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News18
18-07-2025
- News18
Why This Rajasthan Family Is Known As India's ‘IAS Factory'
Two remarkable families, from Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, have produced multiple IAS and IPS officers—proving that legacy, dedication, and education shape success UPSC Success Stories: A family from Naharsinghpura village in Bamanwas, located in Rajasthan's Sawai Madhopur district, has recently captured national attention. Dubbed the 'IAS factory', this remarkable family has produced six Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers, an exceptional feat by any standard. The latest addition to this legacy is Arnab Pratap Singh, who secured an All-India Rank of 430 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2022. His academic journey is equally commendable: he holds an MBBS degree from Maulana Azad Medical College, Lucknow, and received his early education at City Montessori School (CMS) in Lucknow and Delhi Public School (DPS) in Delhi. Arnab hails from a family steeped in the civil services tradition. His father, Babulal Meena, is a 1991 batch IAS officer currently serving in Uttar Pradesh. His mother, Veena Meena, is also an IAS officer, having joined the 1993 batch, and serves in the same cadre. The family's distinguished record continues with Arnab's uncle, Dr Battilal Meena (his father's elder brother), a retired IAS officer who has been instrumental in shaping this legacy. Adding to this impressive lineage are two of Arnab's cousins, daughters of his uncles, both of whom successfully cleared the UPSC in 2016 and are currently serving as IAS officers in the Gujarat cadre. The family's unwavering dedication to public service across generations is nothing short of inspiring, setting a benchmark for aspirants nationwide. A similar tale of success emerges from Lalganj, a small town in the Pratapgarh district of Uttar Pradesh. Here, the Mishra family has carved its own unique place in UPSC history. Four siblings from this household have gone on to become IAS and IPS officers; an extraordinary accomplishment achieved through perseverance, resilience, and sheer merit. The journey began in 2013 with Yogesh Mishra, who was the first in the family to crack the UPSC. Inspired by him, his sister Madhavi Mishra entered the Indian Administrative Service in 2015. Their elder sister, Kshama Mishra, overcame significant personal and financial hardships to become an IPS officer in 2016. The youngest, Lokesh Mishra, later joined the civil services as an IAS officer, completing the family's remarkable quartet of success. The achievements of the Mishra siblings are well recognised in their region, and they continue to serve as a powerful source of motivation for local youth. Their story proves that with determination and hard work, even the most ambitious goals can be achieved. A Legacy Of Service And Inspiration The stories of the Meena and Mishra families serve as shining examples of what sustained effort, a strong educational foundation, and family support can accomplish. With multiple members from single families entering the civil services, their achievements go beyond personal success; they inspire entire communities and demonstrate the transformative power of education and ambition. view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
17-07-2025
- Time of India
Miles to go beyond cleanliness towards a sustainable future
Indore: Fresh off its historic eighth consecutive win in the Swachh Survekshan and a dominant performance in the elite 'Super Swachh League,' Indore is already charting its next ambitious course. The city, a pioneer in sanitation, is now focusing on a comprehensive strategy to enhance its livability, targeting environmental sustainability, resource management, and digital transformation. "While meticulously working on the toolkit for Swachh Survekshan 2024-25, we simultaneously identified our next targets," stated IMC additional commissioner Abhilash Mishra. He outlined a multi-faceted plan that includes establishing new processing plants, improving air quality, reducing freshwater consumption, promoting treated water reuse, intensifying "Catch the Rain" initiatives, expanding renewable energy through solar plants, and ultimately, decreasing per capita garbage generation. IMC is committed to developing more state-of-the-art processing facilities to unlock the full potential of waste. Mishra revealed plans to establish a bio-briquette plant, a pyrolysis plant, a cloth recycling plant, and a glass recycling plant. These projects aim to extract maximum value from various waste streams. Furthermore, IMC has already initiated efforts to make the Indore Zoo, Choithram Sabji Mandi, and all remaining wards, zones, and slums 'zero waste' areas. Regarding waste reduction, Mishra said, "Decreasing per person garbage collection is a long-term target. In the last seven years, it significantly reduced from 436 gram per person to 418 grams per person." He emphasized that the '5R' concept (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle) will be crucial for further reduction. To this end, IMC has already established community initiatives such as Bartan Bank (Utensil Bank), Jhola Bank (Bag Bank), Nekki Ki Diwar (Wall of Kindness), and various RRR (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) centres. "Improving Indore's Air Quality Index (AQI) is another key focus, with a target to reduce it from the current level of below 80 to below 60. To achieve this, AICTSL (Atal Indore City Transport Services Limited) has already begun replacing