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UPSC Agriculture Optional Syllabus 2025, Download Paper 1 and 2 PDF

UPSC Agriculture Optional Syllabus 2025 covers all the topics mentioned in Papers 1 and 2 of UPSC Agriculture Syllabus. Aspirants can check here for all details related to UPSC Agriculture Optional Syllabus, important topics, and preparation tips.
authorImageSubham Sahoo2 Aug, 2025
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UPSC Agriculture Optional Syllabus

UPSC Agriculture Optional Syllabus covers various topics, including Forestry, Agronomy, Agricultural Economics, Plant Genetics, etc, to be read by UPSC aspirants who opt for Agriculture Optional in the UPSC Mains Exam. Generally, most of the questions asked in the Mains exam are direct and predictable, ultimately ensuring the possibility of getting good marks.

UPSC Agriculture Optional Syllabus consists of two Papers, namely Paper 1 and Paper 2. Both papers cover specific topics related to agriculture and its allied fields. Each paper is 250 marks, totalling 500 marks for both the optional papers.

UPSC Agriculture Optional Syllabus

UPSC Syllabus for Agriculture Optional is opted by candidates who are interested in agriculture and relevant issues faced by farmers in India. This optional subject is relatively easy to prepare for candidates with an agricultural background. The UPSC Agriculture Optional Syllabus focuses on a candidate’s ability to understand the subject as a science and apply the knowledge to problems faced by the farmers. Candidates can check the table below to understand the UPSC Agriculture Optional Syllabus:

UPSC Agriculture Optional Syllabus Paper 

Paper 1 of the Agriculture Optional Syllabus covers various topics related to Ecology, Agronomy, Weed Science, Forestry, etc. Candidates can check the table below to know about the UPSC Agriculture Optional Paper 1 Syllabus:

UPSC Agriculture Optional Syllabus Paper 1
Topics Details
Ecology
  • Ecology and its relevance to man, natural resources, their sustainable management and conservation.
  • Physical and social environment as factors of crop distribution and production.
  • Agroecology, cropping patterns as indicators of environments. Environmental pollution and associated hazards to crops, animals, and humans.
  • Climate change – international conventions and global initiatives. Greenhouse effect and global warming.
Agronomy
  • Cropping patterns in different agro-climatic zones of the country.
  • Impact of high-yielding and short-duration varieties on shifts in cropping patterns.
  • Concepts of various cropping and farming systems.
  •  Organic and Precision farming
Forestry
  • Important features and scope of various types of forestry plantations
  • Propagation of forest plants. Forest products.
  • Agroforestry and value addition.
  • Conservation of forest flora and fauna
Weed Science
  • Weeds, their characteristics
  • dissemination, and association with various crops; their multiplication
  • cultural, biological, and chemical control of weeds
Soil Science and Nutrient Management
  • Soil- physical, chemical, and biological properties.
  • Processes and factors of soil formation.
  • Soils of India, Mineral and organic constituents of soils and their role in maintaining soil productivity.
  • Essential plant nutrients and other beneficial elements in soils and plants.
  • Principles of soil fertility, soil testing and fertiliser recommendations, integrated nutrient management.
  • Biofertilizers
Soil and Water Conservation
  • Soil conservation, integrated watershed management.
  • Soil erosion and its management.
  • Dryland agriculture and its problems.
  • Technology for stabilising agriculture production in rainfed areas
  • Rainwater harvesting.
  • Drip and sprinkler irrigation
  • Irrigation projects in India
Agricultural Economics
  • Farm management, scope, importance, and characteristics, farm planning.
  • Optimum resource use and budgeting.
  • Economics of different types of farming systems.
  • Marketing management – strategies for development and market intelligence
  • Crop Insurance
Agriculture Extension
  • Agricultural extension, its importance and role, methods of evaluation of extension programmes
  • Training programmes for extension workers.
  • Role of Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVK)
  • Non-Government Organisations (NGO) and self-help groups

UPSC Agriculture Optional Syllabus Paper 2

Paper 2 Syllabus of the UPSC Agriculture optional covers various topics related to Cell Structure, Plant Breeding, Seed Processing Technologies, Principles of Plant Physiology, etc. Candidates can check the table below to know about the UPSC Agriculture Optional Paper 2 Syllabus:

