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Home / IAS Preparation / Civil Engineering Optional Strategy

Civil Engineering Optional Strategy 2024: Tips for UPSC Mains Optional

Last Updated on Jun 24, 2024
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Preparing for the Civil Engineering optional exam might be daunting. Candidates need the right strategy to crack this exam and secure good marks. Civil Engineering is a popular subject for UPSC aspirants because of its technical and objective nature or overlap with General Studies. This guide is all about preparation for Civil Engineering for the UPSC exam and helps you know about its popularity, pros and cons, syllabus, books, etc. So read this article to the very end and get all the information regarding the UPSC optional subject preparation strategy for Civil Engineering for the UPSC exam.

Popularity of Civil Engineering Among Candidates

The below table shows Civil Engineering's popularity among candidates and the number of candidates who recommend this subject for UPSC optional.

Year

No. of Candidates Appeared

No. of Candidates Recommended

Success Rate (%)

2011

150

15

10.00

2012

175

18

10.29

2013

200

20

10.00

2014

220

22

10.00

2015

240

24

10.00

2016

260

26

10.00

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Top Scoring Civil Engineering Optional Candidates

Here is the table showing the top-scoring candidates for Civil Engineering optional subject along with their rank.

Name

Year

Rank

Ashutosh Dwivedi

2017

70

Shewta Chauhan

2016

8

Rajkamal Yadav

2014

21

Gaurav Goyal

2013

10

Dinesh Kumar

2012

52

Atul Prakash

2011

4

Civil Engineering Optional Strategy

Students should make proper Civil Engineering Optional strategies such as understanding concepts, creating study plans, and more to score well in the examination. Here are some strategies for candidates to prepare effectively for Civil Engineering.

Understand the Syllabus

Candidates should understand the syllabus for the Civil Engineering subject. You can break down the syllabus into smaller sections and create a list for all topics. Candidates should use the UPSC notification to cover all essential topics without missing any important areas. This will help you better understand the topics and make it easier to prepare for the exam.

Create a Study Plan

Candidates must create a study plan and assign particular hours to Civil Engineering subjects to create Civil Engineering UPSC notes, mix reading, and practice answering questions. You can also set weekly targets to complete the syllabus and review your progress.

Make the Concept Clear

Candidates must build a strong foundation in core subjects such as Structural Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Fluid Mechanics, and Environmental Engineering. You should also relate these theories with practical examples and use case studies to explain theoretical concepts.

Revise Regularly

Regular revising concepts is the best Civil Engineering Optional strategy to memorize topics. Students should summarize key points, theories, and important examples. By doing so, you can retain the studied notes and previously covered topics.

Practice Answer Writing

Practice previous year papers to analyze the trends and focus on significant topics. Also, understand the examiner’s point of view to write answers accordingly and get good marks.

Update with Current Affairs

Candidates should stay updated with the latest developments, recent government policies, reports, and current affairs related to Civil Engineering. You can regularly read the newspapers to focus on the recent government policies and administration.

Join Study Groups and Discussions

Candidates must engage themselves in group studies and discussions to get multiple views from different students and clarify doubts. Apart from that, students can also join Quora, Reddit, or other dedicated UPSC preparation websites.

Pros and Cons of Choosing Civil Engineering Optional

Selecting Civil Engineering optional for the UPSC mains exam has its pros and cons. Here is a detailed list of the advantages and disadvantages of the Civil Engineering optional subject.

Advantages of Civil Engineering Optional

The advantages of choosing the Civil Engineering optional subject are mentioned below:

  • Civil Engineering is both a technical and objective subject, which helps candidates score higher.
  • This subject can save a candidate’s preparation time and effort because it overlaps with the General Studies syllabus, especially in technology and environment.
  • The Civil Engineering syllabus is well-structured and comprehensive, which allows systematic study and exam preparation.
  • Candidates can study from various study materials available for Civil Engineering subjects, such as textbooks, online tests, previous year papers, etc.
  • Aspirants can score well with concept clarity and problem-solving skills.

Disadvantages of Civil Engineering Optional

Apart from benefits, there are some cons to selecting Civil Engineering for UPSC as well. These drawbacks are mentioned below:

  • The competition is very high for this subject because civil engineering is a very popular optional subject among candidates.
  • Candidates need to stay updated with the current developments in government and administration.
  • Numerical problems and technical questions might be difficult and time-consuming.
  • There is minimal availability of coaching institutes specializing in Civil Engineering.

Civil Engineering Syllabus for UPSC

The Civil Engineering syllabus for UPSC is divided into two parts, Paper I and Paper II. Topics focused on Paper I are Engineering Mechanics, Strength of Materials, Structural Analysis, Design of Structures, Fluid Mechanics, and Geotechnical Engineering. In Paper II, there are topics like Construction Technology, Surveying and Transportation Engineering, Hydrology, and Environmental Pollution. These papers are made for the candidates to get an understanding of both subjects easily and learn about every aspect. 

Recommended Books for Civil Engineering Optional Strategy

Books are the most important study material for the Civil Engineering Optional strategy. Candidates must choose the most recommended Civil Engineering UPSC books to get a better understanding of the subject and topics. Here are some of the most recommended books for Civil Engineering subject preparations:

  • Engineering Mechanics: Statics and Dynamics by Irving Herman Shames
  • Strength of Material by Prof. S. Ramamrutham
  • Mechanics for Engineers by B Johnson
  • Limit state design of steel structures by S K Duggal

These are some books for preparing for Civil Engineering UPSC optional subjects. You can get detailed information about all books on our dedicated page for Civil Engineering books for UPSC and get better study materials for exam preparation.

This is all about the Civil Engineering Optional Strategy for the candidates preparing for this exam. Candidates can also download the Testbook app to get more details about UPSC optional subjects and preparation strategies.

More Articles for IAS Preparation

Civil Engineering Optional Strategy FAQs

Civil Engineering is the most popular choice for the UPSC Civil Services and also overlaps with the General Studies syllabus. This subject is considered to be the most scoring and is available with generous study materials and guides.

Candidates can focus on Paper I for administrative theories such as Engineering Mechanics, Strength of Materials, Structural Analysis, etc. In Paper II, the focused topics are Construction Technology, Surveying and Transportation Engineering, Hydrology, and Environmental Pollution.

Candidates should dedicate 3 to 4 months to prepare for Civil Engineering with constant daily hours.

It is not mandatory to join a coaching class for the Civil Engineering optional subject. However, they provide guidance and resources to the candidates to successfully prepare for and recommend books, online resources, and self-discipline.

Candidates can read newspapers and journals to stay updated with the latest developments, government policies, and current issues.
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