This article doesn’t talk about the syllabus, the pattern of the examination or the preparation strategy for the examination. This article talks about the things you need to consider before you start reading the first book in the list.

The difficulties one faces en-route preparing for exams like the Civil services could be categorized into distinct sections. There are certain obvious difficulties to surmount:

1. The vastness of the syllabus.

2. Understanding what to study and what not to

3. Finalizing the list of books for each topic

4. Remembering what you study

5. Learning to write answers

6. Tweaking your answers

7. Developing your personality in tandem for the interview….

And on and on the list goes.

There is another important aspect that most students do not consider when they begin to embark upon a journey so strenuous and quite possibly long – Emotional Energy. 

However, here we look at two important questions.

Many aspirants leave their jobs and begin studying full time. A few others join tuitions. Some stay in their jobs and study. Before embarking on this journey there are certain questions that each aspirant tries to answer. In this article, we will try to examine the advantages and disadvantages of both. But remember, at the end of the day, it is your decision to make and yours alone. So, weigh your options carefully.

Question 1:

Do I leave my job and prepare at home?

There are many factors that you need to consider before you leave your job:

1. How soon can I get another job?

Analyze this realistically. This is probably the first and the most important question you have to answer. If you think you can get another job that pays as well or that satisfies you as well as the current one, then you may proceed to the next step. If, however you feel that getting another job is going to be difficult after a break of 6-12 months, you should proceed further very carefully. It is important to take bold decisions in your life to achieve your dreams. Remember, bold is not synonymous with foolish. Take calculated risks, not a blind leap of faith.

2. How good are my finances and what are my dependencies?

Tabulate your finances and see how long you can sustain without a job. Check your monthly living expenditures. Think who else is dependent on you before making your decision.

Most often, this is where people go wrong. Always maintain a contingency fund of 3 months expenses in addition to what you have already calculated. You will thank yourselves if you follow this thumb rule.

Analyze how stressful your job really is.

Before you leave your job, analyze realistically as to how stressful your job really is and answer the following questions:

1. Can you manage to study in between the few moments that you may be able to spare at your workplace? Can you manage to concentrate in short bursts?

If you can even steal away 120 mins in total after taking care of your responsibilities at the workplace, then that is fantastic.

You also have to understand yourself better before you make this decision.

2. Are you the kind of a person who generally works extra hours or do you log out bang on time?

3. How far is your workplace? How much time do you lose traveling? Can you study while traveling?

4. How much energy does traveling take away? Is traveling stressful?

5. Can you manage to summon the willpower to study after your day’s work? How well can you concentrate?

6. Do you really have to leave your job to study or are you doing so thinking, “That is what serious aspirants do!”?

You should be able to make a decision if you can answer all of these questions.

Question 2:

Do I join tuitions or not?

This is a tricky question to answer. There are three reasons one could want to join tuitions:

1. To get tutored — Learn stuff from professors/teachers and sudymaterial.

2. For a study group — A good study group will make all the difference. Remember the adage, “Nobody wins alone”.

3. Guidance — What to do, what not to. What to study and what not to.

Today, I believe you have enough information and guidance on the Internet. You do not have to necessarily go to tuitions for Guidance. You can find all the information here on this website as well as a couple of other good websites for IAS preparation.

Same with study material. There is no dearth of good study material. And nothing is as good as the newspapers, the NCERTs and the standard text-books.

But yes, good teachers will make a difference. A whole lot of difference. If you are joining tuitions, make sure you meet the all the teachers first. Talk to them. Talk to the students. See what they have to say. Most coaching classes are bogus — money spinning machines.

The most important reason that you could consider for joining tuitions is a study group. I am in no way saying, “Go, join a tuition today. You will find a great study group.” No. But it helps a great deal having similar minded people to discuss what you have studied. To debate it all out so your perspective widens and you can understand concepts better and write better answers.

Make sure you have a study group of at least 3-4 people. Make sure they are of your caliber. Your company will reflect on you. Do not have losers or time-wasters as part of your group. This should be a study group. Not a socializing group. A good study group will help you reach heights. A bad one will pull you down to the depths of the ocean. You can also form your own study group in libraries, if you prefer going to one and studying.

Coaching classes are not magic pills. Joining one will not guarantee you a IAS post. At the end of the day, irrespective of what one teaches or says, you have to put the effort. Success will depend on you. Others can guide you, give you a small push but it is you who has to run the marathon. There are no shortcuts. Reading notes of just any tuition will be simply insufficient. Anybody who says otherwise is lying.

Take all these points into consideration before you join coaching classes, if you decide to join one.

 Learning how to study

If you are preparing for the CSE, you have to be prepared to study a lot. Studying a lot means a lot of time alone. Most of the intelligent guys (and girls) out there would have managed to get through their school, college and graduation without any hustles. They might never have faced a situation where they might have had to exert themselves to the limit. CSE will provide them with an opportunity to do so. The amount of data that one has to deal with is massive. How you deal with this data and how well you can manage it and remember it will determine your success in addition to hard-work and planning. So knowing how to study is as important as studying itself.