Lakhs of candidates across the country appear in this exam but very few of them qualify for this exam. You will have to work hard as well as smart to achieve the desired goal.
Let us first learn how to choose Optional for the UPSC exam. The optional subject holds a score of 500 marks out of 2025 marks therefore it should be given immense importance.
Select the right optional subject so that your interest in the subject is maintained and you get a good score. It is another important aspect when choosing an optional.
Don't choose optional solely on the basis of the average score that the optional got in the previous year. If you enjoy the subject you will be able to score better in any optional. Don't go for the optional on the basis of prevailing ideas or assumptions; it will eventually lead to you getting bored with the optional and finally not being able to score well.
Keep these factors in mind before making a decision.
The subject does not have a vast syllabus because the general studies paper already has an extensive syllabus that you have to finish.
So, it is good to choose an optional subject that is not lengthy and can be covered in a short time span.
You will have to spend an ample amount of time preparing it so it is not advisable to choose the Optional with an extensive syllabus.
The subject which was part of your graduation and you performed better in it is preferable.
You will be well acquainted with the subject and have good knowledge about it as you have studied the same during your graduation period.
List of top 10 optional subject
Agriculture
Medical Science
Sociology
Any literature subject
Public Administration
Anthropology
Psychology
Geography
History
Law
How to select the easiest optional subject
Deciding which optional subject is easy and which one is hard is a difficult task in itself. It depends on the educational background you come from, areas of interest and the resources available to you. All these factors play a vital role in deciding the easiest optional subject of UPSC for you.
You may consider some factors while choosing the easiest optional subject that are resources available, areas of interest and the stream of your graduation
Now, check out the syllabus of all the shortlisted subjects.
If you feel like you are interested in reading and learning the marked subject while going through the syllabus, you will be able to opt for two subjects that you have deep interest and knowledge in.
Now, pick the previous year's papers for the last three years and mark out the question for which you know the answer or you have some knowledge about it.
Once you are done, you will know which one to choose and why to choose it after going through the previous year's papers.
Easiest optional subject for UPSC
Civil Engineering
Mechanical Engineering Geology
Animal husbandry and Veterinary Science
Statistics
Agriculture Management
Medical Science
Agriculture
List of UPSC optional subject
Agriculture
Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science
Anthropology
Botany
Chemistry
Civil Engineering
Management
Mathematics
Mechanical Engineering
Medical Science
Philosophy
Physics
Commerce & Accountancy
Economics
Electrical Engineering
Geography
Geology
History
Law
Political Science & International Relations
Psychology
Public Administration
Sociology
Statistics
Zoology
Literature optional subject
Assamese
Bengali
Bodo
Dogri
Gujarati
Hindi
Kannada
Kashmiri
Konkani
Maithili
Malayalam
Manipuri
Marathi
Nepali
Oriya
Punjabi
Sanskrit
Santhali
Sindhi
Tamil
Telugu
Urdu
English
Why should you choose Maths as an optional
Scoring high marks
The first advantage of choosing Maths as an optional is that you can score higher marks if you understand the basics of the subject properly.
Mathematics is about understanding the functioning of the mathematical application and the core principles.
Easier to understand
Another advantage associated with keeping Maths as an optional subject in the UPSC examination is easy compressibility and understanding of the basic ideology of mathematical application.
Mathematics is a practice-oriented subject and can become your favourite if you understand the subject properly and find the subject interesting. You can easily solve complex problems and invest more time to enhance or understand the concept.
Less competition
If you are an undergraduate in Mathematics, you have learnt all the basic and complex conceptually inclined analyses of Mathematics.
So, when you take up mathematics as an optional you find yourself alone with less competition and more chances to score higher if you take Mathematics as optional paper.
UPSC Mains optional subjects strategy
UPSC Mains exam is a major part of the exam as it is a syllabus-heavy part and you will have to prepare at least 1 year ago.
It is good to start preparation in the final year of graduation if you do not have the luxury of starting preparation from college days.
You must start before the one year of examination.
Scoring good marks becomes important in the Mains examination as they decide the service you will get in.
Candidates are expected to write a detailed answer in the optional paper so you will need a subject-focused approach rather than a generalist approach because the main difference between the optional paper and General Studies preparation is the expertise.
It's suggested to begin optional preparation in October of the year preceding the examination year as it will usually take 4 to 5 months. Thus, your optional subject preparation would be over by March of the year of examination having adequate time for the preparation of the Prelims.
Don't postpone optional preparation after the prelims because you will have a crunch of time after the Prelims exam so it is wise to prepare beforehand rather than waiting for the last minute.
Click for more about maths as an option for UPSC.
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