In a major initiative to enhance employment opportunities for the youth of Darjeeling and north Bengal, the Darjeeling Welfare Society (DWS), founded by Rajya Sabha member Harsh Vardhan Shringla, has launched DWS Utkarsh aimed at preparing 10,000 students from the region for competitive examinations.
Shringla, who was ranked 15th in the UPSC’s All India Civil Service Examination in 1984, also served as India’s foreign secretary and ambassador to the US. He was the chief coordinator of India’s G20 presidency in 2023-24.
The free coaching will cover 16 competitive examinations and is expected to benefit more than 10,000 students in the districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar and Cooch Behar.
The coaching programme in partnership with Physics Wallah (PW), one of India’s leading education platforms, will cover examinations
for recruitment to Agniveer, West Bengal police sub-inspector and constable,
SSB/CISF Constable, CDS, NDA, AFCAT, CAPF, SSC, WBPSC and UPSC, among
others.
Shringla, who is also the president of the DWS, said: “The youths of Darjeeling and north Bengal are highly capable, but in the past, many had limited access to quality opportunities. Through initiatives like DWS Utkarsh, we aim to bring about a meaningful change by ensuring equal and progressive opportunities that enable our young aspirants to build a better and more secure future.”
Shringla, who served as India’s high commissioner to Bangladesh and has a road named after him in that country, had also started a UPSC coaching initiative and had mentored over 120 candidates.
“Several of the students have secured positions in government and public sector institutions, including the West Bengal Civil Service, RBI and the Intelligence Bureau. The DWS is now expanding its outreach to support a much larger pool of aspirants preparing for a wide range of competitive examinations,” said a DWS member.
Selected candidates will receive comprehensive online coaching through Physics Wallah’s technology-enabled learning platform free of cost, helping remove financial barriers. At the same time, coaching fees for such examinations typically range from ₹15,000 to ₹75,000.
“Admissions will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis, with each candidate eligible to enrol in one course. Following registration and Aadhaar verification, successful applicants will receive full access to their chosen programme,” a DWS member said.
Alakh Pandey, founder and CEO of Physics Wallah, in a video message, said: “At Physics Wallah, we believe quality education should be accessible to every student, regardless of geography or economic background. We are proud to partner with DWS to bring free, high-quality preparation for competitive examinations to the youth of north Bengal and help them pursue their dreams with confidence.”
Over the years, Shringla has also taken major initiatives for the economic revitalisation of tea estate workers and has collaborated with the Gates Foundation to create livelihood opportunities for labourers in some gardens.
The DWS had also organised a career fair in Darjeeling where 270 youths from the region were offered jobs by top-notch companies such as the Taj Group, TTA Trent, Thomas Cook, Intercontinental Hotels and Birdy’s.
