Importance of the Optional Subject in the UPSC CSE

The Optional is the only subject classification in the Civil Services Exam (CSE) from which candidates may choose and whose scores are factored into the merit calculation. All remaining papers are identical for all candidates or of a qualifying nature only.

Choosing the proper Optional subject exam is the key to success in the UPSC CSE.

WHICH ONE IS MORE MARKS FETCHING, Optional or GS?

Choosing the correct optional is quite essential in the UPSC CSE, as the likelihood of achieving higher marks is greater in the optional than in the General Studies (GS) Mains exam or any other category:

• Although the GS Mains exam is worth 1000 marks and takes an average of two to three years to complete, the marks of a GS Mains topper range from 450 to 525 out of 1000, which is only 50 per cent of the total GS Mains marks.
• However, scores of the top students in optional subjects range from 350 to 370 out of 500, which is greater than 70 per cent.
• Even if the weighting of the optional subject exam is less than that of the GS Mains, the likelihood of scoring higher marks in the optional exam is significantly higher than that in the GS Mains exam.

What about the Potential of Various Optional Subjects?

The potential of an optional subject by itself creates a significant gap in the total subject scores. For instance, if two students' preparation levels are identical, they are more likely to obtain marks within the same range while choosing the same optional.

However, if they have two distinct optional subjects, the disparity in their scores is likely to be greater even if they are similarly prepared.

The inability to pass the UPSC CSE Mains examinations is primarily due to selecting the wrong optional subject.

For each serious candidate, the difference between their scores on the GS Mains examination will not exceed 10 to 15 marks, whereas, for optional subjects, this difference typically increases to 40 to 60 points.

How does moderation in the UPSC optional give it an advantage?

In contrast to the State PSC Exams, the UPSC does not believe in grading optional subjects but in moderation. Scaling is approximating the grades of two or more distinct optional subjects. This is accomplished by making a presumption about similarities in student abilities.

Assuming, for instance, that the peak-scoring student in Mathematics is at the same level as the top-scoring student in Anthropology, etc.

Instead of embracing this premise as accurate, the UPSC adopts a Moderation stance.

For example, if an examiner in a specific subject gave a student extra marks, the chief examiner will reduce (moderate) the marks based on his or her comprehension.

Selecting an Optional Subject. What should the norms be?

There are specific criteria for selecting the appropriate optional; however, there is a high likelihood that even the most appropriate option only meets some of the criteria.

Subject Scoring Ease: It should be of the utmost importance to consider how (relatively) simple it is to score in a given elective subject.

It would be inaccurate to presume that all optional subjects for the UPSC are equally weighted.

Approximately a decade ago, Psychology was "the" optional subject for students. About 300-350 of the 700 options had Psychology as an optional subject. In 2005-2006, Public Administration was the optional, whereas, in the 1990s, Anthropology was the most preferred option.

Students' Capabilities: One can only be equally skilled in some subjects, so it is essential to identify the most suitable option and act accordingly.

For example, if you have exceptional writing skills, you should select a subject where subjectivity is vital, such as Political Science, Sociology, Literature, Public Administration, etc.

However, if writing is not your strong suit, you do well with flowcharts, maps, and diagrams. Choose an optional one where the diagrammatic representation of answers and maps works well, such as Geography or an engineering subject such as Physics.

One's Interest: The subjects you genuinely enjoy studying will make your UPSC journey much more uncomplicated. It is unlikely that you will become bored studying it, as monotony is unlikely to occur.

An individual's interest in a subject is one of the criteria that should be prioritized, but it should be considered after the preceding two criteria.

Overlaps with GS: If an optional subject is also beneficial in General Studies or the Essay or Interview, then the preference for that subject is automatically increased.

Length of Syllabus: Optional subjects must be chosen considering the time available to cover the syllabus. If you can save one or two months in a subject, it is significant from a CSE viewpoint.

However, choosing an unsuitable subject simply because its curriculum is brief does not result in the loss of several years.

