upsc-exams/upsc-exam-india-civil-services-ias-optional-selections-faq-part-4

FAQ on Subject Selection in the Civil Services -Part-4

I am Homoeopathy student wanted to appear for UPSC. I had undergone splenectomy (removal of spleen) due to accident 2 yrs back now I am perfectly alright. Do I fulfill physical requirements for CSE?

No problem. If you are normal and carry out other activities it will not affect your prospect in the civil services. Thy physical fitness is must for only few technical services such as Indian Police Service, Indian Railway Traffic Service and Indian Customs and Central Excise in some extent for other services; it is only a formality in the medical examination

I am a third year engineering student. As I am not comfortable with the engineering subjects I had lost a year. whether I am eligible to take up the civil service exam ? can I take prelim exams when i am in my final year? i am very much interested in geography and history.shall i take these as my optionals and start preparing myself. kindly suggest me.

You are eligible to write civil services even though you have lost one year. only thing is, you have to complete your degree before filling the main application. You can attend your prelims & ming your final year also, provided you are qualified by age wise. If you are not sure, don't waste one attempt. Normally, we suggest the aspirants to write civil services, after completing degree if they are in UG. If they are in master's degree, they can go for the exams during PG. As far as optionals are Concerned, it is fine. But you have to remember the following if you are going for these two subjects.

1. The syllabus is vast for both the subjects.

2. Both will be back to back exams where you won't find time to revise the subjects.

3. All the exams will be held continuously without break.

4. History is not scoring well.

The success ratio also Poor Compared to many other optionals. In our opinion Geography is ok. You can go ahead with your preparation. You may think of some other optionals from the given following list. Sociology/ Psychology / Any Indian Literature. We also suggest you to go through the detailed syllabus and previous years question papers, which will give an idea to take an appropriate decision.

What is the success ratio of ratio in History in recent years? This was one of the leading subjects in previous years, but not in recent years, why? How to study this subject in scientific way? Why has it been becoming tougher and tougher year by year? For this the only reason is to avoid Engineering /science stream students? Are any specific reasons to make it tough even in mains.

The success ratio of History in recent years is about 1:25 to 1:32 in the mains. Of course, this was one of the leading subject of civil services. This was a good subject as there was no problem in getting resource materials. Earlier, other subjects were not so much developed. Now, there are many subjects. History questions are normally answered directly if there is a Question about evaluation, elucidating, examining, comments etc. So students are not in a position to give proper write ups up to the standard of UPSC. History is where it was decades ago, other subjects have developed lot. Science has developed a lot. Normally science stream students do well in history, than a humanity background student. One more thing is that the evaluator cannot know about the student's background. When students have started developing themselves to face the UPSC with the help of coaching institutes, UPSC also has started making the papers tougher in setting, as well as at the time of evaluation.

Can I choose zoology with anthropology?

Yes. Both are really good combination also. The success ratio of Zoology is about 1:9 and Anthropology also has the same success ration. Anthropology is a good subject for Zoology students to understand the terminologies and definitions. So you can go ahead with these two optionals.

I' m a student of veterinary sciences doing the last semester. I want to prepare for CSE. Can I prepare for it while pursuing my post graduation, or I have to drop one year?

You can very well prepare for your Civil Service preparation simultaneously with your post graduation. If your optional is same as in your graduation, it will be an added advantage for a consolidated preparation. Technical subjects like veterinary sciences will have questions of UG level only. The PG level papers are on specialization it may help if you have expertise in that particular area. As far as veterinary science aspirants are concerned , they are at both UG & PG levels . The post graduation will help you get more job opportunities because the Civil Services exams are more uncertain than any other exam.

I want to take History as first optional and English Literature as second optional in CSE . Though I did not study History in Graduation but I have great interest in it. How does Public Administration ,History and Anthropology fare in comparison to each other?

It is not necessary to take the same subject as an optional in the civil services. In India, most of us join a course which is not interesting to us or liked by us most of the time peers and family member's influences than our own decisions. After joining the course we feel that it is not suitable for us. Once we understand the reality and stand of our own, we come up with our wishes. The civil services exams should be based on interest and liking because it needs intensive and continuous study for at least a year. The tempo can be kept if we choose subject interesting to us. You may have a liking for History and English literature. In our opinion, both are not advisable because the History's success ratio is really very poor for English literature, one should be really talented and should have some base. As per the subjects given in the last line, we advise you to go for public Administration and Anthropology. Public Administration is really doing well. It will be easy for you to read and understand. As far as Anthropology is concerned, it is a good subject for science graduate who studied botany, zoology at the college level, even school level will also do.

I am student of Law. How should I go about my preparation for CSE?

