Exam pattern
| Stage | Paper | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prelims | General Studies | 150 | 150 | 2 hours |
| Mains | General Hindi (qualifying) | Written | 100 | 3 hours |
| Mains | General Studies Paper I | Written | 300 | 3 hours |
| Mains | General Studies Paper II | Written | 300 | 3 hours |
| Mains | Essay | Written | 300 | 3 hours |
| Mains | Optional subject (qualifying) | Objective | 100 | 2 hours |
| Interview | Personality test | 120 |
Prelims marks only decide who goes on to the Mains, and a wrong answer costs one-third of a mark. General Hindi needs 30% and the optional subject paper is also only qualifying. The ranking adds General Studies I and II and the Essay (900 marks) and the Interview (120).
Prelims: General Studies
- General science.
- Current events of national and international importance.
- History of India and the salient features of the history of Bihar.
- General geography, the geographical divisions of Bihar and its major river systems.
- Indian polity and economy: the Constitution, Panchayati Raj, community development and planning, and the major changes in Bihar's economy since independence.
- The Indian National Movement and Bihar's part in it.
- General mental ability.
Mains: General Hindi (qualifying)
- Essay, grammar, sentence structure, précis and comprehension, at secondary (Class 10) level.
Mains: General Studies Paper I
- Indian culture.
- Modern history of India, including Bihar's part in the freedom movement.
- Current events of national and international importance.
- Statistical analysis, graphs and diagrams.
Mains: General Studies Paper II
- Indian polity and governance.
- Indian economy and the geography of India, with Bihar's economy and geography.
- The role and impact of science and technology in the development of India and Bihar.
Mains: Essay
- Essays on social, economic, political, cultural, philosophical and environmental themes, including issues facing Bihar.
Mains: Optional subject (qualifying)
- One subject from the commission's list (agriculture, economics, geography, history, public administration, sociology, languages and literatures and others), tested at graduation level.