UPSC Mains 2021: Optional Paper 1 & 2 (IAS Exam) - Last Minute Preparation Tips by Experts

UPSC Mains 2021 Optional Subject Exam would be conducted on January 16, 2022. Choosing the best option out of the plethora of subjects is a major job and preparing for it better than others is an even more difficult task. There are a total of 25 subjects to choose from which have been listed in the table below:

UPSC Mains 2021: Optional Paper 1 & 2

Candidates could have chosen from the following subjects as their optional

1. Anthropology

2. Agriculture

3. Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science

4. Botany

5. Chemistry

6. Civil Engineering

7. Commerce

8. Economics

9. Electrical Engineering

10. Geography

11. Geology

12. Indian History

13. Law

14. Mathematics

15. Management

16. Mechanical Engineering

17. Medical Science

18. Philosophy

19. Physics

20. Political Science

21. Psychology

22. Public Administration

23. Sociology

24. Statistics

25. Zoology

The candidates can also choose from the following languages for their UPSC Mains Exam 2021:

1. Assamese

2. Bengali

3. Bodo

4. Dogri

5. Gujarati

6. Hindi

7. Kannada

8. Kashmiri

9. Konkani

10. Maithili

11. Malayalam

12. Manipuri

13. Marathi

14. Nepali

15. Oriya

16. Punjabi

17. Sanskrit

18. Santhali

19. Sindhi

20. Tamil

21. Telugu

22. Urdu

23. English

The optional paper for UPSC Mains 2021 has two papers each of 250 marks attempted in any of the above languages by the candidates. This paper is extremely helpful for candidates to cover up the marks they have lost in the first four papers.

So experts suggest targeting this paper meticulously.

UPSC Mains 2021: Optional Paper Strategy By Experts

Before appearing for the Optional paper, the candidates must revise or brush up on the topics that are currently in news. This means that they must revise all the theories related to happenings in the past 6 months.

Also, they must keep some examples ready with them to support their theories.

Experts suggest the candidates just go through their most difficult topics on the last day of the preparation and not study a word before the exam on the actual date.
So experts suggest targeting this paper meticulously.

The entire year is spent by candidates studying their optional subject, so they should feel confident in it as well. Feeling underconfident and underestimation of oneself only leads to poor performance.

UPSC Civil Services Mains 2021 was conducted between 7th to 16 January 2022 amidst rows of cancellation and postponement. This year the exams have been tough for candidates as UPSC has raised its bars. The candidates are expecting a tough Optional Paper as well. Only 16th January would tell clearly what happens.