'Saving rent, losing health': Redditor shares how UPSC preparation in Delhi turned out to be a nightmare for him

A Reddit user, u/_ayushdogra_07, recently shared a cautionary tale about preparing for the UPSC exams in Delhi. In a post titled, "Delhi is the Worst to Prepare", the user wrote that he was originally from Himachal Pradesh and spent 11 months in the capital, determined to save money by living with relatives and cooking at home. Despite these precautions, the experience proved more harrowing than expected.

The user wrote, "I was in Delhi for 11 months Joined academy , living with relative( best decision after listening to rent in orn ) , had a decent room , I am from Himachal Pradesh , going to Delhi was a crazy transition for me , change in weather , water ,food , people , What I got in last 11 months..."

Shortly after arriving, _ayushdogra_07 began to suffer from a barrage of health setbacks: typhoid, stomach issues, hair fall, skin problems, and even a lung infection—despite being a non-smoker.

The stress compounded, taking a serious toll on mental health. According to the post, every effort to restore well-being seemed futile, prompting the aspirant to leave Delhi on March 10 in hopes of recovering at home.

Despite having nearly completed the UPSC syllabus, these setbacks have shaken the aspirant’s confidence ahead of the upcoming May attempt.

"I don't eat outside food , only home cooked , cause I love cooking , Just left delhi on March 10 cause Medicine effect was minimal , so I am back home , but not able to digest food properly , weakness , I never had any medical issues , Preparation was kind of tough for last 2 months , Let's see what happens , Syllabus is almost complete Starting revision from first half of April , But I am losing confidence for May attempt It's my first attempt To everyone coming to Delhi think 50-60 thousand time," he wrote.

In the Reddit thread, others chimed in with stories of similar ordeals—from rising living costs to recurring infections linked to pollution. Some felt forced to return home once their coaching ended, while others recommended online courses and local libraries as healthier, more affordable alternatives.

One user said, " I lived in del for 2 years (college) What I thought i will get - ekdm masti, dost, trip, pdhai , exposure. What I got - eye infections, intestinal infection, stomach, fever and cold, hair fall Couldn't eat for 6 -7 months after returning."

Another exemplifying a similar emotion said, "I completed my coaching in Delhi and left that place the same week my coaching was finished, living there is costly, it's heavily populated and the air is polluted to the point it hurts my nose. That place will reduce your life span by a great number."