Most preferred optional subjects for UPSC mains

UPSC exams are one of the most prestigious in the country, inviting applications from lakhs of students every year to apply for the competitive exams and stand a chance to enter the privileged Indian civil services. Preparing for the examinations is a huge deal as the competition is cut-throat and only a few are lucky to crack through and become eligible for applying to jobs in the IAS, ICS, or IFS. The UPSC Mains exam allows candidates to choose from a host of optional subjects, enabling them to demonstrate their expertise and proficiency in a particular field of interest. This also allows the students to boost their total score on the exam. The blog takes a closer look at some of the best UPSC optional subjects to help you make an informed decision for your exam preparation.

Best UPSC optional subjects

UPSC provides its exam candidates a choice of 48 optional subjects to choose from. This way students stand a chance to score well in the examination and specialize in their area of interest or expertise. Shared below are some of the top UPSC Mains optional subjects that you can choose from. The list is provided to help you make a guided decision and narrow down your preparation for the exam: 

• Geography – This optional subject presents students with the opportunity to score well, along with choosing an area of study that best interests them. You can choose to opt for world geography, human geography, Indian geography, and physical geography. 

• Public Administration – This subject presents a comprehensive idea of the way the Indian government functions. Most importantly, the subject covers a wide array of topics that are relevant to IAS, for instance, parliament and state legislatures, statutory bodies, government departments and ministries, and disaster management, among others.

• Political Science – This subject too has direct relevance to civil services and is therefore among the top choices in the UPSC optional subjects list. Students can choose to study political theories, systems, and institutions in detail. Additionally, the subject focuses on international relations, Indian politics, political ideologies, and comparative politics. You may like to know more about top government jobs for political science graduates.

• Sociology – The subject generally has a more concise syllabus that is relatively simpler to understand and learn. Some of the popular topics for study include sociology and common sense, positivism and its critique, techniques of data collection, and Karl Marx’s theory, among others.

• Economics – Students study the basic concepts of Economics and their practical application for sustainable growth and development. You can pursue studies in advanced microeconomics, advanced macroeconomics, international economics, and growth and development.   

• History – This UPSC optional subject is ideal for students who are interested in knowing more about ancient, medieval, and modern history. Some of the important topics covered in the subject for UPSC exam preparation include the Vedic period, religious movements, India’s struggle for independence, colonization, and decolonization.

• Philosophy – It is generally the shortest syllabus among the top UPSC Mains subjects and can easily be covered in approximately two months. This is why philosophy has been a popular choice among UPSC candidates. It is also among the easiest-scoring subjects in the UPSC exam. Students learn about Aristotle, Plato, Jainism, Yoga, Aurobindo, schools of Vedanta, and more.

• Anthropology – It is a complete science that includes elements of primatology and biology as well, including sociology, human evolution, and archaeology. The syllabus is divided into physical anthropology, socio-cultural anthropology, research methods in anthropology, the evolution of Indian culture, tribal India, and Indian anthropology, among many others.  

• Psychology – Yet another popular subject opted for by UPSC candidates is psychology, the scientific study of the human mind and the way it functions. The subject covers cognitive psychology, foundations of psychology, and personality and contemporary psychology, among other topics of study.

• Law – This is one of the optional subjects in the UPSC Mains exam and is also very scoring. Students with an academic background in finance, administration and management, or international trade can opt for this subject. Upon choosing, they are required to study topics like constitutional and administrative law, criminal law, law of contracts, etc. 

Pursue an online degree while preparing for UPSC

Preparing for UPSC can be a hard task and requires months of hard work, perseverance, and a focused strategy to succeed in your goal. To facilitate your preparations for the competitive examination, Sikkim Manipal University offers Master of Arts courses in 3 subjects – English, Sociology, and Political Science – which can aid a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the UPSC optional subjects that you choose to pursue. 

MA English covers a detailed study of literature from different cultures and periods in the world. Some of the key topics included are literary theory and criticism, gender studies in literature, and postcolonial and Commonwealth literature. Since English is also one of the key subjects that students prepare for as part of the UPSC exams, covering it in MA English can help complement your preparations.

The same holds for MA Sociology and MA Political Science, the two other degree programs that Sikkim Manipal University offers on the Online Manipal platform. These two courses cover Sociology and Political subjects in detail, both of which are optional subjects (as mentioned in the blog above) for UPSC exam preparations and are chosen by several students. 

It can be said that online MA Sociology and MA Political Science programs provide a strong academic base to students and also overlap with considerable parts of the UPSC exam.  

Conclusion     

Choosing the right subject for UPSC mains is an important part of the preparation process as it can help you score better in the exams and also enable you to specialize in your area of interest. To help you make an informed choice, we have shared some of the best optional subjects to go for as part of the UPSC Mains subject choices. However, we highly encourage you to consider each option carefully as per your interest, comfort, convenience, and relevance for the career path ahead. Also remember that the subject choice that may work for one student may not necessarily work for another. Hence, choose wisely and carefully.  

As also explained in this blog, pursuing an online degree alongside preparing for the UPSC exams can help you a great deal. Sikkim Manipal University’s online MA degrees in English, Sociology, and Political Science covers subjects that overlap with those included for UPSC Mains preparations. Supplementary knowledge can help you learn concepts faster and also enable you to choose a more lucrative career path in the Indian civil services after graduating in the degree as well as cracking through the competitive exam.      
Sikkim Manipal University is accredited by NAAC in A+ grade and offers all its degree programs on the Online Manipal platform. Its MA courses and all other programs are entitled by the UGC and enjoy global recognition. The courses are specifically tailored to meet students’ career aspirations and in line with the rapidly evolving industry trends, focusing on practical application of knowledge and real-world ability to solve problems using innovative techniques. In other words, Sikkim Manipal University offers a holistic learning experience to students pursuing either undergraduate or postgraduate programs.