In How Much Time Agriculture Optional can be Strategised and Completed for UPSC?

Amongst all 48 optional subjects for UPSC, agriculture is considered to be a scoring subject. But not many opt for agriculture, and there are quite reasons for not opting for agriculture as optional. Today, the world is dominated by technology, so most of the students opt out for subjects that could bring their knowledge on par with the ever-evolving technologies. But still, many students opt for agriculture, as agriculture is the backbone of our nation, and one of the oldest occupations of India.

Agriculture is also a subject that is technical in terms. So aspirants who have background knowledge in Agriculture, Zoology, Botany, and other related fields, will find this optional doable for UPSC Mains. However, aspirants without any background knowledge in biology or agriculture will find this optional subject tough.

So this is another reason why many students don’t opt for Agriculture as optional. But some aspirants would find here how to complete the whole agriculture syllabus for UPSC Mains. So let’s get started and strategise on how to complete the agriculture syllabus.

Agriculture Optional Paper-Ⅰ Syllabus

#. Ecology

#. Agronomy

#. Weed Science

#. Forestry

#. Soil Science and Nutrient Management

#. Soil and Water Conservation

#. Agricultural Economics

#. Agricultural Extension

Agriculture Optional Paper-Ⅱ Syllabus

#. Cell Biology

#. Plant Breeding

#. Seed Production and Technology

#. Plant Physiology

#. Horticulture and Landscape Gardening

#. Plant Protection Techniques

#. Food Production and Nutrition Management

How to Finish the Agriculture Syllabus in a Time Frame?

You should never start your UPSC preparation immediately; first, you should get yourself in the UPSC preparation mode. Starting randomly could land you in trouble, as you will struggle with what to read, how to keep track of news, what and how to take notes, and many such things will confuse you.

Don’t copy what others are doing; find which is the right path for you. Can you study adequately at home, or do you need to join a UPSC coaching class, find which study pattern suits you perfectly, learn how to dedicate time towards studies, how to make notes, and other activities? Doing so will get you in the shoes of an aspirant, and you will know how to prepare. Practising all these for 1 or 2 months will get you in the mode for UPSC preparation.

Time Frame to Follow

The ideal time to finish the whole agriculture syllabus for UPSC is to begin 12 to 15 months prior to the date of examination. But one can also complete the agriculture syllabus in 4 to 5 months of time by studying 8 to 10 hours daily. The least time frame to complete the agriculture syllabus is 3 months. Following is a table displayed how to schedule your time daily to prepare the whole agriculture syllabus for UPSC:

Subject	Time Allocation
Paper A – Indian Language	1 hr every day
Paper B – English	1 hr every day
Paper 2 – General Studies 1	1 hr every day
Paper 3 – General Studies 2	1 hr every day
Paper 4 – General Studies 3	1 hr every day
Paper 5 – General Studies 4	1 hr every day
Paper 6 – Agriculture Optional Paper 1	1.5 hrs everyday
Paper 7 – Agriculture Optional Paper 2	1.5 hrs everyday

Following such timetables strictly will help any individual to complete their agriculture syllabus in their specific time frame. However, with the schedule, you also need to strategise on the pattern of your studies.

Strategy to Complete Agriculture Syllabus

Preparations for civil service exams shouldn’t be looked over, you can’t study randomly, you would need to plan when to study and how to study. It is a competitive exam and lacs of students are going to attempt it, so your strategy needs to be top-notch. So here are some tips to finish the whole agriculture syllabus for UPSC with strategy.

Understand the Syllabus

The first step towards the preparation should be knowing your syllabus. You should know the ins and outs of the syllabus regarding what the topics are and what they convey. You do not need to learn the whole syllabus, it is the worst thing you can do for civil service exams. It is a study that is going to help you understand the problems of the nation, and you would only know how to face them when you understand the concepts clearly.

Don’t summarise, rather understand the concept. Refer to the internet for a more in-depth clarification of the concepts. Understanding the concepts will help you to remember the learnings for both the exams and future UPSC preparations.

Make Notes of the Syllabus

When you are studying the agriculture syllabus, always keep a book and pen with you to make notes. Whatever you study and understand, make notes of that topic in your own understandable language.

This book will help you during the revision of the whole syllabus. With notes, you won’t have to go through the whole topic again, you can look over your notes and recall what you studied. Making notes is the best resolution to memorise the syllabus in a short span, especially when you are doing revision or studying before exams.

Keep Track of Reports and News

The agriculture sector is one of the important aspects of India to which the government looks forward to developing more. The government prepares a report on the agriculture sector and the economy, which is hefty educational information for UPSC. So ensure to read through all the reports by the Ministry of Agriculture and the economic surveys.

Read newspapers daily and keep an eye on any article or news for the agriculture sector. Newspapers and Government reports are the best resources for study materials with the books.

Solve Question Papers

The best and final preparation strategy is to attempt previous years question papers. Solve the previous year’s question paper of Agriculture Optional. You can solve the question papers of as many years as you can get your hands on. Ensure you solve the question papers in the same method you will give your UPSC mains examination.

Set the clock for 3 hours, keep your room quiet, and try to complete the whole Agriculture Optional subject’s question paper in that time. This will help you to get better at your subject, and also increase your speed of writing.

Best Books for Agriculture Optional

You need the best study material for your preparations. So here we suggest some of the best books for Agriculture Optional subject:

#. Agriculture Extension Education in India

#. Handbook of Agriculture by ICAR

#. Economics of Agriculture Production and Farm Management by J. M. Dhaka

#. Principles of Agronomy by T. Yellamanda Reddy & G. H. Sankara Reddy

#. Soil Science by D. K. Das

#. Introduction to Horticulture by Kumar

#. Entomology by Vasantha Raj & David

#. Plant Breeding Principles and Methods by B. D. Singh

#. Fundamentals of Genetics by B. D. Singh

#. Plant Physiology by S. N. Pandey & Bikas Sinha

#. Principles of Plant Pathology by R. S. Singh

#. Special Issue of Agriculture by The Hindu

Conclusion

Following these tips will help you prepare for the UPSC mains Agriculture Optional. No matter what you have set as the amount of time to finish the agriculture syllabus, adhering to these strategies will help you to achieve your target. To make your preparations stronger, you can join UPSC Pathshala for the best online study experience. You will also find the best study material, check out the free demo session of UPSC Pathshala and choose for yourself.