UPSC Physics Optional Syllabus: Books & Strategy
Gajendra Singh Godara
Oct 8, 2025
15
mins read
The UPSC Physics optional is a popular choice for science graduates preparing for Civil Services. It has a well-defined syllabus of two papers (Paper 1 & 2), each 250 marks, covering classical and modern physics. Aspirants with a strong foundation in physics or engineering can use this static, formula-driven syllabus to score high marks. As of the 2025 cycle, the upsc physics optional syllabus remains unchanged, making it ideal for disciplined study and consistent practice (answers are largely objective and repeat conceptually from year to year).
Physics optional is especially suited for candidates from science or engineering backgrounds. If you have a degree in physics or engineering, choosing Physics can be a good strategic decision. Many recent toppers have opted for Physics, even over more “popular” humanities options, because a well-prepared student can reliably score 270-300+ out of 500. The subject’s static, technical syllabus means questions evolve little over time, and success depends on understanding fundamentals, not on current events. For a student with genuine interest and problem-solving skills, Physics can turn out to be one of the highest-scoring optionals.
Physics optional is one of the 48 available optional subjects and is highly specialized. Its syllabus assumes a graduate-level background and covers topics from classical mechanics to quantum theory and solid-state physics. Unlike some social science optionals, it has minimal overlap with GS subjects. The syllabus is completely static (no yearly changes), so you can use standard textbooks and past papers to prepare. UPSC conducts both Paper 1 and Paper 2 on the same day, each 3 hours long. Each paper has 8 questions (with internal choices) – typically Question 1 & 5 are compulsory short questions – and a mix of 10-, 15-, and 20-mark parts.
Exam Pattern, Marks, and Papers
Papers: Two papers (Paper 1 & Paper 2), 3 hours each.
Marks: 500 total (250 per paper).
Questions: Each paper has 8 questions (with subparts). Usually Questions 1 and 5 are compulsory. Marks are distributed in 10, 15, 20-mark parts.
Type of Questions: Theory questions, derivations, and numerical problems. Answers should be concise with key formulas and labeled diagrams.
The following tables give the detailed structured syllabus as given by UPSC:
UPSC Physics Optional Paper 1 | |
| Laws of motion; conservation of energy and momentum, applications to rotating frames, centripetal and Coriolis accelerations; Motion under a central force; Conservation of angular momentum, Kepler's laws; Fields and potentials; Gravitational field and potential due to spherical bodies, Gauss and Poisson equations, gravitational self-energy; Two-body problem;Reduced mass; Rutherford scattering; Centre of mass a laboratory reference frames. |
(b) Mechanics of Rigid Bodies | System of particles; Centre of mass, angular momentum, equations of motion; Conservation theorems for energy, momentum, and angular momentum; Elastic and inelastic collisions; Rigid body; Degrees of freedom, Euler's theorem, angular velocity, angular momentum, moments of inertia, theorems of parallel and perpendicular axes, equation of motion for rotation; Molecular rotations (as rigid bodies); Di and tri-atomic molecules; Processional motion; top, gyroscope. |
(c) Mechanics of Continuous Media | Elasticity, Hooke's law and elastic constants of isotropic solids and their inter-relation; Streamline (Laminar) flow, viscosity, Poiseuille's equation, Bernoulli's equation, Stokes' law and applications. |
(d) Special Relativity: | Michelson-Morley experiment and its implications; Lorentz transformations-length contraction, time dilation, the addition of relativistic velocities, aberration, and Doppler effect, mass-energy relation, simple applications to a decay process; Four-dimensional momentum vector; Covariance of equations of physics. |
2. Waves and Optics
| Simple harmonic motion, damped oscillation, forced oscillation and resonance; Beats; Stationary waves in a string; Pulses and wave packets; Phase and group velocities; Reflection and Refraction from Huygens' principle. |
b)Geometrical Optics: | Laws of reflection and refraction from Fermat's principle; Matrix method in paraxial optics-thin lens formula, nodal planes, system of two thin lenses, chromatic and spherical aberrations. |
c) Interference: | Interference of light-Young's experiment, Newton's rings, interference by thin films, Michelson interferometer; Multiple beam interference, and Fabry-Perot interferometer |
d)Diffraction: | Fraunhofer diffraction-single slit, double slit, diffraction grating, resolving power; Diffraction by a circular aperture and the Airy pattern; Fresnel diffraction: half-period zones and zone plates, circular aperture. |
e)Polarization and Modern Optics: | Production and detection of linearly and circularly polarized light; Double refraction, quarter wave plate; Optical activity; Principles of fibre optics, attenuation; Pulse dispersion in step index and parabolic index fibres; Material dispersion, single mode fibres; Lasers-Einstein A and B coefficients; Ruby and He-Ne lasers; Characteristics of laser light-spatial and temporal coherence; Focusing of laser beams; Three-level scheme for laser operation; Holography and simple applications. |
