A civil services academy is coming up at Perinthalmanna with the patronage of Faizal & Shabana Foundation, a philanthropic group that took the Government Vocational Higher Secondary School for Girls at Nadakkavu to global standards.
Najeeb Kanthapuram, MLA of Perinthalmanna, who spearheads an education project named KREA (Knowledge, Resources, Empowerment, Activity), said the academy would be the first of its kind in the State, offering free residential coaching to students of Malabar.
The academy will be named after the late Panakkad Syed Hyderali Shihab Thangal and will be housed on the ISS Educational Society campus at Ponnyakurissi near Perinthalmanna. “We will set up modern classrooms, a library and reading room, a conference hall, discussion rooms, and a studio for the academy,” said P. Unneen, ISS chairman.
Mr. Kanthapuram said the academy would strive to “reach unto the last” as propounded by Mahatma Gandhi. “Our aim is to reach out to the underprivileged and the marginalised with the best of facilities,” he said after signing a memorandum of understanding with Faizal & Shabana Foundation chairman Faizal Kottikkollon in Dubai last week.
As many as 100 civil services aspirants will be selected from Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod districts every year through an entrance test and interviews. “We will give special weightage to Scheduled and minority communities, differently abled, and transgender persons,” said Mr. Kanthapuram.
The maiden orientation camp will be held at Perinthalmanna on May 14, followed by screening tests. Classes will begin in the second week of July. “We have multiple objectives. Even when helping the students of Malabar to join civil services, we are trying to empower the marginalised sections of society,” he said.
Faizal & Shabana Foundation director Joseph Sebastian said the Foundation would play an active role in empowering students from backward sections. A new civil services eco-system will be created with the help of serving and retired officers, he added.
For details, aspirants can contact the academy at 98466-53258 or 62355-77577.
