Dissecting UPSC Mains Optionals – An Analysis of Statistics & Data
Let's start by examining the following figure:
This figure illustrates the success rates of candidates based on their educational backgrounds. The success rate is computed as the ratio of candidates who cleared the UPSC Interview to those who appeared for it. The data is an average of the figures between 2002 and 2012.
As evident from the above figure, candidates with a background in medical science and engineering have higher success rates. A plausible reason could be the rigorous competition they faced during their graduation entry levels. It's interesting to note that individuals from technical fields often make successful transitions to bureaucratic roles.
Aspirants gearing up for UPSC can refer to the following links to prepare for different optional subjects-
Now, let's move on to another insightful figure:
This figure represents the number of candidates with different optionals who appeared for the IAS mains exam. The numbers are an aggregate of candidates who took the mains exam from 2002 and 2012.
As indicated by the second figure, the majority of candidates opted for public administration as their optional subject. Other popular optional subjects include geography and history. Interestingly, despite the high success rates of candidates from medical science and engineering backgrounds, these subjects weren't as popular as optionals.
The following figure provides the number of successful candidates in each optional (for the years 2001-2012) given above:
A cumulative analysis of the three figures suggests that most successful candidates prefer public administration, followed by geography and history as the optional subject. Moreover, considering that a significant number of successful candidates come from medical science or engineering fields, it can be inferred that many successful candidates venture into a new subject for their optional.
Aspirants aiming to crack the UPSC 2021 should consider the below-mentioned resources to elevate their preparation –
Also Read | How Many Attempts does it Typically Take to Clear the IAS Exam?
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