 Hello everyone, my name is Sanya Chabra and I have secured all India ranked 84 in UPSC civil services examination of 2018 and this was my first attempt. Today, I will be discussing with you how to choose an optional subject and my specific strategy for my optional data sociology. To begin with, I would like to address the question of how an optional is to be chosen. First of all, I would like to tell you about my way of choosing the optional. I initially began with English literature as an optional, but as I have done masters in English literature, but then I realized that the syllabus was too vast for me to cover and there wasn't many guidance on a test series available. So the subject that resonated most with English literature was sociology, so I opted for that. But besides that, if we talk generally, I believe that choice of optional subject has to be based on certain parameters. First and foremost, without any doubt, is your interest. If we see that weightage that optional carries and the margin of marks that an optional can take you with is substantially high. So only if you have decent interest in the subject and if you're able to study in detail, only then you'll be able to score well in the optional subject. So the first and foremost parameter to choose an optional subject is the interest in the subject. So if you have that, then please go ahead with it. Second is to refer to previously a question papers and syllabus. See if the topics are something that you would like to read and the papers, if they are on the lines of the syllabus and that is the kind of answers that you will be able to write, then please go ahead with that optional. Thirdly, I would say you should always see practically whether any good test series or guidance is available for that subject. If yes, it helps you with the process because half the work is done. If suitable guidance is available and there's someone to evaluate your test papers. So I believe that optional subject should be chosen very, very wisely. In the context of the weightage of the marks that you can score in the optional subject. Coming to my strategy for sociology optional, for the beginners I would like to say that please start with reading 11th and 12th NCRTs for sociology. That will give you a good base about Indian society and sociology as a subject in general. That will also help you develop a decent knowledge regarding thinkers and their theories so that you can build upon that base when you read extra supplementary books. So the first thing is to be thorough with the NCRTs of class 11th and 12th. Secondly, there are Igno BA and MA notes which I didn't do in totality but refer to them very, very selectively regarding the topics that I wanted some detailed knowledge in. So whatever topic you feel, for instance, thinkers are one area where you can either study from Igno notes or a book called Ritza, whichever you like. So that will cover your thinkers in a good manner. So when you begin with sociology, NCRTs are the base and to build a strong building on that base, I believe that there are certain supplementary books that you can read. It can either be Igno BA and MA notes or certain books that I will just mention. Ritza is for thinkers. And then there's Herlumbus that I followed, the blue book, not the orange short one, the blue book that you can refer again, not cover to cover, but very selectively for certain topics that are mentioned in the syllabus. Next, there's this book Essential Sociology that I used for my preparation of the sociology optional. This book helps you revise the entire syllabus because every topic is covered in a good manner. So the entire syllabus can be revised, be it paper one or paper two, completely in totality. But this book alone, I believe, will not be sufficient. You will have to enrich your answers either through Tessiri's discussion or through the sources that I just mentioned, be it Ritza or Herlumbus, or Igno BA and MA notes. So this was my very simple book list and strategy which I followed to clear the sociology optional mains examination. So other than that, there were videos of sleepy classes online, which I used to watch because that helped you understand certain concepts in paper one very clearly and thoroughly. So that was one area that I covered from YouTube. There are various ways in which you can cover the syllabus, be it through reading of books or maybe watching some videos. I made sure that I watched the video and made notes out of it so that I can revise it later on. So that is a good way of covering the syllabus. So other than that, I would say that Tessiri's is of utmost importance. Other than Tessiri's, you can also refer to previous year question papers. Try and solve at least five year question papers of sociology so that you are thorough with the kind of questions that UPSE is asking and the kind of answers that you have to write. Also, follow the directive very, very carefully. If the question demands critically examined or maybe it demands certain examples and it puts a substantiated, whatever the demand of the question is, you have to cater to it very, very wisely. So that was all about sociology option. I hope it helps you. But I must also mention that every candidate has his or her own specific strategy and you have to make your own strategy depending on your strengths and weaknesses. This was my strategy, but you can always fine tune it according to your needs. Thank you and all the very best.