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Discover how UPSC Topper Optional Subjects influence success. Analyze UPSC Topper Optional Subjects choices to find the best fit for your preparation.
PWOnlyIAS
April 24, 2025
UPSC Topper Optional Subjects: The UPSC Civil Services Examination is one of India’s most prestigious and challenging competitive exams. It is a gateway for many aspirants to opt the positions like IAS, IPS, and IFS. The most important part of the UPSC Examination is to choose the optional subject, which plays a decisive role in the success path of the candidate. Many aspirants often wonder about the UPSC Topper Optional Subjects, Toppers Subject Choices and what they can learn from them.
In this guide, we will explore the popular optional subjects for UPSC toppers, analyzing UPSC toppers’ subject choices, and providing insights into the success rate of UPSC optional subjects.
The UPSC Civil Services Mains Examination includes nine papers, out of which two papers are dedicated to the optional subject, each carrying 250 marks, making it a total of 500 marks. This significant weightage of marks makes it crucial for candidates to select the right subject that aligns with their interests, academic background, and preparation strategy.
Shakti Dubey, who secured AIR 1 in UPSC 2024, opted for Political Science and International Relations as her optional subject. Coming from a non-humanities background, her bold choice reflected both academic courage and strategic foresight. She credited the Interview Guidance Program by PW OnlyIAS for helping her strengthen her communication skills and approach the personality test with confidence.
Over previous years, certain subjects have been noticed as popular choices among the UPSC toppers. The UPSC topper optional subjects choice includes the subjects that are scoring in nature and also cover the comprehensive UPSC syllabus. Take a look at some of these subjects:
| List of UPSC Topper Optional Subjects | ||
| Year-Wise AIR 1 | Name | IAS Toppers Optional Subject |
| 2024 | Shakti Dubey | Political Science and International Relations (PSIR) |
| 2023 | Aditya Srivastava | Electrical Engineering |
| 2022 | Ishita Kishore | Political Science and International Relations (PSIR) |
| 2021 | Shruti Sharma | History |
| 2020 | Ankita Agarwal | Political Science and International Relations |
| 2019 | Gamini Singla | Sociology |
| 2018 | Aishwarya Verma | Geography |
| 2017 | Utkarsh Dwivedi | Political Science & International Relations |
| 2016 | Yaksh Chaudhary | Sociology |
| 2015 | Samyak S Jain | Political Science International Relations |
The success rate of UPSC Topper Optional Subjects varies due to various factors like the nature of the subject, availability of resources, and the candidate’s interest and background. Here we have presented the analysis of the success rate of UPSC optional subjects based on data from recent years:
| Number of Candidates who appeared for UPSC Mains 2020 | |||
| Optional Subject | Number of Candidates Appeared | Number of Candidates Recommended | Success Rate (Percent) |
| Political Science & International Relations | 1865 | 156 | 8.5% |
| Geography | 1322 | 95 | 7.2% |
| Sociology | 1245 | 115 | 9.2% |
| Anthropology | 1211 | 100 | 8.3% |
| History | 581 | 24 | 4.1% |
| Mathematics | 580 | 26 | 4.5% |
| Public Administration | 509 | 38 | 7.5% |
| Philosophy | 347 | 20 | 5.8% |
| Economics | 236 | 31 | 13.1% |
| Literature of the Hindi Language | 226 | 19 | 8.4% |
| Commerce & Accountancy | 210 | 27 | 12.9% |
| Mechanical Engineering | 201 | 22 | 10.9% |
| Electrical Engineering | 171 | 16 | 8.8% |
| Law | 167 | 23 | 13.8% |
| Medical Science | 162 | 16 | 9.9% |
| Psychology | 155 | 11 | 7.1% |
| Chemistry | 153 | 15 | 9.8% |
| Civil Engineering | 130 | 9 | 6.9% |
| Physics | 130 | 8 | 6.2% |
| Agriculture | 111 | 3 | 2.7% |
| Zoology | 41 | 5 | 12.2% |
| Management | 38 | 6 | 15.8% |
Analysis of UPSC Topper Optional Subjects shows that subjects like Sociology and Economics often have higher success rates, although it is essential to note that the success rate is based on many factors, including the candidate’s preparation level and understanding of the subject.
An analysis of toppers’ optional subjects provides valuable insights to the candidates into the UPSC Topper Optional Subjects preferences and their impact on success. Here are some trends observed from the choices made by UPSC toppers:
Observing the past few years it has shown that preferences for humanities and social sciences subjects like Sociology, Public Administration, and Political Science have increased, these subject provides a good balance between scoring potential and syllabus overlap with General Studies.
Due to the scientific approach and concise syllabus subjects like Anthropology and Geography have gained popularity among UPSC toppers, which can be beneficial in scoring high marks.
A candidate’s academic background is a significant factor in influencing the choice of optional subjects. Candidates with a background in science or engineering often opt for subjects like Geography or Mathematics, while those from humanities might choose Sociology or History.
Many toppers choose optional subjects that significantly overlap with the General Studies papers. This strategy allows them to save their time during preparation.
The UPSC Topper Optional Subjects preferences can be influenced by various factors, including:
Selecting the right optional subject is necessary to qualify for the UPSC examination. Here are some tips for making the right choice:
In conclusion, It is difficult to choose an optional subject in the UPSC examination, this crucial decision can significantly impact an aspirant’s success. Understanding the UPSC Topper Optional Subjects, Toppers Subject Choices provides useful insights into the popular optional subjects for UPSC toppers and helps to make informed and calculated decisions. Analyzing the UPSC toppers’ subject choices, evaluating the success rate of UPSC optional subjects, and considering individual strengths and interests can guide candidates in selecting the most suitable optional subject for their UPSC journey.
| UPSC Mains 2024 Related Articles | |
| UPSC CSE Mains 2024 | UPSC Mains Exam Pattern 2024 |
| UPSC Mains Syllabus 2024 | UPSC Mains Previous Year Papers |
| UPSC Mains Admit Card 2024 | UPSC Mains Previous Year Cutoff |
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