Hyderabad: Maulana Azad National Urdu University’s Civil Services Examination–Residential Coaching Academy (CSE-RCA) has achieved a dubious distinction. In 16 years, since its inception in 2009, not one aspirant made the cut, according to a Right to Information (RTI) reply. Academics attribute a variety of reasons for the poor show from inadequate funding to lack of quality faculty to aspirants focusing more on state govt jobs.MANUU is among three govt-supported Civils coaching centres for minorities housed in central universities and founded in 2009-10 by University Grants Commission (UGC) under the Ministry of Education. The other two CSE-RCA centres operate at Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) in New Delhi and Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in Aligarh.These academies were created to support minority students, women, and SC and ST candidates who face challenges in preparing for this prestigious exam. While RCAs at the JMI and AMU have recorded consistent success, MANUU’s zero-selection record has raised many eyebrows.Funding gapsThe RTI response highlights intermittent funding for MANUU CSE academy. Though it received Rs 4.14 crore in 2009–10 and Rs 3.69 crore in 2014–15, there was zero allocation between 2010–11 and 2013–14 and 2015–16 and 2016–17. A grant of Rs 65 lakh was sanctioned in 2017–18 for recurring expenses, but funding dropped to nil again between 2018–19 and 2021–22. In recent years, allocations have remained modest: Rs 10 lakh each in 2022–23 and 2023–24, and Rs 41.63 lakh in 2024–25, all for recurring expenditure. The academy provides free accommodation, boarding and coaching. Each year, about 100 candidates are selected through a screening process and undergo an 8–9 month programme for prelims, followed by Mains preparation and interview training.Candidates not serious about UPSC: RCA directorExplaining the reasons for poor outcomes, MANUU RCA director Aleem Basha told TOI that most students come from rural backgrounds and often prioritise state public service exams over UPSC. “Many are not fully focused on UPSC preparation,” he said.In 2025, six candidates had cleared the prelims and two reached the Mains stage, the director said, adding that 14 students also secured Group 1 and 2 posts in various state services, including Telangana, in the last 2-3 years. On funding, Basha said UGC has shifted to a reimbursement model, under which the academy incurs expenses upfront and is reimbursed later. He also attributed the success of institutions like JMI to repeated attempts by candidates and parallel enrollment in private coaching.However, former faculty Deepika Reddy disagreed, saying students at the academy are “bright and hardworking” but lack consistent academic support. She pointed to irregular classes, shortage of quality faculty, and low remuneration to the faculty as other factors that led to no selections from the RCA. The campus location, away from central Hyderabad, further discouraged experienced faculty from joining the academy, she added.A former student from Prakasam district in Andhra Pradesh who requesting anonymity, also echoed these concerns, claiming poor teaching standards and irregular classes from the outset of the programme. “I felt like the academy was not serious about providing quality coaching. With the type of coaching at MANUU, candidates will not qualify even for state services, let alone UPSC exams,” he lamented.On the other hand, Jamia’s Residential Coaching Academy (RCA) registered 32 final selections in 2024, including 12 women. Of the 78 candidates who reached the interview phase, 32 made the final list. This momentum continued in 2025, with 38 candidates recommended for services, including four in the top 50 and 15 women among the successful candidates. AMU’s RCA has shown modest but steady results, with three candidates clearing the exam in 2024 and four in 2025.In order to improve outcomes at MANUU CSE academy, IAS officer Syed Omer Jaleel said the academy must recruit best teachers. “Wider publicity to attract fresh graduates is needed. Quality coaching to candidates and offering competitive pay to teaching faculty will retain them at RCA for the long term, and this will yield better results,” the former secretary of Telangana minority welfare department said.
