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UPSC CSE Optional Subject List 2026 for Mains Examination
Union Public Service Commission will conduct the UPSC IAS Mains exam 2026 on August 21, 2026. Candidates can find the syllabus and UPSC optional subjects list in the notification. A total of 48 optional UPSC subjects 2026 are given in the notification. The UPSC Mains 2026 exam will be conducted in offline mode
A total of 9 papers must be attempted in the UPSC Mains exam. Out of the 9 papers, the last two papers are the UPSC optional subjects 2026. Candidates can select the choice of subject from the UPSC optional subject list 2026 pdf. Go through the article below to know more about the UPSC 2026 subject list.
How many optional subjects in UPSC Mains 2026?
The total number of UPSC Mains optional subjects are 48. The UPSC IAS Mains exam 2026 is conducted for 1750 marks. Paper VI and Paper VII of UPSC Mains come under optional subjects. Each UPSC optional paper is conducted for 250 marks. Below are the lost of the UPSC 2026 optional subjects.
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.
Also check -
UPSC CSE Preparation Strategy and Best Books
UPSC CSE preparation strategy along with best books for prelims as well as mains exam for sure success.
Download EBookUPSC Mains Exam Pattern 2026
The UPSC Mains 2026 exam pattern is specified in detail in the official notification. Candidates can refer to the UPSC 2026 Mains exam pattern to get an idea. Each paper is of 3 hour duration.
UPSC Mains Qualifying Papers 2026
Paper | Total Marks |
Paper-A | 300 marks |
Paper-B - English | 300 marks |
Also check -
UPSC Mains Subjects/ Papers counted for merit
Paper | Total Marks |
Paper-I - Essay | 250 marks |
Paper-II - General Studies-I | 250 marks |
Paper-III - General Studies -II | 250 marks |
Paper-IV - General Studies -III | 250 marks |
Paper-V - General Studies -IV | 250 marks |
Paper-VI - Optional Subject - Paper 1 | 250 marks |
Paper-VII Optional Subject - Paper 2 | 250 marks |
Sub-total | 1750 marks |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: How many subjects are optional in UPSC?
A:
There are a total of 46 subjects in the UPSC Subject list PDF 2026.
Q: When is the UPSC Mains exam conducted?
A:
The UPSC exam of Mains will be conducted on August 21, 2026.
Q: How many papers are there in the UPSC IAS Mains exam 2026?
A:
There are a total of 9 papers in the UPSC Mains exam.
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Questions related to UPSC CSE
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Have a question related to UPSC CSE ?
Hi Akshay,
Coming from an MPC background is a hidden advantage if you're planning to prepare for the IAS exam. Here are a few tips to follow to be consistent with your goal.
- Stay updated with current affairs
- Analyze previous years' question papers
- Refer NCERT books to enhance the Fundamentals
Hi Aspirant,
Candidates who want to become an IAS officer need to appear for the UPSC CSE exam consisting of prelims, mains, and then an interview. To know complete information about IAS officers, read the article below.
Hello Prativa
You can refer to the link given below for knowing all the details about an IAS Officer or how to become an IAS Officer
https://www.careers360.com/careers/ias-officer
Hope It Helps.
Hello,
Becoming an IAS officer through the UPSC Civil Services examination is a great goal. One of the most required qualifications for IAS can be Bachelor's degree (BA, B.Com, B.Sc, BBA, BCA, B.Tech etc.) with at least one of the subjects namely Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry, Geology,
Hello,
IAS ki taiyari ke liye union public service commission (UPSC) dwara nirdharit eligibility criteria pura karna jaruri hai. aap kisi bhi maanyataprapt college se study karte hue IAS ki tayari kar sakte hai.
Apko upsc civil services exam syllabus ki jankari honi chahiye. taiyari ke liye aap self study
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