The optional subject is the only choice that a UPSC candidate can make in UPSC CSE, which makes the decision one of huge significance for every aspirant.
With 48 options available, which is the best optional subject? Civil servants, who went through the same conundrum during their UPSC journey, offer insights to simplify your decision-making process.
Consider choosing your graduation subject. “Do not fall for talks that ‘your graduation subject is not scoring’ — if you have interest and knowledge of it, you will make it happen,” he opined.
If your graduation subject is not available, try to find a subject that ‘attracts you or one that you have a good understanding of.
“Once you find it, read about the subject a bit, its syllabus, and [take] a cursory glance of the previous year's papers. This would help you understand if it suits your interests. Once you find it suitable, go for it wholeheartedly,” he added.
Ira Singhal, Deputy Commissioner, Tirap District, UPSC CSE 2014
AIR 1 Ira asked students to choose a subject “you can fall in love with”.
“You have to study that subject again and again, and have to do a very in-depth coverage of all its topics! So it should be a subject that you enjoy studying. If you don’t…then you won’t be able to do justice to it,” she shared on her blog.
She urged aspirants not to be swayed by what others did well in or “subjects that give good results”.
“People clear with every subject and fail with every subject. No subject has a 100% record. What matters is that you can handle the subject. So take the one that interests you the most,” she shared on her blog.
Debotosh Chatterjee, IRS (C&IT), UPSC CSE 2016
Debotosh also believes that you must choose a subject you find interesting and there is no “best subject”.
“It’s a myth. The thumb rule of choosing an optional subject for UPSC CSE, accepted by most successful and aspiring candidates, is that you must be interested in it,” he said.
“Divide your attention between science and humanities, and ask yourself which line of thought you are more ‘comfortable’ with,” he added.
While science subjects are higher scoring, they need more prep time. Humanities are difficult to score but take less time to complete, and find relevance in essays, ethics, and interviews, he said.
He recommended looking at the optional list and eliminating what you don’t like first. When you’re left with just 8 to 10 subjects, check the syllabus, previous years’ question papers, and availability of material for self-study for these subjects.
If you’re still left with multiple options, Debotosh suggested picking up a basic book — ideally a Class 11 or 12 NCERT — for each of the remaining subjects, and then going through each in two to three days.
“You will yourself know the option that you will be going ahead with now,” he said.