HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT OPTIONAL SUBJECT
Every year, thousands of aspirants across India embark on the challenging journey to crack the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination (CSE). While the Prelims and Mains General Studies (GS) papers grab much of the spotlight, the importance of choosing the right optional subject cannot be overstated. It can be the deciding factor that propels you from the ranks of the also-rans to an actual service allotment. But how exactly do you decide which optional subject is best for you?
If you’re on the fence about making this crucial decision, you’re not alone—most UPSC aspirants take significant time and effort before finalizing their optional. Read on to find insights, tips, and a few interesting anecdotes that can help you simplify this otherwise tricky choice.
Below is the complete list of optional subjects currently offered in the UPSC Civil Services (Mains) Examination, presented in a tabular format. Candidates must choose one optional subject, which comprises two papers (Paper I and Paper II) in the Mains.
|
Non-Literature Optionals |
Literature Optionals |
|
Agriculture |
Assamese |
|
Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science |
Bengali |
|
Anthropology |
Bodo |
|
Botany |
Dogri |
|
Chemistry |
Gujarati |
|
Civil Engineering |
Hindi |
|
Commerce & Accountancy |
Kannada |
|
Economics |
Kashmiri |
|
Electrical Engineering |
Konkani |
|
Geography |
Maithili |
|
Geology |
Malayalam |
|
History |
Manipuri |
|
Law |
Marathi |
|
Management |
Nepali |
|
Mathematics |
Odia |
|
Mechanical Engineering |
Punjabi |
|
Medical Science |
Sanskrit |
|
Philosophy |
Santhali |
|
Physics |
Sindhi |
|
Political Science & International Relations |
Tamil |
|
Psychology |
Telugu |
|
Public Administration |
Urdu |
|
Sociology |
English |
|
Statistics |
— |
|
Zoology |
— |
The optional subject in the UPSC Mains Examination typically carries 500 marks (two papers of 250 marks each). This is a substantial chunk of the total score. A well-chosen optional can be a significant game-changer:
1.High-Scoring Potential: Some subjects have historically been considered high scoring due to the nature of their syllabus and the way questions are asked.