Mangaluru: More than 300 postgraduate students from various academic departments have already registered for Mangalore University’s newly launched Study Circle, which offers free coaching for competitive examinations, including UPSC and KPSC. A significant number of applicants are from Uttara Kannada and the Kalyana-Karnataka region.Vice chancellor Prof PL Dharma said the strong response reflected the demand among students for structured guidance to prepare for competitive examinations. “Enrollment of over 300 students within days proves students have a hunger for such guidance. Many students lack awareness about competitive exams or administrative structures. This initiative bridges that gap and gives every aspiring youth an equal opportunity to compete,” he said.The study circle was formally launched on Sept 10, during the university’s 45th Foundation Day celebrations. As part of the initiative, the university has signed an five-year MoU with the coaching academy Inspire to train students for civil services exam, free of cost.Prof Dharma said the initiative was aimed at encouraging more students to consider administrative services as a career and contribute to public service.“Over the decades, our universities have produced thousands of graduates who entered the private corporate sector, but we have not guided enough young minds towards administrative services. Corporate jobs offer employment, but public service provides genuine stability and a direct pathway to serve society and contribute to the nation,” he said.To support aspirants, the university has extended the working hours of its central library into the evening, allowing students to access reference books and study facilities beyond regular academic hours. Orientation sessions and customised batches are expected to begin shortly, with timetables designed to allow postgraduate students to attend coaching alongside their regular academic commitments.Meanwhile, the university inaugurated the Gandhi Vichara Manthana Vedike on Oct 2. The open-air academic forum is intended to provide students and research scholars with a space for discussions, debates and intellectual exchange outside the conventional classroom.Dharma said the forum would encourage students and scholars to discuss public issues, exchange views on new publications and engage in constructive academic dialogue.