3. Electricity and a)Magnetism:Electrostatics and Magnetostatics: | i) Laplace and Poisson equations in electrostatics and their applications; Energy of a system of charges, multiple expansion of scalar potential; Method of images and its applications; Potential and field due to a dipole, force and torque on a dipole in an external field; Dielectrics, polarization; Solutions to boundary-value problems-conducting and dielectric spheres in a uniform electric field; Magnetic shell, uniformly magnetized sphere; Ferromagnetic materials, hysteresis, energy loss. ii)Current Electricity: Kirchhoff's laws and their applications; Biot-Savart law, Ampere's law, Faraday's law, Lenz' law; Self-and mutual-inductances; Mean and RMS values in AC circuits; DC and AC circuits with R, L, and C components; Series and parallel resonances; Quality factor; Principle of transformer. |
4.Electromagnetic Waves and Blackbody Radiation: | Displacement current and Maxwell's equations; Wave equations in vacuum, Pointing theorem; Vector and scalar potentials; Electromagnetic field tensor, covariance of Maxwell's equations; Wave equations in isotropic dielectrics, reflection and refraction at the boundary of two dielectrics; Fresnel's relations; Total internal reflection; Normal and anomalous dispersion; Rayleigh scattering; Black body radiation and Planck's radiation law, Stefan - Boltzmann law, Wien's displacement law and Rayleigh-Jeans' law. |
5. Thermal and Statistical Physics: a)Thermodynamics | i)Laws of thermodynamics, reversible and irreversible processes, entropy; Isothermal, adiabatic, isobaric, isochoric processes and entropy changes; Otto and Diesel engines, Gibbs' phase rule and chemical potential; van der Waals equation of state of a real gas, critical constants; Maxwell-Boltzman distribution of molecular velocities, transport phenomena, equi-partition, and virial theorems; Dulong-Pet it, Einstein, and Debye's theories of specific heat of solids; Maxwell relations and applications; Clausius- Clapeyron equation; Adiabatic de-magnetisation, Joule-Kelvin effect and liquefaction of gases. ii)Statistical Physics: Macro and micro states, statistical distributions, Maxwell-Boltzmann, Bose-Einstein, and Fermi-Dirac distributions, applications to specific heat of gases and black body radiation; Concept of negative temperatures |
UPSC Physics Optional Paper 2 | |
1. Quantum Mechanics: | Wave-particle duality; Schroedinger equation and expectation values; Uncertainty principle; Solutions of the one-dimensional Schroedinger equation for a free particle (Gaussian wave-packet), particle in a box, particle in a finite well, linear harmonic oscillator; Reflection and transmission by a step potential and by a rectangular barrier; Particle in a three-dimensional box, density of states, free electron theory of metals; Angular momentum; Hydrogen atom; Spin half particles, properties of Pauli spin matrices. |
2. Atomic and Molecular Physics: | Stern-Gerlach experiment, electron spin, fine structure of hydrogen atom; L-S coupling, J-J coupling; Spectroscopic notation of atomic states; Zeeman effect; Frank Condon principle and applications; Elementary theory of rotational, vibrational and electronic spectra of diatomic molecules; Raman effect and molecular structure; Laser Raman spectroscopy; Importance of neutral hydrogen atom, molecular hydrogen and molecular hydrogen ion in astronomy; Fluorescence and Phosphorescence; Elementary theory and applications of NMR and EPR; Elementary ideas about Lamb shift and its significance. |
3. Nuclear and Particle Physics: | (a)Basic nuclear properties-size, binding energy, angular momentum, parity, magnetic moment; Semi-empirical mass formula and applications, mass parabolas; Ground state of deuteron, magnetic moment and non-central forces; Meson theory of nuclear forces; Salient features of nuclear forces; Shell model of the nucleus - successes and limitations; Violation of parity in beta decay; Gamma decay and internal conversion; Elementary ideas about Mossbauer spectroscopy; Q-value of nuclear reactions; Nuclear fission and fusion, energy production in stars; Nuclear reactors. |
(b)Classification of elementary particles and their interactions; Conservation laws; Quark structure of hadrons; Field quanta of electro weak and strong interactions; Elementary ideas about unification of forces; Physics of neutrinos. | |
4. Solid State Physics, Devices and Electronics: | (a)Crystalline and amorphous structure of matter; Different crystal systems, space groups; Methods of determination of crystal structure; X-ray diffraction, scanning, and transmission electron microcopies; Band theory of solids - conductors, insulators and semiconductors; Thermal properties of solids, specific heat, Debye theory; Magnetism: para and ferro magnetism; Elements of superconductivity, Meissner effect, Josephson junctions, and applications; Elementary ideas about high-temperature superconductivity. |
| |
No single book covers the entire syllabus, so aspirants rely on topic-wise standard texts. Notable recommendations:
Mechanics: Fundamentals of Mechanics by J.C. Upadhyaya or Classical Mechanics (Goldstein) for depth. D.S. Mathur’s solved examples are great for practice.
Electromagnetism: Theory and Problems of Electromagnetics by Satya Prakash (for UPSC scope) or Introduction to Electrodynamics by David J. Griffiths (for understanding). S.N. Ghoshal or D.C. Tayal (for Mags/Elec) are also used.
