Top 5 Things Candidates Look For While Choosing UPSC Coaching in Kolkata And Other Cities

Are you looking for UPSC coaching in Kolkata? Being the only metropolitan city in Eastern India, Kolkata hosts too many institutes offering offline and online coaching classes for competitive job exams. However, before you choose one, it’s important to understand your requirements. This article discusses what civil services aspirants are looking for in UPSC coaching programs.  

What candidates look for while choosing UPSC coaching?  

While choosing a UPSC coaching program, candidates ask several questions to themselves and institutes to understand the suitability of a program with their personal requirements. We have discussed the top 5 questions.  

Self-study or comprehensive coaching? 

For competitive exams, self-studying mostly involves gathering or preparing own study materials, preparing personal study plan, self-motivating, and self-assessment of progress. On the other hand, comprehensive coaching programs involve attending subject-specific classes, expert curated study materials, taking tutor-invigilated practice tests and mock tests, getting progress assessed by experienced teachers and regular one-to-one guidance and motivational sessions.   

Which one do you think is suitable for you? Today, many institutes providing UPSC coaching in Kolkata and other cities offer self-paced online programs for candidates who cannot attend regular offline or online classes. It can be the best of both worlds. 

How long does an institute support candidates after completion of a coaching program? 

Only a fraction of candidates clear civil services exams in their first attempt. The chance of success increases significantly in second, third and fourth attempts. The duration of any comprehensive UPSC coaching programs varies from one to three years. So, candidates often enquire how an institute can help them in their subsequent attempts? Can they attend practice tests? Does an institute allow accessing libraries at the center?  

Top UPSC institutes allow their past students to interact with faculty, attend classes and access updated study materials, magazines and books in the institute library. However, taking mock tests after completion of a coaching program may require paying fees. 

What types of guidance and motivation does an institute offer to competitive exam aspirants? 

Clearing a competitive exam may require taking multiple attempts. It can be psychologically tiring for many candidates to continue preparation for a long time. So, faculty members at the top institutes regularly sit with candidates, guide them in preparation, and motivate them to stay on track. It is a major component of any successful coaching program. 

Does an institute allow a trial period on any UPSC coaching program? 

Online programs often come with trial access to course content. Similarly, some institutes allow candidates to attend specially organized workshops or classes to understand the quality of a program. Once confident with the coaching quality, candidates may decide to get admission to a program.  

What is the past success rate of candidates from the institute in IAS and other exams? 

Last but not the least, candidates inquire about the success rate of an institute’s past students in UPSC and other job exams. Though past results may not always promise future success, it can act as a fair indicator of coaching quality. 

Bottom-line 

People planning to join UPSC coaching in Kolkata can check UPSC coaching programs at AptiPlus. They are one of the oldest and the best competitive exam institutes offering UPSC coaching in Bhubaneswar, Kolkata and other cities across Eastern India.