The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) Syllabus 2026 is designed to evaluate candidates for administrative roles in Bihar through a structured three-stage process: Prelims, Mains, and Interview. The syllabus broadly covers subjects like General Studies, History, Geography, Polity, Economy, Science, and Current Affairs. The Prelims exam is objective, while the Mains includes descriptive papers focusing on analytical and writing skills. It emphasizes Bihar-specific knowledge along with national and international topics. Overall, the syllabus aims to assess a candidate’s intellectual ability, awareness, and suitability for civil services.
The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) is one of the most sought-after examinations in India, attracting thousands of aspirants every year. A thorough understanding of the BPSC syllabus is crucial for effective preparation. This article provides a detailed breakdown of the syllabus for all stages of the examination: Preliminary, Mains, and Optional Subjects.
| Particulars | Details |
| Conducting Body | Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) |
| Examination | Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) |
| Selection Stages | Preliminary Examination, Main Examination, Personality Test |
| Preliminary Paper | General Studies |
| Prelims Marks | 150 |
| Prelims Duration | 2 Hours |
| Main Examination Papers | General Hindi, General Studies Paper I, General Studies Paper II, One Optional Subject |
| Marks for General Hindi | 100 (Qualifying) |
| Marks for General Studies Paper I | 300 |
| Marks for General Studies Paper II | 300 |
| Marks for Optional Subject | 300 |
| Personality Test | 120 Marks |
| Language of Question Papers | Hindi and English |
The BPSC Civil Services Exam is conducted in three stages:
The BPSC exam has three stages: Preliminary (150 marks, qualifying only), Main (900 marks: General Hindi qualifying + two General Studies papers + one optional subject), and Interview (120 marks). The detailed exam pattern is given below :
The written examination will be conducted in an objective (MCQ) format. The paper will consist of 150 questions carrying a total of 150 marks, and candidates will be given 2 hours to complete the test.
| Papers | Total Questions | Total Marks | Time Duration |
| General Studies | 150 | 150 marks | 2 hours |
The BPSC Mains Exam includes a qualifying paper in General Hindi. Along with the , there are two general studies papers- Paper I and Paper II
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Total Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | General Hindi | 100 | 3 hours |
| 02 | General Studies Paper-1 | 300 | 3 hours |
| 03 | General Studies Paper-2 | 300 | 3 hours |
A candidate must secure at least 30% marks in the General Hindi paper. However, these marks are not counted in the aggregation for the final merit list. It is a qualifying paper.
A candidate must choose only one optional subject from the list of subjects provided (Subject Code 04 to 37). Each optional subject will have a single question paper carrying 300 marks, which includes the combined syllabus of two conventional papers. The duration of the optional paper will be 3 hours.
List of Optional Subjects (Codes 04-37):
| Code | Subject Name | Code | Subject Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 04 | Agriculture Science | 21 | Philosophy |
| 05 | Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science | 22 | Physics |
| 06 | Anthropology | 23 | Political Science & International Relations |
| 07 | Botany | 24 | Psychology |
| 08 | Chemistry | 25 | Public Administration |
| 09 | Civil Engineering | 26 | Sociology |
| 10 | Commerce & Accountancy | 27 | Statistics |
| 11 | Economics | 28 | Zoology |
| 12 | Electrical Engineering | 29 | Hindi Language & Literature |
| 13 | Geography | 30 | English Language & Literature |
| 14 | Geology | 31 | Urdu Language & Literature |
| 15 | History | 32 | Bengali Language & Literature |
| 16 | Labour & Social Welfare | 33 | Sanskrit Language & Literature |
| 17 | Law | 34 | Persian Language & Literature |
| 18 | Management | 35 | Arabic Language & Literature |
| 19 | Mathematics | 36 | Pali Language & Literature |
| 20 | Mechanical Engineering | 37 | Maithili Language & Literature |
The Preliminary exam consists of one General Studies paper. Key topics include:
The latest BPSC Prelims (PT) Syllabus 2026 in a simple, exam-oriented format:
Focus more on:
The Main Examination consists of compulsory papers and one optional subject selected by the candidate. The compulsory papers are:
| Subject | Marks | Duration |
| General Hindi | 100 | 3 Hours |
| General Studies Paper I | 300 | 3 Hours |
| General Studies Paper II | 300 | 3 Hours |
The General Hindi paper is qualifying in nature. Candidates must obtain 30% marks in this paper. However, these marks are not counted while preparing the merit list.
