The second stage of the civil services exam, the UPSC Mains Exam, includes optional subjects and you have the full freedom to choose your preferred UPSC optional subjects from the given list of optional subjects.MPSC has also brought about a change in the examination pattern, which would be applicable from 2025. The crucial part of the change is the introduction of the optional paper along the lines of UPSC CSE. The Optional Subject plays a great role in being the score-differentiator for aspirants. In the CSE Main exam, out of the nine papers, two papers, Paper VI and Paper VII are from the optional subject for UPSC. They are optional Subject Paper 1 and Optional Subject Paper 2. Each of them carries 250 marks. So, the UPSC optional subject carries 500 out of 1750 marks in the UPSC Mains Exam. The marks obtained in the UPSC optional subjects are considered for the preparation of final merit i.e selection. Hence, the choice of an optional subject for UPSC must be made cautiously. Unlike the earlier times, candidates have to now choose just one optional subject, and hence, “how to choose the best optional subject for UPSC” remains the most frequently asked question by UPSC aspirants!

In this article, we have listed the UPSC optional subjects that a candidate can choose. However, it needs to be done with an expert strategy on how to choose the best optional subject for UPSC. You can click on the hyperlinks to check out the syllabus of a particular subject.

The selection of the best and most appropriate optional subject is a confusing task for the aspirants. And especially with respect to MPSC in the present scenario, where the change has been recently introduced, it becomes even more imperative. It should be decided only after proper analysis of all the syllabi as well as by understanding the Pros and Cons of the optional subject that we hope to choose.  Many students are usually confused by the sheer list of all the optional subjects. Generally, students are confused between various subjects of humanities background like Political Science and International Relations, History, Sociology, Anthropology, Geography, Public Administration, Economics etc.

There are many important aspects to be kept in mind while choosing an Optional Subject –

1. Interest and academic background of the aspirant: 

Kindly identify your interest in a subject by exploring it through school-level NCERTs (Class 11th and 12th preferably), going through the Optional subject syllabus, and your comfort level in reading the subject. 

a.For example: If you are from Commerce background, look for what you have already studied in college and choose accordingly between Commerce, Management or Public Administration.

b.If you are from an Engineering background, check the syllabus and content of optional subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Maths., Engineering optional – Civil, Electrical, Mechanical etc. If you are not comfortable with the science subjects mentioned, check other optional subjects such as Geography, Psychology, Anthropology, Political Science, Sociology, Public Administration, Philosophy, etc.

And it is also imperative to understand if you have really studied your graduation subjects carefully or completed your graduations just for the sake of it.

2. Coaching/Guidance/Study Materials available in the subject. 

Check from your peers, friends, and civil servants who have already qualified, for identifying the best coaching/Guidance/Study Materials.

 Study material from a good coaching along with the classes conducted will accelerate your preparation manifolds.

3. Contribution of the Optional Subject towards General Studies syllabus:

Find out on your own from the past question papers and the syllabus regarding the contribution of the optional subject towards General Studies and Essay Paper of the Mains exam. 

4. Performance of the optional subject in the recent past (past 3 years)

(This won’t be possible for MPSC,but you can still use the UPSC Previous Years Question Paper as the Yardstick) A candidate’s individual performance can vary on a large number of parameters compared to his competitors. But there can be Optional Subject (s) that do not fetch the marks desired as compared to the effort put in by candidates. A few Optional Subjects also at times, go through a few years of toughness, either in the questions asked or the marks awarded.

(You can study this from the annual report of the UPSC, Link Below)

https://www.upsc.gov.in/annual-reports. In these voluminous reports, the important area of focus in this regard could be a table mentioning “Distribution of Candidates who Appeared vis-à-vis Recommended by Optional Subjects – Civil Services (Main) Examination. For e.g. refer to Page number 100 of the 71st UPSC Report that is available on this URL.”

5. Time Management:

Apart from the comprehension ability, a candidate should decide on how much time he/she would be able to spend on studying an Optional Subject. A few candidates might be working while preparing or studying at a university etc, and should be able to estimate the amount of time required to study the chosen optional subject along with General Studies. 

You can follow the methodology given below for selecting your optional subject :

Step 1: Go through the list of all optional subjects. The list is mentioned in     

             UPSC/MPSC notification.(Hyperlink for syllabus)

Step 2: Shortlist at least 3-4 optional subjects which you feel like opting.

Step 3: You can think about your degree subject as an optional subject or any other    

             subject you find interesting.

Step 4: Read one good basic book of a shortlisted optional subject.

Step 5: Finalise your optional subject based on what you like and what you     

            Understand.

