The top academics and retired IAS and IPS officers in Kerala are helming an institute which is all set to introduce an ambitious program named 'OneSchool One IAS' that seeks to “demolish the general notion that civil services are for the elite class alone.”

However, the Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan would be inaugurating the scheme this weekend, that is being rolled out under the Vedhik Erudite Foundations Scholarship Program, the foundation said in a release here on Wednesday.

It said the program provides free training to economically backward, but academically bright aspirants of civil services and other competitive exams. The scheme, supported by sponsors, envisages enrollment of 10,000 boys and girls across Kerala. The beneficiaries will be selected by a panel headed by the heads of respective educational institutions.

The Governor would inaugurate, through video conferencing, declare the program open at the function here on January 16.

The trainers comprise Kerala former Additional Chief Secretary O P Minocha, Retd Col D S Cheema, CMAI Association of India President Prof N K Goyal, senior IAS officer Vivek Atre and Santhosh George Kulangara, also a well-known globetrotter. The Kochi-headquartered institution has an office in Delhi.

Present at the ceremony in Grand Hyatt Hotel will be state Education Minister Prof C Raveendranath, Cardinal Mar George Alencherry, former Chief Secretary and UN Consultant Dr C V Ananda Bose, IAS, film actress Manju Warrier and officials of the Vedhik IAS Academy.

Actress Manju Warrier would be sponsoring 10 studious, but financially weak girl students from different districts. The initiative envisages equipping students with not just preparing for the civil services, but other competitive exams as well.