How do you Select Optional subjects for UPSC Main Examinations?
There are many IAS aspirants who are worried about the selection of optional subjects for the UPSC Mains examination.
UPSC Mains examination is the second stage for IAS preparation that it consists of two optional papers and the students are required to select from 48 optional papers as per their choice and requirement. it is an important decision to be made by an IAS aspirant to select the two optional subjects for the UPSC Mains examination with the motive to acquire higher marks and maximize the possibility of qualifying respective examinations.
There are certain aspects that are needed to be kept in mind while choosing the optional subjects for the UPSC Mains examination:
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Academic background and interest in the subject of the aspirant
there are 48 optional subjects out of which you need to select two of them so you must assess your academic background and select an optional subject that is related to it. it is equally important to have interest in a respective subject while selecting it as an optional subject because then only you can insert efforts and practice. it is advised to identify your interest in a subject by exploring your school level and your comfort level for the respective subject.
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Coaching classes available for the subject
you can identify while talking with the expert, the previous year’s toppers, and online platform to check the availability of coaching facilities for the relevant optional subjects before selecting it for the UPSC Mains examination. it is suggested that you must take an optional subject for which you can easily get coaching classes because coaching classes provide appropriate guidance and it would be helpful to fats hire marks in the relevant subject. study materials from a trusted coaching institute along with their lectures can accelerate your preparation and enhance your understanding.
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Presence of optional subject for general studies syllabus
You can take references from the past question papers and the syllabus to analyze the contribution of the optional subjects in the general studies paper and essay writing for the UPSC Mains examination. this would be helpful to make a relevant choice that can fetch higher marks for the UPSC Mains examination. it must be considered and useful step to check the relevance of an optional subject in general studies paper as it will overlap and your syllabus would reduce for preparing.
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Performance analysis of the optional subjects in recent years
you should analyze the marks scored in recent years for the selected optional subjects to check their performance. the individual performance of IAS aspirants is somewhere dependent on a large number of parameters with their competitors. there may be some optional subjects where you don’t acquire marks as per your expectations but it’s better than the rest of your fellow candidates. there are two optional subjects that are more difficult either in the question asked on the marks awarded and thus the qualifying ratio is more.
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Management of time
Time management is one of the key factors to acquiring greater marks in the UPSC Prelims examination. it is An important factor to select optional subjects for the UPSC Mains examination which you can manage your time and effort and allocate appropriate h to other subjects as well for qualifying for the respective examination with good scores.
hence it is expected that you would make a valid choice of selecting one of the best optional subjects as per your competency and interest that can lead you to words your objective of qualifying UPSC Mains examination. you must be realistic and clear with the choice you made so that you don’t regret it later.
Optional subjects
- Agriculture
- civil engineering
- Geology
- Mechanical engineering
- Psychology
- Animal husbandry and veterinary science
- Commerce
- History
- Medical science
- Public Administration
- Anthropology
- Economics
- Law
- Philosophy
- Sociology
- Botany
- Electrical engineering
- Management
- Physics
- Statistics
- Chemistry
- Geography
- Mathematics
- Political science
- Zoology