There are a total of 48 optional subjects in the UPSC Mains exam, which includes 25 core subjects and 22 literature optional.

  • 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 of any one of the following languages: Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, and English.

 Optional subjects

The UPSC optional subject list consists of a total of 48 subjects, from which applicants must select only one. Candidates have historically favored particular subjects, even though selecting an optional subject is subjective and should fit an individual’s interests and skills. Popular UPSC electives include the following:

  • History: Provides a thorough overview of global history, India’s rich cultural legacy, and sociopolitical changes.
  • Physical, human, and environmental geography are all covered in geography, which offers insights into the planet’s many landscapes and the effects of human activity.
  • Public administration is the study of governance structures, administrative theories, and how public institutions operate.
  • International relations, political ideologies, global challenges, and the mechanics of governance are all explored in Political Science and International Relations.
  • Sociology: Studies institutions, social structures, and the dynamics of social interaction and change.

Choosing Optional Subject

What should be the Criteria?

There are certain criteria for choosing the right optional, however, there are high possibilities that even the best suitable choice does not fulfil all of the criteria.

  • Subject Scorability: It should be given top priority to assess how (comparatively) easy it is to score in a specific optional subject.
  • It is incorrect to assume that all optional subjects in the UPSC are equally scored.
  • For example, roughly ten years ago, Psychology was ‘the’ optional subject for undergraduates. Psychology was an optional subject for approximately 300-350 of the 700 options.
  • In 2005-06, Public Administration was an optional topic, while in the 1990s, Anthropology was the most popular among students.
  • Students’ own abilities: One cannot be equally good in all subjects, thus it is critical to identify what is the best option for you and act accordingly.
  • For example, if you have outstanding writing skills, you should choose a field where subjectivity is important, such as Political Science, Sociology, Literature, or Public Administration.
  • However, if writing is not your strong suit but you excel in flowcharts, maps, and diagrams, the best alternative is to study Geography or an engineering topic like Physics.
  • One’s Own Interest: Studying things you are passionate about would make your UPSC journey much easier. You won’t grow bored studying it, and monotony will be rare.
  • One of the factors that should be prioritized is your interest in a subject; nevertheless, it should be regarded after the first two.
  • Commonality (overlaps with GS): If an optional subject is also useful in General Studies, Essays, or Interviews, it immediately raises preference for that subject.
  • Other factors to consider in this regard include how much marks the subject is helping you earn (what is the weightage of the subject’s contents in all other exams… GS, Interview, Essay, etc.) and how much time it saves you.
  • Syllabus Length: Optional subjects should be chosen with consideration for the amount of time available to complete the syllabus.
  • If you can save one or two months in a subject, it signifies a lot from a CSE standpoint.
  • However, it should be noted that in order to save a month or two, not a few years are lost by selecting an improper subject only because its syllabus is short.
  • Sources of Information and Study: Other crucial considerations for selecting the ideal optional subject include having adequate study resources and receiving proper coaching from seniors and teachers.
  • Subject Dynamism: The subject is better with less dynamism. Some subjects have the same questions, but the answers change each year.
  • For example, in Political Science Paper-II, i.e., International Relations, practically every part of the subject is dynamic and requires continuous updates.
  • Even in Sociology and Public Administration, though not as much as in Political Science, dynamism is evident.
  • However, in courses like as History, Geography, Literature, Philosophy, and Psychology, the answers are not expected to change every year.
  • Background: While not as vital as others, if you have a substantial background in a subject that also meets other important criteria for picking an optional, the background should be given a good weightage in the subject selection process.