This is the first and most important stage of your journey which is going to determine your destination. This is a time consuming process and one should spend time to choose right optional subjects because “Ek tapkti boond, aapki zingdi badal sakti hai [punch line of a product call mseal].” Do not be in a hurry to decide about the optional. Be very cautious and consult the right people about the information. Analyse carefully all the pros and cons, and then take a decision purely based on your assessment. Before choosing optional subjects, you can pick 5-6 random subjects [UPSC offers 23 subjects for preliminary exam] of your interest. The best method to find a right subject for you is going through NCERT books available on all subjects you has choosed randomly. It will assist you to reach at a final conclusion after careful assessment of your interest in a particular subject. One should remember that choosing optional subjects for CSE is a matter of your personal choice rather than advice from others. I would strongly recommend not forcing yourself for wrong subjects. Choice of an optional subject depends upon your caliber, requirement of subject (Visionary, Numerical, and Theoretical), comfort level with the subject and availability of its study material in the market. To avoid dithering in choice at later stage, initial deep thinking and consultations are a must. Having decided the subject, it is advisable to stick to your choice even if the perception of others about it is not favorable. Same thing which is right according to you may or may not be right according to others. Hence keep faith in your decision-making ability.

Please note that there is no subject that can be said to be scoring or non- scoring. UPSC is maintaining utmost balance between the subjects. It has brought all the optional subjects onto the same platform as far as scoring is concerned. Some of popular subjects like Pubic Administration, Psychology and Geography are choosed by aspirants due to following reasons-

The concept of scoring/non-scoring has nothing to do with it. Same subject can be scoring as well as non-scoring for two different aspirants. How good you will score in a particular subject is based upon your knowledge of subject matter and you interest to gain knowledge about subject matter? Scoring and non-scoring subjects is nothing more than a myth prevails among CS aspirants.