After Civil Services, Yogi government will now provide free coaching for JEE and NEET, 10th marks will become the basis of selection; Know the complete method of application

The Yogi Adityanath government of Uttar Pradesh has taken a major policy decision to give a new flight to the dreams of the economically weak and promising students of the state. On the lines of the successful ‘Mukhyamantri Abhyudaya Yojana’ run for civil service examinations like Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC), the state government is now going to launch a large-scale free coaching program for two of the most prestigious and difficult entrance examinations of the country – JEE (Engineering) and NEET (Medical).

Often, bright students from poor and rural backgrounds are unable to afford the huge fees of private coaching institutes ranging from ₹1 lakh to ₹2.5 lakh in big cities like Kota, Delhi or Prayagraj. The direct objective of this step of the government is to ensure that no talented child’s dream of becoming a doctor or IITian remains unfulfilled due to lack of resources.

The most important aspect of this new system is to make the selection process extremely transparent and simple. As per the outline prepared by the Department of Social Welfare and Department of Secondary Education:

• Merit on direct marks: Instead of conducting a separate complex written entrance examination for admission into coaching, students Marks of class 10th (high school board exam) This will be made the primary basis of selection.

• Special weightage on Science and Mathematics: For JEE (Engineering), the merit list will be prepared on the basis of 10th class Mathematics and Science marks, while for NEET (Medical), the weightage list will be prepared on the basis of Science and overall marks.

• Board Similarity: A special normalization formula will be implemented for the marks of UP Board, CBSE and CISCE students so that students of any board are not discriminated against.

Under the scheme, students will not need to wander away from their district or home. The government is setting up special learning centers at the district headquarters level in all 75 districts of the state:

1. Smart classrooms and high-speed connectivity: Smart classrooms equipped with digital boards, projectors and high-speed internet are being built in selected Government Inter Colleges (GIC) and district libraries.

2. Hybrid Learning Model: A hybrid model of online live lectures along with offline classroom teaching will be implemented in the scheme. Top subject matter experts of the state and alumni of IIT/AIIMS will take live classes directly from the central studio, which will be telecasted simultaneously to all the districts of the state.

3. Free Digital Study Material and Tablet: Selected students will not only get guidance from expert faculty, but will also be provided with high quality study material, question bank and mock test series completely free of cost. Eligible meritorious students will also be connected to the government’s tablet scheme for digital studies on priority basis.

The biggest formula for success in competitive exams like JEE and NEET is continuous practice and doubt solving. For this, special arrangements are being made at coaching centres:

• Regular Mock Test: Online and offline mock tests will be conducted every 15 days on the Computer Based Test (CBT) pattern of National Testing Agency (NTA).

• Mentorship Programme: Young IAS, IPS, PCS officers posted in the district as well as faculty members of government medical colleges and engineering institutes will conduct individual mentorship sessions with the students on weekends (Saturday and Sunday) to relieve the mental stress of the children and boost their confidence.

• Native Residence: It is mandatory for the applicant student to be a permanent/native resident of Uttar Pradesh.

• Educational qualification: The student must have passed 10th class with minimum prescribed marks from any recognized board and currently pursuing regular studies in 11th or 12th (Science stream – PCM/PCB).

• Family Income Limit: Priority will be given to children from families whose annual family income is less than ₹ 6 lakh, so that the benefits of the scheme can reach the needy sections of the society.

• Reservation Rules: As per the existing reservation policy of the state government, seats will be reserved for students belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), Other Backward Class (OBC), and Economically Weaker Section (EWS).

Social Welfare Department is going to open online application window for JEE and NEET free coaching very soon on the official portal of Mukhyamantri Abhyuday Yojana (abhyuday.up.gov.in).

Students will have to fill the online form with their 10th mark sheet, school identity card, income certificate and residence certificate. After this, the committee formed at the district level will release the merit list and batches will be allotted directly to the selected students. The government aims to start classes on time keeping in mind the upcoming board exams and competitive exam cycle so that students get full time to prepare.