Is Psychology a Good Optional Subject for the UPSC Civil Services Exam?

Choosing the right optional subject is a crucial decision for UPSC aspirants. Among the many options available, psychology stands out as a subject that can be both rewarding and challenging. This article explores whether psychology is a suitable and potentially scoring optional subject for the UPSC Civil Services Exam.

Advantages of Choosing Psychology

1. Interest and Understanding: If you have a genuine interest in human behavior, mental processes, and social dynamics, studying psychology can be engaging and rewarding. It allows you to explore topics that directly relate to human behavior and its underlying mechanisms.

2. Overlap with General Studies: Psychology has significant overlap with various General Studies papers, especially in areas like social issues, ethics, and human development. This can help reinforce your overall preparation and broaden your knowledge base.

3. Scoring Potential: Many candidates find psychology to be a scoring subject due to its scientific nature and the clarity of concepts. If you can master the theories and apply them effectively in your answers, it can lead to good marks.

4. Availability of Resources: There are ample resources available for psychology, including textbooks, online courses, and coaching. These resources can help you prepare effectively and comprehensively.

5. Subjectivity: Psychology allows for subjective interpretation and application of concepts, which can be advantageous in essay-type questions. Your personal insights and analysis can add depth to your answers.

Challenges in Choosing Psychology

1. Complexity: Some theories and concepts in psychology can be complex and challenging to master. This requires a solid understanding of the subject matter and effective study techniques.

2. Competition: As more candidates opt for psychology, the competition can increase. This may affect your scoring and highlight the importance of consistent and focused preparation.

3. Time-Consuming: Psychology is a time-consuming subject that requires a good amount of time for thorough understanding and revision. Balancing this with other subjects is crucial.

Conclusion

Ultimately, whether psychology is a good optional subject for you depends on your interest, background, and study habits. If you are inclined towards understanding human behavior and can manage your time effectively, it can be a rewarding choice. It is recommended to review the syllabus and past year papers to gauge your comfort with the subject before making a decision.

Statistics and Success Rate

According to the UPSC’s annual report, 21 of the 193 applicants who chose psychology as an optional in 2018 passed the CSE exam in 2017, giving psychology a 10.9% performance level overall.

Success Rate: Many outstanding students have chosen psychology as an elective, and many candidates have achieved scores of 300 or higher in psychology. This subject has a high success rate, making it a viable and popular optional choice.

Pros and Cons of Psychology Optional

Pros

The core functions of the intellect are fascinating, making it easy to maintain interest during preparation. A wealth of excellent study resources is available for this subject. Supporting answers with everyday life examples can help in scoring. It is not mandatory to have a background in psychology to study this optional. It is a great alternative for doctors who do not want to pursue medical research as an elective. Psychology is helpful in writing Ethics papers due to its philosophical bent. It can be useful in several GS I social problems and essay writing subjects.

Cons

Avoid studying this subject if you have no interest in it, as it can seem vague or uninteresting. Using textbooks written by authors from other countries can make it difficult to understand for individuals with different academic backgrounds. There is relatively little overlap with other General Studies papers, requiring a comprehensive understanding of the subject. The psychology optional course has a rather extensive syllabus, requiring thorough preparation and time management.

Conclusion

Psychology is one of the 48 optional subjects for the UPSC mains test. It is a natural science, social science, and a subject in the living sciences, making it a versatile and challenging subject. If you are passionate about the subject and willing to put in the effort, it can be a rewarding and effective choice for your UPSC preparation.