Aspirants targeting administrative careers in the state of Bihar must gear up for the upcoming state-level assessment. The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) conducts the Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) to recruit eligible candidates for prestigious positions. With the official 72nd BPSC Prelims Exam Date officially announced for 26th July 2026, understanding the exact syllabus, exam structure, and evaluation criteria is paramount for success.
Candidates can check out the latest updates regarding the BPSC 72nd Exam 2026 Postponed - Click to Check Latest Updates or Analyze BPSC Previous Year Cut-Off Marks and Access BPSC Previous Year Question Papers Here to refine their preparation strategy.
BPSC 72nd CCE Overview & Summary
Conducted in an offline mode, the examination process evaluates aspirants rigorously across multiple tiers. The designated official website for notifications and updates is www.bpsc.bih.nic.in.
| Organization | Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) |
| Exam Name | BPSC 72nd CCE Exam |
| Prelims Exam Date | 26th July 2026 |
| Level of Exam | State Level |
| Category | Syllabus |
| Negative Marking | Prelims: ⅓ mark Mains- Nil |
| Mode of Exam | Offline |
| Selection Process | Prelims, Mains, & Interview |
| Official website | www.bpsc.bih.nic.in |
BPSC Selection Process Stages
The selection pipeline is structured across three core phases designed to filter candidates based on baseline knowledge, analytical writing depth, and overall personality suitability:
- Preliminary Examination
- Mains Examination
- Interview
| Stages of BPSC Exam | Type of Exam | Total Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prelims | Objective | 150 | 2 Hours |
| Mains | Subjective | One qualifying paper (Hindi) 900 ( 3 Papers of 300 marks each) |
3 hours for each Paper |
| Personal Interview | Physically Present | 120 | Not Defined |
BPSC Preliminary Examination Pattern & Guidelines
The preliminary tier serves as a screening test to shortlist candidates. It consists of objective-type multiple-choice questions.
| Papers | Total Question | Total Marks | Time Duration | Negative Marking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Studies | 150 | 150 marks | 2 hours | ⅓ marks |
| Total | 150 | 150 | 2 hours | ⅓ marks |
Key Examination Guidelines for Prelims
- Marks of paper will be considered for qualifying candidates for the mains exam.
- There is a negative marking of ⅓ marks in the 72nd BPSC Prelims exam.
- BPSC Prelims is screening in nature.
- Candidates need to score a minimum of marks as decided by the commission to qualify for the main exam.
- All the questions are set in English and Hindi, except for those questions that are meant to test the candidate’s knowledge of English.
BPSC Prelims Subjects & Syllabus
The prelims syllabus encompasses broad areas of general studies, emphasizing regional history, governance, and current happenings:
- General Science
- Current Affairs of National/International Importance
- History of India and Bihar
- Geography of India and Bihar
- Indian Polity
- Indian economy and economy of Bihar
- Indian Movements and Contribution of Bihar in it
- General Mental Ability
| Subjects | Topics |
|---|---|
| General Science | • General understanding of science, including matters of everyday observation and experience • The questions on Science and technology |
| Current Affairs of National/International Importance | • Topics related to Current Affairs of National/International Importance |
| History of India and Bihar | • General understanding of the subject with the broad aspects of the history of Bihar |
| Geography of India and Bihar | • Questions will relate to the physical, social and economic geography of the country, including the main features of Indian agricultural and natural resources |
| Indian Polity | • Questions will test knowledge on the country’s political system, Panchayati raj, community development and planning in India and Bihar |
| Indian economy and economy of Bihar | • Indian economy and economy of Bihar post-independence |
| Indian Movements and Contribution of Bihar in it | • Questions will relate to the nature and character of the 19th century resurgence, growth of nationalism, and attainment of independence with special reference to Bihar • Under Indian Economy and Polity, the questions will cover the following topics: Indian Political System, Panchayati Raj, Community Development, Planning in India and Bihar • Under the Indian National Movement, candidates have to focus on the resurgence in the 19th century, the nature and growth of nationalism in India, and India’s independence • Also, the role of Bihar in the Indian National Movement is important from the BPSC exam point of view |
| General Mental Ability | • Topics related to General Mental Ability |
BPSC Mains Examination Pattern & Subjects
The Mains examination is completely subjective and carries a total of 1000 marks, encompassing a qualifying General Hindi paper, GS Paper 1, GS Paper 2, and an Optional Subject/Essay paper. Note that there is nil negative marking for the Mains exam.
