IIT-Madras alumnus launches ‘smart test series’ for UPSC aspirants

A start-up incubated by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has developed a ‘smart test series’ for UPSC aspirants. The test series will give a data-driven analysis for each aspirant for every single test they take. The algorithm, developed by ExcelOn Academy provides analysis of strong and weak areas based on candidates’ test performance, claims IIT-Madras in a release.

The startup – ExcelOn Academy – offers around 4,200 UPSC-quality questions and three levels of analysis, free of cost for 20 candidates from economically weaker backgrounds. It is offering four tests covering static, current affairs and CSAT, along with its three levels of test analysis, free of cost to all UPSC aspirants.

Over 5,000 civil service aspirants are already using Excelon Academy’s services for their preparations from the upcoming prelims exam, the start-up claims.

The series does not provide generic feedback such as “you need to improve in Polity”, instead it provides the aspirant with specific colour-coded (red, yellow, green) feedback such as “You are weak in Fundamental rights, Union executive,” “average in Judiciary” and “strong in centre-State relations”, claims the official statement.

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In addition, for each of the incorrect and un-attempted question, it points to the chapter number that needs to be studied by the test taker, making selective revision possible. With only a few months left for UPSC CSE prelims 2021, consolidation and selective revision is the key to success.

ExcelOn Academy has been co-founded by T Uday Kumar, an IIT Madras alumnus who cleared UPSC Indian Engineering Service in 2000 in his first attempt, and Muthu Kumar Raju, a US-based tech entrepreneur specialising in building technology platforms for start-ups and aspiring businesses.

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T Uday Kumar, who has several years of experience in coaching civil service aspirants, said, “In a traditional test series, while the focus is justifiably on mimicking the prelims standards, what is completely missing is the focus on the aspirant, her/his individual learning patterns, challenges, strengths/weakness. The traditional test series score is only an indicator of performance as good/average/bad as a whole. But this by itself is not an actionable insight for the aspirant.”