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The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is India's central agency which conducts many exams to recruit candidates for both civil services as well as defence services. With roughly 10 lakh applicants each year, the Civil Services Exam (CSE) is one of its most competitive exams. Through it, candidates are selected to serve in the administrative, police, foreign and other services as IAS, IPS, IFS officers at the pan-India level.
Cracking the Civil Services Examination typically involves years of preparation, especially for the first two rounds of the three-part selection process — the Preliminary and Main rounds, popularly known as UPSC Prelims and Mains. While coaching is not necessary for everyone, many candidates do opt for it for a systematic, disciplined approach to covering the UPSC Prelims syllabus and UPSC Mains syllabus. These two rounds typically sift out all but 0.2% of the total number of applicants. These top candidates appear for the final round, the interviews.
Where UPSC CSE coaching is concerned, some cities and locations have emerged as prime centres. At present, the top coaching institutes are ones operating in Delhi, Prayagraj (Allahabad) in Uttar Pradesh, and Bengaluru in Karnataka. Based on information gathered from candidates training in these locations, Careers360 has put together cost estimates for living and studying at these centres to help future candidates and their families budget.
While signing up for paid civil service exam coaching is not necessary, it helps candidates access exclusive study materials, developing discipline and time management, and analyse where they stand as compared to other candidates.
In India, almost every state has coaching institutes for the preparation of CSE exam but when it comes to getting quality coaching, students opt for Delhi, typically considered the Mecca of CSE exam preparation. Apart from Delhi, the two other prominent cities for CSE preparation are Prayagraj and Bengaluru. Given below are the top coaching institutes in these cities and their fee structures. And because the fee is rarely the only expense, we have also attempted to provide estimates of cost of living, travel and entertainment in these cities, based on the responses of candidates currently preparing there.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a majority of coaching institutes all across India are offering online classes. In the details given below, wherever “online” is mentioned, consider it as an initiative started by coaching institutes to ensure preparation is not hampered by the pandemic.
Dr. Mukherjee Nagar which is located in North Delhi is the hub of IAS exam coaching centres in Delhi. There are more than 50 coaching centres here and draws most of the CSE aspirants. Every year thousands from across the country come to Delhi to prepare for CSE and most of them prefer residing at Dr. Mukherjee Nagar.
The second prominent area for CSE preparation is Old Rajinder Nagar located in Central Delhi. It is very close to the Karol Bagh metro station (Blue Line). There are more than 25 coaching centres, including branches of the ones in Dr. Mukherjee Nagar.
The following are the major institutions for UPSC CSE coaching in Delhi
Courses / Programmes | Duration | Fees (In Rs) |
General Studies Prelim-Cum-Mains | 36 weeks (2.5 hours per day) | 1,60,000 |
CSAT | 12 weeks (2 hours per day) | 19,000 |
Optional Subjects | Duration | Fees (In Rs) |
Public Administration | 16 weeks (2.5 hours per day) | 50,000 |
Geography | 16 weeks (2.5 hours per day) | 50,000 |
Political Science | 16 weeks (2.5 hours per day) | 50,000 |
Commerce and Accountancy | 16 weeks (2.5 hours per day) | 50,000 |
Economics | 16 weeks (2.5 hours per day) | 50,000 |
Sociology | 16 weeks (2.5 hours per day) | 50,000 |
History | 16 weeks (2.5 hours per day) | 50,000 |
Anthropology | 16 weeks (2.5 hours per day) | 50,000 |
Philosophy | 16 weeks (2.5 hours per day) | 50,000 |
Psychology | 18 weeks | 50,000 |
Mathematics | 24 weeks | 62,000 |
Many coaching institutes accept payment in installments but will charge more for the same course. In the table below and later, the fee shown will be the amount charged for a “one-time payment”. If the institute charges more for payment in installments, that will be mentioned separately.
