Exam pattern
| Stage | Paper | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prelims | General Studies (8 subjects, 25 marks each) | 200 | 200 | 2½ hours |
| Mains | Paper I: Bengali, Hindi, Urdu, Nepali or Santali | Written | 200 | 3 hours |
| Mains | Paper II: English | Written | 200 | 3 hours |
| Mains | Paper III: General Studies I | Objective | 200 | |
| Mains | Paper IV: General Studies II | Objective | 200 | |
| Mains | Paper V: Indian Constitution and Economy | Objective | 200 | |
| Mains | Paper VI: Arithmetic and Test of Reasoning | Objective | 200 | |
| Mains | Optional subject, Papers I and II (Groups A and B only) | Written | 200 each | 3 hours each |
| Interview | Personality Test | 200 for Groups A and B, 150 for C, 100 for D |
Prelims marks only decide who goes on to the Mains, and a wrong answer costs a quarter of a mark. Groups A and B write eight Mains papers (1,600 marks); Groups C and D write the six compulsory papers (1,200 marks). WBPSC had announced a new, UPSC-like pattern; recent notifications kept this one, so check the current notification.
Prelims: General Studies
- English composition.
- General science.
- Current events of national and international importance.
- History of India.
- Geography of India, with special reference to West Bengal.
- Indian polity and economy.
- The Indian National Movement.
- General mental ability.
Mains: language papers
- Paper I: letter writing, précis, comprehension, composition and translation in the chosen language.
- Paper II: English letter writing, précis, comprehension, composition and grammar.
Mains: Papers III to VI
- General Studies I: history of India, including Bengal's part in the freedom movement, and the geography of India with special reference to West Bengal.
- General Studies II: science and technology and their role in everyday life, environment and ecology, and general knowledge and current affairs.
- Indian Constitution and Economy: the Constitution and its working, and the Indian economy, including the role and functions of the Reserve Bank of India.
- Arithmetic and Test of Reasoning: arithmetic and verbal and non-verbal reasoning.
Mains: Optional subject
- One subject from the commission's list, in two papers (Groups A and B only).