Delhi literally lives up to its reputation of being the hub of civil service aspirants. Often, the highest number of successful candidates each year will be trained in the national capital. No wonder Civil Service aspirants from across India continue to flock here.
Though the myth that you can achieve an IAS or IPS selection only by preparing in Delhi has changed, the National Capital Territory is still a preferred destination for those preparing for the Civil Services Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). There are hundreds of coaching institutes based in Mukherjee Nagar and Karol Bagh with apt facilities, including small cubicles, enough for one to read a book or study with focus. Many quietly travel to the capital city without even intimating their household to realize their big dreams.
So, why is Delhi special?
What is the X factor here that attracts IAS aspirants in large numbers? The students themselves answer the question:
• Atmosphere: Your classmates and those you come across are all having that big dream – Civil Service. The constant inspiration and focused goal it creates in you helps a lot in achieving the target.
• A gamut of facilities: Facility for excellent training, no matter the subject you choose.
• Notes: You will receive the best-prepared notes and reference materials for preliminary and main exams.
• Mentoring: Students vouch that they receive individual attention and excellent guidance despite the large number of students in coaching centres.
The daily grind
Most of the major coaching centres provide 10 months of training from June to March-April. Daily four to five hours of class are held. The class for a batch will start at 7.30 am and extend up to 11.30-12 noon. Those who clear the UPSC exam on the first attempt are very few. As per the UPSC’s 2020-21 annual report, 71 candidates cleared the exam on the first attempt itself, 152 on the second appearance, 182 on the third attempt, and 183 on the fourth try. The number of persons who emerged victorious in the fifth appearance is 155 that year.
The world of cubicles
A majority of trainees amass notes and reference materials in the first year and will then prepare hard after having an idea of proper study methods. There are institutes that set up cubicles for such aspirants. The same will cost a monthly fee of Rs 1,500 to 2,000. You will get a table to keep your books and a chair to sit on. AC is provided and some centres will have Wi-Fi too. You can go there anytime.
Then there are those who return home after the first year and prepare for UPSC exam. The cubicle system has extended to other cities too, targeting this lot. The facility is now available in Thiruvananthapuram too.
“Many will advise to totally avoid social media and other such things. But I feel it’s enough to control their usage. The learning atmosphere in Delhi is totally different and is one that inspires you all the time,” said Roslin Paul Dominic, a Civil Service aspirant.
M P Abhiram, another aspirant, is set to return to Thiruvananthapuram from Delhi so that he can continue the preparation at his native place. "I studied for one year in Delhi. Now I have decided to return," he said, while also sharing a popular joke shared among civil services trainees.
"Delete Instagram and download Telegram. You get a lot of notes on Telegram," he remarked on the latest trends in studies.
Malayalam as an optional subject
In 2019, as many as 105 candidates wrote the Main examination after choosing Malayalam as an optional subject. Thirteen of them cleared the exam, the success percentage being 12.4 %.
The maximum number of candidates opted for Geography that year: 1,916; 105 out of them cracked the exam, a winning percentage of 5.5%. Similarly, 1,662 candidates chose Political Science as the optional subject and 137 of them cleared the examination, a success percentage of 8.2 %.
Be wary of CSAT
The Part-B Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) section of the preliminary examination is getting tougher and tougher by each year with the share of questions on Mathematics growing. Only if you get a minimum score of 66 out of 200 will your performance in Paper-1 be considered. Hence, candidates should prepare well for this paper, advised teachers.