UPSC Optional Subject List

PSC conducts UPSC civil services exam every year.  this exam connecting in three different stages Prelims, mains, and interview. The UPSC Mains exam consists of 9 papers.

  • Two Language papers.
  • Four GS Paper.
  • Two Optional Subject Paper.
  • One Essay Paper.

Language papers are qualifying and the Other seven papers will be calculated for ranking.

Structure of Mains Paper:- 

PaperSubjectMarks
Paper – IEssay (can be written in the medium of the candidate’s choice)250
Paper-IIGeneral Studies – I (Indian Heritage & Culture, History &
Geography of the World & Society)		250
Paper – IIIGeneral Studies – II (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social
Justice & International Relations)		250
Paper – IVGeneral Studies – III (Technology, Economic Development,
Biodiversity, Security & Disaster Management)		250
Paper – VGeneral Studies – IV (Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude)250
Paper – VIOptional Subject – Paper I250
Paper – VIIOptional Subject – Paper II250
 Total1750

Structure of Language  Paper:- These seven papers can be written in any of the languages mentioned under the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India or in English.

PaperSubjectMarks
Paper – IEnglish300
Paper-IIAny Indian Language300

The Optional subject in UPSC exam plays a very important role because the total marks of UPSC mains exam are 1750  out of which optional subject for UPSC has a weightage of 500 marks.

In UPSC mains exam there is two paper of optional subject paper 1 and paper 2 Each of them carries 250 marks. So candidates are advised to choose their optional subject wisely And increase the chance of success in the UPSC exam. In this post, we provide a complete list of UPSC optional subjects with the syllabus for both paper 1 and Paper 2.

You can also read:-  
how to choose UPSC optional subject?
Which is the best UPSC optional subject?

How many optional subject for UPSC?

For the UPSC CSE  exam, We have UPSC optional subject list Provided by UPSC.  Candidates have to choose one optional subject for UPSC mains exam. The optional subject has two papers and each paper accounts for 250 marks.  Candidates can choose any subject from UPSC IAS optional subject list. UPSC offered  48 subjects which include subjects from all academic domains of – Humanities, Commerce, Engineering, and Medical. Candidates can also choose literature subjects as an optional paper. The papers for the examination will be descriptive in nature. Each paper for the UPSC mains exam will be of three hours duration. The question papers, other than the literature of language papers will be set in Hindi and English only. The optional paper plays an important role in the UPSC mains exam.

List of UPSC IAS Optional Subject with Syllabus.

UPSC Optional Subjects

AgricultureAnimal Husbandry and Veterinary ScienceAnthropologyBotanyChemistry
Civil EngineeringCommerce and AccountancyEconomicsElectrical EngineeringGeography
GeologyHistoryLawManagementMathematics
Mechanical EngineeringMedical SciencePhilosophyPhysicsPolitical Science and International Relations
PsychologyPublic AdministrationSociologyStatisticsZoology
AssameseGujaratiKashmiriMalayalamNepali
BengaliBodoKonkaniManipuriOriya
DogriKannadaMaithiliMarathiPunjabi
SanskritSanthaliSindhiTamilTelugu
UrduEnglishHindi  

UPSC Literature Optional Subjects

AssameseGujaratiKashmiriMalayalamNepali
BengaliBodoKonkaniManipuriOriya
DogriKannadaMaithiliMarathiPunjabi
SanskritSanthaliSindhiTamilTelugu
UrduEnglishHindi  
UPSC Mains GS 1 Syllabus UPSC Mains GS 2 Syllabus
UPSC Mains GS 3 Syllabus UPSC Mains GS 4 Syllabus