The UPSC Mains Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science Optional Question Paper 2026 is scheduled for 30 August 2026. If you have selected Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science as your optional subject, you will attempt two papers on the same day.
Paper I is scheduled from 9:00 AM to 12:00 Noon. Paper II is scheduled from 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM. You will get three hours for each paper, and each paper carries 250 marks.
The two papers together carry 500 marks in the UPSC Civil Services Mains Examination. After UPSC releases the official question papers, you can download the PDFs and review the questions asked in both sessions.
The optional subject is divided into two papers. Paper I focuses mainly on Animal Husbandry, while Paper II covers Veterinary Science.
Paper I includes areas such as animal nutrition, genetics and breeding, animal physiology, and livestock production and management. Paper II covers veterinary subjects such as medicine, pathology, pharmacology, anatomy, and veterinary public health.
|
Paper |
Marks |
Duration |
Nature of Paper |
|
Paper I |
250 |
3 Hours |
Descriptive / Conventional |
|
Paper II |
250 |
3 Hours |
Descriptive / Conventional |
|
Total |
500 |
6 Hours |
— |
You can use both papers to review the topics covered and practise writing answers within the prescribed time.
The UPSC Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science optional question paper 2026 will consist of two papers based on the prescribed UPSC syllabus. Both papers carry equal marks and have the same duration.
|
Particulars |
Details |
|
Examination |
UPSC Civil Services Mains Examination 2026 |
|
Optional Subject |
Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science |
|
Number of Papers |
2 – Paper I and Paper II |
|
Marks for Each Paper |
250 marks |
|
Total Optional Marks |
500 marks |
|
Examination Date |
30 August 2026 |
|
Paper I Timing |
9:00 AM to 12:00 Noon |
|
Paper II Timing |
2:30 PM to 5:30 PM |
|
Duration |
3 hours per paper |
|
Question Format |
Descriptive / Conventional |
|
Paper I |
Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science Optional Paper I |
|
Paper II |
Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science Optional Paper II |
|
Contribution to Written Mains Marks |
500 out of 1750 marks |
The schedule and marks can help you keep track of both papers and their respective sessions.
If you have chosen this optional subject, you can access the official question papers after UPSC releases them. The UPSC Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science optional paper 1 and Paper II will be provided separately.
You can use the PDFs to check the questions asked in each paper. Reviewing the questions can also help you compare them with the prescribed syllabus and your preparation.
|
Download Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science Optional Paper PDF |
|
|
Paper |
|
|
Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science Optional Paper I |
Available Soon |
|
Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science Optional Paper II |
Available Soon |
The official PDF links will be added once UPSC releases the question papers.
You can follow these steps to access the official PDFs:
Visit the official UPSC website.
Open the question papers section.
Find the Civil Services (Main) Examination 2026.
Look for the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science optional subject.
Select Paper I or Paper II.
Open the relevant PDF.
Download and save the question paper.
You should use the official UPSC website to access the released question papers.
The UPSC Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science Optional Paper 2 is not the first paper; Paper I focuses on Animal Husbandry. It carries 250 marks and is scheduled from 9:00 AM to 12:00 Noon on 30 August 2026.
Paper I covers topics related to animal nutrition, genetics and breeding, physiology, livestock production and management. These areas form part of the prescribed syllabus for the optional subject.
Once the official question paper is released, you can compare the questions with the syllabus. This can help you identify the topics covered in the examination.
You can use Paper I to:
Review questions from different syllabus areas.
Match questions with the relevant topics.
Revise important concepts related to Animal Husbandry.
Practise descriptive answers within three hours.
Identify areas that require additional revision.
Compare the questions with your notes and preparation.
Previous years' question papers can also be used for timed practice.
Paper II carries 250 marks and is scheduled from 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM on 30 August 2026.
It covers Veterinary Science topics included in the UPSC syllabus. These include veterinary medicine, pathology, pharmacology, anatomy, and veterinary public health.
You can review the questions after the official PDF is released. Comparing them with your notes can help you identify topics that need more attention.
You can also select questions from Paper II and attempt them within the three-hour time limit. This can help you practise answer presentation and manage the available time.
Paper I and Paper II together carry 500 marks in the optional subject.
Once the official PDFs are available, you can study the papers in a more focused way. Start with the questions that relate directly to the topics you prepared. Then check whether the paper gives more weight to conceptual areas, applied aspects or specific topics from the syllabus.
You can focus on these points while reviewing the papers:
Topic distribution: Note the syllabus areas from which questions have been asked.
Question approach: Check whether questions require explanation, comparison, analysis or application of concepts.
Subject balance: See how the questions are spread across Animal Husbandry in Paper I and Veterinary Science in Paper II.
Answer requirements: Identify questions that require diagrams, examples, classifications or detailed explanations.
Time required: Try selected questions under the same time limit to check your writing speed.
Preparation gaps: Mark questions from topics that you could not answer confidently.
You can then use these observations while revising your notes. Comparing the 2026 questions with previous years can also help you see whether certain areas have been asked in different ways.