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 Optional Papers 2025 Overview

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:

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UPSC Mains Optional Question Paper 2025 Exam Schedule

UPSC Mains Exam 2025 started on 22nd August 2025. This year, over 1 million candidates appeared in the UPSC Prelims 2025 held on 25th May 2025, out of which 14,161 candidates qualified for the Mains stage.

The Optional Papers (Paper I & Paper II) were conducted on 31st August 2025 in two sessions:

• Morning Session (9:00 AM – 12:00 PM): Paper I
• Afternoon Session (2:30 PM – 5:30 PM): Paper II

UPSC Mains Optional Question Paper 2025 PDF Download

UPSC has 48 optional subjects for Mains, which include 25 core subjects and 22 literature subjects. Candidates can select any one optional from the list below:

• Core Subjects: Agriculture, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science, Anthropology, Botany, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Commerce & Accountancy, Economics, Electrical Engineering, Geography, Geology, History, Law, Management, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Medical Science, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science & International Relations, Psychology, Public Administration, Sociology, Statistics, Zoology.
• Literature Subjects: Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, English.

Candidates can download the official UPSC Mains Optional Question Paper 2025 PDFs links provided in the table below:

How to Download UPSC Optional Papers 2025 PDF?

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.

• Steps to Download UPSC Optional Papers 2025 PDF:
• Visit the official UPSC website: https://upsc.gov.in/
• Navigate to the Previous Question Papers section.
• Select the relevant optional subject from the list.
• Click on the Download link for Paper I and Paper II.
• Alternatively, access the optional subject papers directly from this link: 

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