About the Center ...

Dr. Ambedkar Competitive Examination Center (ACEC) was set up at YASHADA, Pune under the Special Component Plan SCP and started functioning with Center for Equity and Social Justice, Yashada in May 2006.The main objective of the ACEC is to provide coaching to prepare for Civil Service Examination to candidates from weaker section of the society.

ACEC aims at tapping the talent in students, encouraging them to appear for Civil Services Examination and helping them to prepare for the examination. It also aims at inculcating in them the culture of serving the community as a whole.

Objectives

 To create awareness among the youth of Maharashtra particularly from the deprived sections of the  community, about aims and objectives, procedures and relative advantages of various competitive examinations particularly Civil Services Examinations.

•  To build confidence and give maximum input required for the competitive examinations to the students belonging to the weaker section of the society.
• To inculcate in them the culture of serving the community and the nation.
• To develop interest and to provide specific coaching for successful participation in competitive examination.
• To muster support for conduct of coaching from eminent administrators, academicians and professional experts from management, training and research institutions.

Selection of Candidates: The advertisement was published in newspapers in the month of April 2006 and an overwhelming response was received. The candidates were selected through a written test on General Studies and through a personal interview.

• Total Application received:                      904
• Candidates qualified in written test:          206
• Final selection through interview:              50
• Backward class candidates:                     45
• Others :                                               05

Accommodation:

The candidates are provided free residential facility on the campus of YASHADA.

Stipend:

Rs. 1500/- per month is paid as stipend to each candidate.

Activities of the Center:

Vipassana:

All the candidates have to undergo a 10 days vipassana course, which is expected to enhance their concentration and comprehension. For the first Batch, we have arranged 10 days Vipassana Course at Kolhapur during 20 th to 31 st July 2006.

Committees:

Academic Committee : An academic Committee has been formed to facilitate smooth working and monitoring of the center. The Director General, YASHADA heads the Academic Committee. All Deputy Director Generals, Yashada and the Director, ACEC are the members of the committee.

Administrative Committee : The Addl. Director General heads the Administrative Committee. The Resident Deputy Director General (HQ & Planning), Director ACEC, OIC Center for Equity and Social Justice, Financial Advisor, Registrar, Estate Manager, Campus Manager are the members of the Committee.

Coaching:

A professional approach has been taken while providing coaching to the candidates. Highly knowledgeable and experienced Resource Persons for Optional subjects and General Studies have been engaged. In addition, Dr. Vipin Sharma, Shri Tukaram Munde, Shri Shravan Hardikar, Shri Dhiraj Kumar IAS Officers from 2005 batch have been engaged as guest faculty for orientation and coaching of the candidates.

Eminent guest speakers are called to deliver the lectures. Shri Hemant Jha, Director, Career Point Academy, New Delhi guided the candidates for three days on orientation and preparation for UPSC examinations. About 300 candidates from other coaching centers in Pune also availed of the benefit of Shri Jha’s lecture.

An One Act Play- “  मी विजेता होणारच ” by Shri Umesh Kankavlikar was arranged for motivation and morale boosting of the candidates.

Mentoring to the candidates:

The work of Micro and Macro-Level Counseling of candidates is entrusted to various faculty members of YASHADA. Each candidate is attached to a faculty member for counseling and mentoring. The relationship of a counselor with a student is like a local guardian who provides all the guidance and help to students in solving their problems in preparation, study, books, boarding, lodging etc.

Lecture through Video Conferencing facility :

A trial lecture of Dr. Vipin Sharma IAS, Asst. Collector Jalgaon, was arranged through video conferencing from Jalgaon Collectorate. The candidates interacted with him while seating in Video Conferencing room at Yashada. The lecture was conducted successfully. The Video conferencing facility will be used to arrange the lectures of the resource persons from outside Pune.

Study Plan:

A Brain storming meeting was conducted in the month of July 2006 wherein candidates qualified in UPSC Examination held in 2005 were invited. Based on their experience, a Study Plan for coaching of candidates has been prepared, in two Phases.

Phase – I

Preparation for Main Examination - August 2006 to November 2006

(G.S. + Optional II)

Phase – II

Preparation for Preliminary Exam. - December 2006 to March 2007

(Optional – I + G. S. (Preliminary Exam)

Revision and Test - April –May 2007

Facilities Provided:

• Expert faculty
• The well-equipped resourceful library facility with reading room is made                   available round the clock.
• Tea-Coffee machine made available for candidates studying till late hours.
• Internet facility – Video Conferencing
• Yoga classes
• Meditation Hall for Vipassana
• Sports/Swimming
• Separate Classroom.

Admission Procedure:

Eligibility for Admission: 1) Graduate from recognized University,

2) Domicile of Maharashtra

3) Belongs to weaker section of the society

Age Limit:  Open Category – 21 to 30 yrs

                SC/ST- 21 to 35 yrs

                OBC/SBC/NT-B/NT-C/NT-D/VJ – 21 to 33 yrs.

Form Fees: Rs.200/-

Faculty ..............