Many candidates lose their minds over the options they should choose for the UPSC. For the optional, there are 2 papers, each for 250 marks. The optional in the UPSC mains exam is worth a total of 500 marks.
As a result, it is critical to exercise caution while picking an optional because it might make or break your IAS aspirations. Every student is unique, with their own set of preparation strategies, study methods, hobbies, and academic backgrounds. As a result, there is no one-size-fits-all optional subject.
Read on to see the highest scoring optional in UPSC as well as whether or not an aspirant should choose his or her optional based on statistics.
Highest Scoring Optional in UPSC
Before choosing the best optional subject for the IAS test, various aspects must be considered, such as syllabi, time available for preparation, and so on. The UPSC topics have a curriculum that falls halfway between graduate and postgraduate levels.
Points to Keep in Mind
# Science articles tend to be more objective, with less opportunity for interpretation. Zoology, Physics, Mathematics, Botany, Chemistry, and other subjects are included. There is no justification for the supervisor to withhold marks if you knew the answers to the questions and have written it correctly. As a result, science disciplines can be graded.
# Statistics might be a scoring alternative if you are skilled at math.
# Economics and geography are also high-scoring subjects, particularly for students with a scientific background.
# History and political science are strong alternatives for applicants with a humanities background. While history is not exactly a scoring subject, it may be because the sections are more or less unchanging. You can get good grades if you prepare rather well.
Some More Points to Keep in Mind
# Geography is also a high-scoring subject due to the opportunity to earn points using diagrams and maps.
# A well-defined curriculum and clear questions make public administration a high-scoring subject.
# Literature topics may also fit you if you have an interest in them. Maithili Literature, for example, is believed to be a high-scoring subject. You must, once again, have a prior understanding of the language.
UPSC Optional Subjects Success Rate
Annually, the Department of Personnel and Training publishes the optional subject rate of success. As of present, the UPSC 2017 success rate is the most recent report. This information will aid you in deciding on your optional subject.
The number of applicants who took the optional test, their advice on which topic to take, and the success percentage based on it will all be discussed. We have information from 2017 and 2016.
Also Read: English Literature Optional Subject UPSC: Pros and Cons of Choosing English Literature
UPSC Optional Subjects Success Rate 2017
| No | Subject | Candidates Appeared | Candidates Recommended | Success Rate % |
| 1 | Agriculture | 89 | 11 | 12.4 |
| 2 | Anthropology | 880 | 85 | 9.7 |
| 3 | Chemistry | 126 | 11 | 8.7 |
| 4 | Accounts | 224 | 28 | 12.5 |
| 5 | Electrical Engineering | 193 | 19 | 9.8 |
| 6 | Geology | 37 | 2 | 5.4 |
| 7 | Law | 3041 | 43 | 4.1 |
| 8 | Mathematics | 441 | 26 | 5.9 |
| 9 | Medical Science | 313 | 32 | 10.2 |
| 10 | Physics | 140 | 14 | 10 |
| 11 | Psychology | 193 | 21 | 10.9 |
| 12 | Sociology | 1421 | 137 | 9.6 |
| 13 | Animal Husbandry | 23 | 2 | 8.7 |
| 14 | Botany | 44 | 5 | 11.4 |
| 15 | Civil Engineering | 124 | 11 | 8.9 |
| 16 | Economics | 233 | 16 | 6.9 |
| 17 | Geography | 2669 | 147 | 5.5 |
| 18 | History | 1074 | 59 | 5.5 |
| 19 | Management | 86 | 7 | 8.1 |
| 20 | Mechanical Engineering | 170 | 19 | 11.2 |
| 21 | Philosophy | 755 | 53 | 7 |
| 22 | Political Science | 1246 | 117 | 9.4 |
| 23 | Public Administration | 1165 | 119 | 10.2 |
| 24 | Statistics | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Zoology | 484 | 18 | 3.7 |
UPSC Literature Success Rate 2017
| No | Subject | Candidates Appeared | Candidates Recommended | Success Rate % |
| 1 | English Literature | 21 | 2 | 9.5 |
