Strategy to Prepare UPSC Geography Optional Subject 2024 – IAS Mains

Prepare UPSC Geography: Check out Strategy to Prepare UPSC Geography 2024 Optional subject – Study Strategy. UPSC Mains Geography Optional subject Preparation Tips are provided here. UPSC Notification 2022 has released. Today we’ve provided a Preparation strategy for UPSC Geography optional Paper. UPSC has already announced the IAS / Civil Services Exam Dates. Before going to start the preparation strategy for UPSC, know UPSC Mains Syllabus. You can check Suggested Strategy for Geography optional for the UPSC IAS mains exam.

How to Prepare UPSC Geography Optional Subject

The geography consists of both world and Indian geography. It is overlapping subjects like Environment, agriculture, and Economics. The candidates should have a basic idea about the earth, the universe, natural phenomena, its reason, etc. Along with the core concepts one has to update his or her traditional knowledge with recent updates.

• know your UPSC Civil Services Exam syllabus
• Select Best Reference Books
• Prepare a Study plan
• Prepare own Preparation Notes
• Practice Previous Question Papers
• Practice few Mock Test Papers

Why Geography optional?

• The syllabus of Geography optional for the UPSC IAS Mains exam is short and aspirants can manage it easily.
• Geography is one of the most scoring subjects among all as it is has ample scope for diagrammatic representation. It is heavily covered in GS paper 1 and also indirectly in many areas of GS Paper 3. Geography is a good optional subject from the civil services point of view. During the last few years, it comes out to be one of the most favorite choices of Civil Services Aspirants.
• Paper-II of Geography is based on Physical geography and Human geography.
• Geography Paper II is based on all the technical topics.

UPSC Preparation Tips

UPSC Aspirants should follow exam tips to write the exam. Preparation tips are needed for any exam. UPSC exam should be conducted once in every year. Planning and hard work are very important to face any competitive exam. Below are some of the tips for preparation. The Paper I of Geography Optional paper is which is like General studies Paper principally Physical geography and Human geography. But Paper-II of Geography optional deals with the technical concepts.

Step 1: Know UPSC Geography syllabus

In the previous article, we’ve provided UPSC Mains Geography Syllabus. You can check and find what are the applicable topics and chapter for UPSC IAS Mains Exam.

Check– UPSC Geography Syllabus 2024 – IAS Mains Optional Subjects

Step 2: Select Best Reference Books for UPSC Geography

To prepare UPSC Geography Optional Subject, UPSC aspirants should prepare some reference books. We’ve already provided UPSC Reference Books for All optional papers. You can check our best-recommended books for the IAS exam at the given link below. The suggested books are included in optional and language Subjects.

Check – UPSC Mains Geography Reference Books

Recommended books for Geography:

• A Geography by Population – R.C. Chandna
• Agricultural Geography – Majid Husain
• Climatology – D.S.Lal
• Economic and Social Geography – Made Simple by Rupa Publisher
• Economic Geography- Hartshorn & Alexander
• Environmental Awareness – R.C.Chandna
• Environmental Geography – Savindra Singh
• General Climatology -Critchfield
• Geomorphology – Savindra Singh
• A Geography of India -Gopal Singh
• Agriculture Geography – Majid Husain
• Certificate Physical and Human Geography – Goh Cheng Leong
• Economic and Commercial Geography of India – C.B. Mamoria

Step 3: Prepare a Study Plan

The study plan is very important for every exam preparation. It plays a key role in the success of getting a good score in the UPSC exam.  Prepare a study plan for the UPSC exam. Make a monthly plan, weekly plan and daily schedule to prepare UPSC Geography Optional Paper. Allot the time for exam preparation and set the time for playing, eating, watching TV, and studying.

Daily prepare a few hours and spend at least 8 hours for IAS exam preparation.

UPSC Geography Preparation Plan for 3 months

If you have 3 months of preparation time for the UPSC Mains exam, You can prepare 8-9 hours per day.

Step 4: Prepare UPSC Geography Important Topics

Geography Paper I and Paper II Important Topics

• Location of Countries between seas
• Climatic conditions in Different Regions
• Floods, Earthquakes, and Cyclones
• Atmosphere
• Westerlies
• La Nina and El Nino
• Ocean Currents
• Temperature and precipitation
• Geographical region and regions
• Natural vegetation, Flora and fauna
• National Parks, Wetlands, Wildlife Sanctuaries, and Biosphere Reserves
• Different types of Soil, their Conservation Methods
• National Green Tribunal
• National Highways and other infrastructure
• Rivers in India and their protection

As you know the marks of the optional paper is crucial to decide your ranking in the final list, you to have to perform exceptionally well in the paper of your choice. Since the rest of the papers are compulsory for all, its only the optional paper that can make or break your fortune. So don’t try to do selective reading and gamble, as there is only one optional paper now.

Final Step: Prepare UPSC Geography Previous Question Papers & Practice papers

Download UPSC Mains Geography Question Papers. We’ve provided UPSC mains Geography Previous Question papers for download in PDF format.

Click Here: UPSC Mains Geography Question Papers Download in pdf

Who should opt for Geography?

Geography is an interesting subject. If aspirants are profound of this subject, no doubt you can choose this as your optional subject for the UPSC IAS mains Exam. It is an endless subject which deals with the spatial association between individuals, places, and the earth and it broadly covers all spheres. This is very easy and scoring optional if approached rightly. Many candidates have cracked UPSC Civil services examination by opting for geography as their optional subjects.

How much time does it take to prepare?

4-5 months, if you study Geography 12-15 hours per week. This should be enough. Also, it depends on how much can you recall your graduation concepts.

Ideally, aspirants need 4-5 months to complete the optional subject solely. Here we are giving the best suitable strategies for Geography optional for the UPSC IAS Mains Exam.

• Aspirants should have an exhaustive knowledge about the syllabus of Geography optional.
• On reading a question, identify keywords & think of the answer in terms of diagrams and maps. Thinking of structure and points is important and would certainly follow, but if one thinks of the answer in terms of diagrams, your answer will come across as more attractive. One can think of a map and then develop the structure of the answer around it. It is also a good way to remember the content.
• Make short notes, flowchart and diagram will preparing. These short notes will help in revision time.
• Aspirants should guarantee that they are emphasizing sustainability and economic dimensions also.
• The most important approach for studying geography is through maps. You may study weather, rainfall, soils, vegetation, agriculture, etc. Make sure you study them and understand them through maps. Try to overlap them and understand how they are all related. Put up huge maps in your room and whatever you study, mark them on the map. This approach will help you understand geography in a much better way.
• The essential part of UPSC IAS Exam preparation is solving the previous year’s UPSC Mains questions papers. Animal husbandry & veterinary science also aspirants should go through the Previous year question paper to extract an idea about exam patterns, trends, etc.

This article titled “How to Prepare UPSC Geography Optional subject 2024 – Study Strategy – Suggested by Toppers ” gives the detailed information about the tips for the preparation of the UPSC exam for all optional papers. Additional information like Reference books for UPSC Mains, IAS Previous question papers are also given above. Students should follow those tips and prepare well for the exam and download the links for more information about UPSC.