BharatNotes You can write Mains in English, Hindi, or any of the 22 languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution — 23 options total. You declare your medium in the DAF and must use it consistently across all merit papers.
The 23 Available Mediums for UPSC Mains
Candidates may write GS Papers I–IV, Essay, and both Optional papers in English, Hindi, or any of the 22 languages recognised by the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. That gives a total of 23 valid medium options.
Source: UPSC Civil Services Examination Rules (published annually in the Gazette of India); UPSC CSE 2025 Notification, upsc.gov.in
The 22 Eighth Schedule Languages — Grouped by Region/Family
| Region / Family | Languages |
|---|---|
| Indo-Aryan (North India) | Hindi, Sanskrit, Maithili, Dogri |
| Indo-Aryan (East India) | Bengali, Odia, Assamese |
| Indo-Aryan (West India) | Gujarati, Marathi, Konkani, Sindhi |
| Indo-Aryan (North-West) | Punjabi, Kashmiri, Urdu, Nepali |
| Dravidian (South India) | Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam |
| Sino-Tibetan / Austro-Asiatic | Manipuri (Meitei), Bodo, Santali |
Historical note: The Eighth Schedule originally had 14 languages in 1950. Sindhi was added in 1967 (21st Amendment); Konkani, Manipuri, and Nepali were added in 1992 (71st Amendment); Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, and Santali were added in 2003 (92nd Constitutional Amendment Act).
Key Rules on Medium Use
One medium for all merit papers: Once you declare a medium in the DAF, every GS paper and Essay must be written in that language. You cannot write GS Paper I in English and GS Paper II in Hindi.
Exceptions that do not violate the medium rule:
- Paper A (Compulsory Indian Language): Written in the Eighth Schedule language you select for Paper A — this is a separate choice from your main medium and does not break the medium consistency rule.
- Paper B (Compulsory English): Always in English for every candidate. Writing this paper does not count as your 'medium' and does not violate consistency if you are a Hindi-medium candidate.
- Literature Optionals: If you choose Hindi Literature, Telugu Literature, Tamil Literature, etc. as your optional subject, those two optional papers are written in that language regardless of your declared main medium. This is a recognised exception under UPSC rules.
GS in Hindi + Optional in English: Permitted — if your main GS medium is Hindi but your optional subject is a technical/science paper (e.g., Geography, Chemistry, Mathematics), you may write the optional in English. The reverse — GS in English, optional in Hindi — is NOT permitted.
How and When to Declare Your Medium
| Stage | Form | What You Declare |
|---|---|---|
| After Prelims result | DAF-I (Mains DAF) | Medium for GS + Essay + Optional; language for Paper A |
| After Mains result | DAF-II | Medium for Personality Test (Interview) |
Important: Once DAF-I is submitted, the medium cannot be changed for that attempt. Plan carefully — switching is possible only in a future attempt by filing a fresh DAF.
Interview Medium
For the Personality Test (Interview), you may choose English, Hindi, or the same Eighth Schedule language as your declared Mains medium. This is declared in DAF-II. Most candidates — including many who wrote Mains in Hindi — opt for English in the interview. You may NOT switch to a new language that was not your Mains medium for the interview.
Common Mistakes When Choosing Medium
| Mistake | Why it matters | What to do instead |
|---|---|---|
| Choosing English because 'everyone' uses it | Medium should match your expression ability, not peer pressure | Test yourself with practice answers in both languages |
| Choosing Hindi assuming it is 'easier' | Hindi requires equal effort; fewer resources means more self-work | Assess material availability before committing |
| Choosing a regional language to stay close to your roots without infrastructure | Regional medium with no test series = self-handicapping | Ensure you can build the full preparation ecosystem |
| Declaring medium in DAF without practising answer writing | You discover fluency gaps only at the exam | Practice 50+ answers in your chosen medium before DAF is submitted |
Frequently Asked Questions on Medium Rules
Q: If I choose Hindi as medium but my optional is Geography (not literature), must I write Geography in Hindi? A: No — if your GS medium is Hindi, you may write your optional in English. This is the one permitted asymmetry. The reverse (GS in English, optional in Hindi) is not permitted.
Q: If I choose Tamil as medium for Mains, can I interview in English? A: Yes. Interview medium (DAF-II) is independently declared and may differ from your Mains medium.
Q: Is Santali medium viable? A: Technically permitted, but the Santali Mains candidates count is typically fewer than 2 per year nationally. Evaluator availability for Santali (written in Ol Chiki script) is limited. This medium is only viable if you are genuinely literate in Santali and cannot express equally well in any other available medium.
Mentor Tips
- Decide before you begin preparing, not after. Switching medium mid-preparation loses 6–12 months of fluency investment.
- The 22 Eighth Schedule languages are the same list used for both the medium choice and the Paper A (Indian Language) choice — but these are two independent decisions.
- No medium has an official advantage. UPSC instructs evaluators to assess content, not language. The practical disadvantage of non-English mediums is resource availability, not examiner bias.
- Write at least 20 timed practice answers in your chosen medium before confirming your medium in DAF — this is the only reliable self-test.
