UPSC is considered to be one of the toughest exams in India. Out of the total of 2000 marks for written exams, 500 marks are allotted for optional subject. This proves to be make or break situation for the aspirants in UPSC examination. Statistics optional is one of the subjects in UPSC Mains that you can opt for.
Some of the optional subjects in UPSC mains exam are :
Philosophy , Political science , History , Mathematics , Chemistry , civil engineering , Botany ,Economics, Management , Indian history , Geography , Statistics ,Zoology ,Statistics optional, etc.
As aspirants from different backgrounds including engineers, doctors, chartered accountants, lawyers, etc. compete for securing top rank, hence every single mark is crucial. Here the optional subject is the one chosen by the aspirant where his real interest lies in. This opens a pathway to secure the maximum marks in this domain.
Topics covered under Statistics optional:
Paper-I
1.Probability
2.Statistical Inference
- Linear Inference and Multivariate Analysis
- Sampling Theory and Design of Experiments
Paper-II
1.Industrial Statistics
- Optimization Techniques
- Quantitative Economics and Official Statistics
- Demography
Strategy for Statistics optional:
As the syllabus includes various components one needs to do intensive reading for preparing this subject.
As all know the marks of the optional paper is crucial to decide your ranking in 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.
The right strategy should be to go through each section of the syllabus and pick up the books and read them carefully. First pick up lighter books to clear your concepts and then go on to read the advance books.
Cover the entire syllabus and after reading each segment make notes of them simultaneously. Remember that the notes prepared by you will be the final course material for reading and revising in future. So take your time and do a good job with it.
Generally people from maths background go for statistics as there is lot of calculative work to be done. The student shall be good in playing with numbers. So students belonging to commerce background face a problem and hence extra efforts are required from their side to cope up with the content.
Books On Statistics optional for IAS Exam :
Introductory Probability and Statistical Applications – Paul Meyer
An Introduction to Probability Theory & Mathematical Statistics -V K Rohtagi
Fundamentals of Statistics – A M Goon, M K Gupta and B Dass Gupta
An Outline of Statistical Theory-A M Goon, M K Gupta and B .Dass Gupta
Fundamentals of Mathematical Statistics-A C Gupta and V K Kapoor
Fundamentals of Applied Statistics-S C Gupta and V K Kapoor
Sampling Techniques-William G. Cochran
Sampling Theory of Surveys with applications – B. V Sukhatme & B V Sukhatm