Sources of Information/Study: Having sufficient study materials and proper guidance from seniors and teachers are also essential factors for selecting the correct optional subject.

Subject Dynamism: The lesser the subject dynamism, the greater the subject. The queries remain the same in some subjects, while the answers change annually.

For instance, nearly every aspect of Political Science Paper-II, i.e. international relations, is highly dynamic and must be regularly updated.

Even in Sociology and Public Administration, albeit to a lesser extent than in political Science, dynamism features prominently.

However, the answers should stay the same annually in subjects such as History, Geography, Literature, Philosophy, and Psychology.

Background: Background is not as essential as other criteria, but if you have a strong background in a subject that satisfies other essential criteria for choosing optional, it should be given considerable weight in the subject selection process. When selecting an optional subject, the hierarchy of parameters (the priority that should be accorded to a criterion) should correspond to the order in which these criteria are enumerated.

The competition should not be a criterion because the UPSC CSE optional exam is not an intra-subject competition but a competition between students from all optional subjects.

In addition, there are no subject reservations; no criterion states that a certain percentage of students will be chosen from each subject, so competition for selecting a particular option should not be considered a valid criterion.

Which Subjects have a High Scoring Potential (in English)?

One advantage of choosing English as the medium for the UPSC CSE examinations is that the grading is relatively consistent across subjects.

Many subjects, such as Sociology, Public Administration, and Geography, have the potential to help you fetch approximately 330 marks in your optional examinations, assuming you devote yourself with great zeal.

How to Assess the Scoring Potential of a Topic?

A good criterion for evaluating the suitability of a particular subject is to exclude the rare marks obtained in that subject - either the highest or lowest ones - from your analysis.

It would be best to search for subjects in which more than ten students earned more than 300 points. (cumulatively, not yearly).

Also, avoid using subjects and marks from before 2013, as the curriculum of the UPSC Mains examinations changed that year. Instead, include the following years' results in your analysis.

Pay attention to calculating the average score of the aspirants (who scored more than 300), as it will give you a general idea of what you can expect to achieve in that subject if you are a serious, dedicated candidate with excellent writing skills.

Preparation for Optional Exams. What exactly is the Appropriate Strategy?

The strategy should ultimately be determined by you. For example, one of the best strategies would be to complete the entire GS curriculum and select the best option for you. Either parallel study (multiple exams; GS, essay, and Optional) or pipelining can be utilized. (One by one).

Either of the two approaches is acceptable, provided you have thoroughly studied your optional syllabus before sitting for the UPSC Prelims.

You should not only have covered your optional syllabus but also have practiced writing answers in that subject.

Which is More Preferred: Objectivity or Subjectivity?

A subject's objectivity indicates that it is a factual subject with only one correct answer. For example, mathematics, physics, and to a lesser extent, geography is objective disciplines.

People who need to write better and think creatively should major in engineering or Science. Geography would also be helpful, as many queries in Geography Paper I can be answered with maps, diagrams, or flowcharts.

Conversely, subjectivity signifies that a query (and subject) may have multiple correct/appropriate answers. Subjective in nature, political science, sociology, anthropology, literature, etc. Those with exceptional writing and language skills and a solid comprehension of the humanities should choose subjective subjects as their optional.

Neither objective nor subjective subjects have higher marking patterns than the other; both have equal possibilities of earning you a high grade. It is not an absolute standard but one relative to an individual's abilities.

How Much Time Should Be Spent Studying a Discretionary Subject?

Philosophy is one of the subjects with less length and breadth but greater profundity. On the other hand, history is a subject with enormous length and breadth but less profundity.

If we include profundity as a factor, the time required to study any elective subject thoroughly would be nearly identical. Pursuing an optional subject will require approximately 120 classes of 2.5 hours each or 300 class hours.

These 300 hours do not include practice writing answers to queries from previous years.

In addition to this, a total of 400 hours should be devoted.

In addition to gaining a fundamental understanding of the subject, practising the previous year's questions and mock exams, and taking short notes, approximately 700 to 1000 hours must be devoted to performing exceptionally well on the optional subject examination.

