How to prepare for Sociology Optional for UPSC CSE?
Sociology is the study of human societies and social behavior. IAS officers serve as representatives of society, working on behalf of the people to address their needs, concerns, and aspirations. They are accountable to the public and are responsible for ensuring that policies and decisions align with the interests and values of society. Society's participation, engagement, and feedback play a crucial role in shaping their actions, policies, and priorities. Importance of knowing and understanding the society of India to an IAS officer lies in its role as the primary stakeholder. A strong partnership between civil servants and society is crucial for effective governance and the well-being of the population. This is the reason Sociology optional has become the first go to choice for UPSC aspirants.
Studying Sociology as an optional subject allows aspirants to have a holistic understanding by integrating multiple areas of the syllabus including Ethics and Essay. Choosing Sociology as an optional subject will enhance the performance in the interview stage as well
Top rank holders in UPSC CSE 2022 include students like Abhinav Siwach (AIR- 12), Swati Sharma (AIR-15), Gunjita Agarwal (AIR-26) who had sociology as their optional subject for UPSC CSE Mains.
For example, answers to the following questions from UPSC CSE Mains GS Paper I can be framed in a better way by aspirants who have prepared Sociology as their optional subject.
1: Analyze the salience of ‘sect’ in Indian society vis-a-vis caste, region and religion (2022).
2:Explore and evaluate the impact of ‘Work from Home’ on family relationships (2022).
Why should one choose Sociology as an optional subject for UPSC CSE?
- Exam Relevance: Sociology as an optional subject aligns with the requirements of the UPSC CSE exam and around 19-20 questions in UPSc Prelims are directly or indirectly related to the sociology optional topics . This optional also provides an added advantage in terms of question coverage in UPSC CSE Main. Around 9-10 questions are framed from the topics related to Indian Society only in GS Paper I.
For example, answers to the following questions from UPSC CSE Mains GS Paper I can be framed in a better way by aspirants who have prepared Sociology as their optional subject.
1: Analyze the salience of ‘sect’ in Indian society vis-a-vis caste, region and religion (2022).
2: Explore and evaluate the impact of ‘Work from Home’ on family relationships (2022).
- Interdisciplinary Perspective: Choosing Sociology as an optional subject enhances the ability to analyze and contextualize events by incorporating societal insights into various domains like economics, ethics, international relations and conflicts (One of the reasons for Russian – Ukraine war is sizable population of Russian speaking people in few specific regions of Ukraine).
- Efficient Preparation: Opting for Sociology saves time by integrating the preparation for a significant portion of the general studies syllabus as well. E.g. Demography, Social Issues, and Developments in Indian Society are core topics from GS Paper I which will be covered during the preparation of Sociology optional.
- Intellectual Stimulation: The dynamic nature of Sociology stimulates curiosity and inquisitiveness, fostering a deeper understanding of real-world phenomena. E.g. Challenges faced by Tribal population in India, origin of caste system in India etc.
- Lifelong Application: The knowledge gained in sociology serves as a valuable asset beyond the exam, allowing individuals to apply societal principles to diverse aspects of their lives.
E.g. Understanding concepts like equality, inequality, hierarchy, exclusion, poverty and deprivation can better the aspirants’ understanding of Indian society .
How to prepare Sociology Optional for UPSC CSE?
- Understanding the UPSC prescribed syllabus for Sociology as an optional subject can guide the students in the selection of correct books and resources for the preparation.
- In order to develop a better basic understanding of the topics of Sociology, students should focus on NCERTs.
- Class 11th – Introducing Sociology, Understanding Society
- Class 12th – Indian Society, Social Change and Development in India
- While choosing the books and resources for the Sociology optional, students should keep the larger picture in mind so that they can simultaneously prepare for both GS and Optional Papers.
- As suggested by various top rankers time and again, limiting the number of books and resources is the key to success.
- Time management and dedicated practice of answer writing will make sure that aspirants get good scores in Sociology as an optional subject for UPSC CSE
- A special focus should be placed on facts, statistics from government records, RTIs and various United Nations organizations. This can make aspirants’ answers unique and creative.
- Reading newspapers daily and forming well informed opinions will not only help students in Sociology optional but also increase their scores in GS Papers and Essay Paper .
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