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Haj Committee revives coaching programme for Muslim UPSC aspirants

20% seats reserved for non-Muslim minorities

The age limit for applicants has been capped at 30 years, even though UPSC allows age relaxation up to 35 for OBC and 37 for SC/ST candidates. (Representative image)

A year after shutting down its residential coaching facility for Muslim civil services aspirants, the Haj Committee of India (HCI) has announced the reopening of its Mumbai-based training centre. The revamped programme will now have 20 per cent seats reserved for candidates from other minority communities as well as Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs). A formal notification has been issued, inviting applications for the upcoming batch aimed at preparing aspirants for the 2026 Civil Services Examination.

An entrance test will be held on July 13 simultaneously across 21 centres in India. This will be followed by an essay-writing round and personal interviews to select 100 candidates. The coaching programme will commence on August 11 this year in Mumbai.

According to the notification dated May 22, which was issued by HCI CEO Shanavas C, out of the total 100 seats, 80 per cent are reserved for candidates from the Muslim community, while the remaining 20 per cent will be for other minority groups, including SCs, STs and OBCs. While non-Muslim candidates were previously provided accommodation informally during exams, this is the first time HCI has formally included seats for other minorities in its selection process.

Shanavas C said, “This decision was taken by the committee last year to make the institute more inclusive. It is also expected to encourage a competitive atmosphere and healthy learning environment for civil services aspirants.”

The institute was established in 2009 to provide affordable residential coaching to Muslim students — the only one of its kind run by the Haj committee. Since then, sources said, about 1,500 students have undergone coaching here with 25 of them getting selected for the civil services. The coaching is funded by donations the Haj Committee receives from pilgrims going for Haj.

Following a cut in student intake that led to protests in 2022 and an admissions cycle delayed by the pandemic, the residential coaching institute in Mumbai was closed in December 2023. The Indian Express had reported it in July 2024. The HCI at that time had maintained it was only a temporary suspension along with assurances that it will restart soon.

In preparation for the new academic cycle, several meetings have been held. Shanavas C said, “The government has expressed its support. In fact, we are considering starting similar centres in other states where necessary infrastructure is ready.”

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While accommodation and coaching will be provided free of cost, food will be subsidised. Deputy CEO Sadafat Ali said, “We are currently working on formalising a policy for food-related expenses.”

The decision to reopen the institute has been welcomed by many. Shahebaj Maniyar, a senior research scholar at Mumbai University and former Haj House student, said, “The institute has been instrumental in helping many Muslim candidates, especially girls, to pursue their dream of joining the civil services. Families trusted the institution, which played a big role in their decision to allow daughters to stay and study there.”

The age limit for applicants has been capped at 30 years, even though UPSC allows age relaxation up to 35 for OBC and 37 for SC/ST candidates. In response, HCI said the age limit has been intentionally set to support younger aspirants and not to align with UPSC age-limit.

Pallavi Smart

Pallavi Smart is a Principal Correspondent with The Indian Express, Mumbai Bureau. Her reporting is singularly focused on the education sector, demonstrating exceptional Expertise and Authority across the entire spectrum of learning, from foundational schooling to advanced higher education. She is a highly Trustworthy source for policy, institutional developments, and systemic issues affecting students, teachers, and parents in Maharashtra. Expertise Senior Role: As a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, her designation reflects her seniority, specialized knowledge, and the editorial rigor applied to her reporting. Core Authority & Specialization: Pallavi Smart is the definitive voice for Education news in the region. Her coverage scope is comprehensive: Policy and Regulatory Changes: Reports on major shifts in educational policy, including the restructuring of entrance exams (e.g., MHT-CET adopting the JEE Main model), the draft regulatory framework for coaching classes, and revised teacher recruitment processes. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs): Provides in-depth reporting on prestigious institutes like IIT Bombay and TISS (Tata Institute of Social Sciences), covering institutional initiatives, administrative debates (e.g., renaming IIT Bombay), and student welfare programs (e.g., mandatory mental health courses). Teachers and Eligibility: Covers crucial issues affecting the teaching fraternity, such as the mandatory Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) for in-service teachers and related controversies and application numbers. Student Welfare & Rights: Focuses on issues concerning students, including the rollout of government scholarships, the financial strain on schools due to midday meal reimbursement delays, and instances of child rights violations (e.g., the Powai studio hostage crisis). Admissions and Vacancy: Tracks the outcome of centralized admission processes (e.g., MBBS, BPharm) and analyzes vacancy concerns, providing essential data-driven insights for parents and students. Credentials & Trustworthiness Dedicated Beat: Her consistent focus on the "KG to PG" education beat allows her to develop unparalleled subject matter knowledge, ensuring her reports are accurate, detailed, and contextualized. Proactive Reporting: Her articles frequently break news on policy and institutional planning, providing the public with timely, essential information about a sector that directly impacts millions of families. She tweets @Pallavi_Smart ... Read More

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