Optional Subjects Success Rate in UPSC | Best Optional for UPSC 2025 | How to Prepare
Selecting the right optional subject for the UPSC can make or break your chances of success. Over the years, the popularity and success rates of different optional subjects have fluctuated, influenced by factors such as scoring trends, syllabus overlap with General Studies, and changes in UPSC's evaluation pattern.
Based on data from the last 10 years of UPSC Annual Reports, humanities subjects like Political Science & International Relations, Sociology, and Anthropology have consistently seen high participation and success rates. Meanwhile, subjects like Geography and Public Administration, once top choices, have seen a decline. Professional subjects like Commerce & Accountancy and Law have maintained steady success rates, whereas technical subjects like Mathematics and Engineering have remained niche choices.
In this blog, we explore the rise and fall of different optional subjects based on categories such as Humanities, Professional Subjects, PCM (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics), Engineering & Medical, and Literature subjects.
Optional Subjects Categorization
1. Humanities Subjects: Optional Subjects Success Rate for UPSC
No specific degree required (Few government job prospects, mostly chosen for teaching and research professions).
Humanities subjects continue to dominate the UPSC Mains optional landscape due to their interdisciplinary nature, relevance to General Studies, and scoring potential. Some of the most opted-for subjects in this category include Political Science & International Relations (PSIR), Sociology, Anthropology, History, and Geography.
Success Trends:
- PSIR has consistently maintained a high success rate, with 8.9% in 2021, 8.3% in 2020, and 8.2% in 2019. Its popularity is due to significant overlap with General Studies Paper II.
- Sociology has remained a top choice, with a 10% success rate in 2019, dipping slightly to 8.5% in 2021 but still holding strong.
- Geography, once the go-to optional for many aspirants, has seen a steady decline in both success rate and number of candidates. In 2014, 3,515 candidates appeared with a 7.3% success rate, while in 2021, only 1,079 candidates opted for it, with a success rate of 6.1%.
- History and Philosophy, though still chosen by many, have remained on the lower end of success rates, averaging between 4.4% to 7.5% in recent years.
Rise and Fall:
- Subjects like Sociology, Anthropology, and PSIR have gained popularity due to their concise syllabi, scoring nature, and predictable question patterns.
- Geography and Public Administration, once considered safe choices, have seen a decline due to the increasing unpredictability in evaluation.
2. Professional Subjects: Optional Subjects Success Rate for UPSC
Specific degree required (Career prospects in government organizations or self-employment).
Professional subjects like Law, Commerce & Accountancy, Economics, Psychology, and Management are chosen by candidates who have a background in these fields. These subjects require specialized knowledge and are not as widely opted for as Humanities subjects.
Success Trends:
- Commerce & Accountancy has shown a consistently high success rate, reaching 15% in 2021 and 12.9% in 2020.
- Economics has been a strong contender, with success rates fluctuating between 10.7% in 2019 and 13.2% in 2021.
- Law remains a reliable optional, with 11.7% success rate in 2021 and 13.8% in 2020.
- Management, despite having fewer candidates, had the highest success rate among all optionals at 16.1% in 2021.
Rise and Fall:
- Commerce & Accountancy and Economics have remained consistent choices due to their scoring nature and demand in government services like RBI, SEBI, and Indian Economic Service.
- Law, while maintaining a steady success rate, is usually chosen by law graduates due to its technical nature.
- Geology and Agriculture have had lower success rates, making them less preferred choices in IAS Exam. However, these are the Best Optional Subjects for UPSC Indian Forest Exam.
3. PCM Subjects: Optional Subjects Success Rate for UPSC
Requires a background in Physics, Chemistry, or Mathematics at the 12th level.
These subjects are highly specialized and are often chosen by candidates with a strong academic background in these areas.
Success Trends:
- Mathematics had a 9.7% success rate in 2021, improving from 4.5% in 2020.