The General Hindi paper is qualifying in nature and is designed to assess a candidate’s ability to write simple and clear Hindi. Candidates must score at least 30% to qualify. However, these marks are not included in the final merit list. The mark distribution is:
Essay: 30 marks
Grammar: 30 marks
Sentence structure: 25 marks
Précis writing: 15 marks
This paper covers modern Indian history, Indian culture, and current events. It also has a section on statistical analysis and diagrams. The exact topics are:
General Studies Paper I focuses on modern Indian history, Indian culture, current affairs, and data interpretation. Candidates are expected to understand historical developments, cultural heritage, and to analyse statistical information presented through graphs and charts.
Questions may be asked on important national and international developments. Candidates should remain aware of significant events and their relevance.
This section tests the ability to understand statistical information presented through graphs, charts, and diagrams.
Candidates should be able to analyse the given information and draw logical conclusions based on the available data.
General Studies Paper II evaluates a candidate’s understanding of the Indian Constitution, governance, economy, geography, and science & technology. Questions may also include Bihar-specific topics wherever applicable.
This section covers the political system of India with reference to constitutional and administrative aspects. Questions are asked to assess the candidate’s understanding of the Indian political framework. The syllabus also includes topics related to Bihar wherever applicable.
The syllabus includes the Indian economy along with the geography of India and Bihar. Candidates should prepare topics related to economic planning, physical geography, economic geography, and social geography. Questions may also be asked on the important geographical features of Bihar.
This section evaluates the candidate’s understanding of science and technology and their contribution to India’s development. Candidates should also understand the importance and practical applications of science and technology in Bihar.
The BPSC Main Examination allows candidates to choose one optional subject carrying 300 marks. The Commission provides a list of optional subjects, each with a detailed syllabus divided into sections.
Section 1 focuses on ecology, crop production factors, Bihar’s agro-climatic zones, cropping patterns, soil formation and classification, soil conservation, irrigation, farm management, and agricultural marketing. Section 2 covers plant breeding, genetics, seed technology, plant physiology, fruit and vegetable production, plant diseases and pest control, and food production trends in Bihar and India.
Section 1 covers animal nutrition, animal physiology, livestock production and management, dairy farming, and milk technology. Section 2 covers genetics and animal breeding, animal health and hygiene, milk product technology, meat hygiene, and extension education for farmers.
This subject has three sections. Section 1 covers the meaning and branches of anthropology, marriage, kinship, economic and political anthropology, and the study of Indian tribes such as Oraon, Munda, Ho, Santhal, and Birhor. Section 2 offers a choice between physical anthropology topics like human evolution and fossil evidence, or theory-based topics like diffusionism and structuralism. Section 3 covers Indian anthropology, including the Indus civilization, caste, tribal problems, and tribal movements like the Tana Bhagat and Birsa movements.
Section 1 covers microbiology, plant pathology, cryptogams, phanerogams, and plant morphogenesis. Section 2 covers cell biology, genetics and evolution, plant physiology and biochemistry, ecology, and economic botany.
Section 1 covers atomic structure and chemical bonding, thermodynamics, solid state chemistry, chemical kinetics, electrochemistry, photochemistry, and the chemistry of d-block and f-block elements. Section 2 covers reaction mechanisms, pericyclic reactions, named organic reactions, polymer systems, and spectroscopy methods used in structure determination.
Section 1 covers the theory and design of structures, structural steel, reinforced concrete, fluid mechanics, soil mechanics, foundation engineering, and computer programming basics. Section 2 lets candidates choose two out of four parts: building construction, transportation engineering, water resources and irrigation engineering, and environmental engineering.
Section 1 covers accounting, auditing, taxation, business finance, and financial institutions such as the Reserve Bank of India and the Indian capital market. Section 2 covers organisation theory and industrial relations, including trade unions and collective bargaining in India.
Section 1 covers the structure of the economy, consumer and producer behaviour, income and employment determination, banking, taxation, and international trade. Section 2 covers the Indian economy, agricultural and industrial production, Indian planning, and the Bihar economy, including poverty and unemployment in Bihar.
Section 1 covers network theory, electrostatics and magnetics, measurement methods, electronics, and electrical machines. Section 2 offers control systems and industrial electronics as compulsory topics, with a choice between heavy current topics like power systems and protection, or light current topics like communication systems and microwaves.
Section 1 covers physical geography such as geomorphology, climatology, soils and vegetation, oceanography, and human and economic geography. Section 2 examines the geography of India, including physical aspects, tribal areas, resources, agriculture, industry, transport, settlements, and the geography of Bihar, covering its physical divisions, minerals, and industries.
Section 1 examines general geology, geomorphology, structural geology, palaeontology, and stratigraphy. Section 2 covers crystallography, mineralogy, petrology, economic geology, and applied geology, including the groundwater regions of Bihar.
Section 1 covers the history of India up to 1765 AD, including the Indus civilization, the Vedic age, the Maurya empire, the Gupta age, and the Delhi Sultanate. Section 2 covers modern India from 1757 to 1947, including the freedom struggle, and world history from 1500 to 1950.
