In Uttar Pradesh, the Mukhyamantri Abhyudaya Yojana provides free coaching for various competitive examinations to aspiring students.
In 2026, the state announced an increase in the family-income ceiling for pre-matric and post-matric scholarship and fee-reimbursement eligibility from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh, expanding the potential reach of the support. Sonam’s message to students is therefore particularly significant. The state’s pre-matric and post-matric scholarship and fee-reimbursement programmes therefore form an important part of the larger educational support system. Programmes such as Abhyudaya can therefore provide something beyond academic instruction: a sense that the state recognises the aspirations of its young people.
She encourages young people, especially daughters from rural and economically weaker families, not to allow their circumstances to determine the size of their ambitions. Competitive-examination preparation often begins much before a student enters a coaching centre. For many aspirants, the first challenge is completing higher education itself. These schemes help eligible students meet educational expenses and continue their studies. The government has also continued to strengthen scholarship support. For an aspirant, such assistance can make a substantial difference. Money that might otherwise be required for fees, books and other educational expenses can remain available for study-related needs. Sonam Yadav’s journey illustrates this aspect. Her success sends a message to students in rural Uttar Pradesh that a village background does not have to define the limits of one’s ambitions. For daughters in particular, such examples can have a powerful social impact. When a young woman from a rural family becomes an administrative officer, the achievement extends beyond her individual career. It can alter the aspirations of other girls in her community.
The success story of Ayodhya’s Sonam Yadav, who benefited from the Abhyudaya initiative and was selected for the post of SDM through UPPCS-2024, illustrates how such support can provide direction to students who have talent and determination but may not have access to expensive private coaching. Launched in 2021, the Mukhyamantri Abhyudaya Yojana was conceived to provide free coaching, guidance and mentoring to students preparing for competitive examinations. Students supported through Mukhyamantri Abhyudaya Coaching have secured 59 selections in UPPSC, 136 in UPSSSC and 771 selections in NEET, IIT-JEE and related examinations, according to the Chief Minister’s 2026 Assembly address. After benefiting from Abhyudaya Yojana, Sonam cleared UPPCS-2024 and is now undergoing administrative training at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Uttar Pradesh Academy of Administration and Management in Lucknow.
Because preparation increasingly involves online mock tests, current-affairs material, recorded lectures and examination-specific resources, for competitive-examination aspirants, digital access is especially valuable. Because students do not begin their preparation from the same starting point, this approach is important. A diversified support system can therefore address different barriers rather than relying on a single intervention. The emerging model under the Yogi government is therefore broader than free coaching alone.
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This creates the possibility of extending learning beyond the physical classroom and allowing students to study according to their own pace. For thousands of young people in Uttar Pradesh, competitive examinations are not merely a route to a government job—they represent an opportunity to transform their families’ social and economic circumstances. Yet for many talented students, particularly those from rural and economically weaker backgrounds, the cost of coaching, study material, technology and sustained academic support can become a major hurdle. The Yogi Adityanath government has sought to address this challenge by creating a broader support ecosystem for students and competitive-examination aspirants. At the centre of this approach is the ‘Mukhyamantri Abhyudaya Yojana’, which provides free guidance and coaching for major competitive examinations. Alongside it, scholarship and fee-reimbursement programmes, digital learning initiatives, career counselling, technical education platforms and category-specific coaching programmes are helping students prepare, pursue higher education and compete on a more equal footing. This, in fact, reieterates the ideology of Yogi Government that free coaching is not simply a welfare intervention but an investment in the state’s human capital. From the beginning, the programme was designed around the principle that financial limitations should not prevent a talented student from competing for prestigious examinations. The scheme covers a wide range of examinations, including UPSC, UPPSC, recruitment examinations conducted by various state recruitment agencies, JEE, NEET, NDA, CDS, banking examinations, SSC, B.Ed., TET and other competitive examinations. Its distinctive feature is that preparation is not limited to classroom teaching. The programme seeks to provide students with subject guidance, study material, expert mentoring and a structured environment for examination preparation. The original framework also envisaged mentoring by serving and retired senior government officers and subject experts. The programme has