| Papers | Name of Paper | Total Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 72nd Combined Competitive Examination | General Hindi (Qualifying) | 100 | 3 Hours |
| 72nd Combined Competitive Examination | General Studies Paper 1 | 300 | 3 Hours |
| 72nd Combined Competitive Examination | General Studies Paper 2 | 300 | 3 Hours |
| 72nd Combined Competitive Examination | Essay | 300 | 3 Hours |
| Child Development (Project Officer (Social Welfare Department) | General Hindi | 100 | 3 Hours |
| Child Development (Project Officer (Social Welfare Department) | General Studies Paper 1 | 300 | 3 Hours |
| Child Development (Project Officer (Social Welfare Department) | General Studies Paper 2 | 300 | 3 Hours |
| Financial Administrative Officer and equivalent (Finance Department) | General Hindi | 100 | 3 Hours |
| Financial Administrative Officer and equivalent (Finance Department) | General Studies Paper 1 | 300 | 3 Hours |
| Financial Administrative Officer and equivalent (Finance Department) | General Studies Paper 2 | 300 | 3 Hours |
| Sub-Divisional Protection Officer (Social Welfare Department) | General Hindi | 100 | 3 Hours |
| Sub-Divisional Protection Officer (Social Welfare Department) | General Studies Paper 1 | 300 | 3 Hours |
| Sub-Divisional Protection Officer (Social Welfare Department) | General Studies Paper 2 | 300 | 3 Hours |
BPSC Mains Subjects/Topics
- General Hindi
- General Studies 1
- General Studies 2
- Optional Subjects
| Papers | Subjects/Topics |
|---|---|
| General Hindi | • Essay • Grammar • Syntax • Summarisation |
| General Studies 1 | • Indian Culture • Modern History of India • Contemporary events of national and international importance • Statistical Analysis, diagrams and graphs |
| General Studies 2 | • Indian and Bihar Polity • Indian and Bihar Economy • Indian and Bihar Geography • Role and impact of Science and Technology in the development of India (and Bihar) |
| Optional Subjects | • Agricultural Science • Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science • Anthropology • Botany • Chemistry • Civil Engineering • Commerce and Accountancy • Law • Economics • Electrical Engineering • Geography • Geology • History • Labour and Social Welfare • Law • Management • Mathematics • Mechanical Engineering • Philosophy • Physics • Political Science and International Relations • Psychology • Public Administration • Sociology • Statistics • Zoology • Hindi Language and Literature • English Language and Literature • Urdu Language and Literature • Bengali Language and Literature • Sanskrit Language and Literature • Persian Language and Literature • Arabic Language and Literature • Pali Language and Literature • Maithili Language and Literature |
List of Optional Subjects
There are 34 optional subjects available for the Mains examination from which candidates can choose:
- Agricultural Science
- Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science
- Anthropology
- Botany
- Chemistry
- Civil Engineering
- Commerce and Accountancy
- Law
- Economics
- Electrical Engineering
- Geography
- Geology
- History
- Labour and Social Welfare
- Law
- Management
- Mathematics
- Mechanical Engineering
- Philosophy
- Physics
- Political Science and International Relations
- Psychology
- Public Administration
- Sociology
- Statistics
- Zoology
- Hindi Language and Literature
- English Language and Literature
- Urdu Language and Literature
- Bengali Language and Literature
- Sanskrit Language and Literature
- Persian Language and Literature
- Arabic Language and Literature
- Pali Language and Literature
- Maithili Language and Literature
Personal Interview Test Guidelines
The final stage of selection is the Personal Interview, which accounts for 120 marks.
- The candidate will be interviewed by a board who will have before them a record of the candidate's career and interests filled by the candidate in the application form.
- The objective of the interview is to check the personal suitability of the candidate for a career in the state services by a board of competent and unbiased observers.
- In the personality test, apart from their academic study, candidates must be aware of the affairs happening both within and outside their state.
- The interview is more of a purposeful conversation intended to explore the mental qualities and analytical ability of the candidate.
Download Official Syllabus PDF & Next Steps
To review the exhaustive curriculum in complete detail, candidates should download the official documentation. You can access the official resource here: Official BPSC Prelims & Mains Syllabus PDF.
What to do next: After downloading and reviewing the syllabus details, candidates should immediately cross-verify their application details, track upcoming admit card timelines, organize their study notes according to the weightage of each section, and prepare necessary travel arrangements well in advance of the July exam date.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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