Latest news with #VikasDivyakirti
The Print
2 days ago
- Business
- 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
India.com
3 days ago
- Business
- India.com
PhysicsWallah acquisition deal of Drishti IAS called off due to..., deal was worth Rs...
New Delhi: In the first week of April, we had reported that Vikas Divyakirti, who runs Drishti IAS coaching center, wanted to sell his education business and Physics Wallah had shown interest in buying the business. It was further mentioned that this deal would be completed for Rs 2,500 crore, making it the biggest deal in the world of edutech. Alakh Pandey is famous as PhysicsWallah among crores of students of the country. Now, as per the latest news coming in says that the much publicised acquisition of Drishti IAS by PhysicsWallah has been called off. The deal was in advanced stages but ultimately fell through due to multiple reasons, according to a report by Entrackr. PhysicsWallah was actively exploring acquisitions to strengthen its position in the civil services preparation segment as suggested by multiple reports in April. Drishti IAS is one of the most famous names in UPSC coaching, especially among Hindi-medium aspirants. According to the report, Drishti IAS evaluated the proposal after being approached by PhysicsWallah. However, considering its strong financial performance and independent growth, the company decided not to go ahead with the deal. The report added that Drishti IAS is currently not looking to raise external funds or be acquired. Founded in 1999, Drishti IAS has built a strong presence in the civil services coaching space. In the financial year 2023–24, the Delhi-based institute reported revenue of Rs 405 crore and a profit after tax of Rs 90 crore which indicates that the institute is also expected to post healthy growth in FY25. PhysicsWallah, which originally focussed on online coaching for engineering and medical entrance exams, has recently been expanding into UPSC and other competitive exams. It was in this regard that its acquisition of Drishti IAS was seen as a strategic step to strengthen its offline footprint and diversify its educational offerings, particularly ahead of its planned stock market debut. Both PhysicsWallah and Drishti IAS have not officially responded to the matter till the time of filing this report. (With IANS inputs)
Time of India
26-05-2025
- Business
- 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.
