Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) FAQs

Answer: Attempting mock tests proves to be very beneficial for BPSC preliminary examinations. The biggest advantage of this is that you learn to control the stress in the exam, as well as improve the ability of time management.

Giving mock tests gives you an idea of what your level is as compared to your competitors. Also in different exams you can experiment to see in which order the questions are arranged which gives you the best results. On the basis of these experiments, you can decide your exam strategy.

Keep in mind that all these benefits are available only if you have chosen the mock test series carefully.

Question 2: In what order should the questions be solved during the BPSC preliminary examination? Does a particular sequence benefit?

Answer: The answer cannot be one for everyone. If you are comfortable in all the subjects of General Studies and your speed is also satisfactory then you can be successful by solving questions in any order. In such a situation, it is better to increase the order in which the questions come up, doing them in the same order. But if your position is not so secure then you should consider the sequence of questions. In such a situation, first of all, solve those questions which take the least time.

If you have a good command with respect to the particular Bihar state, then you should solve 15 to 20 questions related to it first, because they will take less time and there will be more chances of getting the answers right. After solving these 15-20 questions, your position will be very strong. After that, you can quickly go on asking questions that you are comfortable with and skipping those that are beyond your limitations. Leave a mark for the questions in respect of which you feel that they can be done if you get enough time.

One suggestion can also be to avoid solving the same type of questions continuously. If you feel like it, solve some maths or reasoning questions in between, then go for other questions.

Question 3: Time management becomes the biggest challenge in the BPSC exam, what should be done for that?

Answer: Take note of the suggestions given in the answer of the previous question. Apart from that, attend mock test series before the exam and test in each paper how much time one gets to cover which section of the question. If you identify the more time consuming questions in advance, then the time will not be wasted in the exam. With repeated practice, the speed can be increased.

Question 4: How many questions are asked from Mathematics in BPSC Preliminary Examination? I have been weak in mathematics from the beginning, can I crack this exam?

Answer: Yes, you can definitely be successful. In combination around 10-12 questions are asked from Mathematics and Reasoning in BPSC Preliminary Examination which are mainly of Matriculation level/ Intermediate level. These questions are simple in nature, so they are solved with little effort. If possible, prepare some topics in mathematics and Reasoning that you understand and from which questions are often asked.

Question 5: How many questions are asked in the BPSC preliminary examination with reference to the particular state of Bihar? How to prepare for it?

Answer: In the BPSC preliminary examination, about 15-20 questions are asked with reference to the particular state. In this paper of General Studies, out of total 150 questions, 15-20 questions are asked only with reference to the particular state of Bihar, the importance of this subject itself makes it clear.

In the context of the particular state of Bihar, special attention should be paid to the historical events, the role of Bihar in the freedom struggle and the geography of India and Bihar in the subject of geography. Similarly, it is beneficial to study the entire syllabus of the preliminary examination with reference to the state of Bihar. Any book available in the market can be studied with reference to the particular state of Bihar.

A special focus can be given to the recent Budget and Economic Survey of Bihar Government to fetch good marks of some easy questions.

Question 6: Are the answers to all the questions given on OMR Should be filled on the sheet together or should be filled simultaneously while selecting the answer?

Answer: It would be better to take out answers to 4-5 questions and fill them on the sheet. Answering each question separately in OMR will take more time to fill. On the other hand, sometimes it also happens that many candidates end up without filling in OMR due to paucity of time in the end.

The right way to avoid such an accident is to keep filling the answers of 4-5 questions at once. Since the circles have to be filled with a black or blue ballpoint pen, take special care while filling them. Never use whitener.

Question 7: What is ‘cut-off’? How is it determined in the BPSC exam?

Answer: ‘Cut-off’ means the minimum marks obtained by which a candidate has been successful in the examination. Every year the cut-off is decided by the result of Bihar PCS preliminary examination, main examination and interview. The candidates who score the ‘cut-off’ or more are declared successful and the rest are unsuccessful. Under the reservation system, the cut-off for different categories of candidates varies.