Courses / Programmes | Fees (One-Time Payment, In Rs) |
General Studies Extensive - Offline | 1,40,000 Installment - 1,60,000 |
General Studies Extensive - Online | 1,25,000 |
General Studies Strategist - Offline | 1,53,900 |
General Studies Strategist - Online | 1,25,000 |
General Studies - Offline | 75,000 |
General Studies - Online | 53,100 |
General Studies Foundation (2-Year Weekend Foundation Programme for Undergraduates) Can be upgraded to General Studies Extensive Programme anytime | 30,000 |
Optional Subjects | Fees (In Rs) |
History | Offline - 41,500 Online - 29,999 |
Public Administration | Offline - 41,500 Online - 29,999 |
Political Science | Offline - 41,500 Online - 29,999 |
Sociology | Offline - 41,500 Online - 29,999 |
Anthropology | Offline - 41,500 Online - 29,999 |
Special Offer (Package): General Studies Strategist + Optional Subject | 1,92,900 |
Also Read | IBPS PO, SBI Clerk: Cost Of Online Coaching For Major Banking Exams
Courses / Programmes | Fees (In Rs) |
General Studies - Offline | 1,60,000 |
Packages: (Offline) General Studies + CSAT General Studies + Optional General Studies + Optional + CSAT | 1,75,000 2,00,000 2,15,000 |
General Studies - Online | 1,25,000 |
Packages: (Online) General Studies + CSAT General Studies + Optional General Studies + Optional + CSAT | 1,40,000 1,60,000 1,75,000 |
CSAT | 21,000 |
Optional Subjects | Fees (In Rs) |
Public Administration | 45,000 |
Political Science | 45,000 |
Sociology | 45,000 |
History | 45,000 |
Anthropology | 45,000 |
This institute is considered one of the best for teaching the UPSC syllabus in Hindi and for teaching Hindi Literature which is an optional subject.
Courses / Programmes | Fees (One-Time Payment, In Rs) |
General Studies Foundation (Prelims + Mains) | 1,25,000 Installment - 1,30,000 |
Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) Online | 18,000 |
Essay | 10,000 |
Optional Subjects | Fees (In Rs) |
History | 45,000 Installment - 50,000 |
Sociology | 45,000 Installment - 50,000 |
Geography | 45,000 Installment - 50,000 |
Public Administration | 45,000 Installment - 50,000 |
Hindi Literature (In recorded format) | 35,000 |
Test Series | Fees (In Rs) |
Prelims Test Series (GS+CSAT) (25 GS + 5 CSAT = 30 Tests) | 30,000 |
Mains Test Series (General Studies) (20 Tests) | 18,000 |
Test Series (Optional Subjects) (16 Tests) | 16,000 |
Combo Packages | Fees (In Rs) |
General Studies (Prelims+Mains) + CSAT + Test Series (Prelims) | 1,50,000 Installment - 1,55,000 |
General Studies (Prelims+Mains) + CSAT | 1,35,000 Installment - 1,40,000 |
General Studies (Prelims+Mains) + CSAT + Essay | 1,45,000 Installment - 1,50,000 |
General Studies (Prelims+Mains) + CSAT + Essay + Test Series (Pre) + Test Series-General Studies (Mains) | 1,67,000 Installment - 1,72,000 |
General Studies (Prelims+Mains) + Hindi Literature (Optional) (Video Class) | 1,52,000 Installment - 1,57,000 |
General Studies (Prelims+Mains) + History/Geography/Sociology/Public Administration | 1,60,000 Installment - 1,70,000 |
General Studies (Prelims+Mains) + Hindi Literature (Optional) (Video Class) + CSAT + Essay | 1,77,000 Installment - 1,82,000 |
General Studies (Prelims+Mains) + History/Geography/Sociology/Public Administration + CSAT + Essay | 1,85,000 Installment - 1,95,000 |
General Studies (Prelims+Mains) + Hindi Literature (Opt.) (Video Class) + CSAT + Essay + Test Series (Prelims) + Test Series-General Studies (Mains) | 1,99,000 Installment - 2,04,000 |
General Studies (Prelims+Mains) + History/Geography/Sociology/Public Administration + CSAT + Essay + Test Series (Prelims) + Test Series-General Studies (Mains) | 2,07,000 Installment - 2,17,000 |
Courses / Programmes | Duration | Fees (In Rs) |
Foundation Course: General Studies, CSAT, Essay, Test Series (P.T/Mains/Integrated) | 9 months | 1,57,000 |
Advance Foundation Course: Foundation and Basic of GS, Cognitive Development, Writing Skills Development & Personality Development Foundation Course: General Studies, CSAT, Essay, Test Series (P.T/Mains/Integrated) | 2 years | Online - 1,85,000 Offline - 2,24,000 |
Foundation Course - Weekend | 1,57,000 | |
Optional Subjects | Fees (In Rs) | |
Political Science and International Relations | 40,000 | |
Geography | 40,000 | |
Sociology | 40,000 | |
Test Series | Fees (In Rs) | |
Prelims Mains Integrated (Prelims+Mains) | 12,000 18,000 25,000 | |
Distance Learning and Mentoring Programme-(General Studies) | 35,000 | |
Viva Guidance | One Week (After publication of the result of UPSC CSE Mains) | 2,000 |
Essay Module | 1 week | 7,000 |
Students attending UPSC exam coaching in Dr Mukherjee Nagar typically reside in Gandhi Vihar, Indira Vihar, Nehru Vihar, Wazirabad, Sant Nagar, Hudson Line, Vijay Nagar and neighbouring areas where there are paying guest accommodations and flats aplenty.
