UPSC Optional Subjects List: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has modified the exam pattern for the Civil Services Examination (IAS), requiring candidates to choose only one optional subject for the mains exam. The general studies papers combined account for 1000 marks, while the two optional papers contribute 250 marks each. Therefore, it's crucial for candidates to carefully weigh the advantages and disadvantages before selecting their optional subject.
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UPSC offers a wide range of optional subjects, totaling 26. Below is the comprehensive list of optional subjects available for candidates:
UPSC Optional Subjects List
| S. No | List of Optional Subjects in UPSC |
|---|---|
| 1 | Agriculture |
| 2 | Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science |
| 3 | Anthropology |
| 4 | Botany |
| 5 | Chemistry |
| 6 | Civil Engineering |
| 7 | Commerce and Accountancy |
| 8 | Economics |
| 9 | Electrical Engineering |
| 10 | Geography |
| 11 | Geology |
| 12 | History |
| 13 | Law |
| 14 | Management |
| 15 | Mathematics |
| 16 | Mechanical Engineering |
| 17 | Medical Science |
| 18 | Philosophy |
| 19 | Physics |
| 20 | Political Science and International Relations |
| 21 | Psychology |
| 22 | Public Administration |
| 23 | Sociology |
| 24 | Statistics |
| 25 | Zoology |
UPSC Literature Optional Subjects List
| S.No | Literature Optional Subjects |
|---|---|
| 1 | Assamese |
| 2 | Bengali |
| 3 | Bodo |
| 4 | Dogri |
| 5 | Gujarati |
| 6 | Hindi |
| 7 | Kannada |
| 8 | Kashmiri |
| 9 | Konkani |
| 10 | Maithili |
| 11 | Malayalam |
| 12 | Manipuri |
| 13 | Marathi |
| 14 | Nepali |
| 15 | Oriya |
| 16 | Punjabi |
| 17 | Sanskrit |
| 18 | Santhali |
| 19 | Sindhi |
| 20 | Tamil |
| 21 | Telugu |
| 22 | Urdu |
| 23 | English |
UPSC IAS General Studies Papers List
| General Studies | Topics Covered | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General Studies Paper-I | Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society | 250 |
| General Studies Paper-II | Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations | 250 |
| General Studies Paper-III | Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management | 250 |
| General Studies Paper-IV | Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude | 250 |
UPSC IAS Optional Subject List and Syllabus PDF
Download the PDF here
Read: List of Upcoming UPSC Exams for 2025 | UPSC Exam Calendar PDF 2025