| 2 | Assamese Literature | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Manipuri Literature | 13 | 1 | 7.7 |
| 4 | Hindi Literature | 267 | 19 | 7.1 |
| 5 | Maithili Literature | 78 | 5 | 6.4 |
| 6 | Bodo Literature | 1 | 1 | 100 |
| 7 | Odia Literature | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Punjabi Literature | 39 | 6 | 15.4 |
| 9 | Marathi Literature | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Gujarati Literature | 101 | 8 | 7.9 |
| 11 | Kannada Literature | 115 | 4 | 3.5 |
| 12 | Bengali Literature | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Sindhi Literature | 2 | 1 | 50 |
| 14 | Tamil Literature | 107 | 5 | 4.7 |
| 15 | Telugu Literature | 72 | 1 | 1.4 |
| 16 | Urdu Literature | 26 | 5 | 19.2 |
| 17 | Sanskrit Literature | 70 | 5 | 7.1 |
| 18 | Nepali Literature | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Malayalam Literature | 111 | 8 | 7.2 |
Also Read: Tips to Prepare for Disaster Management Topic for UPSC Civil Service Mains Exam
UPSC Optional Subjects Success Rate 2016
| No | Subject | Candidates Appeared | Candidates Recommended | Success Rate % |
| 1 | Agriculture | 220 | 41 | 18.6 |
| 2 | Medical science | 98 | 16 | 16.3 |
| 3 | Animal husbandry | 65 | 8 | 12.3 |
| 4 | Economics | 326 | 37 | 11.3 |
| 5 | Psychology | 1061 | 116 | 10.9 |
| 6 | Anthropology | 345 | 37 | 10.7 |
| 7 | Public administration | 3201 | 337 | 10.5 |
| 8 | Political science | 1320 | 85 | 6.4 |
| 9 | Geography | 4049 | 236 | 5.8 |
| 10 | Sociology | 1555 | 89 | 5.7 |
| 11 | Chemistry | 124 | 7 | 5.6 |
| 12 | Accountancy | 266 | 15 | 5.6 |
| 13 | History | 3870 | 212 | 5.5 |
| 14 | Law | 365 | 19 | 5.2 |
| 15 | Philosophy | 2092 | 84 | 4 |
| 16 | Zoology | 484 | 18 | 3.7 |
| 17 | Mathematics | 277 | 8 | 2.9 |
UPSC Literature Success Rate 2016
| No. | Subject | Candidates Appeared | Candidates Recommended | Success Rate % |
| 1 | Assamese | 5 | 2 | 40 |
| 2 | Punjabi | 19 | 5 | 26.3 |
| 3 | Gujarati | 42 | 7 | 16.7 |
| 4 | Kannada | 84 | 14 | 16.7 |
| 5 | Marathi | 42 | 7 | 16.7 |
| 6 | English | 40 | 6 | 15 |
| 7 | Urdu | 29 | 4 | 13.8 |
| 8 | Tamil | 225 | 29 | 12.9 |
| 9 | Sanskrit | 122 | 10 | 8.2 |
| 10 | Malayalam | 67 | 5 | 7.5 |
| 11 | Pali | 255 | 18 | 7.1 |
| 12 | Telugu | 147 | 9 | 6.1 |
| 13 | Hindi | 974 | 56 | 5.7 |
What is the Highest Scoring Optional in UPSC?
Some subjects are more difficult to score than others. However, while looking at the whole picture, we can observe that IAS toppers earned 320+ in both technical and non-technical topics.
Some subjects are viewed as low scoring because applicants are unable to put up the necessary effort or because they have chosen an optional subject that is not appropriate for them.
Technical topics (for example, mathematics) might theoretically get you excellent grades since the “subjectivity quotient” is restricted. In general, unlike in humanities disciplines, the examiner’s prejudices or inclinations have less influence.
Non-technical topics, particularly those that overlap with the GS syllabus, however, provide more study time and reading material in general, resulting in a higher total Mains score if studied properly.
Most Opted UPSC Optional Subject
| Subject | Number of Candidates |
| History | 3500 |
| Geography | 3500 |
| Public Administration | 3000 |
| Political Science | 1800 |
| Sociology | 1800 |
| Philosophy | 1000 |
Also Read: What are Endogenic and Exogenic Forces? IAS Geography Notes
Top 10 Highest Scoring Optional Subject
Here are the top 10 most scoring optional subjects in the UPSC exam:
#1. Agriculture
#2. Medical Science
#3. Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science
#4. Economics
#5. Chemistry
#6. Commerce and Accountancy
#7. History
#8. Law
#9. Psychology
#10. Any Literature Subject
How to Choose Your Optional Subject?
# Before making a decision, have a look at all of the optional subjects. This is to ensure that you don’t miss any important information. Give each subject some time, if not more, before deciding on one.
