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How Many Subjects in UPSC

How Many Subjects in UPSC: One of the most prestigious exams in the nation is the civil services test. In addition to being extremely competitive, the IAS syllabus and topic breadth make the exam even more difficult. For candidates to pass the IAS Exam in the allotted time, they must be well-prepared ahead of time on all relevant topics.

The subjects covered in the UPSC syllabus for the preliminary and main examinations, as well as the list of topics under each of these IAS subjects, have all been covered in this article. Candidates can consult these and begin their preparations appropriately.

Since only knowledgeable individuals are able to make choices in their capacity as civil servants, the UPSC concepts in the exam aim to assess your comprehension of the world around you. The subjects are therefore carefully chosen.

How Many Subjects in UPSC – Prelims

The UPSC Prelims exam comprises two papers:

  • General Studies Paper-I
  • General Studies Paper-II (CSAT)

The IAS subject list for each of the two objective-type papers is provided below. Each paper is worth 200 marks, and both are given 400 total marks on the same day.

UPSC Subjects in IAS Prelims GS-I Paper

  • Latest Current Affairs
  • Static GK
  • History of India and Indian National Movement
  • Indian and World Geography
    • Physical Geography
    • Social Geography
    • Economic Geography
  • Indian Polity and Governance
    • Constitution
    • Public Policy Rights
    • Political System
    • Rights Issues
    • Panchayati Raj
  • Economic and Social Development
    • Sustainable Development
    • Poverty
    • Inclusion
    • Demographics
    • Social Sector Initiatives
  • Environment and Ecology
    • Biodiversity
    • Climate Change
  • Science and Technology

UPSC Subjects in IAS Prelims CSAT

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate an applicant’s ability to reason logically as well as their interpersonal and communication abilities. The prelims GS-II paper syllabus covers the following subjects:

  • Comprehension
  • Interpersonal Skills Including Communication Skills
  • Logical Reasoning and Analytical Ability
  • Decision Making and Problem Solving
  • General Mental Ability
  • Basic Numeracy
  • Data Interpretation
  • English Language Comprehension Skills

IAS Subject List for UPSC Mains

The UPSC Mains examination allows candidates to choose optional subjects from a list provided by the Commission. Here’s a list of optional subjects that candidates can choose for the UPSC Mains examination:
Candidates need to choose two optional subjects from this list for their UPSC Mains examination. Each optional subject consists of two papers (Paper I and Paper II), and candidates are expected to have a thorough understanding and expertise in their chosen subjects.
The choice of optional subjects should be based on the candidate’s educational background, interest, and the scoring potential of the subject in the examination.

IAS Subject List for UPSC Mains

Language Script
Assamese   Assamese
Bengali  Bengali
Gujarati Gujarati
Hindi Devanagari
Kannada Kannada
Santhali  Devanagari or Olchiki
Maithili Devanagari
Dogri Devanagari
Bodo Devanagari
Urdu Persian
Telugu Telugu
Tamil Tamil
Sindhi Devanagari or Arabic
Sanskrit Devanagari 
Punjabi Gurumukhi 
Odia Odia
Nepali Devanagari
Marathi Devanagari
Manipuri Bengali
Malayalam Malayalam
Konkani Devanagari
Kashmiri Persian

IAS Optional Subject List for UPSC CSE Mains

The UPSC Mains exam consists of two required exams for optional courses. The list of electives for the civil services main exam is provided below, along with the syllabus for each of the specified IAS subjects:

IAS Optional Subject
Agriculture
Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science
Anthropology
Botany
Chemistry
Civil Engineering
Commerce and Accountancy
Economics
Electrical Engineering
Geography
Geology
History
Law
Management
Mathematics
Mechanical Engineering
Medical Science
Philosophy
Physics
Political Science and International Relations
Psychology
Public Administration
Sociology
Statistics
Zoology
Literature of any one of the following languages:

Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu and English

IAS Subject List for UPSC Mains General Studies Papers

The General Studies papers in UPSC Mains cover a wide range of subjects, reflecting the diverse knowledge areas relevant to administrative roles. Here’s a comprehensive list of subjects typically included in the UPSC Mains General Studies Papers:

UPSC Mains GS Subjects

General Studies Paper Subjects
GS Paper I
  • History 
    • Modern
    •  World History
  • Art & Culture
    • Indian Heritage and Culture
  • Geography
    • Human Geography
    • World Physical Geography
  • Society
    • Salient Features of Indian Society
GS Paper II
  • Polity
    • Indian Constitution & its features, amendments, provisions and bodies
  • Governance
  • Social Justice
  • International Relations
GS Paper III
  • Technology
  • Economic Development
  • Biodiversity
  • Environment
  • Security
  • Disaster Management
GS Paper IV
  • Ethics
  • Integrity
  • Aptitude

Preparation Strategy for Various UPSC Subjects

Here’s a simplified preparation strategy for various UPSC subjects –

Understand the Syllabus:

  • Read the UPSC syllabus thoroughly for each subject to know the topics and subtopics covered.

Identify Key Resources:

  • Choose standard textbooks and reference materials recommended for each subject to build foundational knowledge.

Focus on Current Affairs:

  • Stay updated with current affairs related to each subject through newspapers, magazines, and reliable online sources.

Practice Answer Writing:

  • Regularly practice writing answers to UPSC-style questions to improve clarity, structure, and content relevance.

Revision and Mock Tests:

  • Revise regularly to reinforce learning and take mock tests to simulate exam conditions and track progress.

Seek Feedback and Improve:

  • Seek feedback from mentors or peers on your answers to identify areas for improvement and adjust your study strategy accordingly.
Array

Frequently Asked Questions

How many subjects are in UPSC?

For the optional subject papers, you need to choose a subject of which you have an in-depth understanding. The UPSC allows you to choose one optional subject from out of a total of 26 different subjects. There'll be 2 papers, Paper 1 and Paper 2 of 250 marks each pertaining to the subject that you choose.

Can we choose subjects in UPSC?

For the civil services examination, UPSC provides a list of optional subjects. Candidates have to choose one optional for the mains exam. The optional subject has two papers and each paper accounts for 250 marks.

How many papers are in UPSC?

The UPSC Mains exam pattern involves 9 papers which consists of 4 GS Papers, 1 Essay Paper, 2 Language Papers, 2 Optional Subjects. There is no negative marking for the Mains examination and the papers consist of descriptive- based questions which are for total 1750 marks.

Which subject is best for IAS?

Arts Stream subjects can be considered the best graduation course for UPSC IAS Preparation after the 12th. Students can prefer choosing history, geography, Political Science, or Economics as their graduation subject after 12th, as these subjects form the base of the UPSC Civil Services Examination.

Which is the smallest optional subject in UPSC?

Philosophy subject