How to Choose Optional Subject for UPSC?

Choosing the best optional subject is part of preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Examination and is one of the most crucial among the multitude of decisions to be taken. This optional paper accounts for 500 out of the overall 1750 in the Mains examination.

Therefore, it is not any other subject but the one which might impact your final rank to a large extent. Selecting the appropriate optional subject makes it easier to prepare and increases the score if it is picked judiciously.

Step-by-Step Procedure to Select Your UPSC Optional Subject

Start with What You Already Know

It is always wise to look at your academic history. Since you have already completed a course on a subject during graduation, you have a degree of familiarity with it. The familiarity might save you time while preparing. Avoid taking a subject simply because you have already done it before. Check if you still enjoy the subject and if it is simple to comprehend.

Follow Your Passion

There is a good chance that genuine passion for a topic will motivate you to study it for months. You will learn to read and rewrite on the topic again and again. Therefore, choose an best optional subject in which you are interested. In case you are naturally inclined towards the topic and are finding it simple to comprehend, it is a good sign that it might be the best option for you.

Check Study Material and Coaching Support

Good study material and guidance from experts are also an essential factors. Check if sufficient books, notes and mentors are available to guide you before deciding on a subject. A good UPSC institute in Gujarat will assist and guide you through focused coaching on varied optional subjects, which will help you organise your preparation better.

Examine Success Rates and Trends

Disciplines like Sociology, Anthropology and Geography are reputed to have doable syllabi and good success rates. While it shouldn’t solely be a deciding factor as to why a subject is picked, it does serve to look at history and observe how others have succeeded before.

Conclusion

The optional subject selection is a matter of personal choice. Consider your interest area, academic record, available options and adequate guidance. Support from a good UPSC institute in Gujarat may also go a long way in preparing you.