Agriculture Optional: Tips & 11 Best Books

While subjects like public administration, geography, and political science are among the most popular optional choices for the UPSC mains exam, Agriculture is considered a safe scoring option by many candidates. Though it is a technical subject and requires prior knowledge or background, it is still a popular choice. Also, it is popular among those who have pursued agriculture as their graduation subject. In this blog, we will discuss the various pros and cons of choosing Agriculture as an optional subject for the UPSC mains exam. It is important to weigh these factors carefully and assess your own strengths and weaknesses before making a final decision. So, read along to get important tips.

 

 

Agriculture Optional: Pros to Consider

If you’re an aspirant of the UPSC Civil Services Mains exam, you might have already faced the dilemma of choosing an optional subject. While subjects like public administration and geography are popular. However, you may consider agriculture as your optional subject. Here are some compelling reasons why you should:

• Short Syllabus: Agriculture has a relatively shorter syllabus compared to other optional subjects, making it possible to complete within 4-5 months with the right approach and dedication.
• Not Just for Agri Students: If you’re not from an agriculture background, don’t fret. Even students of botany can take up this optional subject as Paper II of agriculture has a lot of synchronization with botany.
• Overlap with General Studies: Several topics in agriculture overlap with the General Studies papers, especially in economy and geography. With agriculture and farmer distress being a hot topic for newspapers, it can also help you in the essay paper.
• Direct Overlap with GS III: The topics in GS III that have a direct overlap with agriculture optional include major crops, cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different types of irrigation and irrigation systems, storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce. Also, issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies, among others.
• Predictable Questions: Questions asked in this optional are mostly direct and predictable. Therefore, to understand the pattern and the areas from where most questions are asked, you must go through the previous year’s UPSC question papers.
• Consistent Scoring: The results of this optional have shown good consistency over the years. Also, it is generally a scoring subject.
• Current Affairs: By incorporating some current affairs material pertinent to the subject, which is easily available from daily newspapers, you can take your score to great heights.

 

Agriculture Optional Cons

• Interest is a must: One of the most important things to consider before taking agriculture as an optional subject is your interest in the subject. So, without an interest in agriculture, it might be difficult for you to sustain your motivation to study. Also, perform well in the exam.
• Biology background: Agriculture is a technical subject that involves a lot of biology. Hence, candidates who have not studied biology since their graduation may find it challenging to cope with the subject.
• Overlap with GS: Unlike subjects like geography, history, public administration, and political science, the overlap of the agriculture optional syllabus with the general studies (GS) papers is relatively less. So, candidates should not solely rely on agriculture optional while preparing for GS papers.

 

Preparing for Agriculture Optional in UPSC Exam

Dividing the Syllabus

To make the task of preparing for agriculture optional easier and more achievable, it is essential to divide the syllabus neatly into sections. Consequently, this will help in completing the syllabus in a systematic manner. Here are the sections:

• Agronomy
• Soil Science
• Horticulture
• Plant Breeding and Genetics
• Agriculture Economics
• Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science

Topic-wise strategy to score high

 

Agriculture optional#1 Agronomy

This section deals with crop production and management. For this section, it is important to have a good understanding of different types of crops, their cultivation practices, and their economic importance. Therefore, the following steps can be followed for preparation:

• Refer to the standard books recommended for this section.
• Make short notes on important topics and concepts.
• Solve previous years’ question papers to get an idea about the pattern of questions.

 

Agriculture optional #2 Soil Science

This section deals with the study of soil, its properties, and its management. For this section, it is important to have a good understanding of soil types, their characteristics, and their role in crop production. The following steps can be followed for preparation:

• Refer to the standard books recommended for this section.
• Make short notes on important topics and concepts.
• Solve previous years’ question papers to get an idea about the pattern of questions.

Agriculture optional #3 Horticulture

• This section deals with the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Therefore, for this section, it is important to have a good understanding of different types of fruits, vegetables, and flowers, their cultivation practices, and their economic importance. So, the following steps can be followed for preparation:

• Refer to the standard books recommended for this section.
• Make short notes on important topics and concepts.
• Solve previous years’ question papers to get an idea about the pattern of questions.

Agriculture optional #4 Plant Breeding and Genetics

This section deals with the study of genetics and plant breeding. For this section, it is important to have a good understanding of the principles of genetics, breeding methods, and their applications in crop improvement. The following steps can be followed for preparation:

• Refer to the standard books recommended for this section.
• Make short notes on important topics and concepts.
• Solve previous years’ question papers to get an idea about the pattern of questions.

Agriculture optional #5 Agriculture Economics:

This section deals with the economic aspects of agriculture. For this section, it is important to have a good understanding of the economics of agriculture, agricultural marketing, and agricultural policies. The following steps can be followed for preparation:

• Refer to the standard books recommended for this section.
• Make short notes on important topics and concepts.
• Solve previous years’ question papers to get an idea about the pattern of questions.

Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science

This section deals with the study of animal husbandry and veterinary science. Therefore, for this section, it is important to have a good understanding of different types of animals, their breeding practices, and their economic importance. Additionally, the following steps can be followed for preparation:

• Refer to the standard books recommended for this section.
• Make short notes on important topics and concepts.
• Solve previous years’ question papers to get an idea about the pattern of questions.

Conclusion

The agriculture optional subject may not be as popular as some of the other subjects in the UPSC Mains exam. However, it has several benefits that can help you score high. So, by considering the pros mentioned above and assessing your strengths and weaknesses, you can make an informed decision and ace the Mains exam.