Pros & Cons of Mechanical Engineering Optional for UPSC Mains

Mechanical Engineering Optional Subject IAS

The UPSC offers engineering subjects also as optional subjects for the mains exam. It offers mechanical, civil and electrical engineering subjects. These are highly specialised subjects and you have to be a graduate in these subjects in order to be able to take them as your optionals.

Generally, there are less than 100 takers for the mechanical engineering optional subject. But many of the selected candidates are engineers by background. It shows that a lot of students with engineering backgrounds opt to choose a subject other than their engineering subject for the IAS exam.

So, is engineering, particularly mechanical engineering a bad choice of optional? Not necessarily. It all depends on the candidate and his/her aptitude. Read on to know about the pros and cons of taking mechanical engineering optional for UPSC mains exam.

Mechanical engineering is a professional degree subject that deals with the construction, design, and use of machines.

Who should take UPSC mechanical engineering optional?

Only mechanical engineering graduates or postgraduates are advised to take up this optional. It is a highly specialised subject.

Pros of mechanical engineering optional

• You have studied the subject for four years during college. So, you don’t have to study anything from scratch.
• The pass percentage for mechanical engineering is better than other branches of engineering and some other subjects also.
• You will not choose this subject unless you consider yourself to be some kind of an expert in it. This will work to your advantage.
• You can justify your choice of optional in the interview.
• Your understanding of this subject should be good. So, you don’t have to mug up anything.
• Being a science subject, nothing is left to interpretation.

Cons of mechanical engineering optional

• The subject is rather vast and syllabus lengthy.
• It is generally considered difficult.
• There is absolutely no overlap with general studies papers.
• So, this subject combined with the general studies papers will take you a lot of time to complete the syllabus.

IAS topper with mechanical engineering as optional for UPSC: Raveesh Gupta (CSE 16; AIR 2011)

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