- Chemistry consistently performed well, with 11% success in 2021 and 9.8% in 2020.
- Physics, however, has remained a difficult choice, with a 5.3% success rate in 2021 and 6.2% in 2020.
Rise and Fall:
- Mathematics is a high-scoring subject but requires strong problem-solving skills, making it a niche choice.
- Chemistry has remained stable, whereas Physics has seen lower success rates, leading to a decline in its popularity.
4. Engineering and Medical Subjects: Optional Subjects Success Rate for UPSC
Specific degree required.
These subjects include Civil, Mechanical, and Electrical Engineering, along with Medical Science. While they attract a smaller number of candidates, their success rates vary.
Success Trends:
- Medical Science has remained one of the best-performing subjects, with a 12.2% success rate in 2021 and 10.9% in 2019.
- Civil, Mechanical, and Electrical Engineering have maintained moderate success rates, ranging from 6% to 10.3% over the years.
Rise and Fall:
- Medical Science remains strong due to its static syllabus and direct application of knowledge.
- Engineering subjects, while still relevant, require in-depth technical knowledge, which limits their adoption to candidates from engineering backgrounds.
5. Literature Subjects: Optional Subjects Success Rate for UPSC
Requires a deep interest in literature.
Literature subjects are unique, requiring proficiency in a particular language. Despite their niche appeal, some literature subjects have seen notable success rates.
Success Trends:
- Manipuri Literature had a remarkable 50% success rate in 2021, though the number of candidates was extremely low.
- Maithili and Punjabi Literature have consistently performed well, with success rates above 13%.
- Hindi Literature, the most opted-for literature subject, had a 10.4% success rate in 2021.
- English Literature has had fluctuating success rates, reaching 22.2% in 2020 but dropping to 11.1% in 2021.
Rise and Fall:
- Literature subjects tend to have low participation but high success rates for passionate candidates.
- Sanskrit, Tamil, and Telugu Literature have seen a slight decline due to the limited number of candidates opting for them.
Comparison Of Optional Subject Success Rate in UPSC
1. Humanities Subjects (71st- 73rd Reports)
Specific Degree not Required (Not many government jobs. Mostly opted for teaching and research professions.)
UPSC 2021: Comparison Of Optional Subject Success Rate
|
S. No. |
Optional Subject (73rd Report: 2021 Mains) |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Anthropology |
1159 |
90 |
7.8% |
|
2 |
Geography |
1079 |
66 |
6.1% |
|
3 |
History |
574 |
25 |
4.4% |
|
4 |
Philosophy |
265 |
20 |
7.5% |
|
5 |
Political Science and International Relations |
1571 |
140 |
8.9% |
|
6 |
Public Administration |
361 |
31 |
8.6% |
|
7 |
Sociology |
1087 |
92 |
8.5% |
UPSC 2020: Comparison Of Optional Subject Success Rate
|
S. No. |
Optional Subject (72nd Report: 2020 Mains) |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Anthropology |
1211 |
100 |
8.3% |
|
2 |
Geography |
1322 |
95 |
7.2% |
|
3 |
History |
581 |
24 |
4.1% |
|
4 |
Philosophy |
347 |
20 |
5.8% |
|
5 |
Political Science and International Relations |
1863 |
154 |
8.3% |
|
6 |
Public Administration |
509 |
38 |
7.5% |
|
7 |
Sociology |
1245 |
115 |
9.2% |
UPSC 2019: Comparison Of Optional Subject Success Rate
|
S. No. |
Optional Subject (71st Report: 2019 Mains) |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Anthropology |
1189 |
108 |
9.1% |
|
2 |
Geography |
1916 |
105 |
