Visakhapatnam: Ever since the news of Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) releasing a job notification had surfaced, the student fraternity has been demanding the government to recommence the operations of the AP Study Circle branch in Visakhapatnam. Several Andhra University students, who are preparing for Civils and Groups exams, felt that they are robbed of opportunities with the lack of a government study circle.

The Vizag centre, which was established in 1988, used to have its honorary director and some faculty from the same pool of eminent professors of Andhra University. The institution in its long run imparted residential coaching to innumerable students for Civil services, Groups and other competitive exams until its operations were suspended in 2010. Its jurisdiction was spread across five districts, i.e., north coastal Andhra Pradesh and dual Godavari districts.
MLC from North Andhra Graduates' constituency, MVS Sarma had recently written a letter to Social and Tribal welfare Minister Ravela Kishore Babu, asking to make the Vizag centre of AP Study Circle operational. “The Vizag centre used to cater to the needs of SC, ST, BC and unemployed candidates of the coastal districts, who app-eared for UPSC and APPSC or other competitive examinations. After bifurcation, there is an urgent need to recomme-nce the study centre,” Mr Sarma said. The Vizag centre was housed in ren-ted buildings from 1988 to 2010. In 2002, the state government earmarked about 3.6 acres of land near Rushikonda to have its own permanent campus, including library and other amenities. But unfortunately, construction of the building is yet to be completed. Uttarandhra Vidyardhi Sena (UVS) president Sunkari Ramana Murthy, observed, “Reopening of the Vizag centre is the need of the hour considering the ensuing job notification. We request the state government and the administration of Andhra University follow the same old mechanism to start/reopen the Vizag centre.”

Deputy director of social welfare department D.V. Ramana Murthy said they are fast-tracking the construction works of the proposed AP study circle campus at Rushikonda. Permanent campus for the study circle would be ready by next year. The state government had already started providing training to all desired candidates through NTR Vidyonnathi at reputed institutions. We would soon start the second batch training,” he added