In the BPSC Preliminary Examination, there is only one paper of General Studies, in which the total number of questions – 150 and maximum marks – 150 are fixed, so the ‘cut-off’ is determined on the basis of the marks obtained by the candidates in this paper.

The nature of the cut-off is not fixed, it fluctuates every year. Its determination depends on factors such as the number of seats, the difficulty level of the question papers and the number and quality of candidates. Normally 60-70% marks are required to pass in this exam but sometimes this percentage can be less considering the difficulty level of the questions. Like- 56-59th BPSC. The ‘cut-off’ of the preliminary examination was 87, which is less than 60%, while the 60-62th BPSC. The cut-off for the Preliminary Examination was 97. The cut-off for the 68^th Preliminary Examination was 91.

Similarly, the cut-off is determined in the main examination as well, in which 60-65% marks are generally required to be passed under normal circumstances. If the question papers will be easy then the cut-off will increase and will automatically decrease in adverse situations.

Question 8: What is the meaning of qualifying Hindi question papers in the BPSC main examination? How to prepare for it?

Answer: Qualifying the question paper of Hindi in the BPSC main examination means that it is mandatory to get a minimum 30% marks in it. Since the maximum 100 marks are fixed for this paper, it will be mandatory for the candidates to get minimum 30 marks or more marks in this paper to ensure their success.

The copies of other papers of the candidates who have scored less than 30 marks in this paper are not evaluated, so it is mandatory to get qualifying marks in the Hindi question paper irrespective of the performance in other papers.

To get qualifying marks in ‘General Hindi’, understanding of Hindi grammar (prefixes, suffixes, antonyms etc.), concise summary, good knowledge of unread passages etc. is necessary. For this, it will be beneficial to study the Hindi books written by Vasudev Nandan, Hardev Bahri in depth and to do continuous writing work on the above topics.

Question 9: What are the precautions to be taken while choosing the optional subject for the BPSC main examination?

Answer: According to the new changes made by BPSC, now the Optional Paper is of 100 marks and is qualifying in nature. The questions will be Multiple Choice based. Choosing optional paper depends on your familiarity with the subject.

Question 10: What is the contribution of statistics questions asked in the first paper in the BPSC main examination from the point of view of marks? What strategy should be adopted to solve this?

Answer: In the BPSC main examination of General Studies, in the third section of the first paper, 72 marks questions have been asked from statistical analysis, drawing and illustration, which you have to solve in the answer-book given by the commission.

Therefore, this section should be practiced continuously. The nature of these questions is easy, for this it is beneficial to practice the questions asked in previous years every day. NCERT book of statistics can be used for the practice.

Question 11: What is meant by moderation? How does it apply in the optional subjects of the BPSC main examination?

Answer: Moderation is the process by which the commission establishes equality on the basis of various subjects, number of candidates appearing in them and quality of paper etc., for which it uses a complex statistical formula. This mode of moderation is applicable only to the optional subjects and not to the General Studies paper.

A lot of misleading things are told about moderation, you should not pay attention to such rumours. Don’t forget that ultimately your selection is made by your marks and not by the arguments here and there. Therefore, in order to get maximum marks in the optional subjects of the main examination, special attention should be paid to your writing style and its consistency. Moderation doesn’t have much effect if you get good marks in your subject. You can appear in any mock test series before the exam to score good marks in the optional subject of the main exam. The ‘Drishti’ mock test series is the best for a few selected subjects (Hindi Literature, History and Geography) in which you can attempt a lot of tests from June to November.

Question 12: What is the role of interview in the examinations conducted by BPSC? How to prepare for it?

Answer: As per the present amendment 120 marks have been fixed for the interview in this examination conducted by BPSC. Since the final merit list is prepared on the basis of the sum of the marks obtained in the main examination and interview, interview plays an important role in the final selection in these exams.