BPSC 72nd CCE 2026: Overview and Quick Snapshot

If you have been tracking BPSC notifications, the 72nd Integrated Combined Competitive Examination (Preliminary) is now officially out from Bihar Public Service Commission, Patna. The BPSC 72nd CCE 2026 category-wise vacancy breakdown covers 1,421 total posts – 1,077 under Saarni-I (main CCE cadre) and 344 under Saarni-II (other posts) – spread across 25 departments of Bihar Government. Pay levels range from Level-6 to Level-9 under the 7th Pay Commission. The minimum qualification is graduation from a recognised university. One detail most candidates miss: the preliminary exam has category-wise minimum passing marks (40% for General, 36.5% for BC, 34% for EBC, 32% for SC/ST/Women/PwD) – falling below these means automatic elimination before mains.

Based on official advertisement for BPSC 72nd Integrated CCE (Preliminary) by Bihar Public Service Commission, Patna. Verified: May 2026.

Quick Eligibility Check

Critical note for this exam: For Saarni-II post of Anumandal Sanrakshan Padhaadhikari, vacancies are exclusively reserved for women candidates – male candidates are not eligible regardless of category.

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Important Dates

Apply well before 31 May 2026 – internet or banking failures on the last date are not BPSC’s responsibility, and no extension will be granted for technical issues on your end.

Vacancy and Category Analysis

The BPSC 72nd CCE 2026 has a total of 1,421 vacancies across two tables. Saarni-I carries 1,077 posts under 22 services and Saarni-II carries 344 posts under 3 additional services. The combined unreserved (UR) count for Saarni-I alone stands at 466, making it the largest category – but OBC (BC) at 180 and SC at 162 also represent significant shares. EWS seats total 105 in Saarni-I. The largest single post in the entire notification is Rajaswa Adhikari evam Samakaksh (Revenue Officer, Level-7) with 365 general vacancies in Saarni-I, making it by far the most competitive post. The second largest is Ikh Padhaadhikari, Ganna Udhyog Vibhag (Sugarcane Officer) with 44 posts at Level-9.

Women candidates benefit from 35% horizontal reservation across all advertised posts as per Bihar Government notification dated 09.07.2025. PwD seats total 22 in Saarni-I (VI-10, DD-11, OH-10, MD-10) and 4 in Saarni-II. For SC/ST candidates, caste certificate plus domicile/permanent residence certificate are both mandatory – one document alone is insufficient. EBC and BC candidates must submit non-creamy layer certificates issued by the competent authority of their permanent residence district. The competition ratio for the Revenue Officer post is expected to be exceptionally high given 488 total vacancies (Saarni-I: 365+123) against Bihar’s large applicant pool for Level-7 posts.

Salary and In-Hand Calculation

For a Level-9 post (e.g., SDO / Bihar Administrative Service) with basic pay of ₹53,100: DA at current Bihar state rate (~50% approx.) adds ~₹26,550; HRA varies by city class (urban ~24%, semi-urban ~16%, rural ~8%); TA is applicable as per posting. Gross approximate: ₹80,000–₹95,000 per month. Deductions include NPS (~10% of Basic + DA), professional tax, and CGHS/state health contribution. Approximate in-hand for Level-9: ₹65,000–₹78,000 per month after standard deductions. For Level-7 posts (Revenue Officer, Gramin Vikas): approximate in-hand is ₹48,000–₹60,000 per month. Beyond salary, these are gazetted state government posts with pension (NPS), government accommodation eligibility, and defined career progression within Bihar state services – a significant advantage over central government contractual roles at similar qualification levels.

Application Fee

Fee once paid is non-refundable under any circumstance – even if you cancel your application. A specific risk for this portal: if you cancel payment midway, your profile may remain locked. You must cancel the payment via the “Cancel Payment” option in the application form before re-attempting – do not use the browser back button.

Age Limit

Age calculation example: A General (UR) male candidate born on 01.08.1989 turns exactly 37 on 01.08.2026 – he is eligible. A candidate born on 02.08.1989 is over the limit. BPSC uses the Matriculation certificate birth date as the only valid proof – no subsequent changes are accepted.

