1. Decide which exams
Start with one or two exams, not your whole prospectus. Pick an exam where you already have a strong batch and a teacher keen to run it. Then look at the calendar: a series should start at least three months before the exam, so students can take 10 to 15 full mocks and still have time to act on the results.
Read the latest official notification for the pattern before anyone writes a question. Patterns change, and students notice quickly when a mock doesn’t match.
2. Source your questions
A full-length mock for most recruitment exams has around 100 questions. SBI PO prelims, SSC CGL Tier 1, the MPSC Group B and C prelims and the Maharashtra Police written test all have 100. A series of 15 mocks plus sectional tests needs roughly 2,000 to 3,000 questions. There are three ways to get them.
- Write them. Your faculty’s questions are your strongest material, but writing, checking and typing 2,000 questions takes months of teacher time. Have a second teacher check every answer key.
- License them. Content vendors license question banks by exam. You get volume quickly, but read a sample paper for accuracy and language before you pay.
- Use a platform with a bundled bank. This is the fastest route. Akhaara’s Platform + Test Series plan, for example, includes ready-made series for 49 exams. Check that any bundled content matches your exam closely enough.
In practice a mix works well: bundled or licensed questions for volume, and your faculty’s papers for the mocks that carry your name.
3. Choose a platform
Before you book demos, write down what you need. A short checklist:
- Does the test screen match the real exam, including sectional timers and negative marking?
- Are results, ranks and topic-wise reports ready as soon as a test closes?
- Does it work in your students’ language?
- Can you upload your own papers in bulk?
- Does your name appear everywhere, including the app’s store listing?
- What is the first-year total for your student count, including any commission?
Our pricing comparison lists what the main platforms are reported to cost. If you are still deciding between your own brand and a partner programme, read white-label vs franchise first.
4. Price your test series
There are three common approaches.
- Include it in the course fee. Simplest for enrolled batches, and it adds visible value to the course.
- Sell it separately. Useful for students outside your classroom: alumni, students in nearby towns, and those who study on their own.
- Give the first mock free. A free mock with a published rank list is the easiest way to show students what they will get.
When you set a separate price, remember that students compare you with national apps that sell large test packs cheaply. Your case rests on what those apps can’t offer: a teacher who reviews the paper in class, and papers written for your exam and your students. As a rough check, 150 students paying ₹499 each brings in ₹74,850, which covers the yearly cost of many platforms, including our published plans for smaller institutes.
5. Launch to your first batch
- Run one free full mock for a whole batch on a fixed day and time.
- Publish the rank list the same evening, on the platform and in the batch WhatsApp group.
- Hold a review class within two days, using the topic-wise report to decide what to cover.
- Schedule the next mock before the review class ends, and keep a weekly or fortnightly rhythm.
- After four mocks, look at who has stopped attempting and call them.
Cost and time by route
| Route | Rough cost in year one | Time to first mock |
|---|---|---|
| Write your own, test-only platform | Platform from ₹799 a month to about ₹50,000 a year, plus faculty time | 4 to 8 weeks |
| License content, test platform | Platform fee plus a licence per exam, usually quoted | 2 to 4 weeks |
| Platform with a bundled bank | Roughly ₹30,000 to ₹1,80,000 a year, by institute size | 1 to 2 weeks |
| Franchise or partner programme | Upfront fee plus royalty or share, set by the partner | Depends on onboarding |
A rough guide based on the prices on our pricing comparison page, checked on 27 September 2026. Faculty time is not costed. Prices exclude GST.
Questions institutes ask
How long does it take to start a test series?
With a bundled question bank, one to two weeks: set up the platform, add your batches and schedule the first mock. Writing your own papers takes longer, usually four to eight weeks for the first few mocks, depending on how many teachers can write and check.
How many questions do we need?
Plan for around 100 questions per full mock for most recruitment exams. Fifteen mocks plus sectional and topic tests comes to roughly 2,000 to 3,000 questions for one exam. You don’t need all of them on day one: have four mocks ready at launch and stay a month ahead.
What should we charge students?
For enrolled students, the simplest option is to include tests in the course fee. For a separate test series, price it against what national apps charge for the same exam, and lean on what you add: teacher review, ranks among students preparing alongside them, and your own papers. A free first mock helps students decide.