Dear Aspirants,
IAS exam is conducted by the UPSC every year. The number of vacancies have been around 750 for last few years. However the number of candidates who actually appear in the exam is between 1.5 to 2 lacs each year. Around 12-13 times candidates qualify in PT exam to write the mains exam. Therefore the competition is enormous. So if you wish to prepare and want to significantly increase your chance of selection be ready for complete devotion for at least one year before the exam.

The number of hours of study each day varies person to person and depends on individual's retention, intelligence and background knowledge level. So it may range between 6 hrs to 14 hrs everyday.

Coaching institutions are important to give you a direction so that one does not get deviated during the course of studies because the preparation requires focused study with a prudent analysis of previous years' questions and current syllabus. The UPSC seems to be determined to discourage rote learning among candidates. If any coaching institution claims to give a magical amulet for success, it is doing so on sly. Do not be ensnared. What you actually gain in a good coaching institution is a continuous motivation and direction which are necessary for success in this exam. Rest will depend upon the candidate's own efforts and overall personality. It is not true that 10/10 of candidates, who take coaching, succeed; neither 10/10, who succeed, take coaching. It always depends on candidate own self.

Best Wishes

--
Rajeev Kumar
Asstt. Professor (Economics)
SRCC, DU, Delhi

PS: The views expressed above are my own and should not be misconstrued to inflicting damage upon any entity.