BPSC CCE selects candidates in three stages. Prelims is 150 MCQs worth 150 marks in 2 hours, with 1/3 negative marking, and it is for screening only. Mains has General Hindi (100, qualifying), GS Paper I (300), GS Paper II (300), Essay (300) and a qualifying 100-mark optional. The interview carries 120 marks. Your final merit is out of 1,020: 900 from Mains plus 120 from the interview.
Last updated: 14 October 2026 · By Ritik Raushan
BPSC exam pattern at a glance
| Stage | Papers | Marks | Type | Counted in merit? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prelims | General Studies | 150 | Objective (MCQ), offline OMR | No |
| Mains | General Hindi | 100 | Descriptive | No (30% to qualify) |
| Mains | GS Paper I | 300 | Descriptive | Yes |
| Mains | GS Paper II | 300 | Descriptive | Yes |
| Mains | Essay | 300 | Descriptive | Yes |
| Mains | Optional subject | 100 | Objective (MCQ) | No (qualifying) |
| Interview | Personality test | 120 | Interview | Yes |
| Total merit | 1,020 |
What is the BPSC Prelims exam pattern?
| Detail | Prelims |
|---|---|
| Number of questions | 150 |
| Total marks | 150 |
| Duration | 2 hours |
| Question type | Objective, multiple choice |
| Marking | +1 for a correct answer |
| Negative marking | −1/3 for a wrong answer; marking more than one option counts as wrong |
| Not attempting | BPSC has added option E for “not attempted”. Leaving all options blank attracts the same 1/3 penalty, so shade E for questions you skip |
| Medium | Hindi and English |
| Who moves on | Roughly 10 times the number of vacancies, category-wise |
Prelims marks only decide who goes on to Mains. They aren’t added to your final score. See the BPSC cut-off for the scores that have qualified in past years.
What is the BPSC Mains exam pattern?
| Paper | Marks | Duration | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Hindi | 100 | 3 hours | Qualifying: at least 30% |
| General Studies Paper I | 300 | 3 hours | Counted in merit |
| General Studies Paper II | 300 | 3 hours | Counted in merit |
| Essay | 300 | 3 hours | Counted in merit |
| Optional subject | 100 | 2 hours | Qualifying MCQ: 40% General, 36.5% BC, 34% EBC, 32% SC/ST/women/disabled |
- You can write Mains answers in Hindi, English or Urdu.
- In the Essay paper you write three essays, one from each section, of about 700 to 800 words each.
- For specialised posts such as CDPO, Financial Administrative Officer and Sub-divisional Protection Officer, the notification sets a post-specific optional paper that counts towards merit. Check the notification for your post.
For the topics in each paper, see the BPSC syllabus.
How does the BPSC interview work?
Candidates who clear Mains are called for a 120-mark personality test. You must attend the interview to be included in the final merit list. Final merit adds your GS Paper I, GS Paper II and Essay marks (900) to your interview marks (120).
What does this pattern mean for your preparation?
- Prelims is about accuracy, not attempts. At −1/3 per wrong answer, three wrong guesses cancel one correct answer. Practise with timed BPSC mock tests to find your safe attempt range.
- Mains decides your rank. 900 of the 1,020 merit marks come from GS I, GS II and Essay, so start writing answers early.
- Don’t neglect qualifying papers. Failing General Hindi or the optional removes you from the list, whatever your GS score.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are there in BPSC Prelims?
150 multiple-choice questions worth 1 mark each, to be answered in 2 hours.
Is there negative marking in BPSC?
Yes, in Prelims. One third of a mark is deducted for every wrong answer. Leaving all options blank instead of choosing option E (not attempted) is also penalised. Mains is descriptive and has no negative marking.
What is the total marks for the BPSC final merit list?
1,020 marks: GS Paper I (300), GS Paper II (300) and Essay (300) from Mains, plus the 120-mark interview.
Are Prelims marks added to the final BPSC result?
No. Prelims only screens candidates for Mains.
Can I write BPSC Mains in Hindi?
Yes. You can answer Mains papers in Hindi, English or Urdu.
BPSC revises dates and vacancy numbers through corrigenda. Always confirm details on the official website, bpsc.bihar.gov.in, before you apply or plan around a date.