The WBCS exam syllabus is established by the West Bengal Public Service Commission (WBPSC). Aspirants gearing up for the West Bengal Civil Service (WBCS) Exam are encouraged to review the syllabus before commencing their preparation.
The examination comprises three tiers: Preliminary, Main, and Interview. This article provides candidates with insights into the WBCS Syllabus and the exam patterns for both prelims and mains.
WBCS Syllabus 2024
The West Bengal Public Service Commission conducts the WBCS Exam, which unfolds in three stages:
1. Preliminary
2. Mains
3. Interview
The WBCS Prelims exam focuses on a single paper covering General Studies. On the other hand, the WBCS Mains Exam comprises six compulsory papers, including one optional subject with two papers. Candidates opting for the optional subject participate in the exams for Group A and Group B posts. Among the six subjects in the WBCS Mains exam, four are Objective types, while the remaining two are Descriptive types.
WBCS Syllabus 2024 for Preliminary Exam.
The WBCS Preliminary Exam is an objective-type examination comprising 200 Multiple Choice Questions, centered around eight topics/subjects, with each carrying 25 marks.
The primary objective of the Prelims Exam is to screen candidates, and the marks obtained in this phase are not included in the final selection. The exam has a duration of 2 hours.
| S. No. | Name of Topics | Name of Sub-topics |
| 1. | English Composition | Vocabulary Test, Synonyms and Antonyms, One-word Substitution, Idioms and Phrases, Phrasal Verbs, Homophones, Fill in the Blanks with Correct Part of Speech |
| 2. | General Science | General Appreciation, Matters of Everyday Observation, Understanding of Sciences, Experience as Expected from an Educated Person Not Having Made Special Studies of Scientific Disciplines |
| 3. | Current Events of National and International Importance | Significant Events Affecting India and Its Relations with the World |
| 4. | History of India | Ancient, Medieval, Modern |
| 5. | Geography of India with Special Reference to West Bengal | Physical Geography, Social Geography, Economic Geography |
| 6. | Indian Polity and Economy | Indian Economy, Panchayati Raj, Constitutional Bodies, etc |
| 7. | Indian National Movement | Nature and Character of Nineteenth-Century Resurgence, Growth of Nationalism, Attainment of Independence |
| 8. | General Mental Ability | Logical Reasoning, Common Aptitude |
WBCS Preliminary Exam Pattern
| Name of the Subject | Total Marks | Total Number of Questions | Duration |
| English Composition | 25 | 25 | 2 Hours |
| General Science | 25 | 25 | 2 Hours |
| Current events of National and international importance | 25 | 25 | 2 Hours |
| History of India | 25 | 25 | 2 Hours |
| Geography of India with special reference to West Bengal | 25 | 25 | 2 Hours |
| Indian Polity and Economy | 25 | 25 | 2 Hours |
| Indian National Movement | 25 | 25 | 2 Hours |
| General Mental Ability | 25 | 25 | 2 Hours |
| Total | 200 | 200 | 2 Hours |
WBCS Syllabus 2024 for Mains Exam
Only candidates who successfully clear the WBCS Prelims Exam will qualify for the next stage, which is the Mains Exam. The Mains Exam consists of six compulsory papers and one optional subject with two papers. Each paper has a time duration of 3 hours.
The provided table offers a clear understanding of the WBCS Mains Exam Syllabus
| Number of Paper | Subject Name | Topics |
| Paper 1 | Bengali/ Hindi/ Urdu/ Nepali/ Santali | – Letter Writing of 150 words |
| – Drafting of Report of 200 words | ||
| – Precis Writing | ||
| – Composition | ||
| – Translation from English to Bengali/ Hindi/ Urdu/ Nepali/ Santali | ||
| Paper 2 | English | – Letter Writing in 150 words |
| – Drafting of Report in 200 words | ||
| – Precis Writing | ||
| – Composition | ||
| – Translation from Bengali/ Hindi/ Urdu/ Nepali/ Santali to English | ||
| Paper 3 | General Studies – 1 | – Indian History with an emphasis on National Movement |
| – Geography of India with special reference to West Bengal | ||
| Paper 4 | General Studies – 2 | – Science and Scientific & Technological advancement |
| – Environment | ||
| – General Knowledge | ||
| – Current Affairs | ||
| Paper 5 | The Constitution of India and the Indian Economy | – Role of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) |
| – Functions of RBI | ||
| Paper 6 | Arithmetic | – Similar to the Mathematics paper at the Madhyamik Examination of the Board of Secondary Education, West Bengal |
| – Analytical Reasoning: Data Sufficiency Logical Reasoning: Logical Deduction | ||
| – Forcefulness of the Arguments | ||
| – Implication of sentences | ||
| – Inferring from diagrams | ||
| – Test of Reasoning: Series: Letter series | ||
