BPSC 72nd CCE 2026: 1230 Vacancies, Apply & Pattern
BPSC 72nd CCE 2026: Notification, 1230 Vacancies, Apply Online & Exam Pattern
The Bihar Public Service Commission has released the Integrated 72nd Combined Competitive (Preliminary) Examination notification, with a total of 1230 vacancies across various Bihar government departments. The online application window opened on 7 May 2026 and closes on 31 May 2026.
Every figure below is taken straight from the official BPSC advertisement and important notice, not from secondary sources. Here is the complete breakdown of vacancies, eligibility, fee, and the three-stage exam pattern, point by point.
BPSC 72nd CCE 2026 Overview
BPSC 72nd CCE 2026 Important Dates
BPSC 72nd Vacancy Details
The 1230 posts are spread across Table I (72nd CCE posts) and Table II (other posts). Some of the major posts and their pay levels:
- Sub-Divisional Officer / Senior Deputy Collector, Bihar Administrative Service: 100 posts (Level 9).
- Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Home Department: 22 posts (Level 9).
- State Tax Assistant Commissioner, Bihar Finance Service: 76 posts (Level 9).
- Revenue Officer and equivalent, Revenue & Land Reforms: 365 posts (Level 7), the single largest block.
- Rural Development Officer: 65 posts, and Cooperative Extension Officer: 130 posts (Level 7).
- Child Development Project Officer, Financial Administrative Officer, and Sub-Divisional Welfare Officer feature in Table II.
Posts range from Pay Level 6 to Level 9, with Level 9 covering the most prestigious roles like SDO, DSP and Assistant Commissioner. The exact post-wise and category-wise split is in the official advertisement.
BPSC 72nd CCE 2026 Eligibility
Educational Qualification
- For the 72nd CCE, a Bachelor's degree from a recognised University, or an equivalent qualification, is mandatory.
- Some Table II posts have subject-specific requirements. Child Development Project Officer needs a degree with one of Home Science, Psychology, Sociology, or Labour and Social Welfare.
- Financial Administrative Officer needs a degree in Commerce, Economics, Mathematics or Statistics.
- Sub-Divisional Welfare Officer needs a degree with Psychology or Law as one subject.
- You must hold the qualification before applying, and post-specific subjects must be chosen at the time of applying.
Age Limit (as on 1 August 2026)
- Minimum age is 20, 21, or 22 years depending on the service, as specified post-wise.
- Maximum age is 37 years for Unreserved male candidates.
- Maximum age is 40 years for Unreserved women, Backward Class and Extremely Backward Class (men and women).
- Maximum age is 42 years for SC and ST (men and women).
- Relaxations apply for PwBD, ex-servicemen and Bihar government employees as per rules.
BPSC 72nd Reservation & Categories
- Reservation benefit is given only to original residents (domicile) of Bihar.
- Category codes used in the form: UR 01, SC 02, ST 03, EBC 04, BC 05, BCL 06, EWS 07.
- Women get 35 percent horizontal reservation across categories, per the General Administration Department order.
- EWS reservation is 10 percent, subject to a valid income and asset certificate.
- PwBD candidates get 4 percent horizontal reservation, and freedom fighters' grandchildren get 2 percent, subject to conditions.
BPSC 72nd CCE 2026 Application Fee
- The examination fee is ₹100 for each examination, per the General Administration Department order.
- If a candidate does not enter an Aadhaar number as ID in the online form, an extra biometric fee of ₹200 applies per examination.
- The fee is paid online and is not refundable under any circumstances.
BPSC 72nd Exam Pattern
The integrated exam has three stages: Preliminary, Mains (written), and Interview.
Stage 1: Preliminary Exam
- The Prelims is a General Studies paper with objective, multiple-choice questions.
- Duration is 2 hours, with 150 questions and 150 total marks.
- Each question has five options (A, B, C, D, E). If you do not want to answer, you must mark option E.
- There is negative marking of 1/3 mark for each wrong answer, and unanswered questions also attract a 1/3 deduction.
- Prelims is only a screening test. Candidates shortlisted for Mains are 10 times the total vacancies, category-wise.
Prelims Qualifying Marks
- General: 40 percent.
- Backward Class: 36.5 percent.
- Extremely Backward Class: 34 percent.
- SC, ST, women and PwBD candidates: 32 percent.
Stage 2: Mains (Written) Exam
- General Hindi: 100 marks, qualifying only, needing 30 percent, not counted in merit.
- General Studies Paper I: 300 marks, 3 hours.
- General Studies Paper II: 300 marks, 3 hours.
- Essay (Nibandh): 300 marks, 3 hours.
