Introduction
Are you confused about the Optional Selection? Are you getting overwhelmed after looking at the list of the Optional Subjects?
Don’t worry ! Here is the best roadmap to get from confusion to clarity in your optional selection process. Optional Selection is one of the crucial steps of UPSC preparation. Many students make mistakes over here, as a result they face numerous challenges and hurdles during their journey.
While selecting optional subjects, aspirants are supposed to consider some factors such as personal interest and passion, availability of books and resources, nature of the subject and so on.
But most of the students choose their optional subject without considering these factors as a result they face failures or get into the trap of attempts.
Therefore you must be very careful while choosing optional subject. There are certain crucial factors you must consider while making the decision because it will decide the fate of your UPSC journey.
Significance of Right Optional Subject Selection
If you observe the data of successful candidates from the previous years, you will find that the optional subject is a highly influential factor in the journey as it shapes the preparation of students.
In other words, it is a seed of your achievement and hence you must be careful about it. It is a blue print of your ground breaking success because it has huge potential of changing the destiny of your UPSC journey.
It can make or break your preparation. It will be a game changer factor in your success story because optional subject carry 500 marks. It provides a great opportunity for you to score the highest possible marks in the exam. As a result it increases the chances of your selection.
Now let’s understand what are the factors you must consider while choosing your optional subject.
Optional Selection Process / Steps
1. Know the ‘Optional Subjects list’
Whenever you are starting your preparation, you must go through the optional subjects list. As you go through the list, you will find that some subjects are familiar to you and some not. Moreover, maybe you like a particular subject already or you may have no idea about the subjects. Now just sort out the subjects that are familiar to you.
2. Know the ‘Syllabus’
After sorting out the subjects, go through the syllabus of these subjects you are interested in. In some cases you may feel that some topics and terms used in the subjects are already familiar to you. You may have some knowledge and awareness about these concepts.
3. Analyse Optional Subject’s PYQs
Now it’s time to analyse the previous year question papers of these subjects. Now you may be wondering, if you haven’t studied anything then why should you go through the PYQs. But it is a crucial step because it gives glimpses of the depth of a subjects. As you analyse them, you will get the idea that you can write something about the topics.
4. Align with your ‘Interest, Passion and Academics’
This is one of the significant factors that you must not neglect. That’s where most of the UPSC aspirants make mistakes. They do not consider these factors important and choose their optional subject based on external factors. For instance, a friend has taken the subject that’s why I am taking that subject or any topper has said so that’s why I have taken that particular subject.
But aspirants must know that everyone is different when it comes to strength and weaknesses, likings and interests and passion. Hence these factors are to be considered while making the decision.
5. Availability of ‘Books, Resources & Materials’
If you observe the subjects given in the optional list, you will find that materials and resources for some subjects are easily available in the market. On the other hand, they are not easily available in case of some subjects. And if present in the market, they are scattered everywhere especially in a case if you are preparing in vernacular or Indian languages.
6. Availability of Lectures
When it comes to lectures or classes, the decision may vary from person to person. And it completely depends on you, whether you choose self preparation or taking coaching for the optional. That decision is completely dependent on the factors like your willingness, affordability, online or offline classes, subject type and so on. But one thing is certain over here, it is completely your choice or what you opt for.
7. Overlap with the General Studies
Some students prefer optional subjects like history, geography, sociology and economics etc. to get the extra edge in the general studies. Obviously you will get benefits of having these subjects as your optional but it doesn’t mean that you don’t need to study the same subject of general studies.
In other words, you will have to study and treat both subjects differently. The depth of the topic in optional subjects will be high compared to general studies.
8. Dynamic Nature of the Subjects
The subjects such as psychology, public administration and international relation & political science are dynamic in nature. Many questions in these subjects directly come from current affairs or events in the news, recent studies and research related to these subjects.