UPSC exam is a three-level exam- Prelims, UPSC IAS Mains Exam and Interview. All the three levels have equal importance in terms of scoring marks. The optional paper has two papers. Each paper contains 250 marks. Candidates can choose the optional paper as per their interest and choice. The optional papers are descriptive in nature. Candidates can check the success rates of the optional papers before choosing.
Here, in this article we will discuss the list of optional papers and the preparation strategy of optional papers.
General Studies Paper for UPSC IAS Mains Exam
Candidates have to attempt general studies papers in Prelims and Mains. In the Prelims there are two General Studies papers, paper-I and paper-II. Candidates should answer relevently and wisely to score well in mains exam. These questions are prepared to test the skills of the candidates.
| General Studies | Topics |
|---|---|
| Paper-I | Indian Heritage and Culture, history and geography of the world and society |
| Paper-II | Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations |
| Paper-III | Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management |
| Paper-IV | Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude |
List of Optional Papers for UPSC IAS Mains Exam
Before selecting optional papers, candidates need to see the full list of optional papers. The choice of Best Optional Subject for UPSC paper should depend on your interest. There are many subjects which have higher success rates. Candidates can choose those subjects also but prefer the subjects which you have command over. UPSC provides the list of optional papers which candidates can choose as per their interest.
| 1. | Agriculture |
| 2. | Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science |
| 3. | Anthropology |
| 4. | Botany |
| 5. | Chemistry |
| 6. | Civil Engineering |
| 7. | Commerce and Accountancy |
| 8. | Economics |
| 9. | Electrical Engineering |
| 10. | Geography |
| 11. | Geology |
| 12. | History |
| 13. | Law |
| 14. | Management |
| 15. | Mathematics |
| 16. | Mechanical Engineering |
| 17. | Medical Science |
| 18. | Philosophy |
| 19. | Psychology |
| 20. | Physics |
| 21. | Political Science |
| 22. | Public Administration |
| 23. | Sociology |
| 24. | Statistic |
| 25. | Zoology |
List of Literature optional papers for IAS Mains Exam
Candidates can choose a literature subject as optional subject for UPSC mains. Each paper is 250 marks, the list of literature optional subjects are as follow:-
| Sr. | List of Subjects |
| 1. | Assamese |
| 2. | Bengali |
| 3. | Bodo |
| 4. | Dogri |
| 5. | Gujarati |
| 6. | Hindi |
| 7. | Kannada |
| 8. | Kashmiri |
| 9. | Konkani |
| 10. | Maithili |
| 11. | Malayalam |
| 12. | Manipuri |
| 13. | Marathi |
| 14. | Nepali |
| 15. | Oriya |
| 16. | Punjabi |
| 17. | Sanskrit |
| 18. | Sindhi |
| 19. | Tamil |
| 20. | Telugu |
| 21. | Urdu |
| 22. | English |
How to select the optional for IAS Mains exams?
-
Interest of subject
List of optional papers is long but the most important thing before choosing the subject is the interest of the candidate. Candidates should choose the subject of their interest. If you want to score good in optional paper, choose the subject wisely. Subjects which you have studied before have a better chance to score well in examinations.
2. Syllabus of optional paper
The next step of selecting the subject is to read the syllabus. Select the subject which has a short syllabus. Subjects with a limited syllabus have a chance to score high in IAS examination. If a subject has a short syllabus, it’s possible to cover it in less time. Choice of subject should never be based on popularity.
3. Availability of coachings if needed
Coachings are important for mains exam preparation. There are many students who find difficulties in self studies. They need to find a good coaching which provides quality education for mains optional paper preparation. Legacy IAS Academy is the best IAS coaching in India for IAS exam preparation. They provide separate courses for optional subjects also.
4. Don’t believe on the trend
There are many people who misguide you by saying choose a subject which is trending. This is the biggest myth. So don’t follow any trend. Believe in your hard work. Interest in the subject is important. It’s not necessary to choose the subjects of the toppers of UPSC. If you have interest in the selected subject you can score good marks in the exam.
5. Overlapping with GS paper
candidates can choose an optional paper that is similar to GS paper. It will help you to relate the concepts. When the topic is known, it will take less time in preparation. So choose the optional subject that helps in GS paper. Syllabus of GSis vast and it covers many topics. When an optional paper subject overlaps with GS paper, it’s a chance to get good marks in options paper because you have already prepared for the subject. When you choose the subject, always make sure to think about every perspective.
There are many options in optional subjects. Aspirants must choose as per their convenience. Your command over topic, writing skills, preparation strategy, interest are major factors while opting the optional paper. If you are looking for help in preparation for UPSC IAS mains optional paper then Legacy IAS Academy Bangalore can be your good option. The Academy has well designed study material and a team of brilliant and experienced faculty members. So, Aspirants start preparing the optional papers from the beginning of UPSC IAS exam preparation.