Dr. Mukherjee Nagar is also very close to GTB Nagar metro station (Delhi Metro’s Yellow Line) and Delhi University’s North Campus. There are a lot of street food stalls, dhabas, restaurants, confectionery and sweet shops. This area has a plethora of books and stationery shops as well. Apart from this locality, students hangout at GTB Nagar Metro station area, also known as Camp, Hudson Line and Kamla Nagar Market.
The Rajinder Nagar location is more expensive and therefore, most students studying there prefer to stay in low-cost localities like Patel Nagar, Baljeet Nagar, Inderpuri, Ramesh Nagar and Tilak Nagar. Like Dr. Mukherjee Nagar, this location too has many books and stationery shops and eateries including many street-food stalls. The nearby Karol Bagh market and the Gaffar market are the main places for students to hangout. Connaught Place, or Rajiv Chowk, the heart of Delhi and a major hangout in the city, is very close to this location. It has plenty of shops, right from high-end brands to small stores and food chains.
Both areas are fairly well-connected with metro lines, bus routes and para-transport options such as auto-rickshaws. Apart from coaching fees, students will have to spend on local transportation, books, food and rent among others. Given below are the rough estimates of costs based on inputs from aspirants who are preparing for the CSE exam in Delhi.
Particulars | Amount (In Rs) |
Rent or PG (Cost varies with locality) | 4,500 - 12,000 per month |
Books and Study Materials (Books are one-time purchases) | 3,500 - 6,000 |
Newspapers and Monthly Magazines | 500 - 600 |
Food | 2,000 - 3,500 per month |
Travel | 1,000 - 1,500 per month |
Additional | |
Weekend leisure and entertainment | 500 - 1,000 per weekend |
Miscellaneous | 1,000 per month |
The CSE preparation institutes in Prayagraj are famous for Hindi-medium students and students who wish to write the CSE in Hindi-medium typically go there.
Compared to Delhi, Prayagraj is slightly cheaper in terms of coaching fees and living expenses. The majority of students here are from states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand and are from Hindi-medium backgrounds. They are the ones making Prayagraj a coaching hub.
The following are some of the popular coaching centres and the costs of the courses they offer.
Courses / Programmes | Fee (One-Time Payment, In Rs) |
General Studies | 95,000 Installment - 1,00,000 |
CSAT | 18,000 Installment - 22,000 |
Optional Subjects | Fee (In Rs) |
Hindi Literature (Video Classes) | 33,000 Installment Fee - 35,000 |
History or Geography | 35,000 Installment - 38,000 |
Essay | 10,000 Installment - 10,000 |
Test Series (Prelims) | 10,000 Installment - 10,000 |
Test Series (GS Mains) | 18,000 Installment - 18,000 |
Combo Package | Fee ( One-Time Payment, In Rs) |
GS (IAS + UPPSC) + CSAT + Hindi Optional + Essay + Test Series (PT + GS Mains) | 2,00,000 Installment - 2,11,000 |
GS (IAS + UPPSC) + CSAT + Other Optional + Essay + Test Series (PT + GS Mains) | 2,02,000 Installment - 2,14,000 |
Courses / Programmes | Fee (In Rs) |
General Studies Of Prelims And CST (Exclusive Of GST) | 70,000 |
Complete IAS Coaching (Exclusive Of GST) | 1,34,000 |
Optional Courses | Fee (In Rs) |
History | 20,000 |
Geography | 20,000 |
Political Science | 20,000 |
Sociology | 20,000 |
Hindi Literature | 20,000 |
Given below are the rough estimates of what a candidate preparing for the Civil Service Exam in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, might expect to spend on various things other than coaching. Students prefer staying and hanging out in localities like Chhota Baghara, Allahpur, Katra and Mumfordganj. The following cost estimates have been compiled with inputs shared by students studying in Prayagraj.