- One optional subject from a list of subjects: 100 marks, MCQ based, 2 hours, qualifying in nature.
Stage 3: Interview
- The personality test (interview) carries 120 marks.
- Candidates called for interview are 2.5 times the vacancies, category-wise.
- Attending the interview is compulsory to be placed in the final merit list.
Final Merit
- The final merit is based on 900 marks of the Mains (GS Paper I 300 + GS Paper II 300 + Essay 300) plus 120 interview marks, totalling 1020 marks.
- General Hindi and the optional subject are qualifying only and not added to the merit.
How to Apply for BPSC 72nd CCE 2026
- Complete the One Time Registration (OTR) on the BPSC online portal if you have not already.
- Documents can be uploaded through a DigiLocker account during the process.
- Create your profile across six steps: personal, address, other, qualification, experience, and photo or signature upload.
- Upload a webcam photo with a white background, and a scanned signature in JPG, up to 15 KB and around 220 by 100 pixels.
- Pay the ₹100 fee online via the SBI payment gateway, then submit the application form.
- Download the final application with its Application Number and barcode, and keep a printout.
Important Points to Remember
- All certificates claimed must be held by the last date of application, including any reservation and age-relaxation proofs.
- You must correctly mark your reservation category, since a wrong entry can cost you the reservation benefit.
- Once you pay and lock the profile, changes are not allowed unless you cancel the application and re-apply.
- Fee and payment are not refunded if you cancel an application.
- The number of vacancies can increase or decrease, and Prelims may run in more than one shift.
Preparation Strategy
- Prelims is General Studies, so build current affairs, Bihar-specific GK, history, geography, polity and economy daily.
- Bihar's own history, geography, rivers and economy carry real weight, so do not skip the state portion.
- Because of 1/3 negative marking, avoid blind guessing and focus on accuracy.
- Start Mains answer writing and essay practice early, since the merit rests entirely on Mains and interview.
- Solve previous BPSC papers in timed mode before full mocks.
Mock Test & Practice Strategy
BPSC rewards consistency across Prelims and Mains, so practice must match both. Use timed Prelims mocks with the five-option pattern and negative marking, then move to Mains answer writing. ExamAtlas has free BPSC-specific mock tests and a daily Bihar current affairs quiz with AI analytics that show your topic-wise accuracy, which is exactly how you find the weak areas before the July Prelims.
FAQs
How many vacancies are in BPSC 72nd CCE 2026?
BPSC 72nd CCE 2026 has 1230 total vacancies across various Bihar government departments. The largest blocks are Revenue Officer with 365 posts, Cooperative Extension Officer with 130, and Sub-Divisional Officer with 100. The exact post-wise and category-wise split is in the official advertisement.
What is the last date to apply for BPSC 72nd?
The BPSC 72nd CCE 2026 online application opened on 7 May 2026 and closes on 31 May 2026. Applications are accepted only online through bpsc.bihar.gov.in after completing the One Time Registration, and no other mode is allowed.
What is the BPSC 72nd exam pattern?
The exam has three stages. Prelims is a 150-mark General Studies paper of 2 hours with 1/3 negative marking. Mains has General Hindi (qualifying), two GS papers of 300 marks each, an Essay of 300 marks, and a qualifying optional subject. The interview carries 120 marks.
What is the BPSC 72nd age limit?
As on 1 August 2026, the minimum age is 20 to 22 years depending on the post. The maximum age is 37 years for Unreserved men, 40 for Unreserved women and Backward Class candidates, and 42 for SC and ST candidates, with further relaxations as per rules.
Is there negative marking in BPSC 72nd Prelims?
Yes. The BPSC 72nd Prelims has a 1/3 mark negative marking for each wrong answer. Importantly, unanswered questions also attract a 1/3 deduction unless you mark option E, so read the OMR instructions carefully and attempt thoughtfully.
How is the BPSC 72nd final merit decided?
The final merit is based on 1020 marks: 900 from the Mains (GS Paper I, GS Paper II and Essay, 300 each) plus 120 from the interview. General Hindi and the optional subject are qualifying only and are not added to the merit total.
Final Word
BPSC 72nd CCE 2026 is Bihar's flagship recruitment, offering 1230 posts including SDO, DSP and Assistant Commissioner roles that thousands of aspirants chase every year. With the window closing on 31 May and Prelims expected in July, the timeline is tight, so apply early and start Prelims revision now.
Complete your OTR and apply before 31 May, then move straight to timed mocks. Try the free BPSC daily quiz on ExamAtlas to keep Bihar GK and current affairs sharp through the run-up to the July Prelims.