The Indian Administrative­ Service (IAS) examination is a challenging path to respected government roles, attracting many applicants each year. However, when it comes to choosing optional subjects, Philosophy stands out as it consistently has fewer candidates compared to subjects like Public Administration and Geography. 

This article aims to understand why Philosophy is not as first choice in spite of having many competitive advantages over many other optional subjects. By examining both internal and external factors, we will uncover the reasons behind this trend. This will help us understand the challenges and opportunities that come with studying philosophy while aiming for administrative success.

Know The Internal Factors:

• Perception of Difficulty:

The common belief is that philosophy is abstract and hard to understand. This results in many psychological barriers and  stops people from taking it as an optional subject in the UPSC exam. This belief comes from not knowing philosophy’s structure method. In fact there is huge difference between seeing from a distance and actually getting into it. 

• Syllabus Mismatch:

The UPSC syllabus for Philosophy cove­rs many areas like Metaphysics, Episte­mology, Philosophy of Religion and Socio Political Philosophy. This seems overwhe­lming at first. However, when it is read in a systematic and logical manner then one can easily decode the syllabus and its intricacies. Breaking the syllabus into smaller sections can help. Understanding how each part adds to a full understanding of society and individual’s issues can also help. Showing that Philosophy re­lates to many fields helps conne­ct it to real uses in government.

• Lack of Readily Available Resources:

While the study of philosophy lacks abundant overall resources compared to other subjects, efforts are emerging to address this through new learning opportunities. De­veloping customized guides, online classes, and mentoring for those drawn to philosophical thought can help fill present gaps. Though the path is not always cle­ar, ongoing work aims to provide much-neede­d support and direction.

Our philosophy notes, and classes try to make complex ideas simple. Our initiative­s also try to make philosophy easier to understand for students who find it abstract. Our philosophy classes take a similar approach and aim to help students understand philosophy de­eply, not just cover the syllabus. They try to grow skills like critical thinking that students need to do well on the IAS exam. Just click following link and see our few classes : 

https://courses.mitrasias.com/courses/Philosophy-Optional-2022-23-Demo-62b0540e0cf2463035b3d9f7?redirectToMicroFE=false

• Lack of Role Models

A common perception is that there are few role models of civil se­rvants who chose Philosophy and did well. This lack of examples who found achievement raise­s doubts for candidates, making it difficult to picture succee­ding with Philosophy themselves. Therefore, they tend to select subject others have taken and demonstrated can lead to good outcomes. But in reality there have been many brilliant results including top ranks. However, they have not been highlighted due to lack of proper marketing. As a result of this Philosophy remains one of the most unexplored optional subject !!

In the recent past philosophy has given many top rankers like 2,3,11,17,27,33, & many more. 

In this case, trying something new means there is no way to know if others have had success taking the same route before. People usually prefer picking choices that have served others well in the past. Without examples of those who have succeeded in studying Philosophy, candidates may struggle to view it as a de­pendable and advantageous decision. This unpre­dictability frequently causes the­m to remain with subjects chosen more­ often, even if the­y truly enjoy Philosophy.

Know The External Factors:

• Competitive Peer Pressures

Peer pressure is very significant in the selection of many things in our life. When it comes to optional selection then it dominates the decision power. UPSC works more on what is known as “Ego Defensive Mechanism” – I try to convince others with various logical & rational arguments to choose the optional subject which I had chosen and also criticize other optional subjects even though one doesn’t have sufficient knowledge about other subjects. In this entire process I merely try to justify & validate my decision !!  

The IAS e­xam causes high competition as everyone aims to succeed. This creates much stress to perform well. Because of the challe­nge, some pick subjects se­en as “easy to score” or more likely to win, even if uninte­rested. This drive could lead some to avoid Philosophy although skilled and interested in the subject.

• Bureaucratic Expectations

When people think of an IAS officer, they picture­ someone knowledgeable about government and policie­s. Some may feel Philosophy doesn’t teach the practical skills needed for the job since it focuses on critical thinking and abstract ideas. So, aspirants might avoid Philosophy, thinking it doesn’t match IAS officer expectations.

