For every aspirant who thinks about appearing for the civil services exam, the first question that comes to mind is, should they join the coaching for the exam or prepare on their own. Despite the fact that this is a vital question for the majority of candidates, individuals struggle to find a reasonable response to it. If you meet toppers, they would tell you that there is no need for coaching, although the names of toppers can be found at most of the coaching institutes. Thus, an applicant feels perplexed as to what to do or not do for their UPSC exam preparation.
The confusion of aspirants is natural, as many aspirants who begin their preparation for the UPSC Exam are unaware of the exam’s requirements such as syllabus, books to prepare from, what to study and what not, etc. Thus, they look for the best IAS coaching in Delhi, but a majority of them cannot afford to travel to Delhi for coaching. In this article, we will discuss how important it is to join a coaching institute for the IAS Exam preparation, and whether moving to Delhi for taking the coaching is necessary.
Is Coaching Necessary?
The answer to this question is variable and will never be the same for everyone. Every year, many candidates qualify the exam without taking coaching, some even top the exam, so it is evident that coaching is definitely not necessary to qualify or be among the toppers. The decision to join coaching should be based on your understanding of the examination. Coaching just assists you; it does not guarantee you the selection. Your self-study, persistence, and hard effort are considerably more important than whether you have joined a coaching institute or which coaching institute you have joined.
Not more than 25-30 percent of your preparation should depend on coaching classes. The aim of the coaching is to make you aware and show you a direction to tread on, to qualify the exam. To say that you cannot crack UPSC without coaching is a lie. There are people who put in all of their efforts on their own, without taking any coaching and achieving success in this exam. So, it depends on your personal belief, self-discipline, and a basic level of knowledge to determine whether you need coaching.
If you are aware of the exam pattern and know what standard books to study from, and what coaching notes to refer to, and you can understand the topics by reading them, that’s fantastic, and then you don’t need coaching. However, if you are completely uninformed about the exam procedure or the books you need to study, then coaching would undoubtedly assist you to obtain a wide understanding of the exam process, and all the materials you need to study.
Which Coaching Institute to Join?
If you have decided to take coaching, the next question is which institute to join? When considering attending a coaching institute, do not rely just on their promotions. Many institutes just list the names of toppers, even if they may have only visited their institute for a free open mock interview. To make a rational choice, it is usually essential to seek the advice of people who have previously received coaching from that institute. Their opinions, and not the pamphlets of a particular institute, should be given greater importance.
In addition, you don’t even need to go to Delhi for the coaching. The internet has actually revolutionised information and made it available to those in remote places. Many institutes now provide coaching lessons via video lectures. You can choose them as well. Furthermore, internet portals (Mrunal, BYJU’S, ForumIAS, CivilsDaily, Insights, IASBaba, and so on) are available as cost-effective alternatives to the traditional IAS coaching establishments.
Hence, if you have made up your mind to start the preparation for the IAS exam, there are enough means to take help from, other than the traditional coaching institutes to prepare for the exam.