The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) conducts the BPSC Exam Mains as the second stage of the Combined Competitive Examination to recruit administrative officers. Candidates qualifying the Prelims must appear for mandatory papers including General Hindi, General Studies I, General Studies II, and one Optional Subject. Eligibility requires a Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university. Successful candidates are recruited into various state government posts under the Bihar Administrative Service with pay scales ranging from Level 7 to Level 9. The selection process evaluates analytical writing skills, subject depth, and administrative aptitude through descriptive papers.
BPSC officers receive a competitive salary package based on the 7th Pay Commission recommendations. Career growth includes promotions to higher administrative ranks within the Bihar state government.
The BPSC Mains examination is a descriptive-type test consisting of mandatory papers and one optional subject. Candidates must qualify in all papers to be considered for the personality test round.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Vacancies | As per official BPSC notification |
| Important Dates | As notified on bpsc.bih.nic.in |
| Application Fees | As per category norms |
| Age Limits | 20-37 years (General Male) |
| Attempt Limits | Not specified |
The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) conducts the Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) following the latest 70th CCE notification parameters. Candidates must note that the Mains examination is descriptive in nature, focusing on General Hindi (qualifying), General Studies Paper I, General Studies Paper II, and an optional subject. All candidates must track the official BPSC portal at bpsc.bih.nic.in for real-time updates regarding exam shifts, syllabus revisions, or rescheduling of the Mains examination dates.
To download the official BPSC notification, follow these steps:
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Mains Application Start | As per official schedule |
| Application Submission Deadline | As per official schedule |
| Mains Examination Date | To be notified via BPSC calendar |
The total vacancy count is determined by the Bihar State Government departments and released in the official notification. Vacancies are categorized as follows:
| Exam Year | Total Vacancies |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 1957 |
| 2023 | 475 |
| 2022 | 802 |
| Designation | Department | Pay Level |
|---|---|---|
| Sub-Divisional Officer | General Administration | Level 9 |
| Rural Development Officer | Rural Development | Level 7 |
| Revenue Officer | Revenue & Land Reforms | Level 7 |
The application fee for BPSC Mains is structured as follows:
Payments are accepted via online gateway (Credit/Debit Card, Net Banking).
The minimum age requirement is 20, 21, or 22 years depending on the specific post, with a maximum age limit of 37 years for General (Male) candidates as of the official cutoff date.
Candidates must possess a Bachelor's Degree or equivalent qualification from a recognized university. For specific technical posts, a degree in Engineering or specialized subjects is mandatory. Physical standards apply for posts under the Bihar Police Service.
| Subject | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| General Hindi | 100 | 3 Hours |
| GS Paper I | 300 | 3 Hours |
| GS Paper II | 300 | 3 Hours |
| Optional Subject | 100 | 3 Hours |
BPSC officers fall under the 7th Pay Commission scale. Basic pay ranges from INR 53,100 (Level 9) to INR 56,100 (Level 10), excluding HRA, DA, and Medical allowances provided by the Government of Bihar.
Admit cards are released 10-15 days prior to the exam. Download via bpsc.bih.nic.in using your Registration ID and Password. Carry one original photo ID (Aadhar, PAN, or Voter ID) to the exam center.
Official answer keys are published on the BPSC website post-exam. Candidates can submit objections within the specified window by paying a fee of INR 500 per question via the portal.
The final merit list is prepared based on marks secured in the Mains Examination and the Personal Interview. No normalization is applied as the papers are common for all candidates.
Focus on answer writing practice for GS papers. Prioritize Bihar-specific static and current affairs. Use flowcharts and maps to improve presentation. Allocate 60% of time to GS Paper II and 40% to Optional subjects. Practice previous year's descriptive papers under timed conditions.
The following data represents the official cut-off marks for the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) Combined Competitive (Mains) Examination, sourced directly from official BPSC result write-ups and final notification documents. Data is presented as per the official category-wise breakdowns provided by the commission for the respective exam cycles.
| Category | Mains (Written) Cut-off Marks |
|---|---|
| Unreserved (UR) | 454 |
| UR (Female) | 442 |
| EWS | 420 |
| EWS (Female) | 400 |
| SC | 392 |
| SC (Female) | 364 |
| ST | 412 |
| EBC | 408 |
| EBC (Female) | 380 |
| BC | 424 |
| BC (Female) | 404 |
| BCL | 400 |
| Disabled (VI) | 360 |
| Disabled (DD) | 310 |
| Disabled (OH) | 384 |
| Disabled (MD) | 232 |
| Grandchild of Ex-Freedom Fighter | 388 |
Source: Official BPSC 67th Combined (Main) Competitive Examination Result Write-up, Ref No: 12/2023.
| Category | Mains (Written) Cut-off Marks |
|---|---|
| Unreserved (UR) | 454 |
| UR (Female) | 442 |
| EWS | 420 |
| EWS (Female) | 400 |
| SC | 392 |
| SC (Female) | 364 |
| ST | 412 |
| EBC | 408 |
| EBC (Female) | 380 |
| BC | 424 |
| BC (Female) | 404 |
| BCL | 400 |
Source: Official BPSC 66th Combined (Main) Competitive Examination Result Write-up, Ref No: 03/2022.
| Category | Mains (Written) Cut-off Marks |
|---|---|
| Unreserved (UR) | 447 |
| UR (Female) | 427 |
| EWS | 427 |
| EWS (Female) | 402 |
| SC | 392 |
| SC (Female) | 357 |
| ST | 392 |
| EBC | 407 |
| EBC (Female) | 377 |
| BC | 422 |
| BC (Female) | 402 |
| BCL | 397 |
Source: Official BPSC 65th Combined (Main) Competitive Examination Result Write-up, Ref No: 07/2021.