subsequently demonstrated measurable outcomes. Sonam Yadav’s journey from Harika Pandey Ka Purwa in Ayodhya’s Mawai block to selection as an SDM is an example of how access to guidance can alter the trajectory of an aspirant. Her experience highlights an important dimension of competitive-examination preparation: hard work remains indispensable, but proper guidance can make that effort more focused and effective. For students preparing for civil services and other examinations, knowing what to study, how to approach the syllabus, how to practise questions, how to analyse one’s performance and how to prepare for interviews can be as important as the number of hours spent studying. The broader objective is to prevent financial circumstances from forcing capable students to discontinue higher education before they reach the stage where they can compete for professional and government examinations. The expansion of digital education has added another dimension to student support. Under the Swami Vivekananda Yuva Sashaktikaran Yojana, students are provided tablets and smartphones to strengthen access to digital learning. The DigiShakti ecosystem has also been linked with learning resources, including digital educational content. This is particularly important for students living outside major cities. A student in a village or small town may not have access to a large coaching market, but a smartphone or tablet can provide access to lectures, e-books, online courses, test material and other educational resources. The government has also integrated digital learning resources into the DigiShakti ecosystem. Another important component of the state’s approach is career counselling. A major problem faced by students is not always a lack of ability but a lack of information. Many students are unaware of the examinations available to them, eligibility requirements, career pathways, application procedures or the skills required for different professions. The Department of Employment’s career-counselling initiatives and Model Career Centres seek to bridge this information gap. Career counselling camps are designed to familiarise students and job-seekers with employment opportunities and provide guidance for personality development and career planning. For a young person deciding between civil services, banking, technical education, professional courses or other career options, timely guidance can prevent years of unfocused preparation. The state’s employment ecosystem also includes coaching-cum-guidance centres in several districts that provide free training in areas such as general studies, computers, typing, shorthand, language and secretarial practices, particularly for weaker sections. The support system is not confined to a single coaching model. Different departments and institutions also run targeted educational and training programmes for students belonging to disadvantaged sections. Such programmes seek to improve access to competitive-examination preparation and employability-related skills. Some may require financial assistance, others coaching, some digital access and others career counselling or interview preparation. For students pursuing technical, vocational and skill-based education, the Unified Reimagined Innovation for Students Empowerment (URISE) platform has created a digital interface for student services. URISE brings together students in the technical, vocational and skill-education ecosystem and provides services such as e-content, online courses, performance information, attendance, digital services and other student-related facilities. For students preparing for technical careers and entrance examinations, such platforms can supplement institutional learning and provide access to educational resources beyond the conventional classroom. The importance of such digital platforms has increased as education becomes more technology-driven and students require continuous access to learning material. Taken together, these initiatives represent a broader shift from viewing examination preparation as an individual responsibility to creating an ecosystem in which talented students receive institutional support. The philosophy behind the approach is simple: talent should not be restricted by geography or family income. A student from Lucknow, Prayagraj or Noida may have access to multiple coaching institutes. A student from a remote village may not. Free coaching, digital devices, online content, scholarships and career counselling can help narrow this gap. This does not mean that government support guarantees success. Competitive examinations remain intensely demanding and require discipline, sustained preparation and perseverance. What government intervention can do is remove some of the structural barriers that prevent capable students from getting a fair opportunity to compete. The psychological dimension of competitive examinations is equally important. Aspirants often spend years preparing for examinations where the selection ratio is extremely low. Lack of guidance, repeated failures and financial pressure can undermine confidence. Abhyudaya provides competitive-examination guidance; scholarships and fee reimbursement help students continue higher education; digital initiatives expand access to learning resources; career counselling helps students make informed choices; specialised coaching supports disadvantaged groups; and platforms such as URISE strengthen digital access to technical and vocational education. Download the TOI App.