Step 6: Feel Free to Connect with any of the faculty & Subject Matter Expert at Chanakya Mandal Pariwar who can guide you through this process.  

Selecting the optional subject for the UPSC civil service mains exam is a personal decision. Every individual has unique strengths and weaknesses; they also have different educational and professional backgrounds. A candidate must weigh the pros and cons of a particular optional subject and if the pros outweigh the cons, he/she can zero in on that subject. We herein discuss certain optional subjects along with their Pros and Cons. 

History As Optional

“A generation which ignores history has no past and no future.”

History is a popular optional among aspirants. As a subject, it has tremendous overlap with General Studies Paper I and the  Prelims exam too. So, in any case, if you are an MPSC/UPSC aspirant, there is no getting away from reading history! History is generally considered a vast optional which deters some students from venturing into this optional. But, the reality is, with proper strategies and a sound preparation plan, this subject can be covered within the time frame. Moreover, because of the great overlap with the prelims and GS, you can actually cover a good portion of the syllabus with this optional.

       History can strategically be chosen as an optional subject since a huge chunk of the GS syllabus in the Prelims and Mains gets covered. Since it is non-technical in nature, it can be opted for by non-History students also. In addition, standard material is easily available on the subject both in print and on the internet. History is both enlightening and all-encompassing in nature, and the fact that socio-political situations have their roots in history gives students of this subject a better analytical capability and perspective on important issues of the day. It also helps in answering the compulsory Essay paper where knowledge of history helps, not to mention its value in the UPSC Interview.

     The likely drawbacks of the subject are its vast syllabus and abundance of material which can confuse students and hamper focussed preparation. Therefore, the strategy to deal with the subject becomes very important.

     History is a thoroughly engrossing and insightful subject. It is as scoring as any other optional subject under Humanities. However, it is the interest and aptitude of a candidate in a particular subject along with a good strategy that makes it scoring or otherwise. According to trends over the past few years, at least 1-2 candidates having The History as their optional come among the top 15 and about 150-200 odd selections every year are from this optional. Incidentally, Shruti Sharma (AIR 1, UPSC CSE 2021) had History as Optional and has scored 306/500.

Geography As Optional

Everything has to do with geography — Judy Martz

Geography is one of the most popular optional subjects in the UPSC civil services exam. There have been toppers with this optional in previous years. The most famous topper is Ira Singhal who topped the civil services exam in 2015. Also, in the 2016 UPSC exam, rank 4 holder Saumya Pandey had taken Geography as her optional subject. While many aspirants swear by Geography as their optional, many others don’t regard this as the ideal optional for them. 

 There is tremendous overlap with the GS paper I. This is true for both the prelims and the main exams.

Geography is a multidisciplinary subject. Hence, it is popular with a lot of candidates with a science/engineering background. Once the concepts or the theory behind any phenomenon are understood, you can easily write the answers in your own words.

Many consider geography a scoring subject because of many factors:

• Geography is a scientific subject (unlike traditional science; here we learn topics varying from the universe to physical topography). Due to this, it is preferred by many aspirants from science, medical and engineering backgrounds.
• There is not much mugging up required. Only concepts need to be understood.
• There is no dearth of material available for Geography.
• It has tremendous overlap with General Studies both in prelims and the mains.
• With the questions becoming more dynamic and less static, Geography also has a lot of overlap with subjects like economics, environment, ecology, and conservation.
• Candidates can also use what they learn in Geography in their essay paper on various topics.
• Even in the personality test, Geography will be useful as the board can ask questions on the local geography of a candidate’s hometown like soil, vegetation, minerals, etc.
• Geography is a scoring subject because, unlike humanities subjects, there is not much scope for interpretation. Also, diagrams, flowcharts, etc. can be used to get more marks.
• The map-based questions are also scored.Cons of Geography Optional

• The biggest negative about Geography is that it has a rather huge syllabus. Check the Geography optional syllabus for UPSC mains here. (इथे Syllabus ची Hyperlink टाकावी)
• The competition in this optional subject is immense when compared to some other subjects.
• Students not comfortable with Maps and Images may also Find this subject difficult.

Anthropology As Optional

The purpose of anthropology is to make the world safe for human differences.  —-Ruth Benedict

Anthropology as an optional subject in the civil services mains exam can also be a popular choice for aspirants, especially for those with a science or engineering background. It is also an interesting subject and is considered scoring by many. UPSC topper Anudeep Durishetty (AIR 1, CSE 2017) had anthropology as his optional subject.

