Bhubaneswar: In a major step towards promoting inclusive and equitable access to competitive education, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has launched a new initiative to provide free online coaching for students from Scheduled Castes (SC), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and other disadvantaged sections across India.
The programme, implemented in partnership with the Physics Wallah Foundation, aims to support 5,000 aspirants annually, including eligible students from Odisha and other states, to prepare for major competitive examinations such as the Civil Services, Staff Selection Commission (SSC), and Banking exams.
Under the scheme, selected students will receive comprehensive academic support, including live and recorded online classes, structured test series, previous years’ question papers, digital study material, mentorship programmes, doubt-clearing sessions, and personalised counselling. The initiative is designed to bridge the educational gap faced by students from marginalised communities who often lack access to high-quality coaching infrastructure.
Transparent Merit-Based Selection
To ensure fairness and transparency, the selection process will be merit-based and conducted through a dedicated online portal. The digital platform will allow eligible candidates to apply, undergo assessment, and track their selection status, minimising human intervention and potential bias.
Officials said the programme reflects the government’s commitment to social justice through education, enabling talented students from underprivileged backgrounds to compete on an equal footing with peers who can afford expensive private coaching.
Focus on Employment-Oriented Exams
The coaching will focus on examinations that lead to government and public sector employment, thereby improving socio-economic mobility and representation of disadvantaged groups in civil services and public institutions.
By providing structured academic guidance and mentorship, the initiative seeks to improve success rates of SC and OBC students in highly competitive national examinations, which traditionally see low participation from economically weaker sections due to financial and systemic barriers.
Exclusion of Scheduled Tribe Students Raises Questions
Notably, Scheduled Tribe (ST) students are currently excluded from the programme, as no parallel partnership has been signed by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. At present, the scheme covers SC, OBC, and PM CARES for Children beneficiaries, highlighting a policy gap in unified inter-ministerial collaboration for tribal education support.
Education experts have pointed out that extending similar support to ST students would further strengthen India’s inclusive education framework, particularly given the educational challenges faced by tribal communities in remote regions.
Towards Educational Equity
The initiative marks a significant shift in the government’s approach to digital learning and affirmative action, leveraging private-sector edtech partnerships to deliver scalable, quality education to disadvantaged groups.
By combining technology-driven learning with targeted social welfare policies, the programme aims to create a level playing field for aspirants from marginalised communities, enhancing their access to education, employment opportunities, and upward mobility.
-OdishaAge
