Why this IAS Officer Loves to Spend his Saturdays with Young Students

2019-batch IAS officer of Andhra Pradesh cadre, G Surya Praveenchand, holds interactive sessions with young students to remove their confusion on career-related issues. He especially guides them on how to choose the right career and clear competitive exams. He holds these sessions every Saturday in his office and, hence, has named them ‘Saturdays with Students’.

If career counselling can be provided right from the school stage to make young students aware of the various paths before them, it will help them to focus better on what subjects to opt for and what stream to take up. Realising this, young bureaucrats are coming forward to do just that – offer career guidance through interactive sessions with students. One such bureaucrat is Mr. G Surya Praveenchand, a 2019-batch IAS officer of Andhra Pradesh cadre. He has been organising interactive sessions with students on weekends in his ‘Saturdays with Students’.

He interacts with students and their parents in these sessions where topics likes career guidance and education related queries, reforms needed in learning and teaching are discussed freely. He started this initiative in Vijayawada when he was the sub-collector. Now he is posted in Kadapa district as Municipal Commissioner and he plans to start this initiative here, too. Indian Masterminds interacted with Mr. G Surya Praveenchand to know about this initiative in detail.

2019-batch IAS officer G Surya Praveenchand

SATURDAY WITH STUDENTS

He told Indian Masterminds that he started this initiative when he was in VIjayawada as the SDM. Every Saturday from 9.30 am to 11 am, he used to interact with students of different age groups and address their queries, whether it’s UPSC or IIT or any other exam. They used to come to his office with their parents and at times alone, too. They used to call on the given contact number and inform they wanted to come on Saturday for the session with certain queries. Some even joined these sessions randomly.

“We used to have general discussion about how to study effectively at home, what were their aspirations, how to manage studies and sports, etc., and I used to clear all doubts they had.”

CAREER RELATED QUERIES

However, the officer got transferred from Vijayawada to Kadapa district as Municipal Commissioner, and now, he is trying to start similar sessions with students here, too.

On what kind of questions students asked the most,he replied that most of their questions were career related. Some also asked how they should approach 10+2 examination. Some again about IITs and UPSC exams. Since he himself is an IITian (IIT Patna) and has cleared UPSC CSE, he gladly answers all such queries to give them some clarity on the topics.

“I tell them how to be active in life. How to take care of their health,which is of utmost necessity I and why everyone should adopt one sport as hobby at least. Generally, we have an overall holistic discussion and interactive session with students where they get inspiration and some idea about choosing the correct path and direction in their lives.”

He said that when he was studying, he never met a bureaucrat to ask questions. If he had, it would have been easier for him to remove his confusion regarding the UPSC exam. Hence, now that he is one, he is coming forward to help young students seeking clarity on competitive exams and career paths.