UPSC Expert Talk: Classroom, Online, Self-Study, Mentorship, or AI — Which works best for aspirants, and how?

About our Expert today: Nikhil Sheth is a mentor and educator for UPSC aspirants, with over one and a half decades of experience, particularly in History, Art and Culture, and History Optional. His work bridges the gap between academic history and the requirements of competitive examinations, and he has been closely observing the evolving trends in UPSC exam preparation.

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Manas: How have traditional classroom coaching methods shaped UPSC preparation, and what advantages do they still hold today?

Nikhil Sheth: UPSC CSE coaching has a long tradition going back to the British era mainly through informal tutoring but it was during 1960s that the faint beginning of the emergence of Delhi as a coaching hub started. Rajender Nagar area came into being during 1990s gradually. Today, the online ecosystem has become a major thing still it is not as radical change as it seems.

There are certain aspects that continue from the traditional offline classroom coaching era.

• The old classroom brought in a sense of order — fixed timings, regular study hours, and a serious routine. It inculcated consistency.
• Coaching centres also made the vast UPSC syllabus less scary. They broke it into smaller, teachable parts which otherwise feels endless.
• The offline setup gave human connection in forms of friends, study groups, libraries, mentors, and healthy competition.
• Over time, cities like Delhi, Pune, and Hyderabad became full-fledged learning eco-systems. Notes, test papers, and ideas circulated and matured in these cities.

Manas: Many aspirants prefer self-study — what makes it effective, and what challenges does it bring?

Nikhil Sheth: It is true that many aspirants now prefer self-study. It gives them control over what to read, when to study, and how much to focus on each topic. Large coaching classes often feel too general, not suited for individual needs. That is why more students are turning to options like personal mentoring, subject-specific courses, and short skill modules.

Many aspirants have spent hours preparing in ‘libraries’ in the Capital’s Old Rajender Nagar. Little more than rooms with chairs and desks, they are the spaces that provide them comfort in their search for a level playing field. These libraries complement self-study and coaching institutes. (Source: Express Photo by Ravi Kanojia)

Still, the role of a mentor is important. Students with a weaker academic base usually find coaching more useful because it gives structure and regularity. Without that, days can easily pass without real progress. Too much freedom can lead to procrastination, especially when self-doubt hits. The internet makes things harder — too much material, too many choices. Knowing what not to read becomes as important as knowing what to read.

For many, preparation can also feel lonely. A peer group helps in staying motivated and focused, and coaching often provides that support. The fear of missing out is real in this journey, but each aspirant has to find their own rhythm.

Manas: How has ‘mentorship’ or personalized guidance changed the way students approach the exam? What are the pros and cons of it?

Nikhil Sheth: Mentorship is a fairly new trend in UPSC preparation. Earlier, preparation was self-driven and book-centred. Teachers or senior aspirants acted as informal guides. But things are changing now. Many students either prepare on their own or demand personalised guidance which every teacher cannot provide. What began as an additional service has now become a full course in itself. Students want year-round monitoring, nudging, planning, and someone to hold them accountable. Mentors also help simplify the syllabus, set targets, analyse trends, and improve answer writing.

But on its effectiveness, the jury is still out.

The first issue is: who exactly are these mentors? Many are senior aspirants with interview experience, but some are not well qualified. Quality varies a lot. Mentor–mentee ratios also get inflated—1:30 on paper can become 1:100 in practice. Some mentors even start playing the role of counsellors without proper training. The fees of good programs have increased sharply in recent years. And standardised strategies sometimes suppress originality.

Overall, mentorship is useful support. But the exam finally rewards those with self-discipline and independent thinking.

Manas: What major shifts in preparation styles have you observed after the COVID-19 pandemic?

Nikhil Sheth: The pandemic fundamentally reshaped UPSC preparation. Online learning became the default, allowing many aspirants to study from home without shifting to Delhi. Hybrid coaching models have now become the norm, making good teachers and good courses accessible from anywhere. With this shift, digital resources exploded—YouTube channels, PDFs, and Telegram groups multiplied rapidly, creating a new challenge of overabundance and misinformation. Lockdown-driven YouTube consumption also led to the rise of influencers who offer motivation, strategy, and constant commentary on the exam. Alongside this, personalised mentorship became mainstream, with students increasingly expecting planning support, monitoring, and accountability—something far less common before COVID.

