated into a strong financial performance. For the fiscal year 2023–24 (FY24), Drishti IAS reported a revenue of Rs 405 crore. Profit after tax (PAT) stood at Rs 90 crore, underscoring both operational efficiency and sustained demand in the civil services preparation segment. Digital transformation has been a key part of the institute's growth. Its YouTube channel and e-learning platform have helped provide access to resources, while Drishti Learning App—featuring AI-enabled quizzes, instant summaries, and smart doubt resolution—has redefined engagement for both students and faculty. 'We're not just using technology to deliver content—we're using it to enhance the way people learn,' says Tiwari. While many coaching institutions remain metro-centric, Drishti has consistently taken a Bharat-first approach, expanding into Tier 2 cities such as Prayagraj, Jaipur, Indore, and Lucknow. Its hybrid model allows aspirants to study from their hometowns without compromising on quality. The institute has also diversified into adjacent domains, including state public service commissions, judicial services, CUET, CLAT, and teacher eligibility exams. To ensure academic consistency across locations, Drishti follows a hub-and-spoke model, supported by a robust faculty training pipeline and continuous feedback loops. 'Scale helps us reach, but standardisation ensures quality, and regional customisation makes it relatable,' Tiwari notes. Faculty retention has also been a major strength. With many senior educators remaining with the institute for the last few years, Drishti attributes this to its collaborative culture and fair compensation. 'We have always believed that institutional success comes from values, not just star value,' Tiwari adds. 'The Indian Administrative Service coaching space is one of the most competitive and high-pressure segments in the education sector. Yet, over the years, I have seen Drishti IAS rise steadily and meaningfully, building trust, especially among students from vernacular and rural backgrounds,' says Anish Singh, founder of All Things People, former CHRO of Unilever, and an angel investor. Tiwari emphasises that UPSC coaching is not just academic, but deeply emotional. 'We view aspirants as future citizens and leaders. That is why we integrate mental wellness and alumni mentorship into our ecosystem,' he says. 'One of our biggest challenges today is maintaining academic rigour that Drishti is known for—even as we grow and diversify,' Tiwari adds. 'We are now serving a much larger and more diverse aspirant base across geographies, languages, and exam categories. Ensuring the same level of customisation, content depth, and emotional connection at scale is both our priority and our most exciting operational challenge.' He also points out that while digital adoption and AI-led learning bring immense opportunity, they raise the bar for real-time support. 'Students today want faster answers, smarter tools, and seamless support. It's a welcome pressure—it keeps us on our toes and forces us to keep evolving. Our challenge isn't just to grow—but to grow without losing the heart of who we are.' Amid growing media speculation about potential acquisitions, particularly around interest from players like PhysicsWallah, Tiwari clarifies that while no deal is currently on the table, the company remains open to dialogue. 'There have been a lot of informal discussions in the ecosystem. At this stage, we are not in any acquisition talks with anyone. But we do keep channels open and speak with many people across the industry,' he says. 'If ever a partnership or opportunity arises that truly resonates with our ethos and strengthens what we offer our students, we'll consider it. Until then, we remain independent and focused on delivering value our way.' Looking ahead, Drishti IAS plans to deepen its multilingual offerings, expand its presence in underserved geographies, and double down on AI-driven customisation. As the test prep industry heads toward consolidation, tighter regulatory oversight, and regional diversification, Drishti IAS says it stands out as a value-driven, performance-led institution redefining what coaching can mean in India's educational landscape.