How to Prepare for BPSC?

Candidates who qualify for the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) are mostly recruited by the state administration of Bihar, various ministries, departments, and government agencies. Posts from groups B and C come under this category. The Public Service Commission of Bihar is a well-known state-level civil service examination that comes under various positions like Sub-Divisional Officers, Rural Developmental Officers, District Sanapark Officers, and other PCS level officers.

Instead of going straight away to know how to prepare for BPSC, candidates must have a thorough knowledge of the exam notification, pattern, syllabus, and so on, and how to prepare appropriately. 

The exam notification and syllabus come through the official website and different online media as well. The most intriguing aspect of the BPSC is that applicants from all over India, not just Bihar, can apply for the exam if they know spoken and written Hindi.

Educational Qualification

A candidate must have a graduate degree from a university or college or equivalent.

Different aspirants’ age limits for BPSC eligibility:

• The minimum age required to appear for the exam is 20, 21, and 22 years, and the maximum is 37 years.
• BPSC Age Limit
• Female-40 years old is a general category.
• Male-37 years old, general category
• BC/OBC Category (Female/Male)-40 years
• SC/ST (Male and Female) -42 years

BPSC Syllabus and Exam Pattern:

Unlike any other state service commission and UPSC, BPSC also conducts the exam in three stages: prelims, mains, and interview round. Both the prelims and mains exams are written in a pattern followed by an interview. Clearing The Prelims exam is qualifying for the mains, but numbers don’t count in the final result. The prelims exam pattern is objective and carries a total of 15 marks. The main exam is subjective and consists of four descriptive papers carrying a total of 900 marks. The third round is personal interviews, with a total score of 120 marks.

Let’s understand the prelim pattern of the exam:

Prelims Exam Pattern:

• Type of Exam-Objective
• Total Marks: 150 points
• No of Paper-1
• Time of Exam-2 hours
• Mode of Exam: Offline
• There is no negative marking.
• There are five options for each question, like (a, b, c, d, and e).
• Both exam papers are conducted in both Hindi and English.
• Candidates need only qualify marks to qualify for the mains.

BPSC Prelims Syllabus:

• General Science
• Relevance of National and International Current Events (Current Affairs)
• Indian History and the History of Bihar
• Indian Geography and the Geography of Bihar
• General Geography
• Indian Politics and Economics
• Bihar’s economy changed post-independence.
• Indian Freedom Movements and the Role of Bihar
• Mental Capacity in General
• Reasoning

BPSC Mains Exam Pattern:

• No. of Papers: 4 (three merit-based papers and one qualifying paper in general Hindi).
• Mains Exam (descriptive) in nature.
• Time of each paper – 3 hours
• General Studies Paper 1–300 marks
• General Studies Paper-2-300 marks
• Optional Paper: 300 marks
• Mode of Exam: -Offline

The pattern of the BPSC Mains Exam:

• Although the General Hindi Paper is qualifying in nature (30% marks required), its marks will not be counted in the calculation of the merit list.
• General Studies question papers are both in English and Hindi.
• A total of 900 marks in GS Paper-1, GS Paper-2, and Optional Paper will be used to count the score.
• There is no negative marking in the descriptive question papers.
• To appear for the interview round, candidates must complete all of the papers.
• The main exam is both scoring and qualifying in nature.

Syllabus of BPSC Mains Exam

• General Hindi- Qualifying Paper

General Studies-1

• The History of Modern India
• Bihar’s participation in the Indian Freedom Struggle
• Indian Culture
• Santhal Uprising in Bihar
• Birsa Movement
• Champaran Satyagrah
• Quit India Movement
• Mauryan and Pal Art.
• Painting by Patna Kalam
• Gandhi, Tagore, and Nehru’s roles
• Important national and internal events or issues
• Statistical analysis, as well as diagrams and graphs

General Studies -2

• Indian (and Bihar Polity)
• Indian (and Bihar Economy)
• Indian (and Bihar) Geography
• Science and Technology’s Contribution to India’s Development (and Bihar)

Interview Pattern of BPSC:

• Total Score- 120 marks
• To be seated for the interview round, you must be physically present.
• Candidates who qualify for the main exam will be called for the ‘Interview Round’.
• The candidate’s career and interests are filled out on the application form.

• A board of competent and unbiased observers evaluates the candidate’s suitability for a career in the state services.
• Preliminary exam marks are not counted towards the final merit list.
• Acquire knowledge about current affairs in the state, country, and around the world.
• This tests the mental ability and analytical quality of the applicants.

An important strategy for BPSC Exam Preparation:

To qualify for any competitive exam, a specific formula, good study materials, and consistent study are required, which should be followed. That helps to score high marks, and increases the chance of clearing all the three stages of exams:

How should I start preparing for the BPSC?

Let’s follow some preparation strategy in the given below:  

• Go through the entire syllabus to make sure you’ve understood everything.
• Make sure how to divide the day’s hours, determining which subject to study when and for how long.

How can I prepare for the BPSC at home?

• Find a conducive study environment
• Tell your family members not to disturb you during your study hours
• Maintain a strict timetable
• Discipline is essential whether you’re preparing at home or elsewhere
• Stick to the particular schedule
• Understand the syllabus

Follow the above approach for your study.

Is BPSC very tough?

All competitive exams are tough, including BPSC. There is no doubt about that. But if you’re dedicated and determined enough, you might be able to do it.

Which subject is best for BPSC?

In the exam process, all subjects have their advantages.

Is it possible for someone to get a good grade in any subject?

• Students from engineering, medical, and other backgrounds go with the humanities subjects
• Select a subject as per your interest, which makes your preparation easier
• However, choose wisely which of the 34 subjects you can give your all to

Strategic steps to follow

• Download last year’s question paper to assess your ability
• Note-making helps a lot
• Understand the concept clearly
• To stay on track, read the same books and avoid switching authors; this will only lead to frustration. Concentrate on the content of your notes rather than the number of pages you cover with notes
• Start reading newspapers if you haven’t previously to better grasp the current affairs column, which is important during the BPSC interview round. Read and access some of the leading journals and magazines
• Make precise and accurate observations about the state of Bihar, including its history, geography, culture, language, and festivals. Be familiar with maps of Bihar, India, and the rest of the country
• Take a BPSC test to check your planning and writing speed. This can also help you develop a comprehensive understanding of the educational courses and identify where you shine and where you fail. Because a strong foundation is required, make sure to read NCERT books for grades 6 through 12.

A thorough assessment of the previous year’s question papers would be highly beneficial to applicants to learn the intricacies of the questions and assess whether they are well qualified for the exam. How should I start preparing for the BPSC?