5.5% |
|
3 |
History |
751 |
51 |
6.8% |
|
4 |
Philosophy |
439 |
27 |
6.2% |
|
5 |
Political Science and International Relations |
1662 |
137 |
8.2% |
|
6 |
Public Administration |
705 |
58 |
8.2% |
|
7 |
Sociology |
1263 |
126 |
10.0% |
UPSC 2014: Comparison Of Optional Subject Success Rate
|
S. No. |
Optional Subject (66th Report: 2014 Mains) |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Anthropology |
619 |
68 |
11.0% |
|
2 |
Geography |
3515 |
255 |
7.3% |
|
3 |
History |
1560 |
102 |
6.5% |
|
4 |
Philosophy |
908 |
64 |
7.0% |
|
5 |
Political Science & International Relations |
907 |
57 |
6.3% |
|
6 |
Public Administration |
2852 |
151 |
5.3% |
|
7 |
Sociology |
1819 |
193 |
10.6% |
2. Professional Subjects (71st- 73rd Reports)
Specific Degree Required (Career as government organisations/ self employment)
UPSC 2021: Comparison Of Optional Subject Success Rate
|
S. No. |
Optional Subject (73rd Report: 2021 Mains) |
Candidates Appeared |
Number of Candidates Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Agriculture |
115 |
12 |
10.4% |
|
2 |
Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science |
18 |
1 |
5.6% |
|
3 |
Botany |
32 |
3 |
9.4% |
|
4 |
Commerce and Accountancy |
140 |
21 |
15.0% |
|
5 |
Economics |
190 |
25 |
13.2% |
|
6 |
Geology |
29 |
1 |
3.4% |
|
7 |
Law |
180 |
21 |
11.7% |
|
8 |
Management |
31 |
5 |
16.1% |
|
9 |
Psychology |
127 |
15 |
11.8% |
|
10 |
Statistics |
3 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
11 |
Zoology |
56 |
4 |
7.1% |
UPSC 2020: Comparison Of Optional Subject Success Rate
|
S. No. |
Optional Subject (72nd Report: 2020 Mains) |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Agriculture |
111 |
3 |
2.7% |
|
2 |
Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science |
10 |
1 |
10.0% |
|
3 |
Botany |
27 |
2 |
7.4% |
|
4 |
Commerce and Accountancy |
210 |
27 |
12.9% |
|
5 |
Economics |
236 |
31 |
13.1% |
|
6 |
Geology |
35 |
2 |
5.7% |
|
7 |
Law |
167 |
23 |
13.8% |
|
8 |
Management |
38 |
6 |
15.8% |
|
9 |
Psychology |
155 |
11 |
7.1% |
|
10 |
Statistics |
5 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
10 |
Zoology |
41 |
5 |
12.2% |
UPSC 2019: Comparison Of Optional Subject Success Rate
|
S. No. |
Optional Subject (71st Report: 2019 Mains) |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Agriculture |
124 |
13 |
10.5% |
|
2 |
Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science |
16 |
3 |
18.8% |
|
3 |
Botany |
28 |
2 |
7.1% |
|
4 |
Commerce and Accountancy |
183 |
20 |
10.9% |
|
5 |
Economics |
243 |
26 |
10.7% |
|
6 |
Geology |
30 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
7 |
Law |
186 |
19 |
10.2% |
|
8 |
Management |
54 |
6 |
11.1% |
|
9 |
Psychology |
164 |
15 |
9.1% |
|
10 |
Statistics |
2 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
11 |
Zoology |
44 |
4 |
9.1% |
UPSC 2014: Comparison Of Optional Subject Success Rate
|
S. No. |
Optional Subject (66th Report: 2014 Mains) |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Agriculture |
65 |
7 |
10.8% |
|
2 |
Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science |
28 |
4 |
14.3% |
|
3 |
Botany |
58 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
4 |
Commerce & Accountancy |
214 |
22 |
10.3% |
|
5 |
Economics |
214 |
26 |
12.1% |
|
6 |
Geology |
28 |
1 |
3.6% |
|
7 |
Law |
235 |
40 |
17.0% |
|
8 |
Management |
176 |
20 |
11.4% |
|
9 |
Psychology |
373 |
59 |
15.8% |
|
10 |
Statistics |
6 |
1 |
16.7% |
|
11 |
Zoology |
79 |
9 |
11.4% |
3. PCM Subjects (71st- 73rd Reports)
12th Class Subjects Required.
