Pros and Cons of Taking History as Optional in UPSC

History Optional has become highly lucrative and attractive in terms of scoring high marks in UPSC CSE. With changing trends, an assessment that a candidate can infer is that this subject has high potential and can be selected by many in the near future due to the recent pattern that has been observed with this examination. But, merely making a blind selection can always let a candidate fall into the pit. Hence, it becomes pretty important to understand the pros and cons of History Optional in UPSC.

Spill Over Effect in Mains

The very first benefit of attaching this subject is to allow a candidate to prepare for other subjects that are part of GS Mains. Having History as an Optional subject in IAS Mains Exam is not making a candidate prepare for 500 marks, but more than that. How? Is Modern History, Art & Culture, and World History not part of History Optional? Definitely, yes. Considering that there are almost 100 to 125 marks of questions coming in the GS Mains, it ensures that a candidate is somewhere preparing for 40 to 50% of GS Mains Paper – 1 and  30 to 35% of the entire GS Mains, if Essay paper is excluded.

But, if a candidate adds the relevance of History with the content of Essay topics, a candidate can feel assured that they are going to fetch those extra 20 to 30 marks as well.

Now, come to the GS Paper – II. What if question related to legal provisions associated with marital rape, and other domains, including religious conversions come in the exam considering them being the hot spot. Will a candidate not add the historical prospects of Age of Consent Act or Sharda Act, or elements of Princely states who made laws related to religious conversions during colonial times? If not, it will be like a missed opportunity. Hence, in any case, opting this subject can be beneficial for you as somewhere it has a spill over effect over GS Mains subjects as well.

Mapping Geography

Before a candidate moves ahead with this section, some of them may think that History and Geography has literally no connection that has been attached and if attached, why it has not been added in the Spill over Effect section. Well, there’s a reason behind it. When someone opts History as Optional Subject in UPSC Exam, they get mentally ready to start practicing about maps as it is of 50 marks in the Paper – 1.

Now, while practicing maps, a candidate can also take some time to practice maps of physical features of Indian geography and World geography, which if added in the Geography questions, will help to extract some more marks due to the value-addition during the Mains paper. So, the map section is something that directs a candidate to build their preparation in a holistic manner.

Find Right Guidelines

This section is somewhere going to be a mixed version as it can be both Advantageous and Disadvantageous of History Optional, if the right institute is not picked for the preparation of History Optional in Delhi. It is because a Coaching Institute for History Optional provides the right set of directives and instructions that can help a candidate to understand what to read, why to read, and how to read.

A place like Delhi that is a hub for UPSC CSE preparation can give you a wide range of options from where you initiate your studies. But, finding the correct place is a MUST. For this purpose, Momentum IAS is the one that allows a candidate to come under the supervision and tutelage of a giant History Optional Best Faculty like Piyush Kumar Sir, a person who is known for giving effective results in the History Optional in the past.

Piyush Kumar Sir has been a pivotal individual who has adhered to the UPSC CSE History Syllabus and ensured even in the past to complete the entire Optional subject within a stipulated timeline to ensure that students have enough time for self-studies during their preparation.

With his History Optional Foundation Course at Momentum IAS, he provides additional materials, apart from notes, and conducts monthly and weekly answer writing sessions to allow a candidate to prepare for the subject in a holistic manner with practical applications and understanding the A-Z of writing Mains answers.

Repelling Negative Energies

A place like Delhi can be subsumed in an environment that has both students from different horizons and mentality. Some of them may tell a candidate to be mentally ready to stay here for almost 3 to 4 years to ensure that they may clear the examinations. Some of the candidates may observe that their peers that started preparing for CRPF and other examinations by losing the objectivity, UPSC CSE demands.

In addition to this, many may claim that they have written Mains, but in reality have not even cleared Prelims once and advise you with a set of booklist for History Optional. Therefore, it becomes mandatory to keep such negative energies at a bay apart and be a “KARMAVEER” who listens to their hearts and their gurus who are providing them with the right set of guidelines related to the subject.

Keep these points in mind while opting History as Optional subject and ensure that when it comes to showcasing mettle, the arsenal has right answers.

Others Resources to Check out

> Which is the Best Coaching for UPSC History Optional?

> History Optional Answer Writing Program for UPSC CSE

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