Particulars | Amount (In Rs) |
Rent or PG (Cost varies with locality) | 3,000 - 8,000 per month |
Books and Study Materials (Books are one-time purchases) | 3,500 - 6,000 |
Newspapers and Monthly Magazines | 500 - 600 |
Food | 1,500 - 2,000 per month |
Travel | 500 - 1,000 per month |
Additional | |
Weekend leisure and entertainment | 500 - 1,000 per weekend |
Miscellaneous | 1,000 per month |
Bengaluru, apart from being the IT capital of India, is also a major hub for CSE coaching in south India. It is preferred by the students from English-medium background. Jayanagar, a well-known Bengaluru locality, is believed to be the heart of IAS coaching centres in the city. It is close to the GR Education Institution. Jayanagar is one of the city’s oldest and most upscale areas. Currently, there are 36 coaching institutes in Bengaluru. The number of institutes for CSE preparation are increasing every year. Around 20,000 students across the country move to Banglore to take CSE coaching.
The following two are the top institutions for UPSC CSE coaching in Bengaluru.
Courses / Programmes | Fee (In Rs) |
General Studies (Integrated) Program | 1,75,500 |
Optional Subjects | Fee (In Rs) |
Political Science | Offline - 50,000 Online - 45,000 |
Public Administration | Offline - 50,000 Online - 45,000 |
Sociology | Offline - 50,000 Online - 45,000 |
History | Offline - 50,000 Online - 45,000 |
Geography | Offline - 50,000 Online - 45,000 |
Economics | Offline - 50,000 Online - 45,000 |
Anthropology | Offline - 50,000 Online - 45,000 |
Psychology | Offline - 50,000 Online - 45,000 |
Also Read | UPSC IAS Exam (Prelims) Analysis 2021
Courses / Programmes | Duration | Fee (In Rs) |
General studies - Regular (Offline) | Regular - 2 hours 30 min Weekend - 6 hours | 1,06,000 |
CSAT - Regular | Regular - 2 hours or 2 hours 30 min Weekend - 4 hours | 20,000 |
Optional Subjects | Duration (Per Day) | Fee (In Rs) |
Public Administration - Regular (Offline and Online) | 2 hours 30 min | 30,000 |
Psychology - Regular (Offline and Online) | 2 hours 30 min | 30,000 |
Mathematics - Regular (Online) | 2 hours 30 min | 30,000 |
Law - Regular (Online) | 2 hours 30 min | 30,000 |
Agriculture - Regular (Offline and Online) | 2 hours | 30,000 |
Geography - Weekend (Offline and Online) | 5 hours | 30,000 |
Economics - Weekend (Offline and Online) | 4 hours | 30,000 |
PSIR - Weekend (Offline and Online) | 4 hours | 30,000 |
History - Weekend (Offline and Online) | 4 hours | 30,000 |
Tamil Literature - Weekend (Offline and Online) | 3 hours | 30,000 |
Anthropology - Weekend (Offline and Online) | 3 hours 30 min | 30,000 |
Sociology - Weekend (Offline and Online) | 2 hours 30 min | 30,000 |
The cost of living in Bengaluru is significantly higher than any other city in South India. Most students stay either in hostels or as paying guests with families. Jayanagar also has plenty of restaurants and shopping malls.
As per estimates provided by aspirants preparing for the Civil Service Exam in Bengaluru, the cost of living is significantly higher than that of even Delhi. Given below are approximate amounts that a candidate must expect to spend while preparing for exams in Bengaluru.
