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Dilemma about Changing Optional

Hello all

After 4 unsuccessful attempts ( 2 interviews) with Geography optional , I have decided to change my optional and take Anthropology.

I want to ask few questions

1. should i change my optional or stick to geography?
2. Is it necessary to join coaching classes for anthropology?
3. what are the sources one should follow for anthropology?


Please help forumites.
«134

Comments

  • Hello all

    After 4 unsuccessful attempts ( 2 interviews) with Geography optional , I have decided to change my optional and take Anthropology.

    I want to ask few questions

    1. should i change my optional or stick to geography?
    2. Is it necessary to join coaching classes for anthropology?
    3. what are the sources one should follow for anthropology?


    Please help forumites.
    Plz avoid anthropology...due to magnificent result anthropology gave previous year...this optional pleasing many and soon or may be this or next year you will see the fate of this optional same as public administration.


    I would suggest you to first take some technical optional if you have any hold on technical one, like maths, stats etc...or if you are interested in mba as a fall back, consider management or sociology, psychology, economic etc....

    According to me avoid pub adm, anthropology, and political science..these are cakes these days but sooner become brunt of UPSC.
  • edited November 2018
    Hello all

    After 4 unsuccessful attempts ( 2 interviews) with Geography optional , I have decided to change my optional and take Anthropology.

    I want to ask few questions

    1. should i change my optional or stick to geography?
    2. Is it necessary to join coaching classes for anthropology?
    3. what are the sources one should follow for anthropology?


    Please help forumites.
    Take anthropology without any fear. many will try to stop you from taking anthropology. Just read Braintree notes for 3 months it is one stop solution. And i assure you even if butchered you can score 285+ in anthropology as highest is 350 in anthropology. Many have done it before you can do it too.

    Go ahead remember fortune favors the brave
  • Hello all

    After 4 unsuccessful attempts ( 2 interviews) with Geography optional , I have decided to change my optional and take Anthropology.

    I want to ask few questions

    1. should i change my optional or stick to geography?
    2. Is it necessary to join coaching classes for anthropology?
    3. what are the sources one should follow for anthropology?


    Please help forumites.
    Plz avoid anthropology...due to magnificent result anthropology gave previous year...this optional pleasing many and soon or may be this or next year you will see the fate of this optional same as public administration.


    I would suggest you to first take some technical optional if you have any hold on technical one, like maths, stats etc...or if you are interested in mba as a fall back, consider management or sociology, psychology, economic etc....

    According to me avoid pub adm, anthropology, and political science..these are cakes these days but sooner become brunt of UPSC.
    Psir has about 2500 in this mains compared to only 900 in anthropology. Huge difference.
  • Hello all

    After 4 unsuccessful attempts ( 2 interviews) with Geography optional , I have decided to change my optional and take Anthropology.

    I want to ask few questions

    1. should i change my optional or stick to geography?
    2. Is it necessary to join coaching classes for anthropology?
    3. what are the sources one should follow for anthropology?


    Please help forumites.
    Change ...Geo seems to be not rewarding..

    I changed to EE optional...I noticed in EE optional the pattern of questions asked doesn't change drastically each year unlike geo as it had less takers.
    Though EE optional took more time to cover than geo . The geo syllabus topics are too general and not to the point and something new which we never studied always comes and that too to a major extent...I didn't experience the same in EE. I think these are the two disadvantages of Geo optional which result in low marks generally.

    If anthropology had " to the point " syllabus and certain degree of pattern in the questions asked Go for it



  • Hello all

    After 4 unsuccessful attempts ( 2 interviews) with Geography optional , I have decided to change my optional and take Anthropology.

    I want to ask few questions

    1. should i change my optional or stick to geography?
    2. Is it necessary to join coaching classes for anthropology?
    3. what are the sources one should follow for anthropology?


    Please help forumites.
    Change ...Geo seems to be not rewarding..