We hope you are aware of the pattern and scheme of the examination. If you don't know, go through these items in the Book first. Once you have decided to write Civil services, the next step is to select the optional selection of optional is the crucial one in the Civil services. As you are from the Law background, you may or may not like to take your subject one should select the optional based on his/her interest, understanding ability of the subject, availability of proper / standard books, Previous years trend closeness/relevance of two subjects. If you are keen in opting for law, the other optional may be Public Administration / Sociology / Psychology. We suggest you to go through the detailed syllabus and previous years questions after you have decided / sorted out some subjects. Among the sorted subjects. something will be interesting and easy for your nature and mental make up. Because Civil services exam preparation not an university exam, which needs one of two days preparation only but CSE preparation needs similar or more hard work through out the year. Then follow the strategy given in the Book, which will guide you for your success.

What type of mapping questions are asked in the mains exam of geography subject?

The map question may be city, Industrial area, Physical geographical structures like sea, stream, peak, etc. The questions are from Physical, Political & economic geography. These are available in the previous year question booklet. It is available in the market/ leading shops all over India. Map reading is there in both the papers one is world map & the other is India Map. Total 120 marks i.e. 60 marks each. You have to mark 10 spots. There are choices also. The map reading should be done / located accurately and 25 words write up also will follow. The evaluation has few break ups out of 6 i.e. Correct map reading / location, write up, key words in the write up etc.

I am 2nd year physiotherapy. I have opted "Public Administration" for prelims AND "Psychology" for mains, how should I start preparing?

Your optional selections are really good. Both are promising and scoring also. The preparation strategy for General studies is already available in different websites. The Psychology preparation is already available in the toppers Interview. The book list for Public Administration will be put up soon. We suggest you to go for General Studies preparation at the first instance.

What books should I follow for "Public Administration" & "Psychology" & "G.S"? When should I take coaching?

Coaching is not necessary. But Coaching institutes make the aspirants to interact with fellow Competitors. A healthy competition makes a person to get ready for any eventuality. Good institutes also shape up the students to written exams well. This also has a drawback that every student in a classroom will follow the same pattern of answer because of the influence of the teachers originality gets good marks in the UPSC. So one should not loose his / her originality even after joining coaching Institutes. So joining in a coaching Institute is purely a personal decision.

Can I choose "English" for Indian Language?

No. You have to take both the papers. You have to qualify in both the exams also. If you don't qualify in the language papers, optional papers will not be evaluated. So English and one Indian Language of matriculation standard is must for qualification.

I am a student of Architecture, presently doing 2nd year of the course. Can I give the CSE if so what subject is suitable for me?

Yes. You can give the CSE. There are set of subjects given by the UPSC. This is available in the book also. If you have gone through the previous questions & answers of this section have got an idea. In our opinion, you can go for Geography / Public Administration / Sociology / Psychology. In the prelims, it may be Geography. In the mains one of the remaining suggested subject may be selected. To select the optional, first go through the detailed first go through the detailed syllabus and questions papers.

I am from IIT. I think that in IAS main exam taking physics as optional, good student can get above 400+marks but normally student those taking physics getting very less marks near about 300. What is the reason behind this? This is same for maths........ Why are engineering student normally not taking physics, chemistry and maths? They are taking arts subject. What is your view about scaling?

You are right. This was true in 90s. IITians used to take maths & physics or maths & chemistry and crack it. It was in early 90s technocrats started to top the civil services and the students from arts / humanities front left behind. The Satish Chandra Committee recommended an introduction of Essay in the Civil services in 1993 as a level playing field for humanities also. IITians found difficulty in writing essay. Even after the introduction of essay in the CSE mains, the humanities left behind. IITians were ruling the reign again. In the year 2001, the syllabus of maths, physics & chemistry were revamped. This made IITians left behind the race. The exam pattern of maths being made tough, aspirants don't opt for it. In fact there is no scaling in the mains. It is there only in the prelims. These exam reforms made humanities subjects in the driver seat. The justification given for giving importance to humanity subjects are many. So it is the time for humanity / arts subjects in the civil services.

I am from the North-Eastern region domiciled in Assam. Is it mandatory for me to take up a language other than English in the mains?

Those students who are from North East, don't have any scheduled Indian Languages, they need not write the exam for the qualifying purpose. They have to write English exam and they are exempted from the Indian Language paper exam. If you go through the detailed to notification, it is given.

I've done my graduation in Botany, Zoology& Chemistry Now I'm pursuing my post graduation in Biotechnology What are the possible combination of subjects can I take? Can I opt for Public Administration and History? I'm in 2nd year When is the right time to start the preparation?

