What Shankar IAS Academy does

Shankar IAS Academy is a privately-held, Chennai-headquartered civil services coaching institute founded in 2004 by Mr. Shankar Devarajan that prepares candidates for the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) and the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) examinations, alongside adjacent Banking/SSC segments. The academy operates 13 physical branches across India (Chennai - Anna Nagar and Adyar, Delhi - Old Rajinder Nagar, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram, Bhubaneswar, Madurai, Salem, Trichy, Coimbatore, Namakkal, Thiruvarur) supported by an interactive two-way online live-class platform, dedicated Android and iOS mobile applications, and a postal study-materials business covering the rest of India.

Its core products comprise multi-year classroom foundation programmes such as Sadhana (a two-year UPSC foundation course) and the General Studies Prelims cum Mains (GSPCM) course, plus stage-specific offerings: UPSC Prelims test series (Prestorming/Prefit), AI-powered Mains test series (Moksha), optional subject coaching across Sociology, Economics, Geography, Public Administration, PSIR, Anthropology, Tamil Literature, Mathematics, Agriculture, English and Law, the CivilIASation interview guidance programme, and the CHAKRA current affairs track. A parallel TNPSC stack covers Group I, II, IIA and IV plus I'M TOP prelims test series and EnRichment General Tamil/English test series. Adjacent revenue streams include the wholly-owned Shankar Banking Academy (Bank PO/SSC CGL coaching), the IAS Parliament digital current affairs platform launched in 2016, TNPSC Thervupettagam, and the Bookmark in-house bookstore. Supporting infrastructure includes 900+ hours of classroom teaching and 100+ hours of individual mentoring per foundation cohort, plus 40+ partner hostels for outstation students.

The business model is predominantly business-to-consumer, with multi-year tuition subscriptions priced at ₹100,000-₹186,000 inclusive of GST for flagship UPSC programmes, ₹30,000-₹100,000 for TNPSC depending on tier and course, ₹14,000-₹20,000 for CSAT, ₹34,000 per optional subject, and ₹3,000-₹9,500 for standalone test series. A secondary business-to-government channel runs through preferred-partner contracts with the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (Government of India) and eight state governments (Karnataka, West Bengal, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Andhra Pradesh via YSR Vidyonnathi, Jammu & Kashmir) which underwrite coaching seats for Scheduled Caste / Scheduled Tribe and economically weaker section candidates. EMI payment options, discounts for returning students on test series, and free content marketing via YouTube and social media complete the demand-generation stack. The company is bootstrapped with no disclosed external funding and operates with approximately 187 employees.

Name

Shankar IAS Academy

Legal name

Shankar IAS Academy

Website

https://shankariasacademy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Shankar IAS Academy is a Chennai-headquartered coaching institute, founded in 2004, that prepares UPSC and TNPSC civil services aspirants through 13 pan-Indian branches, interactive online classes, test series, postal materials and government-partnered training programmes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chennai

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. UPSC Foundation Courses: General Studies Prelims cum Mains (GSPCM) classroom coaching with fees ranging from ₹100,000 to ₹186,000 depending on location. Includes comprehensive study materials and GST.
2. UPSC Optional Subject Coaching: Individual optional subject coaching at ₹34,000 per subject for subjects like Sociology, Economics, Geography, Public Administration, PSIR, Anthropology, Tamil Literature, Mathematics, Agriculture, English, and Law
3. CSAT Coaching: CSAT coaching at ₹14,000 (Chennai) and ₹20,000 (Delhi) for aptitude and reasoning preparation
4. TNPSC Coaching Programs: TNPSC Group I, II, IIA, and IV coaching with fees ranging from ₹30,000 to ₹100,000 depending on course type and location
5. TNPSC Test Series: Test series programs including Group I Prelims (₹3,000-₹9,500), Group II/IIA Prelims (₹6,000-₹7,000), and Enrichment Test Series (₹3,500)
6. Study Materials/Postal Materials: Sale of books and study materials delivered via courier or speed post across India
7. Two-Year UPSC Foundation (Sadhana): Comprehensive two-year classroom program for early-stage UPSC preparation

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Shankar IAS Academy provides classroom and online coaching programs for UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE), TNPSC state services, and Banking/SSC examinations, supported by AI-powered test series, mentorship, and proprietary study materials. Core revenue comes from multi-year coaching subscriptions (UPSC GSPCM Foundation, Sadhana 2-year program, optional subjects, TNPSC PCM, test series) priced from Rs 14,000 to Rs 1,86,000 inclusive of GST, plus postal study materials sold separately.

