Bihar Public Service Commission | 18 Dec 2024

Introduction

The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) conducts the Integrated Combined Competitive Examination (CCE), commonly referred to as the BPSC CCE, for the recruitment of candidates into various Group A and Group B services in the Bihar state administration.

Some of the key Group A and B posts recruited through the BPSC CCE include:
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP)
District Commander
Prison and Correctional Services Inspector
Block Development Officer (BDO)
Revenue Officer (RO)
Assistant Director
Supply Inspector
Labour Enforcement Officer
District Planning Officer, etc.

These examinations are typically held at intervals of one to two years, depending on vacancies, and are not conducted annually.

The following section provides a detailed overview of the BPSC Exam Pattern and Selection Process.

Exam Process

Stage of Exam	Type of Exam	Duration	Total Marks
Prelims	Objective	2 Hours	150 Marks
Mains	Descriptive/Objective Optional Paper (Qualifying)	3 Hours for Each Paper	1100 Marks
Interview	Personality Test	Not Defined	120 Marks

Process of Preliminary Examination

Release of Notification: The BPSC first releases a notification regarding the examination. After the release, the process of filling out the online application form begins.
Timeline of Preliminary Examination: After the completion of the application process, the preliminary examination is usually conducted 3 to 4 months later.
- The preliminary examination is conducted in a single shift on the same day at various centers across the state, as decided by the commission.
Language and Other Provisions: The question paper is available in two languages namely Hindi and English.
- In case of any discrepancy or dispute regarding the language of the question, preference will be given to the version printed in English.
Qualifying Nature of the Exam: The preliminary examination is qualifying in nature, meaning the marks obtained in this stage are not added to the marks of the main exam or the interview.
Recent Changes: Now on the basis of this examination, the number of candidates to be selected for the Main Examination will be ten times the total notified vacancies (earlier this number was about 10% of the total number of candidates who appeared in the Preliminary Examination).

Aspect	Details
Nature of Examination	Objective type; candidates choose the correct option from four provided options.
Question Paper and Marks	One General Studies paper (objective type). Total: 150 questions Maximum Marks: 150 Duration: 2 hours
Passing Criteria	Generally, candidates must score 60-70% marks to pass (varies with the difficulty level).
Marking Scheme	Each correct answer earns 1 mark. There will be a penalty of 1/3 mark for each wrong answer. Multiple answers for a question are treated as incorrect.

Mains Examination Process

For candidates who successfully qualify for the preliminary examination, the main examination is conducted in Patna at various centers designated by the BPSC. The main examination will have a total of 900 marks (except the qualifying general Hindi paper and optional paper).
Structure of Question Paper:

Component	Details
Compulsory Papers	General Hindi (Qualifying) General Studies Paper I General Studies Paper 2 Essay Paper
Optional Paper	Candidates must select one optional subject from the list provided by the commission. The standard of the optional subject will be similar to the three-year honors examination level of Patna University. The optional paper will be MCQ-based and qualifying in nature. Once selected, the optional subject choice is final and cannot be changed.

BPSC Mains Examination: Updated Structure

Subject	Nature	Marks	Duration	Remarks
General Hindi	Descriptive (Qualifying)	100	3 Hours	Minimum 30% required; marks not added to merit list
General Studies I	Descriptive	300	3 Hours	Marks included in the merit list
General Studies II	Descriptive	300	3 Hours	Marks included in the merit list
Essay	Descriptive	300	3 Hours	Marks included in the merit list
Optional Subject	MCQ-based (Qualifying)	100	3 Hours	Marks not added to merit list; minimum qualifying marks apply.

Qualifying Marks for Optional Subject

Category	Minimum Qualifying Marks
General	40%
Backward Classes (BC)	36.5%
Extremely Backward Classes (EBC)	34%
SC/ST, Women, Disabled	32%

Key Details Regarding Merit List and Examination Rules

Category	Details
Preparation of Merit List	Based on combined marks from General Studies and Essay papers. Qualified candidates will be invited for an interview before the commission
Language	Candidates may write in Hindi (Devanagari script), English, or Urdu. Writing in any other language is not allowed. Technical terms, phrases, or excerpts in English are permitted within responses in the chosen language.
Answer Writing Rules	Candidates must write answers in their own handwriting. Assistance from others is not allowed under any circumstances.
Answer Quality	Credit is given for organised, concise, and effectively expressed answers in minimal words.
Calculator Usage	Simple calculators are allowed for statistical analysis, drawing, and illustrations in GS Paper-I during the main examination. Calculators are strictly prohibited during the preliminary examination.
Rechecking of Marks	Candidates can request a recheck of total marks for ₹5 per subject via Indian Postal Order (IPO). Requests must be made within 60 days of the main examination result declaration

Interview Process

Candidates who qualify for the main examination must appear for an interview before the commission after a gap of approximately one month.
- The number of candidates invited for the interview is typically 2.5 times the number of available seats.
The personality test carries a weightage of 120 marks.
The interview assesses the personality of the candidates through oral questions posed by the members of the commission.
- The duration of the interview process may extend over several days, depending on the number of candidates.
The final merit list is prepared based on the cumulative marks obtained in the main examination and the interview.
The list of finally selected candidates is generally released within one week after the completion of the entire interview process.