At this moment, there is no official notification from the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) about the removal of the optional subject from the Civil Services Examination (CSE) for the 2025 cycle. However, there have been rumors as a result of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and changes in civil service employment.
Despite this, those who are aiming for UPSC 2025 should carry on studying according to the current format of the examination unless and until any notification is issued.
While some experts believe that changes are on the horizon, aspirants preparing for UPSC 2025 should continue their preparation with the current exam pattern unless an official update is released.
Why Is There a Discussion About Removing Optional Subjects?
The debate around removing optional subjects stems from concerns about:
-
Uneven scoring patterns across different optionals
-
Limited access to guidance for rural candidates
-
The growing demand to make the exam more streamlined and uniform
Moreover, as we saw in the case of NEP 2020 and debates on changing the recruitment to meet the requirement of the modern governance system, the concept of changing the existing structure has emerged.
Read More: Why UPSC Aspirants Should Not Ignore Previous Year Papers?
What Are the Current Components of the UPSC Mains Exam?
|
Paper |
Subject |
Marks |
|---|---|---|
|
Paper A |
Compulsory Indian Language (Qualifying) |
300 |
|
Paper B |
English (Qualifying) |
300 |
|
Paper I |
Essay |
250 |
|
Paper II |
General Studies I |
250 |
|
Paper III |
General Studies II |
250 |
|
Paper IV |
General Studies III |
250 |
|
Paper V |
General Studies IV |
250 |
|
Paper VI |
Optional Subject – Paper 1 |
250 |
|
Paper VII |
Optional Subject – Paper 2 |
250 |
Total (Written Test): 1750 Marks
Personality Test (Interview): 275 Marks
Optional subjects currently contribute 500 marks to the total written exam and play a significant role in the final merit list.
Should I Still Prepare for the Optional Subject?
Absolutely. Until UPSC releases an official notification stating otherwise, aspirants should stick to the current syllabus and continue preparing for their chosen optional subject.
Ignoring the optional preparation at this stage could negatively impact your performance if the pattern remains unchanged for 2025.
For UPSC Online Mock Test Sample Papers and Latest Courses for Latest Exam
For UPSC Online Previous Year Question Papers for the Latest Exam
How Can NCERT Books and Sample Papers Help in UPSC Preparation?
NCERT books for UPSC are highly recommended as they form a good base for subjects such as History, Geography, and Economics, Polity etc. They are particularly useful for both the Prelims and the Mains portion and should be your first point of reference.
Solving UPSC sample papers is useful as it familiarizes the candidate with the kind of questions that may be asked in the exam, time management and how prepared he/she is for the examination. Sample papers are very useful since they resemble the actual test and help to evaluate one’s performance.
It is advised to go through the NCERT books for UPSC on a regular basis and solve UPSC sample papers to improve your preparation.
What Should UPSC 2025 Aspirants Do Now?
As much as there are discussions on the elimination of optional courses, no such change has been made. Keep up with your current preparation pattern, it is advisable to build your concepts based on the NCERT books for UPSC and solve papers on daily basis.
The candidates should frequently check the official website of UPSC and remain committed to their preparations. Being prepared for any scenario will ensure you don’t miss your chance due to last-minute changes.
