Acing your optional: Part 1

 

“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.”

― Robert F. Kennedy

    While commencing UPSC preparations, one of the first question which comes up is the choice of the optional subject. Here is the story of how I picked my optional and the experience I wish to share with you. 

    This would be a 3 part series on Optional Preparation, Part 1 dealing with the general elements regarding the subject and more personal anecdotes. Part 2 and 3 would specifically deal with the two papers.

My story:

   I began preparing for UPSC on 25th July 2019, 2 months after finishing my B.Tech in Electronics and Communication Engineering. Coming from a family with no background of Civil Services, I lacked the fundamental awareness towards the preparation in my initial days. For the first month, I wasn't even aware of the different subjects available as optionals in UPSC! 

    In the beginning of September 2019, I began looking for optionals suiting my preferences. Though I came from a technical background, like a lot of people, I was not willing to take a technical subject. I filtered subjects such as Philosophy, Psychology, English Literature, Sociology and Anthropology for my selection. I read a lot of topper blogs and took opinions from my teachers to come to some conclusion. Finally, I picked Anthropology.

        

My reasons:

1. Limited Syllabus- I had a short timeline to finish my optional classes by Dec 2019. Shorter syllabus meant multiple revisions.
2. Availability of Study material- Anthropology had a good set of coaching guidance, books and study materials available.
3. Personal interest in Genetics- I was drawn to Anthropology immediately as I realized it had Genetics as a part of the syllabus. During school days, I loved studying theories of evolution, Mendelian genetics and chromosomal diseases.
4. Parallels with GS syllabus: The subject had overlaps with society and tribal administration portions of GS.
5. Technical vs Humanities: I come from a background of writing and have always preferred subjects with liberty to express creative thought. Thus, technical subjects like Electrical Engineering didn't appeal to me.

    To even bolster my decision, I found a VisionIAS lecture of Sosin Ma'am, and immediately liked the way she interacted in her classes. I took 81 recorded lectures from Sosin Anthropology and began my classes on 2nd Oct 2019. 

My timeline:

     I finished my lectures by 31st Dec 2019. Subsequently, I continued to work with the subject till Feb 2020, on content enhancement and attaining more information through the internet. Ideally I used to spend about 2-3 hours everyday apart from my GS preparation on my optional. 

    Initially I was preparing according to the standard timeline of UPSC. But the COVID pandemic gave me a 4 months extension. Once Prelims got delayed, I took it as an opportunity to invest one more month on content enhancement of Social Anthropology part and deeper understanding on Paper 2. This was done through reading documents on Ministry of Tribal Affairs' website and also through extensive YouTubing on tribes. 

    Post prelims, I solely focused on Answer writing aspect of the paper. I had a study group of 3 friends, who were all Anthro students. We began by writing 2 previous year questions everyday and reviewing each other's answers. I also took up a test series from L2A classes to get regular feedback on my answers. In the last 15 days, I only revised facts, case studies and practiced diagrams to stay in the vibe of the subject.

    I scored 288 in Anthropology, in my first attempt. This was only due to strategic targeting of the subject and regular feedbacking from other aspirants and teachers. 

What must be kept in mind :

1. Not giving up on the subject:  This might sound philosophical, but I frequently see aspirants switching between optionals even in the last leg of their preparations. For me, once I decided I was going with the subject, I never questioned my decision. There were days I would be deeply disheartened with my performance or scores. Somedays, the topics just felt beyond my capabilities. But I always took it One Day At A Time.
2. Going for coaching classes: It should be your personal call to decide over joining coaching classes. If you have a shorter deadline or you face any trouble with the subject, seek guidance accordingly.
3. Solving papers and writing answers: There is an inertia to answer writing in every aspirant. But this cycle needs to be broken, preferably before prelims so that you can prepare well for the D-day.
4. Going an extra mile: While the subject has been broken down by selected candidates into palatable proportions, it is must to bring your own uniqueness on plate. Think as an examiner. Your paper needs to appeal to him so that you fetch those brownie points. Read some extra. Use internet for creativity. 
5. Preparing for the unexpected: When I wrote my Paper 1 on the day of Mains, I was startled by the plethora of dynamic questions. But I still answered them to the best of my knowledge. To me it was clear, 'If I answer it, I might not be selected, but if I don't, I'd surely not make it.'

Choosing the optional:

    While choosing the right optional for yourself, you need to keep the following aspects in mind:

• Your educational background and familiarity with the subject
• Your timeline and length of the syllabus of the subject
• Availability of quality study material
• Your personal interest and calling

    As Sandeep Bhaiya in TVF's Aspirants said, "Your optional is like your girlfriend. How would you stay happy if you don't like her?"

It doesn't matter if your optional is technical or humanities subject. If you like the subject, make an informed decision on the pros and cons. If you still feel you can read it and stay fascinated by the course, Go For It!