Product overview

Shankar IAS Academy operates as a coaching institute with a multi-product, multi-brand portfolio offering both online and offline educational services. The core offering centers on UPSC Civil Services examination preparation through multiple integrated products: GSPCM Foundation Course (the primary coaching programme), Sadhana (2-year foundation course), Moksha (Mains test series), and optional subject programmes. A parallel suite covers TNPSC state-level examinations with PCM courses and test series products. Digital extensions include IAS Parliament (current affairs platform), postal study materials, and online mentoring services. Related sub-brands extend into Banking/SSC coaching and TNPSC-specific resources. The company pioneered interactive online UPSC courses in India and maintains both classroom-based and digital delivery modes across 11+ branches.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Shankar Banking Academy: Banking and SSC competitive exam coaching institute operated under the Shankar IAS Academy umbrella.
• IAS Parliament
• TNPSC Thervupettagam

Products and services

• UPSC General Studies Prelims cum Mains (GSPCM) Foundation Course Comprehensive UPSC coaching covering both Preliminary and Mains examination preparation with extensive classroom teaching (900+ hours), test series, and mentorship. Offered at Chennai (Rs 1,38,000), Delhi (Rs 1,00,000), Bengaluru (Rs 1,48,000), with combined GSPCM+CSAT+Optional at Rs 1,86,000 in Chennai.
• Sadhana (II Year UPSC Foundation Course)

Quantifiable outcome

• 202 selections out of 958 in UPSC CSE 2025 (21.1% success rate)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Government of Himachal PradeshcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Preferred Coaching Partner for civil services preparation, providing coaching support for students from Himachal Pradesh.
• Government of MeghalayacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Preferred Coaching Partner for civil services preparation, extending coaching services to students from Meghalaya.
• Government of Jammu & KashmircoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Preferred Coaching Partner for civil services preparation, extending services to students from J&K region.
• Government of KeralacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Preferred Coaching Partner for civil services preparation, with partnership active during 2023-24.
• Government of West BengalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Preferred UPSC Coaching Partner for students from West Bengal, with continuous recognition from 2021 to 2024.
• YSR Vidyonnathi (Government of Andhra Pradesh)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Preferred UPSC and TNPSC Coaching Partner under YSR Vidyonnathi scheme for providing coaching to economically deprived candidates in Andhra Pradesh.
• Government of Karnataka - Department of Social WelfarecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Preferred UPSC and TNPSC Coaching Partner for students from Karnataka government welfare departments, with ongoing partnerships in 2019, 2023, and 2024.
• Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (Government of India)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPreferred Civil Services Training Partner chosen by Government of India for UPSC and TNPSC coaching programs, demonstrating institutional recognition and quality assurance from the central government.
• Sigaram FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPreferred UPSC Coaching Partner recognized by Sigaram Foundation for providing quality coaching services.
• Shankar Memorial Educational & Charitable TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrust established to ensure upliftment of deserving candidates among economically deprived and differently-abled candidates across the country.
• Bookmark (Academy Bookstore)minorOthersIn-house bookstore operated by Managing Partner Dr. S.R. Deenadayalan, providing study materials and books for academy students.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Drishti IAS: Drishti IAS is a major UPSC coaching institute with strong Hindi and English medium offerings, classroom programs, test series, and interview guidance. It competes head-to-head with Shankar IAS across UPSC General Studies, optional subjects, and online delivery, especially for Hindi-medium aspirants.
• Rau's IAS Study Circle: Rau's IAS Study Circle is one of the oldest UPSC coaching institutes in Delhi, offering General Studies, optional subjects, test series, and interview guidance. Comparable to Shankar IAS as a long-standing, classroom-led UPSC coaching brand targeting the same Civil Services aspirant base.
• Insights IAS: Insights IAS is a Bangalore-based UPSC coaching institute strong in online initiatives, daily current affairs, and test series. It is comparable to Shankar IAS in its emphasis on Prelims and Mains test series and digital-first delivery to UPSC aspirants across India.
• Unacademy: Unacademy is a large online learning platform offering UPSC, banking, SSC, and other competitive exam courses via subscriptions. While broader in scope, its UPSC vertical competes directly with Shankar IAS's interactive online UPSC classes and test series, particularly with NRI and Tier 2/3 city aspirants.
• Vision IAS: Vision IAS offers UPSC classroom coaching, online courses, test series, and interview programs with a strong footprint in Delhi and online. It overlaps directly with Shankar IAS's GSPCM foundation, optional subject, and test series products.
• Chanakya IAS Academy: Chanakya IAS Academy offers UPSC and state PSC coaching programs across multiple branches in India. It is directly comparable to Shankar IAS in product mix (GS, optional, test series) and in serving aspirants preparing for both UPSC and state-level civil services exams.
• Vajiram & Ravi: Vajiram & Ravi is a leading Delhi-based UPSC Civil Services coaching institute offering General Studies, optional subjects, test series, and interview guidance. It is one of Shankar IAS's most direct competitors, particularly for the North Indian UPSC aspirant market and Delhi-based classroom delivery.
• NEXT IAS: NEXT IAS provides UPSC, PCS, and SSC coaching with classroom and online delivery across multiple Indian cities. It is comparable to Shankar IAS as a multi-city UPSC coaching brand with similar GS, optional, and test series product suites.

Broad incumbents

• BYJU'S Exam Prep: BYJU'S Exam Prep is the test-preparation arm of BYJU'S covering UPSC, banking, SSC, CAT, and other competitive exams. As a large incumbent with deep capital and content breadth, it competes with Shankar IAS across online UPSC delivery while serving a much wider exam portfolio.

Emerging players

• Mrunal.org: Mrunal is an online education platform focused on UPSC General Studies, economy, and current affairs content, popular among self-study aspirants. It is comparable to Shankar IAS's IAS Parliament and current affairs offerings as a low-cost online alternative for UPSC preparation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/shankarias
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/ShankarIASAcademyVideos
• Facebookfacebook.com/shankariasacademy
• Instagraminstagram.com/shankariasacademy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shankariasacademy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Shankar IAS Academy