BPSC Syllabus 2026 – Prelims & Mains Exam Pattern, Subject Wise Syllabus
Short Details of BPSC 72nd CCE Examination
BPSC CCE 2026 Overview
| Details | Info |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) – 72nd |
| Conducting Body | Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) |
| Exam Level | State Level (Bihar) |
| Prelims Date | 26 July 2026 |
| Application Period | 7 May – 31 May 2026 |
| Exam Mode | Offline (Prelims – OMR based; Mains – Descriptive) |
| Selection Process | Prelims → Mains → Interview |
| Official Website | bpsc.bih.nic.in |
BPSC Exam Pattern Summary
| Stage | Marks | Nature | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prelims | 150 Marks | Qualifying (marks not counted in merit) | 2 Hours |
| Mains – General Hindi | 100 Marks | Qualifying (min 30%) | 3 Hours |
| Mains – GS Paper I | 300 Marks | Merit | 3 Hours |
| Mains – GS Paper II | 300 Marks | Merit | 3 Hours |
| Mains – Essay | 300 Marks | Merit | 3 Hours |
| Mains – Optional Subject | 300 Marks | Qualifying only (Objective type) | 3 Hours |
| Interview / Personality Test | 120 Marks | Merit | – |
BPSC Selection Process 2026
- Prelims Examination – Qualifying (150 Marks, 1/3 Negative Marking)
- Mains Examination – Merit (GS I + GS II + Essay = 900 Marks; General Hindi qualifying; Optional qualifying)
- Interview / Personality Test – 120 Marks
- Document Verification
BPSC Prelims Exam Pattern 2026
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Paper | General Studies – Single Paper |
| Total Questions | 150 Questions |
| Total Marks | 150 Marks (1 mark per question) |
| Negative Marking | 1/3 mark deducted per wrong answer |
| New OMR Pattern | 5 options per question (A, B, C, D, E). Option E = Not Attempted. Blank row also attracts 1/3 negative mark. |
| Duration | 2 Hours |
| Language | Hindi and English (bilingual) |
| Nature | Qualifying only – marks not counted in final merit |
BPSC Prelims Syllabus 2026 – General Studies
General Science
- General understanding of Science including everyday observation and experience
- Physics – Motion, Light, Electricity, Magnetism
- Chemistry – Elements, Compounds, Acids, Bases, Chemical reactions
- Biology – Cell structure, Human body systems, Diseases, Nutrition
- Everyday science and recent scientific developments
- Science and Technology developments of national importance
Current Affairs – National and International
- Recent important events of national and international importance
- Government schemes and policies
- Sports events, awards and honours
- New appointments and summits
- Major developments in India and Bihar
- Bihar-specific current affairs and government programmes
History of India and Bihar
- Ancient India – Indus Valley Civilisation, Vedic Period, Maurya Empire, Gupta Empire
- Medieval India – Delhi Sultanate, Mughal Empire, regional kingdoms
- Modern India – British rule, Indian freedom movement
- History of Bihar – Ancient, Medieval and Modern periods
- Contribution of Bihar in the national freedom movement
- Major historical events and their social, economic and political impacts
Geography of India and Bihar
- Physical geography – Landforms, climate, soil types
- Indian geography – Rivers, mountains, agriculture, natural resources
- Bihar geography – Geographical divisions, major rivers, natural resources of Bihar
- Economic geography – Agriculture and industries in India
- Social geography – Population, urbanisation, demographic features
Indian Polity and Economy
- Indian Constitution – Features, Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles
- Parliament, Executive and Judiciary
- Panchayati Raj and local self-government
- Economic development and planning
- Indian economy – Agriculture, industries, trade and commerce
- Five Year Plans and current economic policies
- Bihar’s economy and development programmes
Indian National Movement
- Nature and character of the 19th century resurgence
- Growth of nationalism and the Indian National Congress
- Gandhian movements – Non-Cooperation, Civil Disobedience, Quit India
- Role of revolutionaries in the freedom struggle
- Bihar’s role in the national movement
Mental Ability and Reasoning
- Analogies – Verbal and Non-verbal
- Classification and Series completion
- Coding-Decoding
- Blood Relations
- Direction and Distance
- Number and Figure Series
- Data Interpretation
BPSC Mains Exam Pattern 2026
| Paper | Subject | Marks | Nature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I | General Hindi (Secondary level, descriptive) | 100 Marks | Qualifying (min 30%) |
| Paper II | General Studies – I (Descriptive) | 300 Marks | Merit |
| Paper III | General Studies – II (Descriptive) | 300 Marks | Merit |
| Paper IV | Essay (Descriptive) | 300 Marks | Merit |
| Paper V | Optional Subject (Objective type) | 300 Marks | Qualifying only – NOT counted in merit |
* Final merit = GS I (300) + GS II (300) + Essay (300) + Interview (120) = 1020 marks. General Hindi and Optional Paper are qualifying and not counted in merit.
