UPSC CSE FAQs
Choosing a right optional subject for upsc has always been a dilemma for Civil Services aspirants. The recent changes made by the commission has reduced the number of optional subject for IAS from two to one, still the questions regarding the suitability of optional subject for upsc bothers most of the students.
Despite the lesser weightage of the optional subject for upsc it remains a deciding factor in the final ranks. The reason being the looming uncertainty over general studies papers and essays. The marking pattern and nature of questions in optional subject for IAS are quite subtle so the optional has a large role in determining selection in the final list.
Why choosing right 'optional subject for upsc mains' matters the most:
The selection of optional subject for upsc matters a little for those who have strong command over GS papers. But very few students fall in this kind of category and hence the selection of right optional remains the most vital of all.
The other factors that determine the choice of an optional is proper understanding and vested interest in a particular subject. The other few factors responsible for this are – familiarity of the subject, availability of books and other study materials, availability of faculty, the scope of peer discussion, recent trends of marks, the level of difficulty as per the UPSC syllabus and previous year question papers etc.
Before choosing an optional subject for upsc it is highly recommended to choose such an optional that has a huge overlap with other papers of general studies. The overlapping eases your preparation and saves time for further studies.
The most popular optional subject:
There are few optional subjects for IAS that remain hugely popular In IAS exam preparation. There are 10-12 optional subjects that fall under this bracket. In the previous 5-6 years the most popular optional subject remained Geography optional.
Though there is a variation regarding the number of students who select a certain optional subject, a few optional subjects for upsc still continue to remain in the top slot. The following optional however remains in the list of optional:
|
Optional Subject |
The approx no of candidates selecting Optional Subject in IAS Mains |
|
Geography |
Around 3000 |
|
History |
Around 1500 |
|
Public Administration |
Around 1500 |
|
Sociology |
Around 1500 |
|
Philosophy + Psychology + Political Science + Economics Anthropology |
<3000 |
|
All other science/art subjects (in total) |
<1000 |
|
All literature subjects (in total) |
<1000 |
|
Total |
Around 12,000-15000 |
The optional subject with the highest success rate:
Analyzing the records of candidates recommended, we found that medical science has consistently provided a high success ratio for candidates opted for it. Amongst the subjects opted by 100 or more candidates, the highest percentage of success is observed with candidates who had opted for Medical Science.
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