With the Civil Services Examination 2017 results, Cut-off and marks details, aspirants’ curiosity converge at the Optional Subject that helped these candidates in accomplishment.
Picking only ‘ONE’ optional subject is a major decision, the result of that reflects clearly in your final results.
With no official data to back this observation at this moment of time, still candidates talk and sometimes make their choices looking at the current trends.
When I started tracking Civil Services Examination in late 80’s Anthropology was gaining recognition and in by mid-90’s it dominated the scene. Something similar is visible in CSE 2017 result where we have 3 candidates (Rank 1, 3 & 7) in top 10 with Anthropology as Optional Subject.
If you look at my earlier articles in previous years’ issues of Pratiyogita Darpan and on iaspassion, for last 7-8 years I have been writing about improving fortunes for optional like Anthropology, Law (Rank 9, 14) and after CSE 2013, the other noteworthy alternative optional subjects gained popularity are Commerce and Accountancy (Rank 11, 15) and Economics. Another significant observation has been that Mathematics (Rank 4, 8, 13, 24) is staging a comeback.
Useful Read: Optional Subject Performance in Civil Services Exam 2018 - An Observation
While Commerce, Economics, Mathematics and Law are specialist subjects; when candidates have to pick only ’ONE’ optional subject, candidates are imposing faith in their own subject; whereas Anthropology has been liked by all.
Being the optional subject that 1st rank Derishetty Anudeep picked, Anthropology is bound to get the recognition it deserved by giving consistent success-rate in recent years.
However, Law has become a choice of even non-Law background candidates. A trend that was noticed with Nitika Pawar (AIR 18; CSE 2011), continued year after year and the latest addition is Neha Jain, a dentist, achieving 14th Rank in CSE 2017 with Law as optional.
Reason probably is that because of the analytical nature of the subject, Law has become an attractive choice among Engineers and Medical background candidates. Moreover, with Law, candidate stays connected with General Studies as Constitution and International Law have strong correlation with General Studies.
When I was writing positive about all these optional subjects and their increasing acceptance, some of my friends associated with Civil Services Examination coaching and even some readers thought that I am biased about these subjects; particularly about Anthropology and Law.
Now, I am glad that the result of Civil Services Examination 2017 has proved me right and my observation has been bang on target.
Optional Subjects of the top 25 candidates in the examination ranged from Anthropology, Commerce & Accountancy, Economics, Geography, Law, Mathematics, Physics, Political Science & International Relations, Sociology, and Malayalam Literature.
Among the most popular optional subjects Political Science and International Relations continues its excellent run and Sociology also continue to deliver good results. As early indications are, this time Geography is severely hit; may be because of most popular choice among candidates Geography has more disappointments than success reported.
But, fortune of erstwhile most popular optional subject Public Administration continues to be dim. This subject somehow not able to make a comeback and 1st ranker Anudeep’s success with Anthropology, after leaving Public Administration, would also further sour the sentiments.
While History is in some way able to hold its fort; successful candidates with Philosophy are not visible in top ranks; still, it has many a successes in the list.
Surprise element is Literature of Languages which were blooming in last few years; probably have seen decline and lone candidate visible in top 25 is with Literature of Malayalam Language; and on contrary, pure Science subjects are gaining some ground again.
Take some clue about Optional Subject; but, make a rational choice
While you look at a particular subject, you need to consider a lot of factors while making a choice about optional subject; current success trends is just one of them.
Whatever you choose, it should be well thought of and after spending some time evaluating various aspects related to optional subjects.
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