its diesel-run buses with CNG and electric vehicles. The city has also set up numerous charging stations to encourage the adoption of Electric Vehicles (EVs)," he said. Other measures include regular mechanised sweeping, washing, and mist spraying for road dust suppression, green-net covering on under-construction structures, setting up more AQI monitoring stations, and ensuring end-to-end pavement, the senior official added. In terms of water management, IMC is establishing a vast network of treated water pipelines for public gardens, dividers, and greenbelts. "Our target is to increase the reuse of treated water and reduce the consumption of freshwater," Mishra explained. The 'Catch the Rain' campaign, promoting rooftop rainwater harvesting systems, is also a high priority. Mishra highlighted the economic benefit, stating, "It costs us around Rs 800 per person to supply Narmada water to approximately 35 lakh people of Indore, while our return is only Rs 200 per person. All these efforts will also reduce this financial burden on IMC." Beyond these initiatives, IMC aims to make its entire system more technologically driven through AI and other interventions, such as installing Internet of Things (IoT) devices in public toilets for better monitoring and improved services. Efforts are also underway to increase the public CCTV network, develop dense plantations, create more gardens, and organise activities that promote happiness and health among citizens, all contributing to making Indore a more livable city. He affirmed Indore's commitment to forging a distinguished identity as a 'Clean, Green, Safe, Healthy, and Solar City,' with IMC actively working on all related components to realise this vision. Indore: Fresh off its historic eighth consecutive win in the Swachh Survekshan and a dominant performance in the elite 'Super Swachh League,' Indore is already charting its next ambitious course. The city, a pioneer in sanitation, is now focusing on a comprehensive strategy to enhance its livability, targeting environmental sustainability, resource management, and digital transformation. "While meticulously working on the toolkit for Swachh Survekshan 2024-25, we simultaneously identified our next targets," stated IMC additional commissioner Abhilash Mishra. He outlined a multi-faceted plan that includes establishing new processing plants, improving air quality, reducing freshwater consumption, promoting treated water reuse, intensifying "Catch the Rain" initiatives, expanding renewable energy through solar plants, and ultimately, decreasing per capita garbage generation. IMC is committed to developing more state-of-the-art processing facilities to unlock the full potential of waste. Mishra revealed plans to establish a bio-briquette plant, a pyrolysis plant, a cloth recycling plant, and a glass recycling plant. These projects aim to extract maximum value from various waste streams. Furthermore, IMC has already initiated efforts to make the Indore Zoo, Choithram Sabji Mandi, and all remaining wards, zones, and slums 'zero waste' areas. Regarding waste reduction, Mishra said, "Decreasing per person garbage collection is a long-term target. In the last seven years, it significantly reduced from 436 gram per person to 418 grams per person." He emphasized that the '5R' concept (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle) will be crucial for further reduction. To this end, IMC has already established community initiatives such as Bartan Bank (Utensil Bank), Jhola Bank (Bag Bank), Nekki Ki Diwar (Wall of Kindness), and various RRR (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) centres. "Improving Indore's Air Quality Index (AQI) is another key focus, with a target to reduce it from the current level of below 80 to below 60. To achieve this, AICTSL (Atal Indore City Transport Services Limited) has already begun replacing its diesel-run buses with CNG and electric vehicles. The city has also set up numerous charging stations to encourage the adoption of Electric Vehicles (EVs)," he said. Other measures include regular mechanised sweeping, washing, and mist spraying for road dust suppression, green-net covering on under-construction structures, setting up more AQI monitoring stations, and ensuring end-to-end pavement, the senior official added. In terms of water management, IMC is establishing a vast network of treated water pipelines for public gardens, dividers, and greenbelts. "Our target is to increase the reuse of treated water and reduce the consumption of freshwater," Mishra explained. The 'Catch the Rain' campaign, promoting rooftop rainwater harvesting systems, is also a high priority. Mishra highlighted the economic benefit, stating, "It costs us around Rs 800 per person to supply Narmada water to approximately 35 lakh people of Indore, while our return is only Rs 200 per person. All these efforts will also reduce this financial burden on IMC." Beyond these initiatives, IMC aims to make its entire system more technologically driven through AI and other interventions, such as installing Internet of Things (IoT) devices in public toilets for better monitoring and improved services. Efforts are also underway to increase the public CCTV network, develop dense plantations, create more gardens, and organise activities that promote happiness and health among citizens, all contributing to making Indore a more livable city. He affirmed Indore's commitment to forging a distinguished identity as a 'Clean, Green, Safe, Healthy, and Solar City,' with IMC actively working on all related components to realise this vision.