• In anthropology, the questions asked are generally direct.
• It is considered scoring when compared to core humanities subjects. It is scientific in nature, so the answers can be made more appealing by diagrams and flowcharts. These save time while writing answers and also fetch marks.
• It is a good option for candidates with a science or engineering background who don’t wish to take their graduation subjects as their optionals.
• The overlap with General Studies is lesser than in subjects like political science, public administration, and economics, but there is a degree of overlap nevertheless.
• Topics like society and social justice (part of GS I, II) become easier if you have studied anthropology.
• In GS ll paper, the Welfare of weaker sections of society will be covered under the Tribal Development topic of Anthropology.
• In the Essay Paper, tribal dimensions can be quoted in a better way.
• In Ethics’s case studies, tribal issues can be better handled with Anthropology optional.
• In GS lll, Internal Security issues can be better understood with the Anthropology optional.
• A good portion of biotechnology and biology will also be covered.
• Its syllabus is relatively short. It can be completed in a very short time if the right strategy and study material are followed which is specially curated for students at Chanakya Mandal Pariwar. 

Anthropology is probably the sole optional in the UPSC Syllabus of which a considerable portion has been cut down. Due to the removal of topics namely Development Anthropology, Ethnicity, Reproductive Biology, Twins, and so on, the subject is hoped to be a popular optional for the IAS exam like it was a few years before. Some of the reasons why candidates select anthropology as their optional are less material to read in areas like anthropological theory, research methodology, and demography among others.

Anthropology is thought of as an easy subject for graduates of science. The subject is peppered with concepts of science. This makes the subject easier to grasp for science students. The Exam oriented reading material for this subject is also easily available.

Anthropology is science-oriented. So, while answering the question for the Civil service mains examination the answers should be crisp and to the point. One should add diagrams and flowcharts appropriately. 

The updated syllabus is more scoring in nature.

According to the trend, many candidates have obtained good marks and gained the attention of candidates to choose the same as their optional for the UPSC IAS Exam. But always keep in mind that, if you have no interest in this optional subject and it is judicious not to choose it as your optional subject. The most vital thing when you select an optional subject should be your interest in it. If you are enthusiastic to learn more about a subject and love reading about it, you should go for that subject.

Political Science and International Relations as Optional

Political Science and International Relations is one of the optional subjects offered by the MPSC/UPSC in the mains exam. It is a popular optional subject and one that many toppers have chosen for UPSC Exam. Incidentally, after Tina Dabi got selected with AIR 1 in 2015-16, having PSIR as her optional subject, many students have been taking up this optional subject. It has been observed that the syllabus for this optional subject is broad, and due to this students desist from taking Political Science and International Relations (PSIR) as their optional subject. 

Some key points that will help you to opt for PSIR as your optional:

• Political science is one of the most informative and necessary subjects for any civil service exam aspirant looking forward to getting into the government as a civil servant.
• Any civil services aspirant who intends to serve as a bureaucrat must have a stronghold over the fundamentals of Political science and has to be well aware of the political climate around him/her.
• Being a slightly non-technical subject, the aspirants can easily comprehend and study this subject even if they don’t have political science as their background. The concepts are general and anyone who reads newspapers regularly would be able to understand and study the subject.
• In the new revised syllabus, the factual parts have been omitted, and hence, an understanding of the concepts is only required to write better answers in this paper.
• The impression that the syllabus for political science is vast is only partially true. A lot of the topics are repeated like Marxism, Marx, Marxist notions of state, Gramsci, etc.
• Many topics like thoughts of Mill, Bentham, and Liberal notions of state, justice, democracy, etc. are pretty much interrelated.
• There are certain topics that will be covered in both section A of Paper-1 as well as Paper-2 of Political Science and International Relations. For example Liberalism, Feminism, Ideas of Marxism, Issues of Democracy, Human Rights, Environment, etc.

There are many advantages to choosing Political Science Optional for the Civil services examination. viz.

Overlap with General Studies (GS)

Political science has a good overlap with the general studies papers, especially GS Paper II. This overlap is true for both the prelims and the mains exam

As you can see, the entire GS paper II syllabus is covered under this optional. Also, a portion of GS Paper III such as security and even environment are covered under this subject. In GS Paper IV, ‘ethical thinkers’ is a topic that is covered if you take up this optional. Paper I of this optional has the topic ‘Political strategies of India’s freedom struggle. This will also give you a bit of an overlap with history in GS I. Even topics like modern India and World History (post-1900) can be covered better through this optional.

Moreover, even in the essay paper, a topic on politics or related issues is generally asked. So, a candidate who studies this optional will get enough fodder to write about related topics in the essay paper.

So, it can be safely said that there is considerable overlap of subject material if you take political science and international relations optional. You can successfully integrate your prelims and mains preparation and also save a lot of time during the preparation process.

