CHENNAI: A total of 155 candidates from Tamil Nadu have cleared the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Mains Examination this year, an increase over the 136 candidates who cleared the exam last year.

Officials say about 657 candidates from the state appeared for the Mains this year. Under the state’s Naan Mudhalvan Scheme, those who clear the examination will receive a one-time stipend of Rs 25,000. Of the 155 who qualified, 87 had undergone residential coaching at the state-run All India Civil Services Coaching Centre (AICSCC), the figure rising from 48 last year.

“Around 400 of the 657 aspirants had applied for residential coaching at AICSCC, though we initially had only 225 seats. The government acted quickly to accommodate all willing students so they could receive proper coaching. This benefitted economically disadvantaged students and 320 received coaching at the centre,” said T Sankara Saravanan, principal of AICSCC.

Last year, around 57 candidates from the state were selected for the civil services. Those who clear the Mains will receive a one-time assistance of Rs 50,000 to attend the interview round.

Since 2023, the Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation (TNSDC) along with AICSCC also holds an annual test to select around 1,000 aspirants, who each receive a monthly stipend of Rs 7,500 for 10 months under the Naan Mudhalvan scheme to prepare for the prelims. Based on this, candidates are also admitted for coaching at AICSCC.

The story is reported by Subashini Vijayakumar for The New Indian Express