UPSC doesn’t intentionally “butcher” a subject. All the Optionals have their distinct advantages and drawbacks but by no stretch of the imagination would UPSC give preference to one option over the other.
What may happen though is that some Optional Subjects might have scored more than the others in a particular year but that trend gets reversed also. That is the unpredictability of the Civil Services Examination that we have to live with. In fact, till the time Optional Subjects remain a part of CSE, this unpredictability will remain. Also every year there is at least one person getting a top 10 rank with the Geography optional and many who are failing by taking other Optional Subjects.
So, learn to live with it rather than blaming it. Most of the time, the answers to one’s failure or unexpected performance lie within and not externally.
So coming to the point, let me enumerate the merits of Geography as an optional to help you decide whether it’s the subject for you:
Merits of geography as an optional Subject for UPSC
- Geography is scoring: If you maintain the essence of Geography in your answers, it will definitely fetch you good marks in Mains.
- Geography is interesting: You will have a fun ride with geography as most of the concepts relate to the physical and social environment of which you are an integral part.
- Geography has a maximum overlap with the GS syllabus: If you prepare Geography optional, more than 30-40% of your GS syllabus is automatically prepared. Moreover, you develop better perspectives for the Essay paper and Interview as well. Last year in GS paper 1, 110 marks were asked from geography. Also, International relations, Disaster Management, Agriculture, exports, resources, etc. are part of geography which helps in scoring well in GS 2 and GS 3.
- Geography is logic driven and scientific: Unlike some other humanities subjects, the study of Geography entails logic, scientific theories, and empirical evidence. This makes Geography easy to understand and apply.
- You can visualize what you Study: Geography as a subject is very relatable as you can see whatever you are reading. This makes the subject more interesting and lively and makes nature more beautiful than it already is.
- Geography has an abundance of sources to refer to: There is no dearth of quality materials and good books on Geography. You don’t have to dig too much into bookstores to find good books on Geography.
So, as an Optional subject, geography is a very good subject. However, you need to have a proper set of skills to score well in Geography like –
Demerits of geography as an optional Subject for UPSC
- The language of Geography is maps and diagrams. If you think you won’t be able to draw diagrams properly, then geography optional is not for you.
- Geography is a technical subject with a number of scientific concepts, if you have any reservations against science, then also don’t opt for it.