UPSC 2025 Optional Subject Marks — 27 Subjects Compared
Choosing the right optional subject is one of the most critical decisions in UPSC preparation. With 500 marks at stake (two papers of 250 each), the optional can make or break your rank. This analysis compares scoring patterns across 27 optional subjects in UPSC CSE 2025, based on candidate-reported marks from selected candidates.
The data below is from 243 selected candidates who have shared their paper-wise marks. For interactive exploration with radar charts and subject filters, use our optional subject analyzer tool.
Optional Subject Scoring Comparison — UPSC 2025
| Subject | Candidates | Avg (/500) | Max | Min | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geology | 2 | 300 | 302 | 297 | 5 |
| Chemistry | 4 | 289 | 326 | 241 | 85 |
| Mathematics | 14 | 287 | 321 | 227 | 94 |
| Animal Husbandry & Vet Sci | 3 | 281 | 294 | 267 | 27 |
| Civil Engineering | 3 | 280 | 294 | 271 | 23 |
| Electrical Engineering | 3 | 276 | 314 | 233 | 81 |
| Psychology | 3 | 275 | 290 | 262 | 28 |
| Commerce & Accountancy | 5 | 274 | 285 | 258 | 27 |
| History | 10 | 274 | 299 | 242 | 57 |
| Kannada Literature | 1 | 274 | 274 | 274 | 0 |
| Maithili Literature | 1 | 274 | 274 | 274 | 0 |
| Public Administration | 11 | 269 | 296 | 247 | 49 |
| Political Science & IR | 43 | 268 | 292 | 220 | 72 |
| Anthropology | 37 | 266 | 303 | 211 | 92 |
| Zoology | 1 | 266 | 266 | 266 | 0 |
| Philosophy | 5 | 265 | 295 | 244 | 51 |
| Economics | 9 | 264 | 286 | 231 | 55 |
| Geography | 14 | 264 | 286 | 244 | 42 |
| Agriculture | 4 | 263 | 271 | 244 | 27 |
| Hindi Literature | 2 | 263 | 273 | 253 | 20 |
| Law | 8 | 262 | 281 | 232 | 49 |
| Sociology | 40 | 261 | 301 | 212 | 89 |
| Literature | 6 | 260 | 279 | 239 | 40 |
| Medical Science | 8 | 258 | 292 | 228 | 64 |
| Gujarati Literature | 3 | 258 | 274 | 240 | 34 |
| Malayalam Literature | 1 | 255 | 255 | 255 | 0 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 2 | 252 | 290 | 213 | 77 |
Average Marks by Subject — Visual
Geology (2)300/500
Chemistry (4)289/500
Mathematics (14)287/500
Animal Husbandry & Vet Sci (3)281/500
Civil Engineering (3)280/500
Electrical Engineering (3)276/500
Psychology (3)275/500
Commerce & Accountancy (5)274/500
History (10)274/500
Kannada Literature (1)274/500
Maithili Literature (1)274/500
Public Administration (11)269/500
Political Science & IR (43)268/500
Anthropology (37)266/500
Zoology (1)266/500
Philosophy (5)265/500
Economics (9)264/500
Geography (14)264/500
Agriculture (4)263/500
Hindi Literature (2)263/500
Law (8)262/500
Sociology (40)261/500
Literature (6)260/500
Medical Science (8)258/500
Gujarati Literature (3)258/500
Malayalam Literature (1)255/500
Mechanical Engineering (2)252/500
Scale normalized to show relative differences. Subject averages range between 252-300 out of 500.
GS Papers — Average Scoring Pattern
Beyond optional subjects, here's how the compulsory papers scored on average among selected candidates with paper-wise data:
| Paper | Avg (/250) | Max | Min | Scoring % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 107 | 150 | 77 | 43% |
| GS Paper I (History, Geography, Society) | 101 | 118 | 81 | 40% |
| GS Paper II (Governance, Polity, IR) | 109 | 129 | 91 | 44% |
| GS Paper III (Economy, Env, S&T) | 86 | 108 | 67 | 34% |
| GS Paper IV (Ethics) | 115 | 138 | 97 | 46% |
| Optional Paper I | 134 | 168 | 74 | 54% |
| Optional Paper II | 134 | 168 | 87 | 54% |
Key Insights
- Science subjects scored higher on average — Geology (300), Chemistry (289) and Mathematics (287) led the pack, likely due to objective marking patterns.
- Political Science & IR had the most candidates (43) and averaged 268/500 — a reliable choice with consistent scoring.
- Anthropology (37 candidates, 266 avg) shows strong scoring potential with a manageable syllabus.
- GS Paper III was the hardest with an average of just 86/250 (34%) — this is where strategy matters most.
- Ethics (GS IV) was the highest-scoring GS paper at 115/250 (46%) — invest time here for maximum returns.
- Optional subject averages ranged 252-300 out of 500 — a variance of 48 marks that can shift rank by 50-100 positions.