Language is a lifelong skill therefore, it should be treated as one. At the same time, one must remember that a whole new culture is being exposed to you through the language; therefore one should put extra effort into learning and getting acquainted with the culture, traditions, festivals, etc. Learning a language just for certification might be required for your school or workplace, but adding the elements of the culture brings out a new world for you to explore.
Now that you have an idea of the examinations and the study material, your safest bet to learn German would be enrolling for a course at Goethe-Institut in India. Apart from Goethe, there are hundreds of other small, private institutes which offer you similar courses.
In India, unfortunately, the main focus of such institutes is simply to 'produce' students with an 'excellent' grade at their final exam, which often ends up in an incomplete syllabus and underdeveloped speaking and listening skills, which does not feel fulfilling and turns into a huge waste of money. Many Indians often end up pursuing one level multiple times due to a lack of constructive teachers. At many private institutes, 1 level goes on for 30-40 hours and then you have divisions such as B1.1-B1.2. Some institutes also offer courses up to 80-120 hours. While it sounds easier to pick it up in 30 hours, it takes a thorough daily revision and intense dedication. Many institutes and tutors will often divide such levels into 2 or 3 sub-levels, which then gives you twice or thrice as much time to practice the language. Although it also means paying twice and thrice as much! It is on your to make it worth it, as well as on the tutor to offer the best there is.
With the self-learning path, one can teach themselves the language up to the level A2 and, if they have the aptitude for it, then up to B2 or C1 as well. There are many accounts of people on various forums, writing about their experience and journey from scratch to clearing the B2/ C1 exam within 1-3 years. It is very common outside India for one to simply start learning a foreign language on their own and, if they wish, hire a tutor or join classes just for the exam preparation or language and cultural immersion.
With a private tutor, one can learn till C2 if the tutor is good enough and the student is dedicated, however pursuing Cs in the country where it's spoken gives you more exposure. It also engulfs you with the culture. At Goethe, even though I went there from A1 to C1, there were a few new students in every batch who had completed previous levels elsewhere. In my C1 class, we had this one girl who learned up to B2 at a private tutor and she had an excellent command over German.
All books mentioned above also include a list of the grammar topics, therefore it should be your responsibility to find a tutor who will teach everything and will be patient enough to clear your doubts. Some tutors may charge for the demo class; nothing wrong with that. It's always better to ask questions and get to know your tutor before you begin learning, whether a private class or a classroom set up at any institute.
For me, the best part about being a teacher of a foreign language is that learning and studying never ends. I am both a student and the teacher, and I cherish it.
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