Is it sensible to pursue my PhD Prepare for UPSC together?

I used to work as an Assistant Professor of English at a private university. On paper, it sounds like a decent job. But in reality it felt more like clerical work on steroids. Between endless paperwork, admin duties, and unrealistic expectations, the actual “teaching” part—the reason I got into this profession—started feeling like an afterthought.

Eventually, I had to ask myself: is this it?

So I quit.

And I made a bold decision—to prepare seriously for UPSC. But I also didn’t want to put all my eggs in one basket. So I applied for a PhD at a Central University. Thankfully, I got in.

Here’s the silver lining: the university offers a modest stipend of ₹8,000 per month. It’s not a lot, but it’s just enough to help with rent and basic expenses. The PhD itself won’t consume all my time—on average, it’ll take 2–3 hours of focused work a day. That leaves me with a good chunk of time to dedicate to UPSC prep.

So now I’m walking this tightrope—trying to balance research and revision, academic reading and polity notes. It’s not easy, but for the first time in a long while, it feels like I’m moving toward something that actually matters.

Does this plan make sense to you? I’d love to hear your thoughts—especially if you’re juggling similar goals.