UPSC Agriculture Optional Syllabus Paper 2
Topics Details
Cell Biology and Plant Genetics
  • Cell structure, function, and cell cycle.
  • Synthesis, structure, and function of genetic material.
  • Laws of heredity.
  • Chromosome structure, chromosomal aberrations, linkage and cross-over, and their significance in recombination breeding.
  • Polyploidy, euploids, and aneuploids.
  • Mutations – and their role in crop improvement
Plant Breeding
  • History of plant breeding. Modes of reproduction, selfing, and crossing techniques.
  • Origin, evolution, and domestication of crop plants, centre of origin, law of homologous series, crop genetic resources conservation and utilisation.
  • Application of principles of plant breeding and improvement of crop plants.
  • Molecular markers and their application in plant improvement.
  • Pure-line selection, pedigree, mass and recurrent selections, combining ability, and its significance in plant breeding.
  • Heterosis and its exploitation.
  • Somatic hybridisation
Seed Production and Technology
  • Seed production and processing technologies.
  • Seed certification, seed testing, and storage.
  • DNA fingerprinting and seed registration.
  • Role of public and private sectors in seed production and marketing
Plant Physiology
  • Principles of Plant Physiology
  • Enzymes and plant pigments
  • Carbohydrates, protein, and fat metabolism.
  • Growth and development; photoperiodism and vernalisation.
  • Plant growth substances and their role in crop production
Horticulture and Landscaping
  • Major fruits, plantation crops, vegetables, spices, and flower crops.
  • Package practices of major horticultural crops.
  • Protected cultivation and high-tech horticulture.
  • Post-harvest technology and value addition of fruits and vegetables.
  • Landscaping and commercial floriculture
Plant Protection
  • Diagnosis of pests and diseases of crop fields
  • Classification of Pests and Diseases
  • Medicinal and Aromatic Plants
  • Fruits and Vegetables for Human Nutrition
Food Production and Nutrition Management
  • Food Production and Consumption Trends in India
  • Food Security and Growing Population
  • National and International Food Policies
  • Production, procurement, and distribution
  • Food-based dietary approaches
  • Nutritional Deficiency
 

UPSC Agriculture Optional Syllabus PDF Download

The UPSC Optional Syllabus PDF Download in print format can be downloaded from the UPSC official website, upsc.gov.in. Candidates who opt for the UPSC Agriculture Optional can visit the official website and look to download the Syllabus PDF, which will be tagged along with the UPSC notification. UPSC Agriculture Optional Syllabus has not changed significantly over the years. So, candidates can download the syllabus and all the previous year’s main question papers to get an overview of the type of questions asked in the UPSC Mains exam and also identify the important topics from it.

UPSC Agriculture Optional Syllabus 2025 

The Agriculture optional subject syllabus for UPSC is considered easier in comparison to the other UPSC optional subjects. With a static syllabus and the majority of questions asked being direct, the subject is a great option for candidates to be chosen as an Optional Subject. The advantages of opting for UPSC Agriculture Optional can be summarised as follows:

  • The Agriculture Optional Syllabus has a lot of similarity with Botany and Zoology subjects studied in the undergraduate courses and can be beneficial to particularly to those who have a degree in these subjects.

  • There are also a lot of commonalities between the UPSC Agriculture Optional Syllabus and the Mains General Studies Paper 3 syllabus. Choosing agriculture as an optional provides additional benefits with UPSC Mains GS Paper 3 as well.

  • The Agriculture Optional is pragmatic and conceptually driven, favoring more students with an analytical mind.

  • Aspirants who opt for the Agriculture Optional can make use of charts, graphs, tables, and drawings in their UPSC Mains answer to increase their chances of scoring good marks.

Looking for guidance in UPSC preparation? Explore Physics Wallah’s UPSC courses!

UPSC Agriculture Optional Syllabus FAQs

What is the UPSC Agriculture Optional Syllabus?

UPSC Agriculture Optional Syllabus includes topics such as gronomy, Soil Science, Plant Breeding, Horticulture, Agricultural Economics, Animal Husbandry, Agricultural Engineering, and Extension Education.

What are the total marks allotted to UPSC Agriculture Optional?

Each paper of the Agriculture Optional carries 250 marks, totalling 500 marks for both the optional papers.

What are the advantages of opting for UPSC Agriculture Optional?

With a static syllabus and the majority of questions asked being direct, the UPSC Agriculture Optional is a great option for candidates to be chosen as an Optional Subject.

Where can I download the UPSC Agriculture Optional Syllabus PDF?

The UPSC Agriculture Optional Syllabus PDF can be downloaded from the official website of UPSC, upsc.gov.in.

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