Many aspects should be kept in mind while choosing an Optional Subject for the UPSC exam:
1. Interest and academic background of the aspirant
Before choosing your Optional, you should identify your interest in a subject. Go through school level NCERT's (Class 11th and 12th preferably), and check the Optional subject syllabus and your comfort level in reading the subject.
For example:
(a) If you are from the Commerce background, look for what you have already studied in college and choose accordingly between Commerce, Management or Public Administration.
(b) If you are from an Engineering background, check the syllabus and content of optional subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Maths, Engineering optional - Civil, Electrical, Mechanical etc. If you are not comfortable with the science subjects mentioned, check other optional subjects such as Geography, Psychology, Anthropology, Political Science, Sociology, Public Administration, Philosophy etc.
2. Coaching and Trainers available for the subject
You can talk to your seniors, friends, and civil servants who have already qualified to identify the best coaching classes available in your city. Study material from good coaching, along with the classes conducted, can accelerate your preparation.
3. Contribution of the Optional Subject towards General Study syllabus
This point is very important, and that's why many aspirants take humanities subjects as their optional because they cover a good part of the general study.
4. Performance of the optional subject in the recent past (at least past three years)
The individual performance of a candidate can vary on a large number of parameters compared to his competitors. You can find that some optional subjects do not fetch the marks desired compared to the effort put in by candidates. You should avoid those subjects.
5. Time Management
