Geography is an essential subject for an IAS preliminary and main exam. It is usually recommended to UPSC aspirants that go through the NCERT for classes released from 6 to 12 to clear all the basic questions of the geography syllabus for UPSC.
The UPSC Exams are held in three stages. The first is the Prelims exam with objective-type papers (GS paper 1st and GS Paper 2). This stage is popularly known as CSAT. The second is the Mains Exams containing nine papers of Conventional Essay Type questions.
The Civil Services Examination started in 1922 before Independence and was completed 102 years later this year. The qualification is 0.07% when applied and 0.157% in prelims.
How much of the optional geography syllabus is covered in UPSC Exams?
Geography is an essential subject for UPSC exams as the concepts of Geography are required to be implemented in the questions based on Indian Geography as well as World Geography.
Geography has a negative point in that it contains a considerable amount of syllabus. This subject is a tool with many concepts; sometimes, it’s hard to memorise a lot of information at a time, but it is also the most recommended optional subject for the UPSC Civil Services Exam. Many toppers take geography as an optional subject.
- The prelims and main exams mostly overlap the syllabus in all the topics.
- The UPSC Mains syllabus has some of the topics which are not needed in prelims. For example – World History etc.
- In the case of geography, the UPSC syllabus mostly doesn’t change; it remains the same every year.
- In Geography, there is much more difference in the questions asked in prelims compared to the optional subjects.
UPSC aspirants can get all the details on the UPSC geography syllabus on BYJU’S exam prep.
IAS Mains Preparation Strategy For Geography
- The geography syllabus as an optional subject in UPSC will also overlap with the Mains and Prelims preparation. In general studies papers, aspirants can get at least 15-20 geography questions in available studies papers.
- It will also help you the most in the Personal Interviews questions in which the interviewer asks about your hometown, its climatic condition, vegetation etc.
- Many theories and concepts are easy to understand but will help you score good marks on multiple questions.
Some Boosting Tips
- “You can’t cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water” means you will not clear the UPSC exam only by thinking and planning; you must implement these planning and strategies in your life.
- “ Push Yourself because no one else is going to do it for you” means you are the only one who plans, makes strategies and implements it. No one will do this for you, and no one will push you to do this.
Some Principles Of Geography
- Geomorphology- This principle tells us about the physical condition of the Earth’s Interior like its recent views of mountains, buildings, Earthquakes, Tsunami, Cyclones, etc. an option
- Climatology- It tells us about the temperature and pressure belts of the World. Like heat budget, Atmospheric Ability, and Disability.
- Oceanography- It tells us about the temperature of the oceans, waves speed, etc.
More on UPSC optional Subject
Three Steps to choosing UPSC optional subject
- Filter- Firstly, go through the list of UPSC optional subjects to filter your optional subject. Choose those subjects which you had studied previously.
- Evaluate- Check the resources, syllabus, and study material of that subject you filtered.
- Choose- Lastly, choose the subject you have studied earlier and readily available study material and resources.
Which is the most overlapping optional subject in UPSC?
Public Administration is the subject that overlaps the most in UPSC Exams. However, from this subject, many topics overlap in General Studies Paper 2nd, like Governance and Constitution.
