Is coaching really necessary to qualify DJS? The cost of Rahul's IAS - only decent coaching - is 300K. It's way too much for me, moreover, I think it is unjustifiably high. Can I prepare on my own? Does he really teach anything that one cannot learn on his own?
Also, I want to continue with internships and publications - to have something on my CV so that I can land a decent job after law school - but if I join coaching then I have to completely stop it because classes cannot be paused.
It is not 'necessary'. People who have cleared with, as well as, without coaching (and some have not cleared with the coaching too, as is obvious).
If you want to clear without the coaching - you will have to take a lot of responsibility. You will have to make your own schedules, set deadlines, and ensure you bridge the gap yourself between self-study and coaching.
Many people make self-study work, but they certainly have to take a more active approach towards the exam, because no one is conducting tests for them regularly or giving them notes. A lot has to be done on your own. But as i said, people have cracked DJS without coaching, you will just have to put that extra effort into studying + strategising for the exam yourself.
It is always best to talk to someone who has cleared the exam one-on-one. Get real advice, practical advice that you can use from successful candidates directly. Ask them what sources they used, how did they structure their preparation, etc.
Basically - Have people done it without coaching? Yes. But did they have to work harder in the absence of a coaching setup? Also, yes.
Is coaching really necessary to qualify DJS? The cost of Rahul's IAS - only decent coaching - is 300K. It's way too much for me, moreover, I think it is unjustifiably high. Can I prepare on my own? Does he really teach anything that one cannot learn on his own?
Also, I want to continue with internships and publications - to have something on my CV so that I can land a decent job after law school - but if I join coaching then I have to completely stop it because classes cannot be paused.
If you want to clear without the coaching - you will have to take a lot of responsibility. You will have to make your own schedules, set deadlines, and ensure you bridge the gap yourself between self-study and coaching.
Many people make self-study work, but they certainly have to take a more active approach towards the exam, because no one is conducting tests for them regularly or giving them notes. A lot has to be done on your own. But as i said, people have cracked DJS without coaching, you will just have to put that extra effort into studying + strategising for the exam yourself.
It is always best to talk to someone who has cleared the exam one-on-one. Get real advice, practical advice that you can use from successful candidates directly. Ask them what sources they used, how did they structure their preparation, etc.
Basically - Have people done it without coaching? Yes. But did they have to work harder in the absence of a coaching setup? Also, yes.