Why Choose Anthropology Optional for UPSC Civil Services Exam? Useful Tips to Help You Decide!
Want to become an IAS officer? If so, you must already know that the UPSC Mains is one of the toughest exams that you will have to face. Designed to test the intellectual prowess of the candidates, the CSE Mains exam can be difficult to crack. However, with the right guidance and preparation, you should be able to create a plan for success.
The first step toward preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Mains is selecting the Optional subject. As per the current rules, you need to select only one Optional subject. Here, we will consider anthropology as an ideal Optional.
We will also discuss why choose anthropology Optional for UPSC Civil Services Exam.
How to choose the right/Best Optional Subject for UPSC Mains Exam?
Choosing the best optional subject for the IAS exam can be a daunting task. It covers 500 marks out of 2025 marks, which is why it holds a lot of importance. You can pick your Optional from a list containing around 25 subjects. This list includes subjects such as Agriculture, Anthropology, Zoology, Mathematics, Botany, Chemistry and many others.
In an effort to score the highest marks, candidates often choose the most popular subject as their Optional. However, that is not the right way to go forward. You need to choose the Best Optional Subject for UPSC IAS Mains Exam based on factors such as:
- Your chosen parent subject
- Your interest in the potential Optional subject
- Length of the syllabus
- Availability of study materials, teachers and training institutes
- Nature and difficulty level of the question paper
- Scoring aspects
- The success rate in the UPSC results
- Associated benefits
Based on the factors mentioned above, many students find anthropology to be the ideal choice. If you are wondering why anthropology is a good optional, we are going to present a few reasons that should clear your doubts about why choose anthropology as an Optional for UPSC Civil Services Exam.
Why choose anthropology Optional for UPSC IAS Examination?
As mentioned above, there is a lot of dilemma surrounding the selection of the Optional subject for UPSC Mains. When checking out the popular options, you may have even asked the question – is anthropology is a good optional for UPSC?
The short answer is “yes.” Many candidates prefer this subject because a significant chunk of the syllabus has been removed. You no longer have to focus on areas such as Reproductive Biology, Twins, Ethnicity, and Development Anthropology.
The removal of these topics has made it fairly easy to complete the syllabus on time. Compared to other subjects, you would have to spend much less time in demography, research methodology, and anthropological theory.
Those who are wondering “how is Anthropology optional for IAS” should know that it is a fairly easy paper for science graduates. The fundamental concepts of science make up the basic structure of Anthropology. That is why a student of science will find it both interesting and easy to grasp. Even study materials such as books and resources are readily available.
Since this is a science-oriented subject, you can expect questions that require crisp and straightforward answers. You would also need to add correct flowcharts and diagrams. By studying hard and doing well on the exams, many candidates have been able to score high points in anthropology.
Why choose anthropology Optional for UPSC Civil Services Exam and how to prepare?
So far, we have discussed how to choose optional subject for UPSC civil services mains exam. Anthropology seems to be a good fit due to several reasons. The shortened and simplified syllabus, wide availability of study materials and coaching institutes, and the possibility of scoring high marks are some of the top reasons many candidates go for Anthropology as their Optional for UPSC Mains exam.
However, having a deep interest in the subject is crucial. If you find Anthropology fascinating and have decided to choose it as your Optional, there are various ways you can prepare for the exam. Here are some tips that will help you get started:
1. Focus on gaining conceptual clarity:
If you are new to anthropology, try to learn the basics of the subject first. Do not put all your focus on completing the syllabus quickly. Doing that will not only damage your understanding of the subject, but it will eventually hinder your progress. You should be able to write clear and concise answers in the exam. You cannot do that without fully understanding the study materials.
2. Use previous years’ question paper as a roadmap:
When studying for the IAS Mains, you will have many subjects to cover. You cannot focus all your time and energy in your Optional subject. That is why you should not aim at completing every anthropology book. Rather, you can look at the type of questions that have appeared in the Mains exam and use that as a roadmap for what you need to study.
3. Make rich and comprehensive notes:
Making notes is an excellent way of preparing the IAS Mains. When making notes for Anthropology, you should start with one book and use it as your primary source for content. You can later add relevant materials from other books to add weight to your notes. Taking tuitions and consulting a professor may also help in this regard.
4. Make rich and comprehensive notes:
Diagrams and flowcharts can spruce up your answers significantly. Adding quotes is also beneficial. For Paper I, you will have to add the names of all the tribes from across the globe. Ember and Ember is an excellent source for the information. However, you will have to memorize the names simply through practice.
How to choose the best institute for UPSC anthropology optional?
As mentioned above, the UPSC civil services mains exam is highly competitive. Only the smartest and well-prepared candidates can crack it. Simply studying 24×7 will not help you achieve the desired results. You need an experienced mentor to guide you in the right direction. Enrolling into a coaching institute may be a good idea.
If you struggling to find the best institute for UPSC anthropology optional, try SAPIENS IAS, led by Mr. Pradip Kumar Sarkar. Founded in 2007, SAPIENS IAS offers coaching and training to aspiring candidates from the fields of IRS, IFS, IPS, and IAS. So far, the institute has helped numerous students achieve their dream careers.Mr. Pradip Kumar Sarkar has rightfully claimed the position of the best teacher for anthropology optional. Being an expert in this field, he has a unique take on how the subject should be studied. His scientific approach to understanding anthropological concepts has been much praised. Under his leadership, SAPIENS IAS has earned the reputation of one of the leading IAS Anthropology coaching institutes in India. As an aspiring civil servant, you won’t find better mentorship and guidance than at SAPIENS IAS.
As we have discussed above, Anthropology is a great choice as an Optional for the UPSC Mains exam. However, to succeed and get the highest marks, you will have to put in the work. You can also take classes and join a coaching institute to gain a better understanding of the subject.