UPSC 2021: Comparison Of Optional Subject Success Rate
|
S. No. |
Optional Subject (73rd Report: 2021 Mains) |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Chemistry |
127 |
14 |
11.0% |
|
2 |
Mathematics |
513 |
50 |
9.7% |
|
3 |
Physics |
131 |
7 |
5.3% |
UPSC 2020: Comparison Of Optional Subject Success Rate
|
S. No. |
Optional Subject (72nd Report: 2020 Mains) |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Chemistry |
153 |
15 |
9.8% |
|
2 |
Mathematics |
580 |
26 |
4.5% |
|
3 |
Physics |
130 |
8 |
6.2% |
UPSC 2019: Comparison Of Optional Subject Success Rate
|
S. No. |
Optional Subject (71st Report: 2019 Mains) |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Chemistry |
156 |
13 |
8.3% |
|
2 |
Mathematics |
539 |
45 |
8.3% |
|
3 |
Physics |
165 |
12 |
7.3% |
UPSC 2014: Comparison Of Optional Subject Success Rate
|
S. No. |
Optional Subject (66th Report: 2014 Mains) |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Chemistry |
98 |
7 |
7.1% |
|
2 |
Mathematics |
351 |
35 |
10.0% |
|
3 |
Physics |
151 |
14 |
9.3% |
4. Engineering And Medical Subjects (71st- 73rd Reports)
Specific Degree Required.
UPSC 2021: Comparison Of Optional Subject Success Rate
|
S. No. |
Optional Subject (73rd Report: 2021 Mains) |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Civil Engineering |
135 |
10 |
7.4% |
|
2 |
Mechanical Engineering |
160 |
11 |
6.9% |
|
3 |
Electrical Engineering |
117 |
7 |
6.0% |
|
4 |
Medical Science |
196 |
24 |
12.2% |
UPSC 2020: Comparison Of Optional Subject Success Rate
|
S. No. |
Optional Subject (72nd Report: 2020 Mains) |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Civil Engineering |
130 |
9 |
6.9% |
|
2 |
Electrical Engineering |
170 |
15 |
8.8% |
|
3 |
Mechanical Engineering |
201 |
22 |
10.9% |
|
4 |
Medical Science |
162 |
16 |
9.9% |
UPSC 2019: Comparison Of Optional Subject Success Rate
|
S. No. |
Optional Subject (71st Report: 2019 Mains) |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Civil Engineering |
146 |
15 |
10.3% |
|
2 |
Electrical Engineering |
200 |
16 |
8.0% |
|
3 |
Mechanical Engineering |
213 |
12 |
5.6% |
|
4 |
Medical Science |
247 |
26 |
10.5% |
UPSC 2014: Comparison Of Optional Subject Success Rate
|
S. No. |
Optional Subject (66th Report: 2014 Mains) |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Civil Engineering |
91 |
7 |
7.7% |
|
2 |
Electrical Engineering |
192 |
15 |
7.8% |
|
3 |
Mechanical Engineering |
111 |
7 |
6.3% |
|
4 |
Medical Science |
356 |
71 |
19.9% |
5. Literature Subjects (71st-73rd Reports)
Specific interest required.