If you are studying only for optional and can devote 10 hours per day, 100 days should be sufficient to complete these processes. However, if you are concurrently preparing for other sections, such as General Studies and the Essay, and you devote 2.5 to 3 hours daily, you will need approximately 250 days.

A prudent strategy would be to spend two to three months exclusively on the optional subject and then one hour per day revising, writing answers, etc.

Is Self-Study Adequate?

Yes, you can pass the optional exam through independent study. However, if you are pursuing an optional subject without guidance or instruction, the following are some suggestions:

• Find the institution that offers the finest coaching for your elective subject and obtain its notes.
• Solve the practice tests of the institutions that specialize in the subjects you are preparing for.
• Identify at least one individual who can evaluate your responses.

How useful is it for English-medium Students to Choose Literature Subjects?

Any literature subject is highly scoreable on the English-medium optional exam. It is believed that in all regional literature, the concept of assisting candidates (appearing in optional exams with regional literature as a subject) predominates. This is even though the copies are evaluated solely by subject-matter experts, which is quite peculiar.

Regional literature is highly subjective, particularly in Paper - 2.

Even if you do not know the correct answers, you can make educated estimates and write accordingly, which is highly lucrative. Receiving guidance from subject-matter specialists is a concern when selecting regional literature courses.

If you can obtain access to that guidance, selecting this topic will be of great assistance.

What Should You Choose if You Have a Background in Engineering?

The performance trend in engineering subjects over the past few years has been neither excellent nor bad; rather, they have produced average results, with the best students scoring between 310 and 320 points.

If the subject (of your graduation that you have diligently studied) is explicitly listed amongst the list of optional subjects, then you may choose it, bearing in mind that the average maximum scoreability has been between 310 and 320 marks.

However, if you did not perform well in your graduation studies and would need to devote an additional 4-6 months to your graduation subject (for optional), it is recommended that you select a subject that is included in the GS Mains exams.

If a student from an engineering background is willing to choose a subject from the engineering field and needs more linguistic and writing skills, Geography would be the best choice for an optional subject.

Anthropology, closely related to Science, will also be viable in such situations. The nature of physical anthropology is also more objective.

What about Law as a possible optional?

Law, like engineering subjects, has been yielding average results, neither exceptionally excellent nor exceptionally poor.

If you are not interested in pursuing Law as an optional subject, the ideal alternative would be Political Science, as Jurisprudence and the Constitution are common to both.

Should NCERT Textbooks Be Given Priority for Optional Subjects?

Reading the NCERTs first is advantageous in two ways:

• It will clarify your fundamental concepts. In some instances, higher-level texts for the UPSC omit fundamental concepts but include all relevant information.
• Clearing your foundation by studying NCERTs does the trick.

The biggest challenge in UPSC Mains is to write an answer in about 200-250 words which are simpler to write in about 600 words.

The older NCERT books are so precise that by reading them, one can readily comprehend how to write a good answer within a shorter word limit.

If you have not studied the NCERTs and are satisfied with your preparation, re-studying the NCERTs is not a prerequisite but rather a choice.

What Kind of GS and Optional Answers Do Examiners Anticipate?

In the UPSC examinations, there are no specific guidelines or expectations regarding the use of flowcharts or elaborate paragraphs.

One may use paragraphs, highlight features, maps, or diagrams, or employ bullet points or headings.

What Kind of GS and Optional Answers Do Examiners Anticipate?

Suppose the question is objective or can be appropriately represented in a map, flowchart, or diagram, for example, comparing two states in terms of sex ratio, literacy, etc. In that case, a table will help you write your answer more effectively than a paragraph.

Flowcharts and tables, however, would make a shallow and superficial response to an analytical query requiring a detailed discussion of the answer. It will need more stance.

Whether on the GS Mains or Optional subject paper, it should be determined based on the subjective or objective nature of the query whether it is appropriate to represent the answer with flowcharts, diagrams, and maps. Therefore, such details should not be disproportionately included in the answers.