Amravati: APJ Abdul Kalam Study Centres at police station premises in 13 talukas of Amravati rural are now teeming with students who are aspiring to crack MPSC, UPSC, banking and other competitive exams.
An initiative of the Amravati rural police and brainchild of SP Dr Hari Balaji N, these study centres are catering not only to the needs of competitive exam aspirants but also of general students.
“When we got a new building for our Achalpur police station during the lockdown period, we decided to establish a gym in one of the 45 quarters there. Then the thought of opening a library instead of a gym was propounded. We decided to experiment with it. We got an overwhelming response from students. Buoyed by this response, the idea of starting a study centre for rural youths aspiring to crack competitive exams was mooted and it was upheld and we decided to name it after our ex-president APJ Abdul Kalam who had underlined the importance of learning for students,” said Balaji.
Winner of the president’s medal for bravery, Balaji said the response of students in Achalpur made him think of similar initiatives at other taluka police stations too. “Today, we have opened these study centres in 13 taluka police stations of the district,” he said.
Daryapur, Anjangaon Surji, Dharni, Chikhaldara, Achalpur, Morshi, Warud, Chandur Railway, Chandur Bazar, Dhamangaon Railway, Nandgaon Khandeshwar, Teosa, Daryapur and Paratwada police station premises have these study centres which cater to students 24X7.
“Our centres run 24X7 and offer a conducive atmosphere and complete security to the students studying there,” Balaji said.
“Good Samaritans from the society have come forward and donated books and other items for these study centres as we do not have special funds right now. However, we are soon going to submit a detailed proposal before the DPDC for funds. Guardian minister Yashomati Thakur and state minister Bachhu Kadu have lauded our initiative and promised funds,” Balaji said.
Our local PSIs are managing these centres. The study centre at Dharni is the first opened by anybody in that taluka while we had to hold an entrance exam to select students there as 300 turned up for admission against our capacity of 30, Balaji said.
APJ Abdul Kalam Study Centres have opened up new avenues for rural students who are determined and study with spirit. They are not only getting all the facilities but also a secure atmosphere to study 24X7 and that too without any charges. “There is no entrance fees. The centres are free for all and open to all kinds of students. The rural youth had to go to cities to study, which was quite expensive.These centres have saved their expenditure,” Balaji said.
“We have plans to give them identity cards and already started a suggestion box in which students can drop their requirement for books,” he said.
Thanks to this praiseworthy initiative of the SP Balaji, Amravati rural police has become the first and the only police force in the entire state to think of and implement this novel concept for rural students.
“We wish to take this concept to smaller police stations too where there may not be students for competitive exams but they will cater to the needs of school students,” Balaji said.