Section 1 examines labour legislation such as the Factories Act, the Minimum Wages Act, and the Payment of Wages Act, along with labour administration in Bihar. Section 2 covers industrial relations, trade unions, social welfare, and social security programmes in Bihar.
Section 1 covers the constitutional law of India and international law. Section 2 covers the law of crimes, the law of torts, and the law of contracts and mercantile law.
Section 1 covers organisational behaviour, organisational design, the economic environment, and quantitative methods like linear programming and statistical methods. Section 2 covers marketing management, production and materials management, financial management, and human resource management.
Section 1 examines linear algebra, calculus, analytic geometry, differential equations, vector and tensor analysis, and mechanics. Section 2 covers algebra, real and complex analysis, partial differential equations, numerical analysis, probability and statistics, and operational research.
Section 1 covers statics, dynamics, theory of machines, mechanics of solids, manufacturing science, and production management. Section 2 covers thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, energy conversion, and environmental control such as refrigeration and air conditioning.
Section 1 covers metaphysics and epistemology, including Western and Indian schools of thought. Section 2 covers social and political philosophy and the philosophy of religion, including Buddhism, Jainism, Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, and Sikhism.
Section 1 covers mechanics, thermal physics, and waves and oscillations. Section 2 covers electricity and magnetism, modern physics, and electronics.
Section 1 covers political theory and government and politics with special reference to India, including the Indian Constitution and Bihar’s panchayati raj system. Section 2 covers international politics, foreign policy, the cold war, and India’s foreign policy and relations.
Section 1 covers the foundations of psychology, including perception, learning, memory, intelligence, motivation, and personality. Section 2 covers individual differences, psychological disorders, therapeutic approaches, and the application of psychology to organisational and social problems.
Section 1 covers administrative theory, theories of organisation, personnel administration, and financial administration. Section 2 covers Indian administration, including the structure of central administration, centre-state relations, and district and local administration in Bihar.
Section 1 examines general sociology, including social structure, social stratification, family, marriage, and kinship. Section 2 focuses on Indian society, including the caste system, rural and urban social organisation, and tribal society in Bihar.
Section 1 focuses on probability, statistical inference, linear inference, and multivariate analysis. Section 2 introduces sampling theory, design of experiments, engineering statistics, operational research, quantitative economics, and demography.
Section 1 includes non-chordata, chordata, ecology, ethology, biostatistics, and economic zoology. Section 2 focuses on cell biology, genetics, evolution and systematics, biochemistry, physiology, and embryology.
The BPSC Syllabus also lists language and literature subjects as options. These are Hindi, English, Urdu, Bengali, Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic, Pali, and Maithili. Each of these subjects has a section on the history of the language and its literature. A second section requires first-hand reading of a fixed list of prescribed books.
For example, Hindi literature includes works of Kabir, Surdas, Tulsidas, Premchand, and Jayshankar Prasad. English literature includes works of Shakespeare, Milton, Jane Austen, and Charles Dickens.
Candidates who qualify for the Main Examination appear for the Personality Test. The interview carries 120 marks and assesses the candidate’s personality, communication skills, judgment, and suitability for public service. The final merit list is prepared by combining the Main Examination and Personality Test marks.
The BPSC Main syllabus 2026 comprises three main sections: General Studies (Paper I and Paper II), General Hindi, and an optional subject chosen by the candidate. Below is the detailed syllabus:
Note: The qualifying marks for this paper are usually 30%, and the score in this paper is not added to the merit list.
This paper emphasizes the socio-economic, political, and historical perspectives of India and Bihar.
This paper focuses on governance, economic development, environmental issues, and international relations.
Candidates must choose one optional subject from the list provided by BPSC. Each optional subject has two papers (Paper VI and Paper VII).
Total subjects: 34+ options available
You need to select only ONE subject for Mains
Download the BPSC Syllabus PDF from the link given below. To Score More marks in the exam, go through this whole PDF.
Bihar PSC Syllabus Updated PDF
Answer:
The BPSC exam consists of three stages:
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The Prelims syllabus mainly includes General Studies topics such as:
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There is only one paper (General Studies) in Prelims, carrying 150 marks.
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Generally, no negative marking is applied in BPSC Prelims (as per recent pattern).
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BPSC Mains includes:
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Yes, but it is qualifying in nature. Candidates must secure minimum marks to pass it.
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The optional subject carries 300 marks and plays a crucial role in final merit.
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There is no fixed syllabus. Questions are based on:
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Yes, Bihar GK (history, geography, economy, schemes) is very important in both Prelims and Mains.
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The core syllabus remains mostly the same, but question trends and focus areas may change slightly each year.
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