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Now why should a candidate opt for PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION? There are many strong reasons:

› Firstly, a candidate will always have an edge over others if he or she knows Public Administration before joining Civil
Administration.

› Secondly, majority of commissions and committees, related to reform in selection process, have recommended Public
Administration as compulsory subject.

› Thirdly, the subject makes the candidate aware of future challenges of Administration along with ground realities. The
awareness helps a lot in personality test also.

› Fourthly, Public Administration includes altogether eighteen world class management thinkers. Understanding there line of
thinking, changes life-style of candidate remarkably.

› Fifthly, Public Administration is basically conceptual and scientific subject which includes concepts of society, culture,
philosophy, economy, polity, technology and environment as well. Therefore, the subject suits any candidate, irrespective of
his or her ground.

Similarly, why one should opt for PHILOSOPHY? Yes, here also, there are strong reasons.

› Courses of Philosophy are remarkably short so candidates score up to 400 marks within short span of preparation period.

› Philosophy is based on rational, scientific and intellectual approach.

› The optional develop the candidate as Think-Tank, which helps a candidate in Essay and Personality – Test as well.

› Mode of questions is more or less same every year which puts the candidates in safer zone.

› This subject holds originality in contents and concepts which help develop flawless understanding.

Why GEOGRAPHY?
Geography is considered to be one of the safest optional subjects for the civil services examination. Being scientific and analytical in nature, the subject is very popular among the students coming from science background. The conceptual base of the subject makes it very scoring in the Mains examination. Moreover, a substantial portion of General Studies paper (both Prelims and Mains) comprises of Geography. Hence, the students having Geography as an optional subject, always have an edge over the students having optional subject other than Geography.

How can you score more in GEOGRAPHY?
Maps are considered as the tools of the geographers. Any answer illustrated with a well-labeled diagram and a rough sketch of the region/area concerned is the means to lure the examiner to give more marks. Moreover, with the diagrams and maps, you tend to save the time and words required to express the details and with sufficient words to spare, you can always provide some extra important information. The answer supported by diagrams and maps helps in engaging the examiner’s attention and he/she is bound to be impressed. Thus, the work is done with some practice of maps and diagrams when preparing for the examination.

Strategy for preparing GEOGRAPHY in the main examination
The review of the question papers of the last years shows that both Paper I and Paper II have become unpredictable and more or less related to the current issues and events. Thus, selective study will not help in the exam. In fact, now, Geography needs to be studied as a geographer. You have to develop the ability to understand the meaning/requirement of the questions asked as sometimes a simple concept is asked in somewhat difficult language. It is, generally, this inability which leads to serious low scores in Geography. Paper I can be prepared by focusing attention on the topics of frequently asked questions along with practicing diagrams. As far as Paper II is concerned, be thorough with the current developments by equipping yourself from newspapers and developmental magazines like Yojana and Kurukshetra. In fact, preparing for G.S. Current Events, prepares you for Paper II – Geography of India. With regard to the map entries it can be said that the world entries are mainly popular and significant places whereas Indian entries are generally difficult as they, either, were in news recently or are places of regional/local importance.

How to prepare for MAP entries?
Preparing for the map entries can be a lot of fun while studying. Always study with an atlas at an easy disposal around you. Whatever name, be it a place, river or any geographical feature, appears in the text, locate it immediately in the atlas. Moreover, spend at least an hour daily reading your atlas. You can start with the physical map of a continent and then gradually proceed to its political divisions.