LBSNAA (Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration) in Mussoorie is India’s official IAS training centre after you clear the UPSC CSE. Before selection, Vision IAS and Vajiram & Ravi led the coaching space.
UPSC only conducts the exam. It does not train you. Coaching helps if you lack structure or need answer-writing practice. It will not help if you are not reading newspapers daily.
This article shows freshers, working professionals, and re-attempters how to pick the right IAS training centre without wasting lakhs or spending extra years on attempts.
Best IAS Training Centre Post Selection
LBSNAA is the Official IAS Training Centre After Selection. Around 180 IAS officers get selected every year in India. LBSNAA is the only authorised IAS training centre after UPSC selection. No private institute gets involved after selection.
All services attend the Central Services Foundation Course (CSFC) together at Mussoorie. Training happens in phases: academics, administration, district exposure, and Assistant Secretaryship.
You also get Bharat Darshan and field postings across states. The academy focuses on ethics, leadership, and esprit de corps. It builds the mindset of a bureaucrat, not just the knowledge.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | Mussoorie, Uttarakhand |
| Governing Body | Government of India |
| Entry Requirement | UPSC CSE Final Selection |
| Training Duration | ~2 years (multiple phases) |
| Certification | PG Diploma in Public Management |
LBSNAA training is residential and rigorous. Officer trainees live on campus, attend lectures, and participate in sports, debates, and cultural activities. These activities develop leadership and teamwork skills essential for administrative roles.
Best IAS Training Centre Pre Selection
Pre-selection IAS training covers Prelims (GS + CSAT), Mains (GS I-IV, Optional, Essay), answer writing practice, and interview mocks to prepare candidates for all three stages of the UPSC CSE.
| Institute | Primary Hub | Core Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Vision IAS | Delhi | Current Affairs + Test Series |
| Vajiram & Ravi | Delhi | GS Faculty & Classroom Teaching |
| ForumIAS | Delhi / Online | Daily Testing Discipline (SFG) |
| Drishti IAS | Delhi | Hindi Medium Coverage |
| Shankar IAS | Chennai / Delhi | Environment & Science |
Each centre has a different teaching style and student culture.
Vision dominates test series subscriptions. Vajiram’s offline batches still attract traditional learners. ForumIAS built its reputation on daily answer-writing discipline through its Secure Foundation Group (SFG) program.
Let’s cover each IAS training centre in more detail below.
1. Vision IAS
| Location | Delhi ORN, Mukherjee Nagar, Hyderabad, etc. |
| Mode | Online / Offline / Hybrid |
| Medium | English / Hindi |
| Courses Offered | Prelims, Mains, Optional, Interview |
Vision IAS has a strong faculty for current affairs. They run India’s largest test series. Their 2025 selections showed consistent performance, especially among repeat attempters.
Monthly magazines and weekly revisions keep students updated without overwhelming them.
2. Vajiram & Ravi
| Location | Delhi ORN, Old Rajinder Nagar |
| Mode | Offline / Hybrid |
| Medium | English / Hindi |
| Courses Offered | Prelims, Mains, Optional, Interview |
Vajiram is known for experienced GS faculty and structured classroom teaching. Toppers trust their polity and governance modules.
Batch sizes are large, but faculty accessibility remains decent. They are known to produce steady selections year after year.
3. ForumIAS
| Location | Delhi / Online |
| Mode | Online / Offline / Hybrid |
| Medium | English / Hindi |
| Courses Offered | Prelims, Mains, Optional, Interview |
ForumIAS runs the SFG (Secure Foundation Group) program. This program enforces daily answer-writing discipline.
Students appreciate the strict testing schedule and peer competition. Their online platform is solid. This makes it ideal for working professionals and remote learners.
4. Drishti IAS
| Location | Delhi Mukherjee Nagar, Prayagraj, Jaipur |
| Mode | Offline / Online |
| Medium | Hindi / English |
| Courses Offered | Prelims, Mains, Optional, Interview |
Drishti IAS dominates the Hindi medium segment. Their study materials are well-structured and faculty support is strong.
They cater to students from tier-2 and tier-3 cities who prefer learning in Hindi.
5. Shankar IAS
| Location | Chennai / Delhi |
| Mode | Offline / Online |
| Medium | English / Tamil |
| Courses Offered | Prelims, Mains, Optional, Interview |
Shankar IAS specializes in environment, ecology, and science topics. Their Chennai branch serves South Indian aspirants well with consistent faculty quality.
Their optional subjects, like Geography and Public Administration, perform well in selections.
How to Choose The Right IAS Training Centre?
Your background decides what kind of coaching will work for you. A fresher needs different things than someone giving their third attempt. Pick based on where you are right now.
- Freshers
You need a centre that covers the full syllabus from the beginning. The faculty should stay the same throughout the year because changing teachers disrupts learning.
- Working Professionals
You cannot attend regular morning classes if you have a job. Pick centres with weekend batches or fully online courses that fit your schedule. Recorded lectures help because you can watch them at night or early morning.
- Re-attempt Candidates
You do not need basic coaching again if you have already given the exam once or twice. What you need is someone to find the gaps in your preparation. Look for a centre that checks your old answer sheets and points out exact mistakes.
The area around Mukherjee Nagar and Old Rajinder Nagar has cheap PGs, study groups, and library access. But if moving to Delhi seems too expensive or stressful, online courses from Vision or ForumIAS work just as well for serious students.
Conclusion: LBSNAA Is The Official Training Centre After Exam
LBSNAA trains selected IAS officers, but getting there requires smart preparation. Vision IAS, Vajiram, and ForumIAS lead pre-selection coaching and each centre has unique strengths.
Freshers need structure, Working professionals need flexibility ad Re-attempters need honest mentorship.
Do not pick a centre based on hype. Visit the institute, talk to current students, and match it with your learning style. Coaching is only support. Your self-study, newspaper reading, and answer-writing discipline will decide your rank.
FAQs
IAS training takes place at LBSNAA (Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration) in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand. This happens after candidates clear the UPSC CSE final selection.
LBSNAA does not charge training fees. The Government of India sponsors the entire training. This includes accommodation, food, and study materials for selected officer trainees.
IAS officers cannot take two years of continuous leave during their initial training or probation period. Leave policies apply only after confirmation in service, subject to departmental rules.
IAS training at LBSNAA is about 24 months. The training divides into multiple phases like, foundation course, district training, and assistant secretaryship before final posting.
IAS Training Centre Mussoorie refers to LBSNAA. This is the official academy where selected IAS officers undergo training in administration, public policy, ethics, and leadership before they join service.