UPSC 2021: Comparison Of Optional Subject Success Rate
|
No. |
Optional Subject (73rd Report: 2021 Mains) |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Assamese Literature |
0 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
2 |
Bengali Literature |
3 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
3 |
English Literature |
27 |
3 |
11.1% |
|
4 |
Gujarati Literature |
32 |
2 |
6.3% |
|
5 |
Hindi Literature |
211 |
22 |
10.4% |
|
6 |
Kannada Literature |
60 |
7 |
11.7% |
|
7 |
Maithili Literature |
12 |
2 |
16.7% |
|
8 |
Malayalam Literature |
74 |
8 |
10.8% |
|
9 |
Manipuri Literature |
2 |
1 |
50.0% |
|
10 |
Marathi Literature |
8 |
1 |
12.5% |
|
11 |
Oriya Literature |
0 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
12 |
Punjabi Literature |
15 |
2 |
13.3% |
|
13 |
Sanskrit Literature |
34 |
2 |
5.9% |
|
14 |
Sindhi (Devanagari) Literature |
2 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
15 |
Tamil Literature |
27 |
2 |
7.4% |
|
16 |
Telugu Literature |
20 |
1 |
5.0% |
|
17 |
Urdu Literature |
7 |
0 |
0.0% |
UPSC 2020: Comparison Of Optional Subject Success Rate
|
No. |
Optional Subject (72nd Report: 2020 Mains) |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Assamese Literature |
2 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
2 |
Bengali Literature |
2 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
3 |
English Literature |
27 |
6 |
22.2% |
|
4 |
Gujarati Literature |
49 |
4 |
8.2% |
|
5 |
Hindi Literature |
226 |
19 |
8.4% |
|
6 |
Kannada Literature |
83 |
7 |
8.4% |
|
7 |
Maithili Literature |
31 |
3 |
9.7% |
|
8 |
Malayalam Literature |
93 |
10 |
10.8% |
|
9 |
Manipuri Literature |
4 |
1 |
25.0% |
|
10 |
Marathi Literature |
9 |
1 |
11.1% |
|
11 |
Oriya Literature |
2 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
12 |
Punjabi Literature |
25 |
3 |
12.0% |
|
13 |
Sanskrit Literature |
39 |
1 |
2.6% |
|
14 |
Sindhi (Arabic) Literature |
1 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
15 |
Tamil Literature |
64 |
4 |
6.3% |
|
16 |
Telugu Literature |
36 |
5 |
13.9% |
|
17 |
Urdu Literature |
11 |
1 |
9.1% |
UPSC 2019: Comparison Of Optional Subject Success Rate
|
No. |
Optional Subject (71st Report: 2019 Mains) |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Assamese Literature |
3 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
2 |
Bengali Literature |
1 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
3 |
English Literature |
31 |
3 |
9.7% |
|
4 |
Gujarati Literature |
85 |
3 |
3.5% |
|
5 |
Hindi Literature |
191 |
13 |
6.8% |
|
6 |
Kannada Literature |
124 |
17 |
13.7% |
|
7 |
Maithili Literature |
53 |
2 |
3.8% |
|
8 |
Malayalam Literature |
105 |
13 |
12.4% |
|
9 |
Manipuri Literature |
7 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
10 |
Marathi Literature |
6 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
11 |
Oriya Literature |
3 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
12 |
Punjabi Literature |
18 |
1 |
5.6% |
|
13 |
Sanskrit Literature |
53 |
2 |
3.8% |
|
14 |
Sindhi (Devanagari) Literature |
2 |
1 |
50.0% |
|
15 |
Tamil Literature |
77 |
5 |
6.5% |
|
16 |
Telugu Literature |
32 |
1 |
3.1% |
|
17 |
Urdu Literature |
18 |
2 |
11.1% |
UPSC 2014: Comparison Of Optional Subject Success Rate
|
S. No. |