# Consider picking a topic about which you already have some knowledge. This might be a subject from high school or a college major. This would undoubtedly assist you in covering the curriculum more quickly and comprehending it better.
# Then decide on a topic that interests you. Because the UPSC examines each issue in depth. As a result, it is critical for a candidate to have had some interest in the subject in order to comprehend and score higher.
Guide to Choose an Optional Subject
# If English is your first language, literature is one of the greatest disciplines to study. This is due to the fact that it is extremely simple to learn, and individuals who are fluent in a specific language may read the stories and poetry in the past or during GS breaks. Another of the reasons why literary success rates are greater is because of this.
# You may also check through UPSC exam papers from past years to see if this is your cup of tea or not. Then see what preparatory resources are available in your area. Due to a lack of resources, certain disciplines are difficult to study.
# Another factor to evaluate is your aptitude for both practical and theoretical topics. Mathematics and statistics are the most practical UPSC courses, and if you are engaged in them, they are the finest in this area. History and politics are the most popular disciplines among those who enjoy theory.
Also Read: A Detailed Guide to Choosing the Best Optional Subject for UPSC Exam
All IAS Toppers with Optional Subjects
Here is a list of all the IAS toppers with the highest marks scored in UPSC optional:
AIR 1 Gaurav Agarwal (Economics) 2013
Gaurav Agarwal, an IIT graduate and an IIM MBA, topped the UPSC with Economics as his optional subject. In his optional topic, he scored 296 out of 500 marks.
AIR 1 Ira Singhal (Geography) 2014
Ira Singhal’s optional was geography. Ira earned a Dual MBA in Marketing and Finance from the Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi, after studying Computer Engineering at Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology. She attained 305 marks in Geography.
AIR 1 Tina Dabi (Political Science and International Relations) 2015
Tina Dabi was ranked number one in India in 2015. Tina earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from Lady Shri Ram College in 2014. Political Science and International Relations was also an elective for her. In the optional subject, she obtained 299 marks.
AIR 1 Nandini KR (Kannada Literature) 2016
Nandini KR works in the field of civil engineering (B.Tech). She chose Kannada Literature as an optional subject and obtained 331 marks out of a possible 500.
AIR 1 Anudeep Durishetty (Anthropology) 2017
Anudeep Durishetty holds a Bachelor of Technology degree in Electronics and Instrumentation. When Anudeep was ranked first in the UPSC Civil Services Examination, he chose Anthropology as his optional subject. In Anthropology, he scored 318 marks.
AIR 1 Kanishak Kataria (Mathematics) 2018
Kanishak holds a B.Tech in Computer Science degree from IIT Bombay. He chose Mathematics as an optional subject and received a score of 361 marks out of 500.
AIR 1 Pradeep Singh (Public Administration) 2019
Pradeep Singh is a computer science graduate with a bachelor’s degree in engineering. Public Administration was optional for him. He scored 148 marks out of 250.
Also Read : 3 Months Preparation Plan for UPSC Prelims: A Step Towards Success
OS for Medical Field
Medical Science is a natural fit among the various alternatives. Many IAS toppers with a medical background have chosen medical science as an optional subject.
Subjects like Animal Husbandry, Zoology and Veterinary Science can be included to some extent. If a student with a medical background does not want to choose medical science as an optional topic, they must choose non-technical disciplines that have some crossover with GS.
OS for Engineering Candidates
In the IAS test, several students with a technical background have done well. If a candidate wants to select an optional topic based on prior knowledge, the choices are limited to Civil, Mechanical, and Electrical engineering.
Clearly, no one would choose a technical subject unless they had already studied it at the college level.
Math, physics, and chemistry are examples of subjects that can be considered. These subjects decrease subjectivity in marking to some level, but they require a significant amount of preparatory time and work. As a result, it’s usually a good idea to look over the syllabi and previous exam papers prior.
Conclusion
The UPSC Optional Subjects are difficult to crack, and applicants should exercise caution when making their selection.
The success rates of all optional topics were discussed, as well as the most popular optional subject, the optional subject with the largest syllabus overlap with other examinations, and a guide to choosing an optional subject.
Before taking the mains examinations, every applicant should read this article at least once.
For more informative articles on the UPSC exam, visit the blog section of UPSC Pathshala and to take your preparation a level higher, do not forget to check out this Free Demo.
Also Read: Check-out the Best Timetable to Ace the Upcoming UPSC IAS Exam
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