Lucknow: In a major educational and youth-focused initiative aimed at connecting with Gen Z, , the Uttar Pradesh government has directed IAS, IPS and IFS officers to visit schools across the state every month and interact directly with intermediate-level students.
During these interactions, senior officials will guide students about opportunities in higher education, employment, entrepreneurship, and startups, helping them understand career options and emerging opportunities.
The programme aims to bridge the gap between senior government officials and young students by providing them with career guidance, competitive examination advice and greater awareness of higher education and employment opportunities.
Through direct interactions with serving officers, students will get an opportunity to understand different career pathways, learn from the officers’ professional experiences and receive guidance on preparing for competitive examinations.
The District Magistrate (DM) will prepare a monthly schedule for officials’ school visits, while the Divisional Commissioner will periodically review the implementation of the programme. The District Inspector of Schools (DIOS) will ensure necessary coordination, and a report on the programmes will be submitted to the government by the 5th of every month.
IAS, IPS and IFS Officers to Visit Schools Monthly
Under the initiative, officers from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service (IFS) will visit schools on a regular monthly basis.
The interactions will primarily target intermediate students, who are at a crucial stage of making decisions about higher education and career choices.
The government expects these sessions to provide students with practical guidance that goes beyond conventional classroom learning.
Officers will share their own experiences and explain the opportunities, challenges and preparation strategies associated with various competitive examinations and professional careers.
Guidance for UPSC, UPPSC, JEE, NEET and Other Exams
A key component of the programme will be guidance for students preparing for major competitive and entrance examinations.
The sessions will cover examinations and career pathways associated with UPSC, UPPSC, UPSSSC, NDA, JEE, NEET UG and CUET, among others.
The objective is to help students understand the nature of these examinations, available career options and the preparation required to pursue them.
Direct interaction with serving officers is also expected to help students better understand the civil services and other government career opportunities.
Focus Goes Beyond Competitive Exams
The programme will not be restricted to civil services or competitive examination preparation.
The government intends the sessions to provide students with broader information about higher education opportunities, employment trends, entrepreneurship and startups.
This wider approach is aimed at helping students explore multiple career pathways rather than limiting their choices to a small number of conventional professions.
The interactions will also expose students to the practical functioning of government and public administration, potentially encouraging them to consider careers involving public service and leadership.
Officers to Share Their Experiences With Students
One of the key features of the initiative is the opportunity for students to interact directly with senior government officers.
IAS, IPS and IFS officers can use their professional experiences to explain how they made career choices, prepared for competitive examinations and navigated different stages of their careers.
Such first-hand interaction is expected to make career guidance more accessible and help students understand the realities of various professional pathways.
The initiative could be particularly useful for students who may not have access to specialised career counselling or mentoring.
District Magistrates to Prepare Monthly Schedules
The Uttar Pradesh government has established an administrative mechanism to ensure that the programme is implemented regularly across districts.
District Magistrates (DMs) have been assigned the responsibility of preparing monthly schedules for visits by officers to different schools.
The scheduling mechanism is intended to ensure that schools receive regular visits and that officer-student interactions are organised systematically.
DIOS to Coordinate School-Level Arrangements
At the district level, the District Inspector of Schools (DIOS) will serve as the primary coordinator for the programme.
The DIOS will manage the logistical arrangements and coordinate communication between visiting officers and school administrations.
This includes facilitating the officer visits and ensuring that schools are prepared for the interaction sessions.
The coordination mechanism is expected to help avoid scheduling difficulties and ensure that the programme operates smoothly at the ground level.
Divisional Commissioners to Review Progress
The implementation of the initiative will also be monitored at the divisional level.
Divisional Commissioners will periodically review the progress and effectiveness of the programme.
This monitoring mechanism is intended to ensure that the initiative does not remain limited to a formal directive but translates into regular and meaningful interactions with students.
The reviews will also provide an opportunity to identify implementation gaps and improve the programme where necessary.
Monthly Progress Reports to State Government
To strengthen accountability, every district will be required to submit a detailed progress report to the state government.
The reports must be submitted by the fifth day of every month.
The reporting mechanism will allow the government to track the number of school visits, the implementation status and the overall progress of the initiative across districts.
It will also provide the state administration with regular feedback on how the programme is functioning on the ground.
Bridging Administration and Youth
The initiative represents an effort to bring students into closer contact with the state’s administrative and public-service machinery.
By interacting directly with IAS, IPS and IFS officers, students will be able to learn about governance, public administration and professional opportunities from officials working within these systems.
The government hopes that such interactions will broaden students’ aspirations and help them make informed decisions about higher education and careers.
Focus on Career Awareness and Ambition
The programme is designed to create greater awareness among students about the range of opportunities available after intermediate education.
Alongside competitive examinations, students will be introduced to higher education options, employment opportunities and emerging areas such as entrepreneurship and startups.
The government’s broader objective is to encourage students to pursue ambitious and diverse career paths while giving them access to practical guidance from experienced professionals.
With monthly school visits, district-level coordination and mandatory progress reporting, Uttar Pradesh has put in place an administrative framework aimed at making the mentoring programme a regular part of student engagement across the state.
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