Importance of optional paper in cracking WBCS Mains exam
Though it is usually tough to choose an Optional subject for the WBCS exam, it plays an important role in creating the ultimate success story of a candidate. Aspirants who are opting for Group A and B posts, have to choose optional subjects during their WBCS preparation. So, it is not necessary for the candidates who are appearing for group C and D posts. The exam would be of hrs 3 and will be of 200 marks for both group A and group B candidates.
The syllabus of the optional paper would be of graduation level. So, candidates will be benefited if they carefully choose their subject. You may choose the subject in which you are quite confident. Besides that, there are some other factors, like-
- The subject should be high scoring- All subjects are scoring as long as you have a grip on that subject. But which subjects are called “scoring”? Those which give us high scores with less effort. You may choose a high-scoring subject that will help you to increase your total score.
- Chose the subject from the list of compulsory papers- You may choose subjects like History, Geography, Polity, etc which you have to read both for the prelims and mains exam. So it will be better for you to give some extra effort to the subject which you have already read than to choose a completely new subject.
- Possible to get plenty of study material- Choose a subject as you can collect plenty of study material and reference books because sometimes only one or two books can not cover the entire syllabus of optional paper.
- Your enthusiasm for the subject- If you have an interest in the subject which you have chosen as your optional paper, then only you can study it in-depth.
- How knowledgeable you are about the subject-It will be better if You have proper knowledge about the optional subject which you choose because you have to study the subject in detail for a better score.
- Size of the syllabus- At first go through the size of the syllabus of your optional paper because if you choose a subject with a lengthy syllabus, You may not be able to complete it.
First, go through the list of optional subjects. Then go back to your school and college days and think about your favorite subject. Think about which subject you showed more interest in and in which subject you got good marks. Then go through the syllabus of the subject according to your choice. Candidates must be fully aware of the entire syllabus of the optional subject from day one of WBCS preparation. High scoring subjects like Sanskrit, pail, mathematics can help to secure a good mark in the mains exam but if you have not any knowledge and interest about this subject then it is not your cup of tea. If you can cover the syllabus, collect enough data, make proper notes, gather and solve the previous year’s question paper then only choose the subject. Each subject has its own set of standards and particular demands that you must meet. So, while choosing the optional subject, you must carefully consider the time you would require to prepare the subject.
Throughout preparation you should give the required time for an optional paper otherwise you can’t prepare the subject properly. Most of the candidates think that after prelims they will cover the syllabus of the optional paper but in the end, they won’t be able to cover it properly. So, from day one of your WBCS preparation, You have to give equal importance to the optional subject.
Here is the list of optional subjects you could choose from-
- Agriculture
- Animal Husbandry and Veterinary science
- Anthropology
- Arabic
- Bengali
- Botany
- Chemistry
- Civil Engineering
- Commerce and Accountancy
- Comparative Literature
- Computer Science
- Economics
- Electrical Engineering
- English
- French
- Geography
- Geology
- Hindi
- History
- Law
- Management
- Mathematics
- Mechanical Engineering
- Medical Science
- Pali
- Persian
- Philosophy
- Physics
- Physiology
- Political science
- Psychology
- Sanskrit
- Santali
- Sociology
- Statistics
- Urdu
- Zoology
All candidates have merit, more or less of the same amount. But they were disqualified in the WBCS exam only due to a lack of proper guidance. Candidates should have sound basic knowledge and a good strategy to crack the exam. There are several coaching centers in Kolkata for WBCS preparation. But ICE Academy is one of the best of them. Here you get proper guidance for prelims, mains, and interviews. Conceptual classes, concise notes, mock tests, and suggestions for reference books are also given for optional subjects. Each year a good number of students secure a rank in the WBCS exam from this institute. So you could enroll in ICE Academy for your ultimate success.