3 Best places to live in Delhi for UPSC Preparation

Apart from being the economic hotspot and the national capital, Delhi also has the tag of being the educational hub for UPSC preparation. The majority of the aspirant life is centred around the North and South campus of Delhi University but Delhi has a wide variety of living places for students present in other parts of the city.

Most of these places such as Mukherjee Nagar, Rajendra Place, Karol Bagh, Laxmi Nagar, Tilak Nagar etc provide an ideal preparation environment for IAS Exam preparation and other competitive exams too.

Most of these areas have developed over a period of time along with local libraries, rooms and snack outlets. Availability of such regions near these Coaching centres help the aspirants get in touch with other aspirants and to study together.  Therefore it provides an ideal study environment for the applicants who are enrolled in the various courses for their exams.

Here are the best places to Live in Delhi for UPSC preparation

1. Mukherjee Nagar:

Mukharjee Nagar has emerged as the best place to live for IAS candidates. Most aspirants looking for flats, PGs and other forms of shared accommodation at an affordable price come here for their long stays. Mukherjee Nagar has multiple IAS coaching institutes. Therefore, it is very famous among IAS aspirants as it is one of the most preferred places in Delhi having multiple coaching institutes in and around it. Here are better affordable options of commute, great road and metro connectivity.

It is likely to emerge as one of the most prominent student areas in Delhi. Here are great options of PGs and independent flats for applicants who are enrolled in various coaching institutes for IAS preparation.

2. Rajendra Place, Delhi

Old Rajinder Nagar in West Delhi is a hub of UPSC aspirants. The neighbourhood offers an array of top coaching institutes, 24×7 libraries, study materials of every subject. Thousands of aspirants stay here but only a handful crack the UPSC.

From a distance, the area looks just like any other chaotic Dilli (Delhi) mohalla. Cramped lanes, chai wallahs (tea vendors) busy attending to customers, garbage spilling from eateries onto the pavement, an FM radio keeping passersby entertained, and dust poetically settling on parked vehicles.

But as you step further inside, you find yourself amidst a sea of people in their twenties, armed with their bags and books, rushing to and from their classes. For most, the ultimate (and common) eventual destination is Uttarakhand’s Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, for which they are rigorously preparing.

ORN is a different world in its own, filled with stories of hope, broken dreams, dejection, romance, and innate desires to change the country. Pay close attention and you will almost be able to see the hidden vulnerabilities, hear the silenced fears, and feel the suppressed emotions.

This West Delhi neighbourhood has an array of top coaching institutes, 24×7 libraries, and study material on every subject, PGs where you can wake up beside like-minded people, and an ideal atmosphere of discipline.

Despite this, among the thousands of aspirants, only a handful makes it to the ‘interview round’ or even the prelims. And yet, ORN holds a special place in the hearts and minds of aspirants.

3. Karol Bagh, Delhi

Karol Bagh is a neighbourhood in Central District of Delhi. It is a mixed residential-cum-commercial neighborhood known for its shopping streets, like the Ghaffar Market and Ajmal Khan Road. It was also home to the Karol Bagh Lok Sabha constituency till it was abolished in 2008.

The Karol Bagh market is known for its shopping streets like the Ajmal Khan Road and the Gaffar Market (very popular for its electronic goods). The Karol Bagh market is visited by many people who come here to buy clothes, home accessories, home furnishing, food stuff and jewellery.

Karol Bagh is a very nice and beautiful locality. All basic amenities like hospitals, schools, colleges, and markets are available nearby. Karol Bagh. It’s a nice locality that is close to Karol Bagh Metro Station and Ajmal Khan Park.

4. Laxmi Nagar, Delhi

Laxmi Nagar is the central location and focal point for east Delhi area. Earlier, it was one of the most inhabited cities, known as Trans Yamuna. It has become a popular shopping area for garments, and day to day staple items. Akshardham temple is around 3 km from Laxmi Nagar.

5. Tilak Nagar

Tilak Nagar is situated approximately 20 km from the New Delhi Railway Station and 17 km from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. It is connected with Delhi Metro via blue line to the commercial hub of Connaught Place and to adjacent cities Ghaziabad, Gurgaon and Noida making it easy and feasible to commute on a day-to-day basis.

Tilak Nagar is surrounded by suburban localities namely Ajay Enclave, Vishnu Garden, Chand Nagar, Ashok Nagar, Fateh Nagar, Shiv Nagar, Virender Nagar, Shahpura, Sant Nagar, Choukhandi, Ganesh Nagar, Krishna Park and upscale localities namely Janakpuri and Mukherji Park. It is also surrounded by urban colonies namely Choukhandi and Khyala village. A prominent industrial area. above all revenue land of Tihar village Late Ch Chet Ram-Numberdar 17 village in British Raj.

Cost of living

1. Lodging

Delhi, the capital city is home to several UPSC coaching institutes. There are many places for candidates to stay like PGs rooms, flats and hostels so it is quite important to research well and take housing near your coaching centre. It not only saves you time but also travel expenses. You can share your room with someone if you are comfortable. It will cut down costs.

2. Food

There are many food stalls all over Delhi, especially near coaching institutes where you can get proper food at a lower price. It will cost you approx 4000 to 15000 per month.

No doubt, you would not have proper time to prepare meals with the hectic preparation and eating outside is also not a good option and also costs high.

There are many cooks available here that provide healthy and fresh food at your place.

3. Travel Expenses

Delhi being one of the most populated cities in the country has various means of transportation to travel in. Living near your coaching centre is a good option.

Travel expenses are low in Delhi compared to other cities. Metro services are considered the cheapest mode of transportation and it will cost you approx 1000 to 1500 monthly. Local bus, electric rickshaw, auto all around the city are also good options to travel to your Institute every day. 

4. Miscellaneous

If you prefer studying alone then reading rooms are also available in Delhi.

You may need to buy some other study material apart from the one provided by the Institute. Since Delhi is a polluted City it is important to consume purified water.

You can also include some other expenses like Wi-Fi, gym entertainment, shopping depending on your necessity.

In other words, the cost of living in Delhi varies from person to person but generally, it would be around 15000 per month.

The cost of living in Delhi along with the coaching fee for a year would cost somewhere around 4 lakhs to 5 lakhs.

Conclusion

Covid-19 endemic has changed the mode of education in the country. Candidates have been preparing via online coaching for a long time for the Civil Service exam. The main region is online coaching not only costs less but also saves expenses for travelling, food, accommodation etc.

Some other reasons are moving to a new city may be quite challenging. Moreover, the fee structure for the maximum IAS coaching in Delhi is high and every candidate cannot afford it.

So if you have decided to move to Delhi then you should evaluate all pros and cons. You can also enrol for online coaching. It completely depends on the individual decision.