Optional Subjects for UPSC Examination

Clearing Civil services examination is very much daunting task. Aspirants need to work smartly with strong determination and sheer commitment to clear this examination. Every year lots of myths enter in to market-related to civil services examination, one of them among very common question is; will UPSC remove Optional Paper? Aspirants should remember that; this may be true but there is also possibility that this may be sheer speculation only.

Over the years, various committees has been constituted by the Government and the UPSC body to stop unfair practices and improve the selection procedure of deserving aspirants into this prestigious examination e.g. earlier committees had proposed a three-stage selection process and the involvement of an essay writing in the mains paper.

Baswan Committee:

• Baswan Committee pointed out some issues and rules that needs to be inserted with changing time and requirement. They pointed out of changing in the maximum age limit for appearing in the civil services exam and need to look into the optional subjects.
• In the year 2017, Baswan Committee proposed to the NDA government to change the optional subjects. Going by the past experiences and analysing the trend, we can say it usually takes 12-13 years to implement a decision. The removal of the optional subject in the UPSC 2021 exam date has been kept on hold, and till date, it is still in consideration but has not been acted upon.

Possibility of No Optional Paper:

• There is no information as of now that whether optional will be removed or not form this examination. However, there is a high possibility of changes in the optional subjects in the coming years. Aspirants should remember that, decision of choosing one optional paper in place of two optional paper was made compulsory in the year 2012.
• There is also possibility that optional paper will not be removed as there are people against the removal of optional subjects too. They consider the exam will then favour the urban youngsters.

Removing Optional Paper:

• Aspirants should remember that this decision of removing optional paper will not be implemented in one go as this may create problem for other sections of aspirants.
• Once the decision is made and changes are considered, at least two years of time will be given to implement the change. It will give the students time to manage their UPSC syllabus and preparations.

Aspirants Should Prioritise Study:

• Aspirants should remember that whether optional paper will be removed or not they have to appear for the examination. Even if optional paper will be removed they have to appear and get success in this examination.
• Students going to appear after 2 or 3 years in this examination should also choose their optional paper and prepare accordingly. But, the major focus should be GS paper as there is possibility that optional paper will be removed.
• Aspirants having strong base in GS papers with consistent newspaper reading and note-making habits, the decision of IAS Mains optional should not worry you much. But unfortunately, very few aspirants fall into the “strong GS” category of students and it’s not easy to get into the club without serious long-term preparation.

There are also circulation of news among students about age limit restrictions, which presently seems to be hoax. The Baswan committee has put up the point in 2017, but the possibilities of scraping the optional subjects in coming years is very much possible. At most, the government can modify the recommendation and implement in a phased-out manner.