After PM Modi’s push, Maharashtra to explore free online UPSC coaching

The committee will work towards determining the feasibility and outline of implementing free online training programmes

On Independence Day, PM Modi had said from the Red Fort, “Coaching classes burden the poor and the middle class. We will provide free online coaching for various exams." (File Photo)On Independence Day, PM Modi had said from the Red Fort, “Coaching classes burden the poor and the middle class. We will provide free online coaching for various exams." (File Photo)

After Prime Minister Modi’s Independence Day speech mentioned that the government would provide free coaching for competitive examinations to students, Maharashtra’s Higher Education Department has constituted a committee to form a policy to expand the state’s existing offline UPSC coaching service to 5,000 students online.

The state currently provides UPSC training at its six Pre-IAS training centres in Amravati, Kolhapur, Mumbai, Nashik, Nagpur and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar.

A circular issued by Shailendra Deolankar, Director of Higher Education, on August 19 announced the formation of a six-member committee to conduct a detailed study and submit a report on providing quality online training to needy aspirants. The committee will be headed by the Director of State Institute for Administrative Careers (SIAC).

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Deolankar told The Indian Express, “The pre-IAS centres are currently available to students who get selected through the entrance test. The committee will examine how we can make the same lectures available to approximately 1,000 students online at every centre. Why should it be restricted to just the few hundred students at these offline centres when technology is now available?”

The committee will work towards determining the feasibility and outline of implementing free online training programmes, suggest measures for developing the technology, digital infrastructure and state-wide network of expert professors required for the online training, formulating a policy regarding the format of online training, shared schedules and availability of study material as per the changing curriculum of the administrative services, preparing guidelines for the selection process of eligible students and for continuous evaluation of their progress.

The six centres under SIAC currently provide free training, hostel facilities and a monthly stipend to selected students. Admissions to the centres happen through a common entrance test.

On Independence Day, PM Modi had said from the Red Fort, “Coaching classes burden the poor and the middle class. We will provide free online coaching for various exams. Every parent feels that if they do not send their child to a coaching class, they are not a prestigious family.”

Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting. Professional Background Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune. Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights, and state politics. Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories: 1. Investigations & Governance "Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents. "44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families. 2. Education & Campus Life Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University. "Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial. "Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers. 3. Human Rights & Social Issues "Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India. "'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting issues of disability and cyber-bullying. Signature Style Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized—whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions). He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune issues to larger national conversations about law and liberty. X (Twitter): @SohamShah07 ... Read More


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