Particulars | Amount (In Rs) |
Rent or PG (Cost varies by locality) | 3,000 - 10,000 per month |
Books and Study Materials (Books are one-time purchases) | 5,000 |
Newspapers and Monthly Magazines | 400 - 600 per month |
Food | 5,000 per month |
Travel | 2,000 - 3,000 |
Additional | |
Weekend leisure and entertainment | 1500 - 2,000 per weekend |
Others:28 January,2025 - 31 May,2025
Others:18 February,2025 - 31 May,2025
Application Date:07 April,2025 - 10 May,2025
Others:30 April,2025 - 31 May,2025
Interview Date:05 May,2025 - 23 May,2025
Hello!
IRAS (Indian Railway Accounts Service) officers can be posted in both cities and rural areas since Indian Railways has offices and operations nationwide. They typically work in divisional offices, zonal offices, workshops, and production units. Transfers do happen but are usually not very frequent and depend on government policies and organizational needs.
Hope this helps!
To become an IAS officer, you must clear the Civil Services Examination (CSE) conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), and then undergo training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA). While any bachelor's degree is acceptable, choosing a degree that aligns with the UPSC syllabus, particularly in humanities and social sciences, can be advantageous.
UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE):
This is the primary exam for becoming an IAS officer, involving three stages: Preliminary, Main, and Personality Test (Interview).
Any Bachelor's Degree:
A graduate degree from a recognized university is the basic requirement to be eligible for the CSE.
Beneficial Degrees:
Degrees in humanities and social sciences, such as Bachelor of Arts (BA), can be helpful due to the syllabus overlap with subjects like History, Political Science, Sociology, and Economics.
Optional Subject:
You can choose an optional subject in the Mains exam, and a BA degree can provide a wide range of options.
Hope it helps!!
Hello!!
That's a great goal—and your background as a research scholar can actually be a big asset in preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE), which is the path to becoming an IAS officer.
Step-by-Step Guide to Become an IAS Officer:
1. Understand the Exam Structure
The UPSC CSE has three stages:
Prelims: Objective (GS Paper + CSAT)
Mains: Descriptive (9 papers)
Interview: Personality Test
2. Check Eligibility
Age: 21 to 32 (for General category)
Degree: Any graduate degree (you already qualify)
3. Choose Your Optional Subject
Choose something you’re comfortable with (can be from your research field if it's available).
Popular optionals: Sociology, Geography, PSIR, Anthropology, etc.
4. Build a Study Plan
Since you're a research scholar, time management is key.
Daily 4–6 hours of focused study can work if you're consistent.
Focus on:
NCERTs (6th–12th)
Standard books (like Laxmikanth for Polity, Spectrum for History)
Current Affairs (The Hindu, Indian Express, or PIB + Monthly compilations)
5. Join a Test Series (Optional but Helpful)
For Prelims and Mains: to build speed, writing skills, and clarity.
6. Practice Answer Writing
Mains is all about articulation. Practice with previous year questions and mock tests.
7. Appear for the Exam
Notification comes out around February.
Prelims is in May/June, Mains in September, and Interview early next year.
How to Align This With Your Research Schedule:
Create a realistic time-table that includes 2–3 hours on weekdays, and more on weekends.
Use your research experience for deeper understanding and essay writing.
If your goal is to become an IAS officer, choose a degree that supports UPSC preparation and also provides a good backup:
BA in Political Science, History, Geography, or Economics is ideal for IAS.
BSc or BCom is fine too, but you'll need to study humanities separately for UPSC.
For backup, pick a subject with good job prospects like BBA or Computer Science.
KCET is required only if you're planning professional courses like Engineering or Agriculture. It's not needed for BA or general degrees.
Hello aspirant,
For becoming IAS , you have to first complete your graduation from any background from any recognised university or college. If you are in your final year, then also you are eligible. After that you have to give an entrance exam name UPSC . If you will clear this exam then according to your marks you may get the IAS position.
To know about UPSC entrance exam, kindly go through the given link:
https://competition.careers360.com/exams/upsc-cse
All the best!!
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