West Bengal Civil Service (WBCS) Exam – Pattern | 04 Mar 2025
Introduction
The West Bengal Public Service Commission (WBPSC) is responsible for conducting recruitment to various subordinate services, including posts related to state-specific administration.
The WBPSC conducted the West Bengal Civil Service (WBCS) Exam for recruitment to state government, semi-government, judicial, state forest services, and other subordinate services within West Bengal.
- The examination is divided into four groups—A, B, C, and D—each catering to different services.
WBCS Exam Pattern Overview
- The WBCS examination comprises three distinct stages: Prelims, Mains, and Interview. Each stage is designed with a unique pattern to test the candidates' aptitude, knowledge, and personality comprehensively.
- Below is the detailed structure of the WBCS exam:
|
Stage |
Key Features |
Number of Papers |
Marks |
Details |
|
Prelims |
Objective in Nature |
1 |
200 |
Assesses general awareness, reasoning ability, and analytical skills |
|
Mains |
Descriptive examination for candidates qualifying for the Prelims |
8 |
1600 |
Evaluates in-depth knowledge across various subjects, including general studies, essay writing, and optional subjects |
|
Interview |
Final stage to assess candidates' suitability for public service |
- |
Group A & B: 200 Marks |
Evaluates personality, communication skills, confidence, and understanding of administrative roles |
|
Group C: 150 Marks |
||||
|
Group D: 100 Marks |
- Selection and Recruitment:
- Candidates who qualify in the Prelims and Mains are shortlisted for the Interview.
- Those who clear the Interview round are eligible for recruitment to the posts they have applied for.
Prelims Exam Pattern
|
Subject |
Total Questions |
Total Marks |
Exam Duration |
Negative Marking |
|
General Studies |
200 |
200 |
2.5 Hours |
1/4th marks of the correct answer (0.25 Marks) |
- Qualification Criteria: Candidates will qualify the WBCS Prelims and proceed to the Mains exam only if they pass GS paper and meet the cutoff scores set by the WBPSC.
- The marks obtained in Prelims are not added in the final score which takes into account the marks of the Main (written) exam and interview.
- Language: The WBCS Prelims question paper will be available in both Bengali and English languages.
Mains Exam Pattern
- As per the WBCS Mains marks division, there are six Compulsory papers and one optional subject consisting of two papers (Only for candidates applying for group A and group B).
|
Paper Type |
Paper Name |
Marks |
Duration |
Format of Paper |
|
Compulsory |
1. Paper - I (Language) |
200 |
3 Hours |
Descriptive |
|
2. Paper - II (English) |
200 |
3 Hours |
Descriptive |
|
|
3. General Studies - I |
200 |
3 Hours |
Objective |
|
|
4. General Studies - II |
200 |
3 Hours |
Objective |
|
|
5. The Constitution of India and Indian Economy (Including RBI) |
200 |
3 Hours |
Objective |
|
|
6. Arithmetic and Test of Reasoning |
200 |
3 Hours |
Objective |
|
|
Optional Subject |
1. Paper I |
200 |
3 Hours |
Objective |
|
2. Paper II |
200 |
3 Hours |
Objective |
- Objective type papers will need to be answered on OMR answer sheets.
- Candidates who qualify the WBCS Mains Exam by meeting the specified cut-off will be eligible to appear for the interview.
Interview
- WBCS interview is the last stage for candidates appearing in the examination. Only those candidates who qualify WBCS prelims and mains will be eligible to appear for the interview round.