Orientation by former UPSC Chairman for Civil Service Aspirants at USTM
15th Jul, 2019 156Prof DP Agarwal, former UPSC Chairman inaugurating and addressing the orientation programme for 'BA Administrative Service Course’ at University of Science & Technology-Meghalaya
9th Mile, Ri Bhoi, July 15, 2019: Introduction of a new course for civil service aspirants at the University of Science & Technology-Meghalaya is a path-breaking initiative. This was stated by Prof DP Agarwal, former UPSC Chairman today as he was addressing students of BA Administrative Service Course in the inaugural orientation session held at NKC Auditorium of USTM. The objective of the new course is to groom students’ right after their higher secondary /10+2. After completion of this 3-year degree course, a student will become graduate and at the same time will be fully comfortable to appear and crack civil service examination conducted by UPSC without further preparation.
Inaugurating the course, Prof Agarwal said that the course will cater unique value addition, personality development and infuse leadership quality in the students. Students should work hard and the increase their horizon of knowledge. He also briefed about the structure of competitive exams like UPSC and other state civil service examination. He emphasised on the reading habit of the students particularly mentioning the importance of books over electronic gadgets and online resources which will clear their fundamental concepts. He encouraged students to read newspaper, magazines and books of interest regularly in English as well as vernacular languages. The introduced BA Administration services course will enhance the personality of the students and prepare them for the final interview of the competitive studies, he stated. Prof Agarwal advised the student for being mentally very strong to face the hardships for achieving success.
Shri C k Das, former member, NEC said that, this course will help in increasing the representation from north east India in policy making which is required for the development of NE. He also specified that dedication and hard work are key to success in cracking the examinations. He further stated that a student should develop comprehensive power, creative thinking, accurate judgement and clear and consisted writing style during their course so that they can be a civil servant.
Shri Mahbubul Hoque, Chancellor of USTM who is the architect behind conceptualizing and introducing this new course stated that many students set their goal of life to be an IAS, IPS or state civil service officer. But to appear for such competitive examinations, they have to complete their graduation first in any discipline. “There are students who are graduates in professional courses like medical, engineering or technical courses but their aim always remained to be a civil service officer. By the time they begin preparation for this competitive examination, they would have already lost few precious years for graduation in a subject which is not related to administration. So, why not a special course dedicated to administrative service only, which will groom the students for such competitive examinations from right after 10+2? This thought instigated me to form a research team at USTM to find out the benefits of developing such a courseâ€, he stated. Shri Hoque said that guidance for civil services in the north-eastern region is still lagging behind and for that reason every year many students from the region go to New Delhi to take coaching in various centres.
The 3-year BA Administrative Service course has six semesters and students have to appear for six papers in each semester. The students have to choose one optional subject either from Sociology, Political Science, History, Geography or Psychology. The optional subject has two papers while the four other allied papers will be focusing on areas specified by the UPSC syllabus. A Review paper will be there for which the students have to appear from the 2nd semester till the final semester. The objective of this paper is to revise and refresh whatever was learnt since the first semester. The “Today & Tomorrow†paper concentrates on current affairs and analysis.
