UPSC Mains Optional Question Paper 2025 Out, Download Paper 1 and 2 PDF

UPSC Optional Question Paper 2025: The Optional Paper is one of the parts of the UPSC Mains Exam conducted by the Union Public Service Commission. It is a subjective paper conducted for 48 subjects in two shifts. The UPSC Mains Optional Papers 2025 is scheduled to be held on August 31, 2025, in both the morning and afternoon sessions.

The UPSC Optional Question Paper 2025 includes 48 subjects, out of which the candidates have to choose one subject and appear for two papers, namely, Paper A and Paper B.  It is essential to score good marks in this paper to boost a candidate’s ranking in the final list significantly. The direct link to download all the UPSC Optional Question Paper 2025 will be shared here with model answers once the exam is completed.

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UPSC Optional Question Paper 2025 PDF

The UPSC Optional Paper 2025 was conducted by UPSC on August 31, 2025. Both the morning and afternoon slots were alloted for the two papers of each Optional subject. Candidates are asked to choose their preferred optional subject to appear the exam during the UPSC Prelims Registration itself. The Optional Question Papers of UPSC Mains 2025 can be downloaded from the table provided below:

UPSC Optional Question Paper 2025 Overview

The UPSC Optional Question Paper 2025 includes 48 subjects, and each of the subjects is categorized into two papers, namely Paper A and Paper B. Candidates are required to appear for both papers separately in the two shifts. The total marks for each paper are 250. The time allotted for candidates to complete this paper is 3 hours. 

Effective preparation for this paper and good performance in the exam can go a long way in getting a place in the final merit. As both optional papers A and B are together allotted 500 marks, performing well here is crucial. In this sense, analyzing the previous year UPSC Optional Question Papers can help the candidates understand the changing trends in question patterns, difficulty level across different subjects, and more.

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Steps to Download Official UPSC Optional Papers

The UPSC Optional Papers for UPSC Mains 2025 are scheduled to be held on August 31, 2025, on both shifts. Candidates must perform well in these papers as they carry a weightage of 500 marks. The UPSC Optional Papers can be downloaded from the official website, which will be uploaded by UPSC after the completion of the exam cycle. 

Candidates can download the previous year's optional papers for all 48 subjects from the official website by following the steps mentioned below:

Step 1: Visit the official website: www.upsc.gov.in.

Step 2: Search and click on the 'Examination' tab.

Step 3: Select 'Previous Year Question Papers.'

Step 4: Click on the Mains section and select the optional subject you want to download

Step 5: Click on the optional paper you want to download. The Optional paper in PDF Format will appear on the screen, which can then be saved by the candidates.

UPSC Optional Question Paper 2025 Structure

Candidates who will be appearing for the UPSC Mains in 2025 will find that the UPSC Optional Question Paper is divided into two papers: Paper A and Paper B. Check the table below to know about the structure of the UPSC Optional Question Paper 2025:

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