Syllabus of BPSC | BPSC Prelims Mock Test Series & Past Year Papers 2024 - BPSC (Bihar) PDF Download

Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) conducts the prestigious BPSC exam, which is a State Level Civil Services Exam aimed at recruiting candidates for various positions such as Sub Divisional Officer, Rural Development Officer, District Sanapark Officer, and other PCS level Officers. The BPSC Syllabus for the year 2023 is determined by the Bihar Public Service Commission, an institution that assists the Bihar State Government in recruitment, transfer, and disciplinary matters related to public service in the state.

Stages of BPSC CSE Examination

The BPSC Exam (Combined Competitive Exam) is held in three stages:
1. BPSC Preliminary Examination (objective type) for the selection of candidates for the Main Examination. BPSC Prelims syllabus focuses on general and societal awareness tested by objective-type (MCQ) questions.
2. BPSC Main Examination - 4 descriptive papers (1 qualifying + 3 merit ranking) for 900 marks It is for selecting candidates for interview for various services & posts as mentioned in the official notification.  BPSC Mains syllabus, on the other hand, is much more comprehensive as this stage comprises nine theory papers.
3. BPSC Interview for the selection of candidates for various services & posts as mentioned in the official notification

BPSC Prelims Syllabus

The Prelims are the screening stage before the BPSC Mains. The marks in Prelims will not be taken into consideration for the final merit list. The BPSC Prelims Exam Syllabus and Pattern is

Few points to note regarding BPSC Syllabus for Prelims

• The questions on Science and Tech will be such that they do not require subject specialization.
• Under History, candidates also need to focus on the economic, political and social aspects.
• In both History and Geography, candidates have to prepare the history and geography of Bihar as well.
• Under Geography, questions will also be based on the social and economic geography of Bihar and India, including Indian agriculture and the use of natural resources.
• Under the 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.

BPSC Mains Syllabus

Candidates who clear the Prelims stage will be eligible for BPSC Mains. Approximately, the number of candidates selected for Mains will be equal to 10 times the total number of vacancies.
The BPSC Mains Exam Syllabus and Pattern is

The Hindi paper and Optional Paper are the  qualifying paper and  will not be counted for the overall merit.

The BPSC Syllabus for GS 1 will include:

• Modern Indian History (and Bihar) – mid 19th century onwards
• Important personalities – Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Rabindranath Tagore
• Western Education and Technical Education in Bihar
• Role of Bihar in the Indian National Movement
  1. Santhal Revolt
  2. 1857 war of independence
  3. Champaran Satyagraha
  4. Quit India Movement, 1942
• Mauryan and Pal Art
• Patna Kalam Paintings
• Analysis of graphical/diagrammatical/statistical data

Syllabus for GS Paper 2

• Indian Polity ( Questions based on the political system in India including Bihar)
• Indian economy and Geography of India (Questions on planning in India and the physical, economic and social geography of India and Bihar)
• The role and impact of science and technology in the development of India (Questions to test awareness of the role and impact of science and technology in India and Bihar with special reference to applied science.

There is a significant overlap between the BPSC syllabus and the UPSC  Syllabus.

Syllabus for Optional

 In BPSC Mains, The optional paper, worth 100 marks, is qualifying in nature and consists of multiple-choice questions (MCQs). To qualify, general category candidates must secure at least 40%, backward classes 36.5%, extremely backward classes 34%, and SC/ST, women, and disabled candidates 32%.
Optional Subjects in BPSC Syllabus are

1. English Language and Literature
2. Urdu Language and Literature
3. Hindi Language and Literature
4. Persian Language and Literature
5. Arabic Language and Literature
6. Pali Language and Literature
7. Maithili Language and Literature
8. Bengali Language and Literature
9. Sanskrit Language and Literature
10. Chemistry
11. Sociology
12. Physics
13. Agriculture
14. Statistics
15. Botany
16. Zoology
17. Philosophy
18. Political Science and International Relations
19. Psychology
20. Public Administration
21. Labour and Social Welfare
22. Management
23. Mathematics
24. Mechanical Engineering
25. Geography
26. Geology
27. History
28. Law
29. Civil Engineering
30. Economics
31. Commerce and Accountancy
32. Electrical Engineering
33. Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science
34. Anthropology

The final merit list will be prepared based on candidates’ marks in Mains (900) and Interview (120). In addition to this, to prepare for the BPSC civil services exam, candidates should review the IAS Syllabus as well. There may be certain similarities between the subjects and topic lists for the BPSC and CSE exams. Those who are looking for motivation to excel in the state or central Public Service Commission exams must refer to the success stories of UPSC toppers and learn from their strategies.