Note – We have received a tip on X(formerly Twitter) that a tainted institute is applying for this tender, so we are writing this story. If the institute La Excellence Edu Services Pvt. Ltd. or any institute having any affiliations to this are not in the bidding then we don’t have any issue, still we would urge the Government to take a cautious approach while finalizing the institute.
The Odisha government’s ambitious new initiative to provide free UPSC coaching to students is laudable. But recent developments have raised serious concerns about the tendering process — particularly the transparency and integrity of entities bidding for the contract.
Reports by major news portals: Times of India News Laundry Hindustan Times
Among the applicants for the multi-crore “Non-Residential Civil Services Coaching for UPSC Aspirants” tender floated by the Higher Education Department, if La Excellence Edu Services Pvt. Ltd., a coaching institute with a tainted past linked to a high-profile UPSC cheating scandal from 2017 is participating then the Governmet should take this article very seriously. Such inclusion calls for urgent public scrutiny and a careful review by the authorities.
The 2017 UPSC Cheating Scandal: A Brief Reminder
In 2017, Safeer Karim, a probationary Indian Police Service officer serving in Tamil Nadu, was caught cheating during the UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination in Chennai using high-tech devices such as camera-enabled spectacles and Bluetooth earpieces, so that answers could be relayed by his accomplices outside the hall.
Investigations by the Intelligence Bureau and Tamil Nadu police revealed Karim had used concealed devices to send photographs of the question paper to his wife, who was allegedly assisted by Dr. P. Rambabu, director of La Excellence IAS Study Circle in Hyderabad. Both his wife and Rambabu were arrested for aiding the fraud.
This wasn’t a minor incident. It involved:
- A serving IPS officer resorting to advanced cheating techniques in an exam designed to recruit India’s top civil servants.
- Multiple electronic devices seized, and criminal charges registered under Sections pertaining to cheating (IPC 420) and criminal conspiracy (IPC 120-B).
- Coordinated action by Chennai and Hyderabad police against the accused.
Why This Matters for Odisha’s Tender
UPSC aspirants and their families place immense trust in coaching institutions to guide them ethically and professionally in one of India’s most competitive exams. When an institute that was linked to such a scandal is allowed to bid for — and possibly win — a government contract worth crores of public money, it undermines both public trust and the very ethos of civil services preparation.
Even if legal proceedings against the institute’s owners have advanced or changed status over the years, the reputational risk and public perception of associating government funds with a previously scandal-tainted entity cannot be dismissed lightly.
A Call for Rigorous Vetting
We urge the Government of Odisha — especially the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO_Odisha) and the Department of Higher Education (DHE_Odisha) — to ensure that this tender is awarded only after thorough integrity and background checks. This should include:
- Public disclosure of vetting criteria.
- Assessment of past conduct and allegations against bidding entities.
- Clear exclusion of institutions with unresolved criminal records related to exam malpractice or fraud.
- A transparent grievance redressal mechanism for students and stakeholders.
Integrity > Blind Bidding
The spirit of the UPSC exam is rooted in fairness, merit, and service to the nation. The state’s initiative to support aspirants must reflect these values at every step — especially when allocating public funds.
Allowing an institute with a tainted past to participate — let alone win — the contract would be a disservice to Odisha’s youth, taxpayers, and the ideals of ethical public administration. The government must prioritize integrity over expediency.
📢 Respectfully urging @CMO_Odisha and @DHE_Odisha to exercise utmost caution and uphold public trust before finalizing the tender award