Optional Subject (66th Report: 2014 Mains) |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Assamese Literature |
4 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
2 |
Bengali Literature |
3 |
1 |
33.3% |
|
3 |
English Literature |
33 |
3 |
9.1% |
|
4 |
Gujarati Literature |
87 |
12 |
13.8% |
|
5 |
Hindi Literature |
407 |
22 |
5.4% |
|
6 |
Kannada Literature |
132 |
14 |
10.6% |
|
7 |
Maithili Literature |
95 |
14 |
14.7% |
|
8 |
Malayalam Literature |
65 |
7 |
10.8% |
|
9 |
Manipuri Literature |
17 |
4 |
23.5% |
|
10 |
Marathi Literature |
25 |
3 |
12.0% |
|
11 |
Oriya Literature |
7 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
12 |
Punjabi Literature |
61 |
4 |
6.6% |
|
13 |
Sanskrit Literature |
90 |
9 |
10.0% |
|
14 |
Santhali Literature |
1 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
15 |
Sindhi (Arabic) Literature |
3 |
2 |
66.7% |
|
16 |
Sindhi (Devanagari) Literature |
2 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
17 |
Tamil Literature |
95 |
14 |
14.7% |
|
18 |
Telugu Literature |
122 |
13 |
10.7% |
|
19 |
Urdu Literature |
31 |
6 |
19.4% |
UPSC 2018: Comparison Of Optional Subject Success Rate (70th UPSC Annual Report)
1. Humanities Subjects
|
S. No. |
Optional Subject |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Anthropology |
797 |
65 |
8.2% |
|
2 |
Geography |
1993 |
101 |
5.1% |
|
3 |
History |
848 |
52 |
6.1% |
|
4 |
Philosophy |
463 |
42 |
9.1% |
|
5 |
Political Science and International Relations |
1317 |
105 |
8.0% |
|
6 |
Public Administration |
726 |
67 |
9.2% |
|
7 |
Sociology |
1072 |
107 |
10.0% |
2. Professional Subjects
|
S. No. |
Optional Subject |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Agriculture |
102 |
3 |
2.9% |
|
2 |
Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science |
15 |
1 |
6.7% |
|
3 |
Botany |
21 |
1 |
4.8% |
|
4 |
Commerce and Accountancy |
186 |
27 |
14.5% |
|
5 |
Economics |
200 |
23 |
11.5% |
|
6 |
Geology |
41 |
1 |
2.4% |
|
7 |
Law |
201 |
27 |
13.4% |
|
8 |
Management |
59 |
8 |
13.6% |
|
9 |
Psychology |
128 |
9 |
7.0% |
|
10 |
Statistics |
2 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
11 |
Zoology |
43 |
6 |
14.0% |
3. Technical Subjects
|
S. No. |
Optional Subject |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Chemistry |
114 |
12 |
10.5% |
|
2 |
Mathematics |
344 |
28 |
8.1% |
|
3 |
Physics |
120 |
13 |
10.8% |
4. Engineering and Medical Subjects
|
S. No. |
Optional Subject |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Civil Engineering |
115 |
6 |
5.2% |
|
2 |
Mechanical Engineering |
152 |
9 |
5.9% |
|
3 |
Electrical Engineering |
164 |
17 |
10.4% |
|
4 |
Medical Science |
220 |
24 |
10.9% |
5. Literature Subjects
|
S. No. |
Optional Subject |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Assamese Literature |
3 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
2 |
Bengali Literature |
4 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
3 |
Bodo Literature |
0 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
4 |
English Literature |
21 |
3 |
14.3% |
|
5 |
Gujarati Literature |
91 |
6 |
6.6% |
|
6 |
Hindi Literature |
236 |
15 |
6.4% |
|
7 |
Kannada Literature |
79 |
4 |
5.1% |
|
8 |
Maithili Literature |
41 |
1 |
2.4% |
|
9 |
Malayalam Literature |
85 |
9 |
10.6% |
|
10 |
Manipuri Literature |
11 |
1 |
9.1% |
|
11 |
Marathi Literature |
7 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
