In 2025, around 13.4 lakh candidates appeared for the UPSC prelims, and over 22 lakh sat for the NEET exams across India. Year after year, the pool of aspirants for civil services and medical entrance examinations continues to grow. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu has become a hub for many coaching centres, and along with them, the number of study spaces has also increased vastly.
As you walk through Anna Nagar, you will find a private study hall on nearly every corner, offering a permanent reserved seat to any aspirant for a monthly fee. These packed spaces have become the go-to individual study spots for many students.
Nageshwari Babu, who runs Banyans Study Hall in Anna Nagar, says a mixed crowd -- including NEET PG, FMG, banking, CA, police selection, and UPSC aspirants -- spends over 10 hours a day there. “We provide the infrastructure and curate the atmosphere for students to stay focused, from newspaper subscriptions to individual lockers. Not everyone preparing for competitive exams has a disruption-free zone at home, which is why these study spaces are growing in number,” says Ms. Nageshwari.
A study space | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
In Mylapore, Santhosh Study Academy has been around for four years with about 78 seats, attracting mostly CA and PG NEET aspirants. “Anna Nagar has become a hub for UPSC aspirants to the point where study spaces do not even need marketing there. Many do not know that study spaces now exist in other neighbourhoods too,” says Mr. Santhosh who runs the space.
