As recently shown in the movie ‘12th Fail’, Old Rajinder Nagar (ORN) in West Delhi is a hub of UPSC aspirants — who flock year after year from across the country to crack one of the most competitive exams.

This neighbourhood is dotted with top coaching institutes and 24x7 libraries with study material on every subject, PGs where you can wake up beside like-minded people.

Filled with stories of hope, broken dreams, dejection, romance, and innate desires to change the country, ORN is a different world on its own.

While only a handful from ORN make it to the ‘interview round’ or even the prelims, it still holds a special place in the hearts and minds of USPC aspirants.

We spoke to three of them who shared various aspects of life at Old Rajinder Nagar. They share tips to make living in ORN a fulfilling experience.

Manoj Kharde In 2018, Manoj moved to Rajinder Nagar and made three UPSC attempts, wrote one Mains, and qualified for the UPSC’s CAPF exam in 2019 as an Assistant Commandant.

Recalling his preparation journey, he says, “It takes a lot of patience to slog every day for at least 7-10 hours without any holiday. I had to motivate myself constantly to get out of bed and go to the library and study.”

After exhausting coaching classes, he says he would visit various eateries with friends and later unwind his day by indulging in cooking new dishes or listening to the radio.

He advises aspirants to move on if they are unable to crack UPSC after three to four attempts. “Life is much more than this,” he says.

Priyanka Barve In 2015, Priyanka moved to ORN and made two attempts before pursuing a master’s at Jawaharlal Nehru University. She is currently working at an NGO as a programme specialist in soft skills.

Coming to Delhi, she says she was relieved to see aspirants walking around in the area post-midnight and chilling at tea stalls. She was also happy that libraries and stationery shops were open round the clock.

“I got a mentor in my second year, who shared her learnings and mistakes. On days when my spirit was on the verge of breaking, a friend’s assurance or the smiles of other aspirants helped,” says Priyanka.

She adds that finding a house that is both hygienic and budget-friendly may be hard in ORN, but if you start hunting in advance, you will find what you need at a price range between Rs 10,000 and Rs 16,000.

Prasad Sharing mistakes during his preparation journey, Prasad shares that when others asked him for notes or any other help, he would offer his assistance, wasting his precious time in the process.

He also got rid of his fear of asking questions openly. “I would think my doubts are silly and people would laugh, only to realise later that others had the same questions,” he says.

Prasad adds that meeting a person who cracked the Mains in ORN was life-changing for him. “I learned so many things from his preparation strategies,” he remarks.

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