Guwahati, February 18 – Gauhati University’s focused effort to support aspirants for competitive exams has yielded tangible results, with 13 candidates trained under its Initiative for Competitive Examinations (GUICE) successfully passing the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) 2024, university officials said on Wednesday.
The successful candidates were part of a free, specialized interview preparation program organized by the University for those who had qualified for the final stage of the prestigious state civil services examination.
The program, conducted under the GUICE framework, emphasized mock interviews, personality development, and practical orientation for viva voce.
Vice Chancellor Prof. Nani Gopal Mahanta said that the outcome validated the University's vision of extending academic support beyond traditional classroom teaching. "GUICE reflects Gauhati University's commitment to nurturing excellence and preparing students for public leadership roles. Competitive examinations are gateways to governance, and universities must actively support aspirants in this journey," he said.
GUICE was launched in 2024 as a career-oriented initiative and subsequently led to the restructuring of the University's Pre-Examination Training Cell (PETC), which now places special emphasis on civil services and other competitive examinations. The training model combines long-term subject preparation with targeted interview coaching.
The specialized interview preparation program was conducted under the supervision of former APSC Chairman Bharat Bhushan Dev Choudhury and involved candidates from the 2024–25 batch who had qualified for the mains examination.
GUICE operates through two dedicated streams – a long-term coaching module covering core subjects, and a specialized interview-preparation module aimed at boosting confidence and clarity through repeated mock sessions.
Among the successful candidates are Anindita Das (Rank 13, Assam Civil Service), Rinky Rani Das (Rank 24, Assam Civil Service), Antarikhya Sarma (Rank 5, Assistant Manager/Assistant Industries Officer), Mintu Nath (Rank 2, Assistant Registrar of Cooperative Societies), Girish Patodia (Rank 8, Assam Finance Service), Himakshi Baruah (Rank 4, Inspector of Taxes) and Rajib Kalita (Rank 4, Assistant Employment Officer), among others.
Registrar Prof. Utpal Sarma said that the program focuses equally on competence and public responsibility, while PETC Deputy Director Dr Sanjay Kumar Dutta said that similar initiatives would continue to strengthen aspirant support systems.
University officials congratulated the successful candidates and wished them success in their public service careers.