Post-pandemic preparation also saw major shifts in how students approach content and performance. Easy access to toppers’ copies and model answers intensified the focus on “value addition” through diagrams, keywords, case studies, and quotes, raising the pressure to stand out. Technology now dominates study practices—cloud notes, tablets, and AI tools are widely used—yet the exam remains pen-and-paper, creating a mismatch for some aspirants. Perhaps most importantly, mental health entered the centre of the conversation. Issues like isolation, uncertainty, anxiety, burnout, screen addiction, and sleeplessness are openly acknowledged, and several coaching institutes now actively address them as part of the preparation journey.

Manas: How has the rise of online learning platforms and YouTube channels affected the quality and accessibility of UPSC coaching? 

Nikhil Sheth: There are both positives and negatives.

3 Positives

• Access improved a lot. Earlier you had to shift to Delhi. Now students anywhere can get the same teachers and the same resources. Location no longer decides your chances.
• Cost reduced sharply. YouTube, free notes, online courses, and PDFs made preparation affordable. A basic plan can be built almost fully from free material. This opened the door for everyone.
• Mentorship became organised. Platforms now offer planning support, tracking, and regular guidance. Earlier you got this only from seniors or teachers in Delhi. Serious students benefit from this mix of flexibility and support.

3 Negatives

• Quality became uneven. Anyone can teach online now. Many channels chase views, simplify too much, or spread half-baked analysis. UPSC influencers add more noise than value. It is hard for students to judge what is reliable.
• Too much content. The problem is no longer scarcity. It is overload. Students collect PDFs, watch multiple lectures, and end up confused. Content consumption replaces real study and answer writing.
• Discipline has dropped. Offline coaching forced a routine. Online study needs self-control. Many students drift, binge-watch, and delay real hard work.

Manas: With AI tools like ChatGPT and digital test platforms entering the scene, how is technology influencing UPSC preparation? 

Nikhil Sheth: While AI tools like ChatGPT have a certain fallibility rate – they can make factual and analytical errors, while also reinforcing learner biases and blindspots – they make learning faster and clearer. Students use them to understand concepts, make summaries, clear doubts, and create mind-maps. Personalised study plans, writing analysis, and progress tracking have also improved. They also give instant evaluation, detailed analytics, and topic-wise performance charts. Weak areas become visible immediately. It feels like having a guide with you all the time. Overall, it has made preparation more organised and more efficient.

But technology also creates over-dependence. Many students now skip standard books and rely too much on AI shortcuts. Instant answers promote passive learning and reduce cognitive development needed for the exam. AI can sometime ‘hallucinate’ , so students who don’t verify facts build weak foundations. Writing practice also suffers and one must remember that UPSC is still a pen-paper exam.

Manas: As UPSC exams are way advanced in difficulty level, can AI be solely depended upon? 

Nikhil Sheth: UPSC is not “advanced level” in terms of subject difficulty. Most topics are straightforward. The exam appears tough because of three factors: the competition is extremely high and seats are very few; the syllabus is huge in volume, not in complexity; and the preparation cycle is long, with multiple stages testing different cognitive, mental, and physical abilities. But if you look at subjects and questions in isolation, none of it is rocket science.

This is why AI cannot be the sole source. UPSC demands depth, accuracy, consistency, and strong writing skills. AI can support learning, simplify concepts, and save time. But the real work—reading standard books, linking ideas, forming arguments, and writing clear answers—must be done by the aspirant. AI can guide, not replace.

Manas: Looking ahead, what balance should aspirants strike between traditional learning, self-study, and new-age digital tools for the best results?

Nikhil Sheth: Aspirants need a middle path. Traditional learning gives depth, reliability and discipline. Standard books, handwritten notes, and regular answer-writing build the real foundation. Knowledge must be actively processed to be effective, and thus self-study becomes  crucial. Digital tools should act as support, not substitute. Use AI for quick clarity, summaries, doubt-solving, and planning. Use online platforms for tests, analytics, and tracking progress. But final understanding must still come from reading, revising, practicing on your own.

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