Civil Services coaching institutes in the city are quite embarrassed after the arrest of IPS probationer Safeer Kareem’s wife Joyci Joy, who was allegedly dictating answers sitting in a coaching centre in Hyderabad, and the shocking development is likely to hit its credibility for some time.
Senior faculty, who have been in the industry for over two decades and successfully churned out several civil servants with their guidance, are shocked and believe this ‘unimaginable’ incident will hit the integrity of the coaching industry here.
“I have received calls from Delhi and Bangalore from officials and aspirants asking for how long such practice was on,” said the director of a well-known institute with over two decades of experience. “What worried me was how they were not trusting despite explanations,” he said.
“We know how you guys in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are notorious in managing ranks in IIT and other national entrance exams was the reaction of another person,” he said.
Correspondent of another sought-after institute in Ashoknagar said it was indeed shocking as they never imagined malpractice was a possibility in Civil Services exams. “Frankly, we are unable to digest the news,” he said, unwilling to be quoted.
Faculty and the trainers, however, ask the aspirants not to get disturbed or lose hope in the exam system with such incidents as cheating doesn’t actually work in the Mains.
The questions are framed such that candidates’ application of knowledge is tested than merely the knowledge. “Kareem’s cheating is peculiar and it wouldn’t have actually helped him in giving best answers,” argues a senior faculty member.
Civil Services coaching in Hyderabad has seen a steady rise in the last decade with growing awareness among parents and students giving scope for many institutes to establish. About 45,000 to 50,000 candidates apply for Prelims from the two Telugu states every year though less than half of them actually take the exam.
The craze has also forced the entry of corporate colleges like Narayana and Sri Chaitanya institutions to start IAS academies and the publicity also targeted small towns, leading to increase in numbers.
Quite interestingly, competitors of La Excellence, whose director P. Rambabu was arrested in the case, have a few nice words to say about him and his steady growth.
“He has made a mark in the coaching sector with his hard work and, with his students numbering 500 to 600, he was on his way to build it into a top institute,” said the director of a top coaching centre in the city.