BPSC Mains Syllabus 2026
General Hindi (Paper I – Qualifying)
- Questions based on Bihar School Examination Board Secondary level Hindi
- Hindi Grammar – Sandhi, Samas, Karak, Vachan, Ling
- Vocabulary – Synonyms, Antonyms, Idioms and Proverbs
- Translation – English passage to Hindi
- Essay writing in Hindi
- Letter and Precis writing in Hindi
General Studies – Paper I
- Modern History of India and Indian culture from mid-19th century with special reference to Bihar
- Introduction and expansion of Western education including technical education in Bihar
- Statesman and leaders – Gandhiji, Nehru, Rajendra Prasad, Sardar Patel
- Bihar’s role in the freedom movement – Champaran Satyagraha, Quit India
- Indian independence and partition
- Statistics of Bihar – economic and social statistics
- Geography of India with special reference to Bihar
- Bihar-specific geographical features – rivers, forests, soils, climate
- Indian polity – Constitutional development, features of the Constitution
- Bihar administration and governance structure
General Studies – Paper II
- Indian economy and planning – Five Year Plans, economic growth
- Bihar economy – Agriculture, industries and service sector
- Role of science and technology in national development
- Energy resources and their potential in Bihar
- Current national issues – Poverty, unemployment, social welfare
- India’s role in the world – international organisations, foreign policy
- Bihar-specific economic and developmental issues
- Globalisation and its impact on India
Essay (Paper IV)
- Candidates will be required to write essays on multiple topics
- Topics may be drawn from national issues, social issues, Bihar-specific topics, current affairs, environment, economy and governance
- Clarity of thought, coherence, logical flow and use of relevant examples are evaluated
Optional Subject (Paper V – Qualifying, Objective Type)
Candidates select one optional subject from the list of 34 subjects. The optional paper is objective type and qualifying only — marks are NOT counted in the final merit list.
- Agriculture
- Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science
- Anthropology
- Botany
- Chemistry
- Civil Engineering
- Commerce
- Economics
- Electrical Engineering
- Geography
- Geology
- Hindi Language & Literature
- History
- Labour and Social Welfare
- Law
- Management
- Mathematics
- Mechanical Engineering
- Medical Science
- Philosophy
- Physics
- Political Science & International Relations
- Psychology
- Public Administration
- Sociology
- Statistics
- Urdu Language & Literature
- Zoology
Important Points for BPSC CCE 2026
- BPSC CCE is conducted in three stages – Prelims, Mains and Interview.
- Prelims is qualifying only – marks NOT counted in final merit.
- Negative marking of 1/3 mark applies in Prelims for wrong answers.
- New OMR Pattern: Option E = Not Attempted. Leaving a row completely blank also attracts 1/3 negative mark.
- General Hindi (Mains Paper I) is qualifying – minimum 30% required.
- Optional Subject (Mains Paper V) is qualifying and objective type – marks NOT counted in merit.
- Final merit = GS I + GS II + Essay (900 marks) + Interview (120 marks) = 1020 marks total.
- Mains papers (except Optional) are descriptive and written in Hindi or English.
- BPSC 72nd Prelims scheduled for 26 July 2026.
BPSC CCE 2026 Preparation Tips
Candidates preparing for BPSC 72nd CCE 2026 should carefully review the complete Prelims and Mains syllabus. The key to BPSC success is Bihar-specific preparation combined with a strong national GK base.
- Master Bihar GK – History, Geography, Economy, Government Schemes and Current Affairs of Bihar are heavily tested in both Prelims and Mains.
- Build NCERT foundation – NCERT books Class 6–12 for History, Geography, Polity and Economy cover the national GK base.
- Do not guess in Prelims – 1/3 negative marking applies. Shade Option E to intentionally skip a question instead of leaving row blank.
- Practice answer writing for Mains – GS I, GS II and Essay are descriptive. Daily structured answer writing is essential.
- Choose Optional subject early – it is qualifying only but must be cleared. Select based on your graduation background.
- Follow daily current affairs – national and Bihar-specific events appear regularly in Prelims and Mains.
BPSC CCE 2026 Important Links
BPSC Syllabus 2026 – FAQs
Q1. What is the selection process for BPSC CCE 2026?
The BPSC CCE selection process includes Prelims (qualifying), Mains (GS I + GS II + Essay = 900 marks for merit, Hindi and Optional qualifying), Interview (120 marks) and Document Verification.
Q2. Is BPSC Prelims qualifying in nature?
Yes. BPSC Prelims is qualifying only. Marks obtained in Prelims are NOT counted in the final merit list.
Q3. Is there negative marking in BPSC 72nd Prelims?
Yes. 1/3 mark is deducted for each wrong answer. Additionally, Option E (Not Attempted) has been introduced on the OMR sheet. Leaving a row completely blank without selecting any option also attracts 1/3 negative mark.
Q4. What is counted in BPSC final merit?
Final merit = GS Paper I (300) + GS Paper II (300) + Essay (300) + Interview (120) = 1020 marks. General Hindi and Optional Subject papers are qualifying only and NOT counted in merit.
Q5. What is the Optional Subject in BPSC Mains?
Optional Subject is a qualifying paper of 300 marks in objective type format. Candidates select one subject from a list of 34 optional subjects. Optional marks are NOT counted in the final merit list.
Q6. What is the BPSC 72nd Prelims exam date?
The BPSC 72nd CCE Prelims is scheduled for 26 July 2026. Online applications were open from 7 May to 31 May 2026.
Q7. How many questions are in BPSC Prelims?
150 objective type MCQ questions for 150 marks in 2 hours. Each question has 5 options (A to E) where Option E means Not Attempted.