Aditi Sinha
October 12, 2023 03:30
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Best Optional Subject for UPSC list is provided here based on the highest-success rate and previous years' trends. Choosing the right optional subjects for the UPSC exam is crucial for scoring high marks.
Best Optional Subject for UPSC: Choosing the right optional subjects for the UPSC exam is crucial for scoring high marks. The two optional papers in the UPSC mains carry 250 marks each, making a total of 500 marks out of 1750 marks. Picking the best optional subject is important because it can significantly impact the overall rank of the candidates. Candidates should examine the success rate of different optional subjects in the previous year’s civil services exams to make the right choice.
Choosing an optional subject for the UPSC exam is important for scoring well.
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Most Opted UPSC Optional Subjects |
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| Optional Subjects | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
| Geography | 4351 | 4049 | 2669 | 1993 | 1916 |
| History | 2090 | 3870 | 1074 | 842 | 751 |
| Sociology | 2490 | 1555 | 1421 | 1072 | 1263 |
| Public Administration | 7077 | 3301 | 1165 | 726 | 705 |
| Psychology | 1163 | 1061 | 193 | 128 | 164 |
| Political Science & IR | 1107 | 1320 | 1246 | 1317 | 1662 |
| Philosophy | 1116 | 2092 | 755 | 463 | 439 |
Aspiring candidates should consider several key factors before finalizing the best optional subject for UPSC preparation. Here is a list of important considerations:
Remember, choosing the best optional subject for UPSC preparation is highly individualized. Carefully evaluate these factors and make a well-informed choice based on your unique circumstances and preferences.
Many candidates have chosen the highest-scoring UPSC optional subjects in recent years. These subjects have an overlapping syllabus with the UPSC Prelims and UPSC mains exams, including General Studies I, II, III, IV, and essays.
Based on feedback from toppers, the best optional subject for UPSC should be closely related to other parts of the UPSC syllabus. Let’s explore the top optional subjects in detail.
| Best Optional Subject for UPSC | Number of Candidates (Approx) | Syllabus Overlaps with |
| Philosophy | 1000 | GS IV. Essay |
| Sociology | 1800 | GS I, GS II, Essay |
| Political Science | 1800 | Prelims, GS II |
| Public Administration | 3000 | Prelims, GS II |
| Geography | 3500 | Prelims, GS I, and GS III |
| History | 3500 | Prelims, GS I |
Upon reviewing the table provided below, it becomes evident that Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science achieved the highest success rate of 18.8%. However, according to the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT), the success rates of various UPSC optional subjects in 2019 are presented in the table.
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Success Rate of UPSC Optional 2019 |
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| Best Optional Subject for UPSC | Number of Candidates Appeared | Number of Candidates Recommended | UPSC Success Rate (Percentage) |
| Geography | 1916 | 105 | 5.5% |
| Political Science & International Relations | 1662 | 137 | 8.2% |
| Sociology | 1263 | 126 | 10.0% |
| Anthropology | 1189 | 108 | 9.1% |
| History | 751 | 51 | 6.8% |
| Public Administration | 705 | 58 | 8.2% |
| Mathematics | 539 | 45 | 8.3% |
| Philosophy | 439 | 27 | 6.2% |
| Medical Science | 247 | 26 | 10.5% |
| Economics | 243 | 26 | 10.7% |
| Mechanical Engineering | 213 | 12 | 5.6% |
| Electrical Engineering | 200 | 16 | 8.0% |
| Law | 186 | 19 | 10.2% |
| Commerce & Accountancy | 183 | 20 | 10.9% |
| Physics | 165 | 12 | 7.3% |
| Psychology | 164 | 15 | 9.1% |
| Chemistry | 156 | 13 | 8.3% |
| Civil Engineering | 146 | 15 | 10.3% |
| Agriculture | 124 | 13 | 10.5% |
| Management | 54 | 6 | 11.1% |
| Zoology | 44 | 4 | 9.1% |
| Geology | 30 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Botany | 28 | 2 | 7.1% |
| Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science | 16 | 3 | 18.8% |
| Statistics | 2 | 0 | 0.0% |
Choosing a scoring subject from the UPSC optional subject list can significantly impact the overall scores of candidates. To simplify the preparation process, we have compiled the top 10 IAS optional subjects, considering various factors:
These subjects have been identified based on their potential for scoring well in the UPSC exams. Candidates can consider these subjects for their preparation.
Medical Science is often the top choice among medical aspirants when selecting the best optional subject for UPSC. However, candidates can also consider other options such as Zoology, Veterinary Science, and Animal Husbandry.
If none of these subjects pique their interest, they can opt for non-technical subjects that overlap with the General Studies syllabus. This allows them to leverage their knowledge in both areas and potentially enhance their performance in the UPSC exams.
Every year, numerous aspirants with engineering backgrounds participate in the UPSC civil services exam. Those looking to choose an optional subject related to their field are limited to Civil, Electrical, and Mechanical engineering.
However, engineering aspirants also have the option to choose Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics as their optional subjects. Interestingly, it has been observed that many engineering aspirants opt for non-technical subjects as their preferred choice.
This suggests that while engineering-related subjects are available as options, non-technical subjects tend to be more popular among engineering aspirants participating in the UPSC civil services exam.
The table below provides the list of Optional Subject Selected by UPSC Toppers over the previous 10 years.
| Year | UPSC Topper Name (Rank 1) | Optional Subject Chosen | Home State Cadre |
| 2021 | Shruti Sharma | History | Uttar Pradesh |
| 2020 | Subham Kumar | Anthropology | Bihar |
| 2019 | Pradeep Singh | Public Administration | Haryana |
| 2018 | Kanishak Kataria | Mathematics | Rajasthan |
| 2017 | Anudeep Durishetty | Anthropology | Telangana |
| 2016 | Nandini K. R. | Kannada Literature | Karnataka |
| 2015 | Tina Dabi | Political Science | Delhi |
| 2014 | Ira Singhal | Geography | Delhi |
| 2013 | Gaurav Aggarwal | Economics | Rajasthan |
| 2012 | Haritha V. Kumar | Economics & Malayalam Literature | Kerala |
| 2011 | Shena Aggarwal | Medical Science and Psychology | Haryana |
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