Aizawl:
The Mizoram government on Tuesday announced that it will provide full sponsorship, including coaching expenses, to students who aspire to join civil and other central services.
At a meeting, chaired by chief minister Zoramthanga, the state government decided to work with reputed coaching institutes in Delhi to facilitate aspirants to prepare for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exams, officials said.
Officials of various departments such as Education, Labour Employment, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Planning and Finance, and Mizoram Youth Commission (MYC) were present in the meeting, they said.
A full scholarship will be provided to the promising students, who aspire to become civil servants, to meet their expenses incurred while attending coaching classes in Delhi apart from providing cash incentives for clearing prelims and mains exams, officials said.
The state will conduct an entrance exam to select the eligible candidates, they said.
Criteria for applying will be announced soon, they added.
The number of youths from Mizoram joining central services is gradually declining and massive efforts should be made in this regard, the chief minister told the meeting.
He called for concerted efforts to motivate the students so that they compete with students of other states.
Zoramthanga said that his government would take all possible steps to assist the students.
The Mizoram government is also making massive efforts to help students join commercial banks and corporates through the Mizo Youth Commission (MYC).
The MYC used to give cash incentives ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh to students who clear various exams, including UPSC, SSC, NDA and state services.
The last person from the state to crack the UPSC exams and become an IAS officer was Grace Lalrindiki Pachuau, who joined the Tamil Nadu cadre.
Pachuau, the daughter of former state chief secretary Vanhela Pachuau, cleared the exam in 2014.
Only five persons from Mizoram have cleared the UPSC exams since 2000.
