KOCHI:
Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan will this weekend inaugurate the ‘One School One IAS’ programme that provides free training to economically backward but academically bright aspirants of civil services and other competitive exams.
The governor will, through video conferencing, declare the programme open at the January 16 function in this city. The scheme is being rolled out under the Vedhik Erudite Foundation’s Scholarship Programme.
Present at the ceremony in Grand Hyatt Hotel will be state Education Minister Prof C Raveendranath, Cardinal Mar George Alencherry, former Chief Secretary and UN Consultant Dr C V Ananda Bose, IAS, film actress Manju Warrier, Vedhik IAS Academy Dean Dr Alexander Jacob, Chancellor Dr Babu Sebastian and Honorary VC Dr Muhammad Basheer, mentors Dr J Alexander and Shankar Bidari and Safari TV head Santhosh George Kulangara. Some of them will appear online.
The ‘One School One IAS’ programme seeks to demolish the general notion that civil services are for the elite class alone. The scheme, supported by sponsors, envisages enrolment of 10,000 boys and girls across Kerala. The beneficiaries will be selected by a panel headed by the head of respective educational institutions.
Manju Warrier will be sponsoring 10 studious but financially weak girl students from different districts of the state.
The initiative envisages equipping students with not just preparing for the civil services but other competitive exams as well.
Vedhik Erudite Foundation is helmed by India’s top academics and retired IAS and IPS officers. They include Dr Alexander Jacob (former Kerala DGP), Dr C V Ananda Bose, (former Chief Secretary of Kerala & Consultant to UN), Dr Babu Sebastian (former VC of MG and Kannur Universities), Dr Muhammad Basheer (former VC of University of Calicut), Dr J Alexander (former Chief Secretary and Cabinet Minister of Karnataka), Shankar Bidari (ex-DGP, Karnataka) and Dr Niloufer A Kazmi (former Secretary, University Grants Commission) along with James Mattam, Secretary, Vedhik Erudite Foundation.
The trainers comprise Kerala former Additional Chief Secretary O P Minocha, Retd Col D S Cheema, CMAI Association of India President Prof N K Goyal, senior IAS officer Vivek Atre and Santhosh George Kulangara, also a well-known globetrotter.
The Kochi-headquartered institution has an office in Delhi.