There is no need to worry. It will be easy for you, once you start preparing. But these two exams will come back to back i.e. next day like that you will not have time for revising the subject. Though History is easy, it is not & scoring well. The success ratio of History is also poor Compared to many subjects. We suggest you to take Public Administration and other optional may be zoology / Botany. If you are not comfortable with one of the two, you can think of opting Anthropology. As you are a Science student, Anthropology will be easy for you. It is scoring and the success ratio also very good. If you have a problem in selecting these two, please go through the detailed syllabus and old questions, which will give an idea to select an appropriate optional. As far as starting the preparation is concerned, you can start now itself. If you go through the tips given in the Book, which will give you an idea about the preparation also.

Can Indian literature be taken as one of the optionals for Prelims?

Indian literature cannot be taken as an optional in the preliminary. You can take one Indian literature as an optional in the mains only.

I am a B.E in Computer Science. Should I take maths as the second optional? My first optional is Chemistry.

After the change in the syllabus in 2001, maths has become really difficult. Even IITians do not opt for maths The maths result is also not good after 2001. You can take geography as a second optional. Otherwise (if you have good command over language) you can go for public Administration / Sociology / Psychology.

How is maths as a optional subject?

We assume that you must be an Engineering graduate or Maths graduate. After the new Maths syllabus the Maths score has come down drastically. Normally IIT graduates used to opt for Maths and Physics or Maths and Chemistry or Maths and one of the Engineering subject. Now, they are also changing their plans. It has become tough in fact it is being made tough to compensate Humanities. Please keep this in you mind. Still students opt for the subject. As we always say that it is the perception by the individual. It also varies from person to person. If you are really interested and determined, you can go ahead with your decision. But you have to keep something in your mind. ie While working for some success, one should keep all angles in the mind. That is the complete strategy and key to the SUCCESS. Hear from all sources but take decision of your own because you are the one going to appear in the Examination.

I am doing B.H.M.S. Our syllabus is same as MBBS except three subject. Medicine, Pharma, Philosophy. Am I eligible for IPS? if yes please tell me that what will be the optional subject.

You are very much eligible . There is no separate exam IPS. It is through combined civil services conducted by UPSC. If you go through the model notification and scheme of examination, you will get answer for all your questions First go through the tips given in the site. If your syllabus matches with medical sciences, you can go for it. But you have to be in top among medical optional students. You can only decide about your capabilities. As far as main exam is concerned medical science is the best performing optional. If the medical science doesn't fit, you can opt for zoology / sociology / psychology for prelims. For mains, you can go for anthropology it will be easy for you.

I'm a pharmacist (B-pharm) and am not able to decide what subject to opt for the prelims 2006. Please guide to choose my subject.

Zoology should be a good choice, as you have some basic idea about the subject. This will be easy for you. If you are not comfortable with Zoology, you can think of Geography/ Sociology/ Psychology / Botany. The second optional may be Anthropology, as it has some concurrence with your subject. You can think of taking Chemistry also as a first optional. Before selecting the subject, first go through the detailed syllabus and previous years' questions of sorted subjects, which will give you an idea about your knowledge levels for appropriate selection.

I am a pharmacy graduate. I want to appear for CSE. I have not started preparation for the exam. Please guide me how I can start my preparation and in which subject I can apply. Please help me on this point.

For the basic strategy and the preparation, you can go through the tips given in the Book. From General Studies to optional preparation strategy is given in many one line surces. We will also provide in this column soon. As far as you are concerned, you can select Zoology/Sociology/Psychology as an optional. If you are not comfortable with Zoology, you can go for either of the two. For the Mains, you can select Anthropology as you can understand the subject well. If you are well-versed with any Indian Literature, you can opt for one of the Indian Literatures as an optional. We also suggest you to go through the detailed syllabus of the subject and old questions before taking the decision. While selecting the subject, you have to consider your interest also so that the year-long preparation doesn't get hampered. The preparation tempo is maintained throughout till you achieve success.

Please tell me about cut off marks in physics in Prelims

It is about 90-95. It is also to be noted that there is no cut off for an individual subject. The cut off is worked out after totaling both the optional and general studies marks

Is there is alphabetical order of papers in mains scheme?

It is based on number of students. Those subjects with most number of students will be the first paper. Then it follows the order. All the Literature papers are held in one day.

My friends are telling both the IAS and IES exams are same. Is it true?

No. The Engineering services Exam ( IES ) Question papers are more direct and strictly syllabus oriented academic in Nature. With the same syllabus the civil services exams - UPSC exam are more applied , analytical and inferred nature. For this one has to understand the concepts well and able to correlate different subjects in a presenting the answer