dear sir, My son is now doing 10 th standard who is aspirants for IAS, he is good at both science and also History. please guide me in his 11 th standard should he select science group or Commerce group. which further degree will help him better.thanks

Hello,

For IAS preparation , the subject group in 11th is not very strict. The UPSC exam allows students from any stream – Science, Commerce, or Arts.

If your son is good in Science and History , you can choose based on his long-term interest:

• Science group : Good if he also wants options like engineering, medicine, or research. Later, he can do graduation in Science, Engineering, or even shift to Humanities for IAS.

• Humanities/Arts group : Best suited for IAS, as subjects like History, Political Science, Geography, and Economics are part of the UPSC syllabus.

For degree, students from any stream can clear IAS. But most prefer BA in subjects like History, Political Science, Economics, or Geography , as they overlap with UPSC syllabus.

Hope it helps !

For a student aiming to become an IAS officer, selecting a group in 11th standard science or commerce depends largely on his interests, strengths, and long-term academic and career plans, as IAS preparation is flexible regarding educational background.

Science Group:

• This group covers subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics.

• Choosing science keeps options open for technical and professional degrees like Engineering, Medicine, or pure sciences, which can be valuable if your son wishes to specialize in these fields before preparing for civil services.

• Science demands steady workload and analytical skills, which can develop strong reasoning abilities helpful in IAS preparation.

• However, science courses are generally more demanding in terms of concepts and time commitment.

Commerce Group:

• Commerce includes Business Studies, Economics, Accountancy, and related subjects.

• It builds a strong foundation in economics and finance, which are important topics in the IAS syllabus, especially for the Preliminary and Mains exams.

• Commerce students may find it easier to relate to subjects like Indian Economy, Public Administration, and Ethics.

• This stream usually has less intense lab work and more theory, which some aspirants prefer for balanced preparation.

Considering IAS Preparation:

• IAS exams cover diverse topics including history, polity, geography, economy, and current affairs.

• Your son’s interest in history is a great advantage. Complementing this with strong skills in either economics (commerce) or science-related analytical skills can be beneficial.

• After 12th, it’s not mandatory to pursue a specific degree for IAS, but popular choices are degrees in humanities, public administration, political science, economics, or engineering.

• The key is consistent focus, reading habits, and preparation strategies rather than just the stream chosen in school.

Suggestion:

• If your son enjoys and excels in science and is willing to manage the workload, science is a good choice to keep open diverse career paths.

• If he prefers subjects like economics, business, and history with a balanced workload, commerce might suit him better.

• Ultimately, the decision should consider his interest and comfort with subjects, as self-motivation and consistent study matter most for IAS success.

Hello Dear,

For IAS, any stream is allowed. If your son likes science, he can choose it and later prepare for UPSC. But if he enjoys History and social studies, then Arts/Humanities is better as it directly helps in IAS preparation. Commerce is less useful.

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Dear Sir, since your son aspires to become an IAS officer, any stream in 11th (Science, Commerce, or Humanities) can lead to UPSC preparation. However, Humanities/Arts is generally considered helpful as it covers subjects like History, Geography, and Political Science which are part of the UPSC syllabus. If he chooses Science, he can still pursue IAS later by preparing separately for humanities subjects. The degree doesn’t matter much—students from Engineering, Medicine, Commerce, and Arts all clear UPSC. What matters is consistent preparation, strong fundamentals, and interest in the subjects. Choose the stream where he can perform best and stay motivated.

Hey,

That's good to hear that your son is an aspirant for IAS. The best stream for your son would be humanities/arts as it covers History, Polity, Geography, Economics which is directly useful for UPSC. You may also choose science stream (which builds logical skills but it requires more effort in general studies subjects) or commerce stream (that is good for economics but needs extra focus on humanities).

Hello Jaya

As your son is an UPSC aspirant (IAS) and is good at both Science and History, he can choose any of the both (Science or Humanities) at his Class 11th level.

My advice would be to go for Science Stream as although he would need to give some extra effort during examinations, there would be more options open for him. As he is in Class 10th only, his future aspirations may change and if so, then Science stream can provide various options like B.Tech/ Pilot etc. He would be eligible to give UPSC after graduation so no need to worry on that.

But if your child has made up his mind that his only and only goal is to become an IAS and that he don't wish to look upon other options, then he should go for Humanities. As while having Humanities in Class 11th, he can start some basic preparation for the exam in his school days only (But I won't recommend aiming for UPSC from your school days only as it is too early and a student doesn't really know what he really wants to do in his or her life).

Personally, I don't think the Commerce stream would be for any benefit in your child's case. In commerce, the subjects are completely different and you need to put effort just like in Science. The plus point of taking Science is that your options will be always open. Your child can go for B.tech while simultaneously preparing for UPSC as well as placements.

The last thing you need to do is that ask your child. If his major interest is in Science side, then go for Science Stream (PCM preferably). If its in history and social science side more, then go for Humanities Stream. As becoming an IAS is not certain because with your right preparation, right guidance and hard work, a bit of luck factor is also needed. So even if his future aspirations changes, he will still do something which he has an interest in.

Hope this answer helps! Thank You!!!