12 |
Nepali Literature |
0 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
13 |
Oriya Literature |
4 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
14 |
Punjabi Literature |
19 |
3 |
15.8% |
|
15 |
Sanskrit Literature |
54 |
2 |
3.7% |
|
16 |
Sindhi (Devanagari) Literature |
2 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
17 |
Tamil Literature |
83 |
8 |
11.0% |
|
18 |
Telugu Literature |
57 |
3 |
5.3% |
|
19 |
Urdu Literature |
16 |
3 |
18.8% |
UPSC 2017: Comparison Of Optional Subject Success Rate (69th UPSC Annual Report)
1. Humanities Subjects
|
S. No. |
Optional Subject |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Anthropology |
880 |
85 |
9.7% |
|
2 |
Geography |
2669 |
147 |
5.5% |
|
3 |
History |
1074 |
59 |
5.5% |
|
4 |
Philosophy |
755 |
53 |
7.0% |
|
5 |
Political Science and International Relations |
1246 |
117 |
9.4% |
|
6 |
Public Administration |
1165 |
119 |
10.2% |
|
7 |
Sociology |
1421 |
137 |
9.6% |
2. Professional Subjects
|
S. No. |
Optional Subject |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Agriculture |
89 |
11 |
12.4% |
|
2 |
Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science |
23 |
2 |
8.7% |
|
3 |
Botany |
44 |
5 |
11.4% |
|
4 |
Commerce and Accountancy |
224 |
28 |
12.5% |
|
5 |
Economics |
233 |
16 |
6.9% |
|
6 |
Geology |
37 |
2 |
5.4% |
|
7 |
Law |
304 |
43 |
14.1% |
|
8 |
Management |
86 |
7 |
8.1% |
|
9 |
Psychology |
193 |
21 |
10.9% |
|
10 |
Statistics |
3 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
11 |
Zoology |
55 |
1 |
1.8% |
3. Technical Subjects
|
S. No. |
Optional Subject |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Chemistry |
126 |
11 |
8.7% |
|
2 |
Mathematics |
441 |
26 |
5.9% |
|
3 |
Physics |
140 |
14 |
10.0% |
4. Engineering and Medical Subjects
|
S. No. |
Optional Subject |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Civil Engineering |
124 |
11 |
8.9% |
|
2 |
Mechanical Engineering |
170 |
19 |
11.2% |
|
3 |
Electrical Engineering |
193 |
19 |
9.8% |
|
4 |
Medical Science |
313 |
32 |
10.2% |
5. Literature Subjects
|
S. No. |
Optional Subject |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Assamese Literature |
3 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
2 |
Bengali Literature |
3 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
3 |
Bodo Literature |
1 |
1 |
100.0% |
|
4 |
English Literature |
21 |
2 |
9.5% |
|
5 |
Gujarati Literature |
101 |
8 |
7.9% |
|
6 |
Hindi Literature |
267 |
19 |
7.1% |
|
7 |
Kannada Literature |
115 |
4 |
3.5% |
|
8 |
Maithili Literature |
78 |
5 |
6.4% |
|
9 |
Malayalam Literature |
111 |
8 |
7.2% |
|
10 |
Manipuri Literature |
13 |
1 |
7.7% |
|
11 |
Marathi Literature |
17 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
12 |
Nepali Literature |
1 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
13 |
Oriya Literature |
5 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
14 |
Punjabi Literature |
39 |
6 |
15.4% |
|
15 |
Sanskrit Literature |
70 |
5 |
7.1% |
|
16 |
Sindhi (Devanagari) Literature |
2 |
1 |
50.0% |
|
17 |
Tamil Literature |
107 |
5 |
4.7% |
|
18 |
Telugu Literature |
72 |
1 |
1.4% |
|
19 |
Urdu Literature |
26 |
5 |
19.2% |
UPSC 2016: Comparison Of Optional Subject Success Rate (68th UPSC Annual Report)
1. Humanities Subjects
|
S. No. |
