In this episode of The Syllabus of Life, IRS Ravi Kapoor is joined by Alok Ranjan, retired IAS officer and former Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh. With 38 years of administrative experience — including serving as Chief Adviser to the Chief Minister and Chairman of UPSIDC — he brings rare insight into governance, development, and the inner workings of India’s largest state.

Together, they discuss:

• Akhilesh Yadav’s development phase and policy style
• Why Uttar Pradesh functions like “a country, not a state”
• The real reasons industrial growth remained concentrated
• How law-and-order impacts development in UP
• Corruption, the posting mafia, and systemic challenges
• Why the Yamuna and Ganga remain polluted despite massive projects
• Noida vs Gurugram: what smart urban planning looks like

A deep, candid conversation on governance, leadership, and the complexities of transforming a state as vast and diverse as Uttar Pradesh.