India Today
03-07-2025
- India Today
Gold medal, no job: Inside the irony of Indian 'Merit'
It was a cold January morning when Swati Mishra, a gold medalist from Delhi University, sat refreshing her inbox for the 47th time that week. She had it all, stellar grades, ten shining medals, fifty certificates, and the prized "University Topper" title. Her family had already started referring to her as Professor Mishra as if it were a certainty. But job offer? Internship? Even a callback? she did what most frustrated Gen Z achievers do: she took to LinkedIn. "No job. No internship. Nothing. Companies don't want toppers who only mug up notes," she wrote in a brutally honest post that quickly went viral. In a country that reveres the academic topper like a demi-god, the irony couldn't be more NUMBERS THAT DON'T ADD UP According to the Mercer | Mettl India Graduate Skill Index 2024, only 42.6% of Indian graduates are employable , a decline from 44.3% the previous year. The report cited a lack of practical skills, weak communication, and outdated curricula as key reasons behind the fall. The situation is worse in technical education. India produces nearly 9 lakh engineering graduates every year, yet more than half struggle to find employment in core or relevant industries , a long-standing issue flagged in reports by the AICTE and data from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023-24 shows a striking contrast:Unemployment among graduates is estimated at 29.1%,While illiterate youth have an unemployment rate of just 3.4%. THE TOPPERS' TRAPSo, how did we get here?The Indian education system, especially in public and traditional universities, still leans heavily on memory-based testing and theoretical knowledge. Real-world application, internships, communication, collaboration, and adaptability skills most in demand today are often missing from syllabi. In her viral post, Swati pointed to this gap:"We are pushed to memorise. Not to practice."REAL VOICES, REAL FRUSTRATIONSAnother LinkedIn post that caught public attention was by Lovish Anand, who shared findings from the same Mettl report, stating: "Indian degrees are not useless. But when only 42.6% of grads are employable, we can't just keep blaming students. Institutions must evolve. His post triggered wide engagement from educators and hiring managers alike, many agreeing that "gold medals don't guarantee job readiness anymore."A CURRICULUM FROZEN IN TIMEA 2022 report from India Today on Youth Skill Day showed that over 60% of employers feel graduates lack soft skills, and over 50% feel students are poorly trained in practical industry tools. As a result, many companies now hire based on skills-first assessments rather than just academic scores. This trend has been amplified by the rise of skilling platforms and bootcamps, such as Scaler, Masai School, and upGrad, which are offering intensive, job-focused 'MERIT'advertisementTo be clear, merit still matters-but it needs a serious a "topper" today doesn't automatically imply employability unless it's paired with practical exposure, adaptability, and emotional intelligence. Institutions across India are slowly waking up to this:The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 proposes a multidisciplinary, skill-based private universities like Ashoka, Shiv Nadar, and FLAME already integrate experiential learning into their in most public institutions-where the bulk of India's youth are enrolled-rote learning remains the dominant currency. India's obsession with academic medals has created an ecosystem where students chase marks over meaning, memory over mastery. But employers aren't impressed world is asking: Can you solve a problem? Communicate your idea? Work with a team? And for that, a gold medal just isn't enough.- Ends
