Interview with A.K. Mishra, director, Chanakya IAS Academy, New Delhi.
THE Chanakya IAS Academy, New Delhi, is the product of the vision of a man who has institutionalised motivational training through his Art of Success programme. A.K. Mishra, the director of the institute, claims to know an administrator's mindset or what he calls administrative software.
What makes your art of success programme successful?
Art of Success is a motivational-cum-training programme that aims at unleashing the unlimited power of the human mind. I feel that everyone has unlimited powers to succeed and reach any height in life. Everyone is born with a set of unique potentials and if he is trained properly in the art to use his potential he can create wonders in his life and for society.
Unfortunately, the motivation level in the youth of our country in general is low as they grow up in an atmosphere of insecurity and cut-throat competition without much emotional back-up or the right training to face them. Through this programme I help my students recognise their true potential and learn how to use it to be sure of their success, be it in the civil services examinations or any other field. The Art of Success programme has been made an integral part of the well-known guidance programme of Chanakya IAS Academy, namely, the Upgraded Foundation Course and the Interview Guidance Programme, and it has shown tremendous results.
The CSAT focusses more on management-oriented studies. Your comments.
The aptitude test of the CSAT is different from the ones for management studies. Ours is a welfare state with a number of diversities, and in these situations our civil servants play challenging roles. It cannot be denied that the basic merits of management have to be incorporated in government services also. But the aptitude for this has to be developed not in the profit-making spirit of corporates, but keeping in mind the needs of development, with the welfare spirit of the Constitution. The skills of management services should be incorporated in government services, and this is rapidly being done. But the objectives of government services should be properly taken care of while doing so.
What is the USP of your institute and has it produced the desired results?
Our institute has been different in terms of its guidance programme, the care it takes of students and the results it achieves. I had seen Chanakya IAS Academy as an institution in a real sense and not as a typical coaching institute. The academy focusses on the overall development of a candidate in addition to quality guidance in subjects and the courses offered. The Art of Success programme and the development of soft skills for civil services in candidates make our institute distinct.
Your interview' coaching is a huge success. Can you tell us why?
The Interview Guidance Programme has been our core area of competence. With my deep understanding of the traits for civil services, I have been able to design this programme in such a way that a candidate meets the expectations of the interview board. Under this programme, I make sure that the mock interview panel has retired bureaucrats and other experts along the lines of the UPSC panel, and that interviews are conducted in simulated conditions.
The second is the direct transmission of interviews going on in the board room to the waiting lounge, which helps candidates learn from others' performances. Each interview and its feedback is recorded and given to the candidate concerned to review and improve.
The third step is that I counsel them personally and help them to understand how to use their strengths and convert their weaknesses into strengths, and back it up with case studies.
A Special Correspondent
COMMents
SHARE