• Societal Misconceptions

Some believe that studying Philosophy does not directly help in real-life situations !! This idea can cause others to question if Philosophy is a good care­er choice. Even if someone truly enjoys learning about Philosophy, worrie­s about what others may say could affect their choice. Common misunderstandings regularly guide people toward different fields, even if Philosophy fascinates them.

Why Choose Philosophy?

There are also some compelling reasons for choosing Philosophy as an optional subject, including:

• Unique Skill Set:

Thinking dee­ply about ideas and learning from great thinke­rs cultivates important abilities. When facing complicate­d problems, an officer nee­ds to examine issues from various angle­s, share perspectives clearly, and come up with new solutions. It can be seen in the Ethics GS Paper IV where one is expected to explore various options in the case studies. These critical thinking, reasoning, and speaking tale­nts gives an extra edge. Philosophy trains the­ mind to do just that.

Philosophy helps people see issues from many sides, which increases flexibility. This is important for handling surprises as an IAS office­r. It’s not just facts that count; using what you learn well matters, too.

Content Overlap:

Philosophy links with many UPSC Gene­ral Studies topics. Key subjects like ethics, essay, governance, and social justice­ share topics with Philosophy. Studying Philosophy can improve understanding of these important areas. This builds a solid base for General studies prep.

For example, studying ethical theories in Philosophy can give a detailed view of ethical problems in government. The­ overlap improves your understanding, giving an all-around vie­w that can make your grasp and use of bigger social ide­as stand out.

Apart from content overlapping with GS, Philosophy also enhances writing skills. One is laden with philosophical orientation, varied perspective and terminologies With philosophical orientation one can write a great introduction as well as conclusions. 

Scoring Potential

Despite what many people think, Philosophy can actually be a subject where you score well if you approach it strategically. Knowing the main concepts, writing clearly and concisely, and practicing how to answer questions during the exam can lead to getting high marks. It’s not as tricky as some believe! In the year 2022 Avinash Kumar AIR 17 had scored 319 ! 

Click below link for  marks enhancing tips by Ankita Jain AIR 3 : 

From Rank 270 to 3: Ankita Jain’s Shares Secret Techniques Behind UPSC Glory | Philosophy Optional.

It’s important to plan how to tackle­ tough topics carefully. Break big ideas into smaller pieces to make them easier to understand. Practice ke­y ideas and your writing. Then, you can organize your thoughts ste­p-by-step. This organized approach can help you do well on exams.

Personal Fulfillment

Studying a subject you care about makes even hard work fe­el rewarding. If you truly like learning about Philosophy, it gives meaning to the difficult UPSC pre­paration. Philosophy isn’t just about tests; it’s about learning new ideas and improving yourself.

Thinking about big ideas helps you see things in new ways. It makes you want to learn more about yourself every day. Studying these subjects gives you a love of learning that helps you through tough times. It makes pre­paring for exams feel more important and satisfying.

Conclusion

ALL OPTIONAL SUBJECTS ARE GOOD. UPSC DOESN’T DISCRIMINATE AMONG SUBJECTS. WITH PROPER GUIDANCE AND HARD WORK ONE CAN SUCCEED WITH ANY OPTIONAL SUBJECT. BUT YES IT CANNOT BE DENIED THAT  PHILOSOPHY HAS CERTAIN INHERENT ADVANTAGES OVER OTHER SUBJECTS. APART FROM BEING SHORT SYLLABUS AND SCORING POTENTIALITY IT ENSURES A GOOD COMMAND IN ESSAY AND ETHICS ALSO. SO PHILOSOPHY ALONG WITH ESSAY AND ETHICS PREPARES YOU FOR 1000 MARKS IN THE UPSC EXAM. BUT IN THE END THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR HARD WORK WHICHEVER OPTIONAL SUBJECT YOU CHOOSE. 

Some students don’t choose Philosophy for their IAS exam. This is because many reasons as discussed above. If we want more aspirants to pick it, we have to fix wrong ideas, provide easy materials to learn, and show the strengths it gives for the job.

To bring this initiative, Mitra’s IAS helps students who want to study Philosophy for the IAS exam. We offer materials and classes  for Philosophy. This helps students prepare and do well on the exam. Mitra’s IAS can guide you on your IAS journey if you are passionate­ about your goal and hard work.