    I changed to EE optional...I noticed in EE optional the pattern of questions asked doesn't change drastically each year unlike geo as it had less takers.
    Though EE optional took more time to cover than geo . The geo syllabus topics are too general and not to the point and something new which we never studied always comes and that too to a major extent...I didn't experience the same in EE. I think these are the two disadvantages of Geo optional which result in low marks generally.

    If anthropology had " to the point " syllabus and certain degree of pattern in the questions asked Go for it



    Another point is if someone already scoring 280+ in their optional then not much use of changing. However if stuck below 250 then must change
  • Hello all

    After 4 unsuccessful attempts ( 2 interviews) with Geography optional , I have decided to change my optional and take Anthropology.

    I want to ask few questions

    1. should i change my optional or stick to geography?
    2. Is it necessary to join coaching classes for anthropology?
    3. what are the sources one should follow for anthropology?


    Please help forumites.
    Change ...Geo seems to be not rewarding..

    I changed to EE optional...I noticed in EE optional the pattern of questions asked doesn't change drastically each year unlike geo as it had less takers.
    Though EE optional took more time to cover than geo . The geo syllabus topics are too general and not to the point and something new which we never studied always comes and that too to a major extent...I didn't experience the same in EE. I think these are the two disadvantages of Geo optional which result in low marks generally.

    If anthropology had " to the point " syllabus and certain degree of pattern in the questions asked Go for it



    Another point is if someone already scoring 280+ in their optional then not much use of changing. However if stuck below 250 then must change
    I too am shifting to EE after 3 Mains with Geo
  • edited November 2018
    Hello all

    After 4 unsuccessful attempts ( 2 interviews) with Geography optional , I have decided to change my optional and take Anthropology.

    I want to ask few questions

    1. should i change my optional or stick to geography?
    2. Is it necessary to join coaching classes for anthropology?
    3. what are the sources one should follow for anthropology?


    Please help forumites.
    Take anthropology without any fear. many will try to stop you from taking anthropology. Just read Braintree notes for 3 months it is one stop solution. And i assure you even if butchered you can score 285+ in anthropology as highest is 350 in anthropology. Many have done it before you can do it too.

    Go ahead remember fortune favors the brave
    +100

    there is solid reason why anthropology preforms and its due to lack of objectivity /difference in opinions ( thats what i was told by a friend)

    so butchering should not be a concern and braintree / sosin is more than sufficient
  • Hello all

    After 4 unsuccessful attempts ( 2 interviews) with Geography optional , I have decided to change my optional and take Anthropology.

    I want to ask few questions

    1. should i change my optional or stick to geography?
    2. Is it necessary to join coaching classes for anthropology?
    3. what are the sources one should follow for anthropology?


    Please help forumites.
    Take anthropology without any fear. many will try to stop you from taking anthropology. Just read Braintree notes for 3 months it is one stop solution. And i assure you even if butchered you can score 285+ in anthropology as highest is 350 in anthropology. Many have done it before you can do it too.

    Go ahead remember fortune favors the brave
    +100

    there is solid reason why anthropology preforms and its due to lack of objectivity /difference in opinions ( thats what i was told by a friend)

    so butchering should not be a concern and braintree / sosin is more than sufficient
    Then makes more sense then pol sci...as that May be butchered...but anthropology is giving ridiculously good scores...so some risk of upsc going after it....
    Someone with geo can take agriculture....it's technical hardly any student n has given decent output...plus geo ka kuch knowledge be sayad kaam aae
  • Anthro last year paper was a cakewalk which led to high scores and the "short" and "objective" perception stemmed due to consistent recycling of 150-200 standard questions.This year trend changed with newer questions and harder paper 1.In future with mad rush to anthro and more diversification of questions coupled with lack of material(braintree etc are outdated and pretty substandard), it is only going to go downhill from here.
    Just my opinion
  • go for geology, as of overlapping syllabus between geogrpahy and geology optional ,with this yu can also apply for ifos exam, and can easily prepare 2nd optional of ifos after cse mains because of 2 month difference between cse and ifos mains
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