Help in current affairs coverage

Many topics in this optional are related to current affairs, especially in section B of both Paper I and Paper II of this optional subject. As such, this will help in your current affairs preparation. Conversely, this subject has a contemporary nature and so, answers can be embellished by quoting examples and anecdotes from the daily newspaper reading as well.

No background in the subject needed

Another advantage of political science is that this is not a very technical subject. Hence, a candidate need not have any prior knowledge or experience in this subject. It can be read and understood if you access the right books and online sources. So, anyone with an interest in the subject can take it up.

Help in the UPSC interview

A knowledge of polity and international relations will also comprehensively help in the UPSC interview as many of the panellists are either retired diplomats or defence experts. This is because of the strong linkage of polity and IR with current affairs. An understanding of political theories will also help candidates present their views better and in a more convincing manner.

Cons of Political Science optional

No doubt, there are many advantages of political science optional. But, there could be a few difficulties also, especially if candidates do not think through before selecting this optional. Political science has a lot of theory-based concepts which might sound too abstract and difficult to comprehend for many students. This means the answers should be presented in a very crisp manner. Generally, it is thought that good answer writing skills are essential to ace this paper. Even though this is true of all the UPSC papers, it is especially true for such optionals, particularly when you compare it with more technical subjects like maths, science subjects, or even geography and anthropology.

Public Administration as Optional

Public administration is one of the most popular optional subjects candidates opt for in the UPSC civil services exam. For instance, in 2012 almost 50% of the successful candidates had public administration as their optional subject. That is indeed a high number. But later on, the number kept on declining. But, it is still one of the most preferred optional subjects. E.g. Pradeep Singh AIR 1, 2019. 

Pros of Public Administration Optional

• The subject gives you an idea about government mechanisms. As future administrators, you should have this knowledge.
• The subject is generally regarded as easy and simple to understand.
• There is ample exam-oriented study material for public administration.
• The questions are generally straightforward.

• • There is a good overlap with the general studies papers. 

• Studying this subject will help you even in the essay paper and in your IAS interview also.

Public administration overlaps with General Studies:

Public administration covers almost 60% of the GS papers.

General Studies Paper-II – Topics Overlap with Public Administration:

• Governance
• Indian constitution – evolution, features, amendments, etc.
• Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States
• Separation of powers between various organs
• Dispute Redressal Mechanisms and institutions
• Parliament and State Legislatures
• Structure, organisation, and functioning of the Executive and Judiciary
• Ministries and Departments of the Government
• Constitutional, statutory, regulatory, and quasi-judicial bodies
• Government policies and interventions for development in different sectors
• Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections
• Issues relating to poverty and hunger
• Aspects of governance, transparency, and accountability
• E-governance
• Role of civil services in a democracy

General Studies Paper III – Topics Overlap with Public Administration:

• Disaster Management, Planning, and Budgeting
• Planning issues
• Inclusive growth
• Government budgeting
• Environment
• Disaster management
• Challenges to internal security through communication networks
• Role of media and social networking sites in internal security
• Security forces and agencies and their mandate.

General Studies Paper IV (Ethics) – Topics Related to Public Administration:

• Ethics and Human Interface (foundational concept of Administrative values & ethics of Public Administration)

• • Attitude: content, structure, function; its influence and relation with thought and behaviour; moral and political attitudes; social influence and persuasion.
• Public/Civil service values and Ethics in Public administration: Status and problems;

Public Administration and Essay Paper:

There will mostly be an essay topic from ‘Polity, Governance, and Democracy.

A few examples from previous UPSC question papers are given below:

1. Role of media in Good Governance. (2008)
2. Evaluation of the Panchayati Raj System in India from the point of view of eradication of poverty to power to people. (2007)
3. Justice must reach the poor. (2005)
4. How should a Civil Servant conduct himself? (2003)
5. Liability of Media in Democracy. (2002)
6. Need for Transparency in Public Administration. (1996)
7. Politics, Business, and Bureaucracy – a fatal triangle. (1994)
8. Whither Indian Democracy. (1995)

Cons of Public Administration Optional

• It is theoretical and for those with a science background, this subject might seem dry.
•         The marking trend for this optional subject was downwards for a few years between 2015 to 2018, but now it again getting revived. 

Sociology as Optional

   UPSC Civil Services Mains Exam has Sociology as one of the Optional Subjects with 2 papers (Optional Paper I and Paper II). Sociology subject matter has overlap with General Studies Paper 1 in MPSC Mains (Indian Society part) and it is also helpful for GS 2, GS 3, and Essay paper. The nature of the Sociology MPSC/UPSC Syllabus focuses on contemporary issues in society.

