Books & Magazines
UPSC Optional Papers 2025 are scheduled for 31st August 2025, with candidates required to appear for two subject-specific papers worth 250 marks each. Download the UPSC Optional Papers 2025 PDF after the exam from the official UPSC website or PWONLYIAS to analyze patterns and boost preparation.
UPSC Optional Papers 2025: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the Civil Services Examination each year. The main stage of this examination includes two optional subject papers, which play a decisive role in the final merit. These papers are collectively referred to as UPSC Optional Papers 2025. Each paper carries 250 marks, making them highly significant in determining overall scores.
Candidates must select one subject from the prescribed list and attempt both Paper VI and Paper VII. The UPSC Optional Papers 2025 are scheduled for 31st August 2025 (Sunday). A clear understanding of the structure, subject choices, and preparation resources, including UPSC Optional Papers 2025 pdf, is essential. Covered here are the complete details related to the UPSC Optional Papers 2025 and other important aspects.
UPSC Mains examination comprises nine papers. Among which two are dedicated to the optional subject that is chosen by candidates. All these papers are collectively known as UPSC Optional Papers 2025. These consist of Paper VI and Paper VII. Each paper is valued at 250 marks, totaling 500 marks, nearly 28.5% of the written Mains score. Check the table below for a gist of the UPSC Optional Papers 2025:
| UPSC Optional Papers 2025 Overview | |
| Particulars | Details |
| Exam Conducting Body | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
| Papers Included | Paper VI and Paper VII (Optional Subject) |
| Marks Allotted | 250 marks each (Total 500 marks) |
| Percentage of Mains Marks | Nearly 28.5% of the written score |
| Number of Optional Subjects | 48 (25 Core + 23 Literature) |
| Exam Date | 31st August 2025 (Sunday) |
| Format | Descriptive, analytical, subject-specific |
| Availability of Papers (PDFs) | Official UPSC website and PWONLYIAS |
There are 48 disciplines in the UPSC Optional, which are divided into 25 core subjects and 23 languages for literature options. The list includes subjects of a diverse range, beginning from the sciences, social sciences, and many more. Refer to the table below to know about the subject-wise optional paper:
The difficulty level of UPSC Optional Papers 2025 will be updated after the exam, with subject-wise details shared officially. Candidates can refer to the table for more details on UPSC Optional Papers 2025 Difficulty Level:
| UPSC Optional Papers 2025 Difficulty Level | |
| Optional Subject | Difficulty Level |
| Agriculture | TBA |
| Agriculture | TBA |
| Animal Husbandry & Vet. Science | TBA |
| Animal Husbandry & Vet. Science | TBA |
| Anthropology | TBA |
| Anthropology | TBA |
| Botany | TBA |
| Botany | TBA |
| Chemistry | TBA |
| Chemistry | TBA |
| Civil Engineering | TBA |
| Civil Engineering | TBA |
| Commerce & Accountancy | TBA |
| Commerce & Accountancy | TBA |
| Economics | TBA |
| Economics | TBA |
| Electrical Engineering | TBA |
| Electrical Engineering | TBA |
| Geography | TBA |
| Geography | TBA |
| Geology | TBA |
| Geology | TBA |
| History | TBA |
| History | TBA |
| Law | TBA |
| Law | TBA |
| Management | TBA |
| Management | TBA |
| Mathematics | TBA |
| Mathematics | TBA |
| Mechanical Engineering | TBA |
| Mechanical Engineering | TBA |
| Medical Science | TBA |
| Medical Science | TBA |
| Philosophy | TBA |
| Philosophy | TBA |
| Physics | TBA |
| Physics | TBA |
| Political Science & IR | TBA |
| Political Science & IR | TBA |
| Psychology | TBA |
| Psychology | TBA |
| Public Administration | TBA |
| Public Administration | TBA |
| Sociology | TBA |
| Sociology | TBA |
| Statistics | TBA |
| Statistics | TBA |
| Zoology | TBA |
| Zoology | TBA |
The literature subjects in UPSC Optional Papers 2025 cover Indian languages and English, with difficulty levels released after examination. Aspirants can refer to the table below to check the UPSC Literature Subjects 2025 Difficulty Level:
| UPSC Literature Subjects Difficulty Level | ||
| Subject | Paper – I Difficulty Level | Paper – II Difficulty Level |
| Assamese Literature | TBA | TBA |
| Bengali Literature | TBA | TBA |
| English Literature | TBA | TBA |
| Gujarati Literature | TBA | TBA |
| Hindi Literature | TBA | TBA |
| Kannada Literature | TBA | TBA |
| Maithili Literature | TBA | TBA |
| Malayalam Literature | TBA | TBA |
| Manipuri Literature | TBA | TBA |
| Marathi Literature | TBA | TBA |
| Odia Literature | TBA | TBA |
| Punjabi Literature | TBA | TBA |
| Sindhi Literature | TBA | TBA |
| Sanskrit Literature | TBA | TBA |
| Tamil Literature | TBA | TBA |
| Telugu Literature | TBA | TBA |
| Urdu Literature | TBA | TBA |
The official UPSC Optional Papers 2025 PDF will be available once the Mains examination is conducted and uploaded on the UPSC website. Until then, aspirants can strengthen their preparation by practicing previous year optional papers. These resources help in understanding question trends, subject-specific weightage, and answer-writing patterns.
Candidates can access past UPSC optional subject papers directly from the official website’s Previous Question Papers section. Additionally, candidates can also access from PWONLYIAS. It provides compiled optional paper PDFs for various subjects. Using these resources ensures consistent practice and builds familiarity with the expected structure of UPSC Optional Papers 2025.
Accessing UPSC Optional Papers 2025 PDF is crucial for practice and analysis. Aspirants can easily obtain these papers from the official website or reliable educational portals by following the steps below.
Ready to boost your UPSC 2026 preparation? Join PW’s UPSC online courses today!
There are two subject-specific papers in UPSC Mains, each carrying 250 marks.
There are 48 subjects, including 25 core disciplines and 23 literature options.
The PDFs will be uploaded after the successful conduct of the UPSC Mains 2025 exam.
Visit the official UPSC website’s Previous Question Papers section or use trusted portals like PWONLYIAS.
They carry 500 marks, significantly impacting final scores and ranking in the Civil Services Examination.
.png)
Connect with our experts to get free counselling & start preparing
Download Our App
Download Our App
<div class="new-fform">
</div>
GS Foundation
Optional Course
Combo Courses
Degree Program
