UPSC Optional Subjects
Master Your understanding of the UPSC Optional Subjects: A Guide to take the right subject
How To Read This Article
Begin by seeing the complete list of optional subjects which you can take for UPSC. Get a clear idea of which subjects are available and their relevance to the exam.
Narrow the options by assessing your own interest, background, and strengths. This will help you choose a subject that will make you comfortable with the subject.
Finally, see previous year question papers for the subject you took. This will show you how the questions are framed for that subject and how deep are the questions.
introduction to UPSC Optional Subjects
List of UPSC Optional Subjects for Mains
UPSC Optional Subjects Official
Agriculture
Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science
Anthropology
Botany
Chemistry
Civil Engineering
Commerce and Accountancy
Economics
Electrical Engineering
Geography
Geology
History
Law
Management
Mathematics
Mechanical Engineering
Medical Science
Philosophy
Physics
Political Science and International Relations
Psychology
Public Administration
Sociology
Statistics
Zoology
Literature - Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, and English.
How to Choose the Best UPSC Optional Subjects
Selecting the right optional subject is crucial for maximizing your score in the UPSC Mains exam. Here are some important factors to consider:
Choosing Optional Subject Based on Educational Background:
- Engineering & Technical : Electrical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics
- Humanities : History, Political Science & International Relations, Sociology, Philosophy, Anthropology, Psychology, Public Administration
- Commerce & Management : Commerce and Accountancy, Economics, Management
- Science & Medical : Physics, Chemistry, Botany, Zoology, Medical Science, Geology
- Agriculture & Life Sciences : Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science
- Law : Law
- Literature & Languages : Literature of any one of the 22 languages listed
Choosing Optional Subject Based on Interest/Understanding :
- Theoretical Subjects : Philosophy, History, Political Science, Public Administration, Sociology
- Practical/Applied Subjects : Agriculture, Economics, Animal Husbandry, Medical Science, Engineering Subjects
- Analytical Subjects : Mathematics, Physics, Statistics, Commerce and Accountancy
- General Awareness & Current Affairs : Political Science, Sociology, Public Administration, Geography
- Literature : Various literature subjects of Indian and international languages
Choosing Optional Subject Based on Overlap with General Studies (GS) Subjects :
- High Overlap : Political Science, History, Geography, Sociology, Public Administration, Economics
- Moderate Overlap : Anthropology, Philosophy, Psychology
- Low Overlap : Engineering Subjects, Medical Science, Literature, Animal Husbandry
Choosing Optional Subject Based on Scoring Potential (as per trends) :
- Traditionally High-Scoring : Anthropology, Sociology, Public Administration, Political Science
- Moderate-Scoring : Geography, History, Psychology, Philosophy
- Specialized & Technical Subjects : Engineering, Medical Science, Animal Husbandry, Agriculture
Choosing Optional Subject Based on Workload (Syllabus Length and Complexity) :
- Compact/Shorter Syllabus : Anthropology, Sociology, Public Administration
- Moderate Syllabus : Political Science, Geography, Psychology
- Longer Syllabus : History, Law, Engineering Subjects, Literature, Medical Science
Top Scoring Optional Subjects in UPSC
Based on previous years’ results and trends, the following subjects have been considered to be high scoring for many aspirants :
- Anthropology
- Sociology
- Geography
- Public Administration
- Political Science and International Relations
These subjects are known for having concise syllabi, relatively easy-to-understand concepts, and an overlap with GS papers, making them popular among top rankers.
Number of Candidates Appeared for Each Optional Subject (2018–2023)
| Optional Subject | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | 185 | 220 | 220 | 185 | 180 | Data needed |
| Anthropology | 730 | 880 | 579 | 750 | 760 | Data needed |
| Botany | 65 | 312 | 280 | 250 | 270 | Data needed |
| Chemistry | 95 | 85 | 124 | 110 | 130 | Data needed |
| Commerce & Accountancy | 195 | 224 | 188 | 180 | 200 | Data needed |
| Economics | 250 | 233 | 269 | 326 | 340 | Data needed |
| Electrical Engineering | 175 | 193 | 126 | 140 | 130 | Data needed |
| Geography | 3200 | 2669 | 4049 | 3000 | 3200 | Data needed |
| History | 1050 | 1074 | 2090 | 2500 | 2700 | Data needed |
| Law | 290 | 304 | 365 | 330 | 350 | Data needed |
| Management | 100 | 86 | 167 | 150 | 160 | Data needed |
| Mathematics | 320 | 277 | 325 | 329 | 310 | Data needed |
| Mechanical Engineering | 110 | 96 | 170 | 180 | 190 | Data needed |
| Medical Science | 275 | 235 | 313 | 350 | 360 | Data needed |
| Philosophy | 810 | 755 | 1116 | 1000 | 1050 | Data needed |
| Physics | 290 | 266 | 239 | 250 | 260 | Data needed |
| Political Science & IR | 1280 | 1246 | 1320 | 1250 | 1300 | Data needed |
| Public Administration | 3500 | 1165 | 7077 | 3301 | 3400 | Data needed |
| Sociology | 1600 | 1421 | 1555 | 1480 | 1500 | Data needed |
| Zoology | 500 | 484 | 228 | 250 | 260 | Data needed |
| Literature Subjects | 792 | 1043 | 1040 | 720 | 740 | Data needed |
Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to the most common queries. Click on the “Read More” if mentioned.
How many times upsc civil services exam is conducted in a year?
Ans: The UPSC exam is administered once a year, typically in June. The first phase of the exam which is the preliminary stage is conducted first followed by Mains and Interview
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Ans: The Union Public Service Commission will release the IAS notification. The candidates will be required to apply online for the UPSC civil services exam because no other application format is available.
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Ans: The very first step is the understand the exam. After that prepare for the exam from the right sources and materials. Reading is important but so is giving the mock exams.
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