• No special academic background is needed- sociology optional is nothing but briefly a study of society of which we are part. Unlike the optional subjects related to the field of science or engineering, sociology optional can be prepared by students of any academic background easily. It doesn’t need any pre-existing knowledge base or specialised qualification in the subject.
• Concise and small syllabus– compared to other optional subjects like geography, History, Political Science and International relations, Sociology optional has a short syllabus hence one can cover it in a limited time with multiple revisions.
• Easy to score well– score of the optional subject is the deciding factor whether you will be in the final list of UPSC civil services results or not. Sociology optional can fetch an average of 270 marks even 310-320 in many cases. Which is the most important aspect to clear the civil services examination.
• Helps in general studies papers– some elements of sociology optional are present in GS paper 1 for example Indian society- women’s empowerment, social empowerment, communalism, socialism, urbanisation and globalisation, etc. Hence you don’t need to cover it separately, you can cover it while studying sociology optional, only so that in the remaining time you can prepare some other topic.
• Sociology optional Helps in an essay– essay paper is again most dynamic, important to score good paper which needs an understanding of various Indian and global aspects. Many times, multiple topics of Essay paper are related to various social issues like feminism, poverty and hunger, etc.  Sociology optional provides wider dimensions and diverse viewpoints. You can interconnect the points with the help of sociological studies, case studies, data, etc. And it will help you to score well in essays. You don’t need to prepare for the essay differently.
• Sociology optional helps in the interview of UPSC CSE- awareness about problems of society, various social issues, and their impact on governance will make you give impressive answers during an interview. It can also help you to make a good analysis and diverse viewpoints about any topic.
• Quality content and a large number of resources available- Unlike optionals like management, Physics, and Engineering, very less UPSC study material is available, in the case of sociology optional there are many books like Ritzer, Haralambos, IGNOU study material, etc. Many selected candidates have written a single book regarding the syllabus of sociology. So it will help you in your preparation.
• Sociology optional can be Mastered easily with 3-4 months of well-guided preparation- There are so many good concise books and notes available with which you can master it in 3-4 months. Also, you can allot significant time for revision purposes and answer writing.
• Overlaps in paper 1 and paper 2 of sociology optional itself- there are many topics which are common for both paper 1 and paper 2, for example, religion, kinship, social movements, etc. Hence it will consume a short period to cover these topics as you can cover those topics of two papers simultaneously in one go. 

Moreover, sociology optional has gained such immense popularity owing to several reasons including:

• Consistency: This subject has been highly consistent among the top rankers over the years.
• Scoring Potential: It offers great scoring potential as one can easily score 300+ marks with decent writing practice.
• Relevance to the job role: The theoretical knowledge of the subject has huge applied potential. It introduces the aspirant to the societal norms and practices making him efficient in understanding and evaluating the policy decisions. It involves the study of human society in detail which is very much relevant to the job role. 

Economics as Optional

Adam Smith, the Father of Modern Economics defined Economics as, “an inquiry into the nature and causes of the wealth of nations.” Economics, one of the most popular social science subjects, is one of the most important aspects of a country. Any civil servant should be aware of the Indian Economy and the position of India in World Economics. This makes Economics an essential optional subject in UPSC Mains.

Although not as popular as optional subjects like Anthropology and Sociology, Economics as optional has seen a pretty good number of candidates achieving the topmost ranks. This includes the top-rank holder of CSE 2013, Gaurav Agarwal.

Economics optional Advantages/Pros

• It is a rational and logical subject.
• Economics optional would cover about 60% of the UPSC syllabus for GS paper III, hence the overlap is significant. Also, in the prelims paper, at least 30 marks can be covered by this optional subject.
• Economics books and study materials are widely available.
• This subject is recommended even for aspirants having a science or technical background since the subject is rational. 
• UPSC syllabus for economics is specific and clear-cut.
• Candidates can form good answers in this paper if they have conceptual clarity.
• If candidates have a good knowledge of using and understanding graphs, they can get high marks in economics papers.

Economics optional disadvantages/cons

• It requires a real love for and interest in this subject if you are to study it well. Some find this subject a bit dry.
• To excel in economics, you need to be decent in mathematics as well.
• Graphs are plenty in economics, there is no getting away from them. So, you need to be comfortable with them.
• Being a technical subject, you need to be precise and accurate in your answers.

Note: We are using the UPSC CSE’s previous Year’s Question Paper as a yardstick for understanding & analysing the optional subjects, as we have no reference whatsoever to MPSC, but given the fact that MPSC has copied the UPSC in matters of the syllabus, therefore comparison between them can be made safely.