How to Choose Optional Subjects for CSS and PMS

Ways of Optional Subjects Selection:

Undoubtably, the most important stage of your CSS journey is the subject selection process, which is more frequently referred to as “optional subjects.” Your choice of optional courses is very important to your performance on any competitive test. The aspirants who are doing CSS preparation and looking for directions on the selection of their courses can get some help in subject selection by this write-up. The readers of this Blog will be able to make more informed elective choices for CSS 2024 as well as special CSS as a result of reading it.

Evidently, the majority of applicants seek guidance from more experienced individuals and ask them to choose the subjects that are currently popular or high-scoring. This is absolutely incorrect way to approach the process of subject choosing. It does not imply that you will achieve the same level of success in a certain area even if another applicant does. Because every person has their own unique set of skills, competencies, experiences, and knowledge. So, Applicants are required to rely on their own academic history rather than following what are now considered to be “trending” and “scoring” topics.

Trending Optional Subjects:

People always seek trending optional subjects for CSS and PMS. However, trending or scoring is a misconception in CSS and PMS. Always rely on your instincts, background knowledge, experience and area of interest. You will, obviously, score well if you have enough knowledge and preparation of a topic, and you will not score well if you do not have a solid foundation or put in a lot of effort.

Though, a few disciplines, including literature, which is a low-scoring subject, and languages, which are high-scoring courses amid the biasness of examiners, are the only exceptions to the rule that there is no high or low scoring subject. Because these topics will be tested by language experts, every language has a high scoring potential. Therefore, the language experts will endeavor to award additional marks to the applicants in order to keep the subject alive in competitive examinations and to promote their language speakers. On the other hand, literature is very vast in every subject, which has a very long course to cover, and results in low score.

Three Major Groups of Aspirants

The candidate selection process is not uniform across all applicants. There are three primary categories of applicants: those with backgrounds in the sciences, the arts, or accountancy or business. There is no way that members of diverse groups can ever have the same ideal topics to study. Let’s talk about the most viable choices for the three fundamental domains in CSS.

A. Sciences

B. Commerce & Business Administration

C. Arts or Law

This is also a CSS qualifying trend. Most of the qualifiers have a science background, followed by accounting and business education, and arts and law students are at the bottom.

WHY POLITICAL SCIENCE IS IMPORTANT IN CSS AND PMS:

Before discussing the best choices for the candidates, I would like to put some emphasis on the importance of political science. It is the most important subject for all groups, and must opted subject. This subject gives the knowledge of fundamental concept of governance, public administration, public policies and responsibilities of government. The reason behind declaring it the most valuable subject is that to implement the government policies and administer the public is the ultimate duty of the aspirants. They must be aware of managing the masses in every condition. Furthermore, it is mandatory subject to perform well in compulsory ones like essay, Pakistan affairs and current affairs. Without basic knowledge of political science one cannot score well.

A. Science Group:

I. Candidates having a background in science should choose their area of expertise as their major. Some examples are physics, mathematics and computer science.

II. However, if students do not feel competent in their own field, they should choose political science as their major instead.

III. In addition to political science, they have the option of choosing a topic from the field of science.

IV. I don’t recommend International Relations along with International Law because the scope of IR is limited. Pol science is a vast subject. IR is already covered in pak affairs and current affairs.

V. Languages such as Punjabi, Pashto, and Sindhi should be included on the list of electives.

VI. History: The majority of individuals choose United States history since it is a brief subject; nonetheless, they will not perform well on the test if they do not have a firm grasp of the USA’s history, constitution, wars, current events, and geographical growth. The majority of students do not succeed in US history because it requires extensive knowledge of important presidents and the times in which they served.

On the other hand, Indo-Pak history is better option. Because it teaches you about the history of the subcontinent, which is more significant than the history of the United States, I believe that studying Indo-Pakistan history is the best alternative. Aspirants of other one-paper examinations like FIA, IB, Customs, ASF, and ANF, among others, might benefit from studying Indo-Pak history since it helps them cover the multiple choice questions (MCQs) component of Pakistan Affairs and Current Affairs. Therefore, the history of Indo-Pakistan is a better alternative than the history of the United States of America since it will assist you in areas other than CSS.

One-Paper Exams: An Advice to Aspirants

In most cases, candidates for CSS are selected in one-paper examinations owing to their strong expertise, despite the fact that the CSS passing percentage is just one percent. So, applicants are advised to have a backup plan in place to safeguard their future.

VII. Gender Studies and Environmental Sciences: don’t choose these subjects if your academic back ground does not match them. Mostly people make combination of gender studies and USA history and thinks both are overlapping. See the past papers of both subjects, there is nothing to overlap. However, you can select environmental sciences if you have already studied the topics mentioned in syllabus. Majority of students goes with gender studies and it becomes very difficult to score well because of tough competition.

VIII. Public Administration: it is a complementary subject of political science. If you have chosen political science and have no other better option from your background then go with public administration.

IX. Applied mathematics, sociology, psychology, criminology etc.

See the syllabus and past papers first to select any of them. Don’t accept any subject on the recommendation of anyone. You should go through syllabus and past papers first.

X. Law Subjects: never prefer law subjects either international law, Muslim law etc. it requires glossary and vocabulary of law which is a separate domain.

Best Combinations for Science Students:

Science	200
Pol Science	200
History	100
Language	100

Political Science	200
Public Administration	100
Language	100
History	100
Gender, Applied math, Environmental Science or any other you feel better.	100

Note: You may change your combination according to your knowledge and background. Add psychology, gender studies or environmental sciences in replacement of language or history

B. Commerce and Business Administration:

Aspirants should prefer Accountancy and Auditing over political science and IR. If they are not confident in Accounting and financial Management then they must go with Political Science.

Accountancy and Auditing	200
Business Administration	100
Mercantile Law	100
Language	100
History	100

Political Science	200
Business Administration	100
Mercantile Law	100
Language	100
History	100

Note: If applicants are not interested in language and history, they may consider other options after reviewing the syllabus and past papers. Never choose a subject without going through past papers and the syllabus.

C. Arts and Law Group:

Political Science	200
Public Administration	100
Language	100
History	100
Sociology, Gender Studies, Philosophy, law etc.		100

International Relations	200
International Law	100
Language	100
History	100
Sociology, Gender Studies Philosophy, law etc.	100

Note: Choose IR and I law instead of Political science if you have done masters in IR. Never choose English and Urdu literature unless you have extraordinary grip over them.

I hope this Blog will be very helpful for aspirants who feel hesitant or have no option to discuss their course selection with others. In addition, you may ask for assistance by following me on Facebook at @literarysolutions, and you can write your queries in the comment section. Never forget to give your valuable feedback about this blog. May all your wishes come true.

Kind Regards,

CSS Mentor