Five Odisha Aspirants Achieve UPSC Success Through Ganjam Lakshya Niketan Initiative
In a remarkable achievement, five candidates from Odisha have successfully qualified in the UPSC Civil Services Exam 2025, bringing pride to the Ganjam district administration. This success is attributed to the newly launched Ganjam Lakshya Niketan (GLN), a free online coaching program designed to guide civil services aspirants.
Launch and Impact of Ganjam Lakshya Niketan
The district administration introduced GLN in January 2025 with the primary goal of providing cost-free coaching for the UPSC exam 2026. The initiative quickly gained traction, attracting nine aspirants from Odisha who applied for mock interviews after discovering the program on social media platforms.
Ganjam collector V Keerthi Vasan expressed his satisfaction, stating, "Of the nine aspirants from Odisha who had applied for the mock interview in GLN, five qualified in the UPSC Exam 2025." The qualified students include Sattwik Satyakam Devta (rank 100), Sai Raman Patra (rank 285), Vishal Pattanayak (rank 341), Debabrata Pramanik (rank 467), and Gopinath Sahoo (rank 795). All five have expressed their gratitude to the district administration following the publication of the results on Friday.
Mock Interview Process and Panel Composition
A key component of the GLN program was the mock interview session, conducted online over two days. The administration assembled a six-member panel comprising experienced IAS and IPS officers to simulate the actual UPSC interview environment. This panel included:
- Niti Sekhar, Inspector-General of the Southern Range
- Ganjam Collector V Keerthi Vasan
- Berhampur SP Saravana Vivek M
- Berhampur Municipal Corporation Commissioner Prathamesh Arvind Rajeshirke
- Berhampur Sub-Collector Avinash Kumar
- IAS Probationer Mrinalika Rathore
Each candidate received dedicated attention, with interviews lasting approximately one to two hours. Sub-Collector Avinash Kumar explained, "During the interview, we shared our own experiences and guided them on how to appear for the interview." He added, "We are very happy as five of them qualified in the examination, and we hope more candidates qualify in the UPSC exam next year."
Future Plans and Expansion of Coaching Centers
Looking ahead, the administration has ambitious plans to expand the GLN initiative. Coaching classes are scheduled to commence from the last week of March, aiming to prepare more aspirants for the UPSC exam 2026. To ensure a structured approach, an entrance exam was conducted on January 25 to enroll candidates based on merit.
The program has a total intake capacity of 170 students, with 50% of seats reserved for women. Three coaching centers will be established across the district:
- Berhampur: 70 candidates
- Bhanjanagar: 50 candidates
- Chhatrapur: 50 candidates
In a strategic move, the administration has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Delhi-based coaching institute to provide expert guidance and resources to the aspirants. This collaboration is expected to enhance the quality of coaching and further boost success rates in future UPSC examinations.
The success of the Ganjam Lakshya Niketan program underscores the importance of targeted, accessible educational initiatives in empowering aspirants from diverse backgrounds to achieve their civil services dreams.
