- By Kamakshi Bishnoi
- Tue, 26 Aug 2025 12:32 PM (IST)
- Source:Jagran News Network
The Yogi government has intensified efforts to prepare youth from the Scheduled Castes (SC), the Scheduled Tribes (ST), and the Other Backward Classes (OBC) for success in civil services and other competitive examinations. Under the Social Welfare Department’s Pre-Examination Training Centre scheme, candidates are receiving expert coaching and modern curriculum-based guidance for IAS, PCS, and other high-level exams.
So far, 701 candidates have been selected for various examinations through the scheme. For 2025–26, the state government has allocated a budget of Rs 11.24 crore, reflecting its focus on inclusive development and empowerment.
Training at these centres covers every stage of the examination process, prelims, mains, and interviews, with guidance from subject experts and updated study material. A dedicated training centre for girls in Lucknow is being seen as a significant step toward women’s empowerment.
According to PK Tripathi, Joint Director, Social Welfare Department, 6,784 candidates have benefited since 2017–18, with 48 selections in Union and State Public Service Commissions and 653 in other examinations. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, online training led to the selection of 81 candidates for the Upper Subordinate Service Examination and as Assistant Conservators of Forests.
Currently, the Social Welfare Department operates eight pre-examination training centres in Lucknow, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Aligarh, Agra, Hapur, and Gorakhpur. These centres offer free coaching to SC/ST candidates whose parents’ annual income is up to Rs 6 lakh.
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Officials say the scheme is not only removing financial and social barriers for disadvantaged youth but also helping them secure prestigious positions in administration, a move the government describes as a step toward “inclusive development and social equality.”