Waves & Optics: Optics by Ajoy Ghatak or Brijlal & Subramanyam. For polarization and advanced topics, Ghatak is very thorough.
Thermal Physics: Thermodynamics, Statistical Physics & Kinetic Theory by S.K. Garg, Bansal & Ghosh (NCERT is a good primer). P.K. Chakraborty’s book is also helpful.
Quantum Mechanics: Concepts of Physics Vol. 2 by H.C. Verma (clear explanations and problems). For advanced theory, Resnick & Eisberg or Modern Physics by Beiser. Griffiths’ Quantum Mechanics is excellent for conceptual clarity.
Atomic & Molecular: Atomic & Molecular Physics by Rajkumar is the standard choice. Beiser’s Concepts of Modern Physics (for atomic structure) and Introduction to Atomic Spectra (C. Rajam) are also cited.
Nuclear & Particle Physics: Nuclear Physics by S.B. Patel or S.N. Ghoshal (covers shell model, decays). D.C. Tayal (Nuclear Physics) can supplement tricky parts. Particle physics basics can be learned from books or class notes (Birla Institute’s book or online sources).
Solid State & Electronics: Solid State Physics by Puri & Babbar (includes semiconductors) and a basic electronics text (e.g. Electronic Devices & Circuits by Millman & Halkias or Electronic Principles by Malvino/Boylestad). Logic gates can be learned from any digital electronics guide.
Supplementary References: University Physics by Resnick/Halliday (good for fundamentals), NCERTs (for basic concepts), and solved-answer compilations (Arun Kumar, Nirali Prakashan) can aid revision.
A focused, structured plan is key. Consider the following approach:
Master the Syllabus: Read the UPSC Physics syllabus carefully, word-for-word. Break it into small sections and tick them off as you complete topics.
Plan a Schedule: Allocate time per topic based on difficulty and familiarity. e.g., set aside weeks for Mechanics, Waves, etc. Include a buffer for revision. A suggested plan:
Phase 1 (1–2 months): Cover all theory topics sequentially (Mechanics, Optics, etc.).
Phase 2 (1 month): Intensive problem-solving (numerical exercises and derivations) in each area.
Phase 3: Revision cycle – revisit tricky sections, solve past questions, write mock answers.
Use Standard Books & Notes: Study each topic from the recommended book(s). Make handwritten notes of key points, formulas, and derivations. Create a formula sheet for quick revision of important equations.
Practice Daily: Physics requires practice. Solve numerical problems and derivations regularly. Aim to do example problems every day, especially in Mechanics and E&M.
Past Papers & Answer Writing: Solve 10–15 years of UPSC Physics optional papers to understand question patterns. Write full-length answers under timed conditions. emphasizes that analyzing past papers helps identify high-yield topics. In your answers, always define terms at the start, use stepwise derivations, label diagrams, and conclude with applications/facts.
Revision Cycles: Regularly review your notes and formula sheet. Each revision should be briefer but make sure you can recall key derivations and concepts.
Join Test Series or Group Study: If possible, join a test series for Physics optional or form a study group. Peer discussion and mock tests improve answer-writing skills and timing.
Physics optional is intellectually demanding. Key challenges include:
Heavy Math Rigor: Many topics involve advanced mathematics (calculus, vectors, differential equations). If you’re weak in math, focus first on fundamentals (e.g., vectors, complex numbers, basic ODEs). Practice step-by-step problem solving and understand each derivation logically. Over time, formulas and procedures will become intuitive.
Volume of Concepts: The syllabus is vast. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Tip: Don’t try to memorize everything. Focus on core principles (Newton’s laws, Maxwell’s equations, Schrödinger equation) and derivations. Build conceptual clarity – once you understand a law, you can derive specific results. Break topics into sub-parts and master one at a time.
Balancing with GS and Current Affairs: Physics optional demands a lot of study time. To balance, allocate fixed daily hours to optional (e.g. mornings) and use remaining time for GS and revision. Since Physics rarely overlaps with current affairs, keep your science & tech general studies in a separate routine (e.g. weekly notes). This separation of schedules can prevent optional from consuming all your study hours.
Maintaining Motivation: The sheer rigor can be discouraging at times. Stay motivated by tracking small wins (solving a tough problem, improving test scores). Remember that unlike subjective humanities, Physics answers are fact-based, so your score depends only on your effort and clarity, not on opinions or interviewer mood.
With disciplined effort, these challenges become manageable. Many aspirants find that steady practice and revisions turn Physics from a tough subject into a scoring one.
Conclusion
Physics optional is a challenging but rewarding choice for UPSC aspirants with a science background. Its fixed syllabus and objective nature allow you to plan and target high scores. The keys to success are: thorough syllabus coverage, regular problem-solving, and disciplined revision. With the right resources (standard textbooks, quality notes, past papers) and a structured strategy, aspirants can master this subject. If you genuinely enjoy physics and are willing to commit time daily, Physics optional can significantly boost your UPSC performance. Remember, consistent hard work often pays off – several past toppers’ high scores in Physics are proof.
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