UPSC Mains: Optional Subject (two papers)
Main Examination: the Optional Subject. Two papers, Paper 1 and Paper 2, on one subject you choose. In UPSC's numbering of the Main Examination they are Papers VI and VII. At a glance: • 250 marks each, 3 hours each. Both are counted for merit (the final ranking), provided you reach 25% in both qualifying language papers (Indian Language, unless you are exempt from it, and English). The Commission may also fix qualifying marks in these papers. • Descriptive written answers, not multiple choice. • The level is broadly that of an honours degree: higher than a bachelor's degree and lower than a master's degree. For Engineering, Medical Science and Law, it is bachelor's degree level. • You choose the subject in your application (the Exam Specific Form), and it can't be changed afterwards. • The question papers are in Hindi and English, except the Literature papers. You answer in the medium you chose in your application: English or one of the 22 Indian languages of the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution. If you chose an Indian language for the Essay and General Studies papers, you may still choose English for the Optional papers. • In the Literature papers you may be required to answer some or all of the questions in the language concerned; the rest are answered in your chosen medium. Choose one subject from this list: • 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. The detailed syllabus of each subject's two papers, and the scripts to use in the Literature papers, are in the UPSC notification, Appendix I. Source: UPSC Civil Services Examination 2026, Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE, 4 February 2026.