Most Popular Optional Subjects for Civil Services Mains Exam – How to select your UPSC Optional subjects

By Anish Passi

Choosing UPSC Civil Services Mains Exam Optional Subjects

In UPSC civil services mains exam, since the pattern change in 2013, the role of optional subject has increased manifold. GS and Essay are the common papers for all aspirants and the optional subject you choose will be a major deciding factor in your Mains exam.

While choosing optional subjects, aspirants will have numerous doubts and question on what basis should I choose my optional subject? such as

• Should I choose High scoring subject?
• Should I choose my graduation subject?
• Should I choose one of the popular subject?
• Should I choose the subject helpful in my GS Preparation?
• Should I choose based on success rates?

To address your queries and help you in choosing the right optional subject, we have come up with detailed analysis and factors to consider before finalizing your optional subject.

List of Optional Subjects in UPSC Mains exam

1.    Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science
2.    Anthropology
3.    Botany
4.    Chemistry
5.    Civil Engineering
6.    Commerce and Accountancy
7.    Economics
8.    Electrical Engineering
9.    Geography
10.   Geology
11.   History
12.   Law
13.   Management
14.   Mathematics
15.   Mechanical Engineering
16.   Medical Science
17.   Philosophy
18.   Physics
19.   Political Science and International Relations
20.   Psychology
21.   Public Administration
22.   Sociology
23.   Statistics
24.   Zoology
25.   Literature of any one the following language: Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, and English.
26.   Agriculture

Major Factors to Consider for Choosing UPSC Optional Subject

1. Identify your interest, understanding ability and confidence in the subject

Have a look at the list of available topics for Optional Subjects and choose a subject that you like and are interested in. Choose a subject in which you have confidence in scoring to support your Mains paper’s scores. Typically, candidates choose their graduating subject or high scoring subjects, like Geography, Public Administration, or an allied subject to their main subject, such as Medical Science for doctors or Mathematics for engineers.

2. Subject integration with GS syllabus

Check out the areas merging with General Studies, like Economics which is covered under Economics in GS; Political Science includes Polity, India & the World part in GS. Mathematics & Statistics are included in each other optional. It helps to choose your main subject from your graduation, as you would already have in-depth knowledge and would need lesser time to prepare it well.

3. Analyze previous years’ Mains question papers & success percentage over the years

Explore preceding year’s papers to understand the pattern of questions asked in various subjects. Try to analyze if these are the kinds of questions you can score highly in your chosen subject. There is a difference in loving a subject and being able to score well with it. Some subjects score high like Geography, with 400+ returned marks with in IAS Mains. You can choose a subject that can supplement your Mains scores based on your confidence in your GS paper. Agriculture and Medical Science have high success rates as of 2016, with Animal Husbandry, Veterinary Science & Economics scoring close seconds.

4. Syllabus of Optional Subject

Looking at the syllabus of the subject of your choice, you may be able to understand the requirements for preparation. Check for overlaps with your main subject from graduation. Geography and Public Admin have a fairly structured and a shorter course. If you’re an engineering or medical major, Geography may appeal to you due to the abundance of maps and the semi scientific aspect of Geography. You can choose a regional language literature if you have a love for words, with options such as Hindi, Telugu & Tamil literature.

5. Availability of good teachers & resources to guide you

Once you have decided your optional subject, check for the kind of coaching you may need. Certain subjects like Geography and Public Administration have a lot of self-study, whereas other subjects such as Mathematics etc. need constant revision and practice. Be cognizant of the kind of coaching you need in terms of time and preparation practice. Check for teachers and resources near your home to keep travel to a minimum.

Things to avoid while choosing Optional Subject for UPSC exams

1.    Choosing because family or friends suggested it
2.    Choosing a subject it is a high scoring subject
3.    Choosing because the previous year’s topper chose it
4.    Choosing because it is popular with your peers

Most Popular Subjects in UPSC Preparation

1. Public Administration
2. Sociology
3. History
4. Geography
5. Anthropology
6. Political Science and International Relations
7. Philosophy
8. Mathematics

*Note: Based on number of aspirants who opt for the subject

So, while there is no set formula for the correct choice, ultimately, choose a subject that will keep you interested in the longer run, makes you comfortable with the syllabus, has good availability of study material/teachers and can be covered/revised in a definite time frame.

About the Author:

Anish Passi

Anish Passi is the Director at Neostencil, a test preparation platform. He is an engineer from McMaster University, Canada and an MBA from IIM, Ahmedabad. He previously founded Testcafe and has extensive experience in the Education industry.

Also Read:

How to plan & prepare for UPSC Civil Services Mains examination

How to plan & prepare for UPSC Civil Services Prelims examination