An IAS and OAS coaching centre at Kalpana Square in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Nov. 28: There is an unprecedented rush at coaching centres in the capital after Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) announced its decision to conduct examinations to fill 364 posts under the Odisha Civil Services (OCS) category.

The date for the exam, which would be held after a gap of five years, is yet to be announced. The last day to fill up forms is December 31.

Aspirant Sushanta Das said: “The last OCS examination was held in 2006. Now, an advertisement has been issued to fill up such a large number of vacant posts. I have enrolled myself in one of the leading coaching centres in the city.”

Rising to the occasion, almost all the coaching centres that run preparatory classes for civil service exams in the city have almost doubled their enrolment fees. These centres have divided the exam structure into two categories. While they take around Rs 25,000 to prepare students for the preliminary exams, they charge nearly Rs 30,000 to impart coaching for the main exams.

Nearly 10 leading institutes in Bhubaneswar are running such coaching classes for OCS aspirants. In the preliminary exams, one has to appear for a general studies paper and one optional subject. “We charge Rs 20,000 for general studies and Rs 15,000 for optional studies courses,” said a staff member of a leading coaching centre. Once students qualify for the main exams, they have to appear for one general studies course and two optional courses.

The preliminary exam consists of objective type questions carrying a total of 450 marks. the main exam questions are descriptive in nature and carry 2,600 marks.

An institute charging Rs 22,000 for general studies is demanding Rs 30,000 to cover the two optional courses.

“We would take Rs 75,000 to Rs 80,000 to prepare the students for the preliminary and main exams,” said an official of a coaching centre.

The fees vary, depending on the reputation of the institutes. The lesser known centres charge anywhere between Rs 50,000 and Rs 65,000. Keeping the huge rush in mind, all the coaching centres are running four to five batches per day. “We rope in university professors and students who have earlier cracked the OCS exam to take the classes. Since they are demanding more money, we have no option but to increase our fees,” said officials of leading coaching centres.

To promote themselves, some coaching centres are also trying to rope in an Odia professor working in Jawaharlal University and Delhi University to take one to two classes.

Aspirant Ramakanata Nanda: “It is very difficult for someone belonging to a lower middle class family to pay such fees.”