What are the best optional subject for UPSC?
Last Updated: Apr 10, 2025
Best Optional Subjects for UPSC?
UPSC CSE allows 48 optional subjects to choose from and as optional subjects in two paper consitutes of 500 marks (Paper1 + paper2) and good students secure more than 320 marks in their optionals which is about 60% to 64% where as good selected candidates secure less than 50% marks in GS papers thus optional papers become important. Best optional subjects vary from student to student. An optional subject which is good for one student could be bad for other student. So every student need to choose optional paper as per their area of intrest.
While choosing an optional subject a student needs to have few points in his or her mind.
Choosing the right optional subject for the UPSC CSE Mains can make a big difference in your overall score and rank. Here are the most important points a student should keep in mind while making this decision:
1. Interest & Aptitude
- Choose a subject you genuinely enjoy or are curious about.
- Go through the syllabus and previous year questions (PYQs) to check if you can relate to the subject or not.
- Remember: You’ll be spending a lot of time with this subject over the next year.
2. Availability of Resources
- Check whether good-quality books, notes, coaching, and test series are available.
- Availability of online or offline mentorship also helps, especially for difficult or niche optionals.
3. Educational Background
- If you’ve studied a subject in graduation/post-graduation, and have a strong command over it, that can be a big advantage.
- Subjects like engineering, medicine, or law are often technical and benefit those with prior background.
4. Overlapping with GS Syllabus
- Subjects like Geography, History, PSIR, Sociology, Anthropology, and Economics overlap with GS papers and essay.
- This can help reduce your workload and save time.
5. Scoring Trend
- While every subject is scoring if prepared well, some subjects have shown consistent scoring trends in recent years.
- Check the average marks trends over the last 5-10 years (but don’t base your decision only on this).
6. Availability of Guidance & Test Series
- Good test series and regular answer writing practice matter a lot in optional preparation.
- Ensure your subject has experts or reliable teachers you can reach out to if stuck.
7. Time Required for Preparation
- Some optionals like Philosophy, Anthropology, Sociology have relatively smaller syllabi and can be completed faster.
- Others like History, Geography, Literature subjects are lengthy and require more time and revision.
8. Revisability
- Can you revise the syllabus multiple times before the exam?
- Subjects with large, scattered content can be tough to revise in the final month.
9. Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
- Go through at least 5 years of PYQs to understand the demand of the subject.
- This helps you gauge the depth and analytical level required.
10. Optional Popularity Among Selected Candidates
- Not a deciding factor, but sometimes, higher competition in popular subjects may make scoring relatively harder unless you’re very good at it.
Would you like help shortlisting the best optional for you based on your background or interests?
Most of the time it’s has been seen that people are confused among the options subjects Optional Subject for UPSC which needs to be taken for the UPSC Exam. Hopes for the many Desires for the millions. UPSC is the toughest exam of the INDIA. It’s the prestigious Exam as well in India.
As far as the optional subject is considered it’s more of about the interest of the individual. Our data says most people take the subject from the General Studies only as the Optional subject as the reason being people get prepared for both the sections in one go. Well if you are interested in any subject that drags you all day and night from inside out should be your optional subject because Marks of the optional subject contributed a big portion in Totality.
Maximum number of students appear for following optional.
- History
- Geography
- PSIR
- Sociology
- Anthropology: best teacher of anthropology optional is Dr Huma Hassan but check others in list as well.
Why to do the research of what to study and what not to study in optional subject, if its already been done by the experts of UPSC
Looking for the best-handwritten notes by Chanakya coaching here. Chanakya coaching notes are notes which have been taken mostly by the people for the HISTORY an OPTIONAL SUBJECT. If you are from the Hindi medium you can buy notes of HEMANT JHA, the renowned faculty in the INDIA. This faculty is the reason for many UPSC Toppers, he has compiled his notes with the great efforts of day and night which is available Here,
History Optional Hemant Jha Handwritten Class Notes Hindi.
Notes are very important Aspect as its take time to look for the facts and figures, analyze things from the examination point of perspective. what is important what is not important. Anyway, the very common fact is a population of India is keep growing Right and henceforth the competition so it this fast-moving competition efficient efforts of learning is very important. If we don’t do that we will be removed from the mob of the aspirant preparing for UPSC exams.
Other optional subject which is taken by most of the UPSC aspirants is GEOGRAPHY. You need not to search for the best UPSC notes for the Geography because we have already done even this for you Click here
Shabbir Sir Vajiram and Ravi Geography Optional Class Notes
Third and most familiar subject of the optional which is taken by the UPSC aspirants is Anthropology
Get the handwritten Notes at your doorstep
Anthropology Notes by Munirathnam Reddy -IAS & PCS
All the best!!!
« Top IBPS SO Coaching Institutes Jayanagar Bangalore NMAT 2017 STRATEGY – For Sure Strategy to clear the NMAT Exam . »
Tell us Your Queries, Suggestions and Feedback