The Hindu : Kerala News : Chief Minister to inaugurate Civil Services Academy on June 14

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Friday, Jun 10, 2005

Kerala

Kerala

Chief Minister to inaugurate Civil Services Academy on June 14

Special Correspondent

Boon for aspirants from the State

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In order to address the issue of falling representation of Keralites in Civil Services, the State Government has decided to set up a Civil Service Academy, under the auspices of the Centre for Continuing Education, Kerala (CCEK).

The main objective of the Civil Service Academy would be to coach aspirants for civil services examinations, Education Minister E. T. Mohammed Basheer said at a press conference here on Thursday.

The academy would be formally inaugurated by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on June 14 in the State capital.

Mr. Basheer, who was accompanied by CCEK director Mohan Abraham said that the academy, which aims to compete with reputed training institutions in Delhi, Hyderabad and Chennai, had already established ties with the best such institutions.

The academy aims at providing intensive training job aspirants instead of "teaching" them for the civil service examinations, covering the priliminary and main examinations and the interview.

The 10-month course would have three batches of 40 students each.

There would be regular, evening and weekend batches. Out of the 800 teaching hours, 450 would be earmarked for general studies and 350 for optional subjects and the rest for library and reference work.

The academy, in association with Reliance and C-DAC, would have video conferencing facility with leading trainers associated with reputed training institutes.

The Minister said the academy would draft the services of retired and serving teachers and civil servants, organise lecutres by leading personalities and provide library facilities.

The adademy's faculty would have access to the library of the Mussorie National Academy. The CCEK had conducted a detailed assessment of the functioning of various institutions to rectify any shortcoming, before setting up the academy, Mr. Abraham said. In reply to a question, Mr. Basheer said the fee for the regular batch would be Rs.25,000 and the evening batch Rs.20,000.

The student would have to pay Rs. 15,000 as the first instalment. The Minister said the academy had been structured as a self-financing institution, but part of the grant given to the CCEK would be earmarked for the academy.

He said the CCEK had plans to set up an Academy for Media Studies and Academy for Fashion Designing taking into account the enormous employment opportunities in mass media communications and fashion designing.

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