| – Number series | ||
| – Inferring from Data | ||
| – Analogy tests | ||
| – Symbol Interpretation | ||
| – Mathematical puzzles | ||
| – Old man out | ||
| – Perception test | ||
| – Non-verbal Reasoning: Selecting the correct sequence | ||
| Paper 7 & Paper 8 | Optional Papers | – Both papers are based on the subject selected or opted for by candidates |
WBCS Syllabus, Optional Subject for Mains Exam
Candidates can select one subject from the 37 optional subjects for the WBCS Mains Exam. The available subjects in the WBCS Syllabus for Mains Exam are:
- Bengali
- Hindi
- Sanskrit
- English
- Pali
- Arabic
- Persian
- French
- Urdu
- Santali
- Comparative Literature
- Agriculture
- Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science
- Anthropology
- Botany
- Chemistry
- Civil Engineering
- Commerce and Accountancy
- Computer Science
- Economics
- Electrical Engineering
- Geography
- Geology
- History
- Law
- Mathematics
- Management
- Mechanical Engineering
- Medical Science
- Philosophy
- Physiology
- Physics
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Statistics
- Zoology
WBCS Mains Exam Pattern
| Papers | Group ‘A’ | Group ‘B’ | Group ‘C’ | Group ‘D’ |
| Language Paper (Bengali/ Hindi/ Urdu/ Nepali/ Santali) | 200 | 200 | 200 | 200 |
| English Paper | 200 | 200 | 200 | 200 |
| General Studies – Paper 1 | 200 | 200 | 200 | 200 |
| General Studies – Paper 2 | 200 | 200 | 200 | 200 |
| Constitution of India and Indian Economy | 200 | 200 | 200 | 200 |
| Arithmetic and Test of Reasoning | 200 | 200 | 200 | 200 |
| Optional Subject – (One subject: Two papers of 200 marks each) | 400 | 400 | NA | NA |
| Personality Test | 200 | 200 | 150 | 100 |
| Total Marks | 1800 | 1800 | 1350 | 1300 |
WBCS Syllabus FAQS
1. What is the WBCS exam conducted by the West Bengal Public Service Commission?
The West Bengal Civil Service (WBCS) exam is conducted by the West Bengal Public Service Commission to recruit candidates for various administrative positions.
2. How many stages does the WBCS exam have, and what are they?
The WBCS exam comprises three stages: Preliminary, Mains, and Interview.
3. What does the WBCS Prelims exam focus on, and how many papers are there?
The WBCS Prelims exam focuses on a single paper covering General Studies. It consists of 200 Multiple Choice Questions based on eight topics/subjects.
4. Is the WBCS Prelims Exam objective or subjective?
The WBCS Prelims Exam is objective in nature, with a total duration of 2 hours.
5. What is the purpose of the WBCS Prelims Exam, and are the marks included in the final selection?
The primary purpose of the Prelims Exam is to screen candidates. However, the marks obtained in this phase are not included in the final selection.
6. How many papers are there in the WBCS Mains Exam, and what is the duration for each paper?
The WBCS Mains Exam consists of six compulsory papers, and each paper has a duration of 3 hours.
7. Are there optional papers in the WBCS Mains Exam, and how are they structured?
Yes, there is one optional subject with two papers, and candidates can choose from 37 optional subjects. The optional papers are based on the subject selected or opted by candidates.
8. What are the subjects included in the WBCS Mains Exam, and how are they categorized?
The subjects in the WBCS Mains Exam are categorized into different groups: Group ‘A,’ Group ‘B,’ Group ‘C,’ and Group ‘D.’ The subjects include Language Papers, General Studies, Constitution of India and Indian Economy, Arithmetic and Test of Reasoning, and Optional Papers.
9. How are the marks distributed in the WBCS Mains Exam?
The marks are distributed differently for each paper in the WBCS Mains Exam. For detailed information, refer to the provided table in the WBCS Syllabus document.
10. Can you provide a list of optional subjects available for the WBCS Mains Exam?
Candidates can choose one subject from the 37 optional subjects, including Bengali, Hindi, Sanskrit, English, Pali, Arabic, Persian, French, Urdu, Santali, Comparative Literature, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Anthropology, Botany, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Commerce and Accountancy, Computer Science, Economics, Electrical Engineering, Geography, Geology, History, Law, Mathematics, Management, Mechanical Engineering, Medical Science, Philosophy, Physiology, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Statistics, Zoology.
11. How is the WBCS Mains Exam Pattern structured for each group?
The WBCS Mains Exam Pattern is structured differently for each group, with variations in the subjects and marks distribution. Refer to the provided table for detailed information.
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