Optional Subject |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Anthropology |
922 |
102 |
11.1% |
|
2 |
Geography |
3427 |
203 |
5.9% |
|
3 |
History |
1427 |
60 |
4.2% |
|
4 |
Philosophy |
847 |
44 |
5.2% |
|
5 |
Political Science & International Relations |
1218 |
107 |
8.8% |
|
6 |
Public Administration |
1506 |
160 |
10.6% |
|
7 |
Sociology |
1635 |
132 |
8.1% |
2. Professional Subjects
|
S. No. |
Optional Subject |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Agriculture |
97 |
9 |
9.3% |
|
2 |
Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science |
42 |
5 |
11.9% |
|
3 |
Botany |
57 |
8 |
14.0% |
|
4 |
Commerce & Accountancy |
229 |
19 |
8.3% |
|
5 |
Economics |
232 |
19 |
8.2% |
|
6 |
Geology |
51 |
1 |
2.0% |
|
7 |
Law |
313 |
12 |
3.8% |
|
8 |
Management |
94 |
8 |
8.5% |
|
9 |
Psychology |
244 |
38 |
15.6% |
|
10 |
Statistics |
4 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
11 |
Zoology |
79 |
9 |
11.4% |
3. Technical Subjects
|
S. No. |
Optional Subject |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Chemistry |
126 |
12 |
9.5% |
|
2 |
Mathematics |
406 |
29 |
7.1% |
|
3 |
Physics |
141 |
14 |
9.9% |
4. Engineering and Medical Subjects
|
S. No. |
Optional Subject |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Civil Engineering |
121 |
3 |
2.5% |
|
2 |
Electrical Engineering |
190 |
17 |
8.9% |
|
3 |
Mechanical Engineering |
152 |
17 |
11.2% |
|
4 |
Medical Science |
368 |
61 |
16.6% |
5. Literature Subjects
|
S. No. |
Optional Subject |
Candidates Appeared |
Recommended |
Success Rate (%) |
|
1 |
Literature of Assamese Language |
5 |
1 |
20.0% |
|
2 |
Literature of Bengali Language |
4 |
1 |
25.0% |
|
3 |
Literature of Bodo Language |
1 |
1 |
100.0% |
|
4 |
Literature of English Language |
21 |
1 |
4.8% |
|
5 |
Literature of Gujarati Language |
131 |
4 |
3.1% |
|
6 |
Literature of Hindi Language |
288 |
36 |
12.5% |
|
7 |
Literature of Kannada Language |
154 |
24 |
15.6% |
|
8 |
Literature of Maithili Language |
99 |
4 |
4.0% |
|
9 |
Literature of Malayalam Language |
90 |
11 |
12.2% |
|
10 |
Literature of Manipuri Language |
13 |
2 |
15.4% |
|
11 |
Literature of Marathi Language |
18 |
1 |
5.6% |
|
12 |
Literature of Oriya Language |
4 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
13 |
Literature of Punjabi Language |
46 |
2 |
4.3% |
|
14 |
Literature of Sanskrit Language |
80 |
12 |
15.0% |
|
15 |
Literature of Santhali Language |
2 |
1 |
50.0% |
|
16 |
Literature of Sindhi (Arabic Script) Language |
1 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
17 |
Literature of Sindhi (Devanagari Script) Language |
5 |
1 |
20.0% |
|
18 |
Literature of Tamil Language |
115 |
9 |
7.8% |
|
19 |
Literature of Telugu Language |
114 |
8 |
7.0% |
|
20 |
Literature of Urdu Language |
30 |
1 |
3.3% |
Final Thoughts: How to Choose the Right Optional for UPSC 2025?
When selecting an optional subject, consider:
✅ Interest and Strengths – Choose a subject you are comfortable with.
✅ Scoring Potential – Look at past trends and success rates.
✅ Syllabus Overlap – Some subjects like PSIR, Sociology, and History align with General Studies.
✅ Availability of Resources – Coaching, study materials, and guidance matter.
The right optional can boost your score and improve your overall ranking. With data-backed insights, you can now make an informed decision for UPSC 2025!