KASARGOD: The Central University of Kerala is starting a coaching centre to prepare students from Scheduled Caste communities for the civil services examination conducted by the UPSC.
Dr Ambedkar Centre of Excellence (DACE), fully funded by the Union government, will be run from the university's campus in Periya in Kasaragod.
The coaching will be the best and free of cost for the students, said vice-chancellor Prof H Venkateshwarlu on Friday. Students from Scheduled Caste communities with a bachelor's degree or equivalent qualification and aged from 22 to 37 years are eligible to join the centre.
Dr Ambedkar Foundation, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has sanctioned a grant of Rs 75 lakh for the centre for a year. Three specialist resource persons will be recruited for a monthly salary of Rs 1.15 lakh.
Apart from them, special sessions would be conducted by serving and retired IAS officers, and experts in various fields.
Dr Ambedkar Centre of Excellence has 100 seats, 33% of them are reserved for female students, said the vice-chancellor.
The application form is available on www.cukerala.ac.in, programme coordinator Dr M Nagarajan, an assistant professor in the Department of Genomics. The centre will accept applications till July 25 and conduct an entrance examination to select students.
The result will be announced on August 29 and classes will start on October 1.
Applications should be addressed to the Programme Coordinator, Dr Ambedkar Centre of Excellence (DACE), Central University of Kerala, Periya PO, Kasaragod, 671320.
A committee headed by dean of students' welfare prof K Arun Kumar will manage DACE.
Dr Ambedkar Foundation is setting up DACE in 31 Central Universities, one in every state and Union Territory.