Educational Qualification

The most common mistake for this exam: candidates applying for Bal Vikas, Vittiya Prashashnik, or Anumandal Sanrakshan posts must mandatorily select the optional subject during the online application – if they skip this, their candidacy for that post is automatically invalidated. Equivalent qualifications are accepted where the university has declared equivalence. Candidates who are currently in final year are not explicitly covered – only those who have passed the qualifying examination are valid as per the notification language.

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Selection Process

Stage 1: Preliminary Examination (Part-1)

The Prelims is a General Studies paper of 150 marks, 2-hour duration, fully objective MCQ type with five options (A, B, C, D, E). Candidates must select one answer; choosing option E means leaving the question blank. There is 1/3rd negative marking for every wrong answer. The Prelims is a screening test only – marks do not count toward final merit. Candidates equal to 10 times the total vacancies (category-wise, with equal cutoff consideration) are called for Mains. Minimum passing marks: General 40% | BC 36.5% | EBC 34% | SC/ST/Women/PwD 32% – falling below these eliminates the candidate regardless of rank.

Stage 2: Mains (Written) Examination (Part-2)

The Mains consists of General Hindi (100 marks, qualifying – 30% minimum required but not counted in merit), General Studies Paper-I (300 marks, 3 hrs), General Studies Paper-II (300 marks, 3 hrs), Essay (300 marks, 3 hrs), and one Optional Subject (300 marks, 3 hrs) – total 900 marks for merit calculation. For Saarni-II posts (Bal Vikas, Vittiya Prashashnik, Anumandal Sanrakshan), the same 900-mark pattern applies with their designated optional subjects. Separate Mains application and exam fee payment will be required after Prelims results.

Stage 3: Personality Test (Part-3)

Candidates called for Personality Test are 2.5 times the vacancies (category-wise). The interview carries 120 marks. Attendance at the Personality Test is mandatory – absentees are excluded from the final merit list entirely. The final merit list is prepared out of 1,020 marks (900 Mains + 120 Personality Test).

Stage 4: Medical Examination

A medical board constituted by BPSC examines all candidates post-Personality Test. A fee of ₹16 is payable at the time of medical. Candidates who do not meet the medical standards for a specific service will not be appointed to that service.

Your first 7 days after applying:

1. Download and save your BPSC application form hard copy immediately – keep two printed copies with all supporting documents.
2. Note your OTR Registration ID and keep your login credentials safe – the same OTR is used for all future BPSC exams.
3. Begin General Studies preparation focusing on Bihar History, Bihar Geography, Bihar Economy, and Current Affairs since these are explicitly named in the Prelims syllabus.
4. Decide your Mains optional subject now – the same subject is required in your application. Shortlist from the 37-subject list based on your graduation background for the highest scoring potential.
5. Verify your category certificate is issued before the application closing date of 31 May 2026 – post-deadline certificates are not accepted per the notification.

Exam Syllabus

Preliminary Exam Pattern

Mains Exam Pattern

Optional Subjects Available (Mains)

Candidates may choose one optional subject from: Agriculture Science, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science, Anthropology, Botany, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Commerce & Accountancy, Economics, Electrical Engineering, Geography, Geology, History, Labour & Social Welfare, Law, Management, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science & International Relations, Psychology, Public Administration, Sociology, Statistics, Zoology, Hindi Language & Literature, English Language & Literature, Urdu Language & Literature, Bangla Language & Literature, Sanskrit Language & Literature, Persian Language & Literature, Arabic Language & Literature, Pali Language & Literature, Maithili Language & Literature, and others as listed (total 37 subjects).

Saarni-II specific optional subjects: Bal Vikas post – Home Science (39), Psychology (40), Sociology (41), Labour & Social Welfare (42). Vittiya Prashashnik post – Commerce (43), Economics (44), Mathematics (45), Statistics (46). Anumandal Sanrakshan post – Psychology (53), Law (54).

How to Apply

1. Go to bpsconline.bihar.gov.in and complete One Time Registration (OTR) – click “New User Registration”. This is mandatory for all BPSC exams. One OTR per candidate; multiple OTRs will lead to rejection.
2. Complete the 6-step OTR profile: Personal Information → Address → Other Information → Qualification → Experience → Photo/Signature Upload and Profile Lock. Use a live webcam photo with white/light background and sufficient lighting.
3. Upload Hindi and English signatures in JPG/JPEG format, max 15KB, dimensions 220×100 pixels. Both signatures must be clear and legible.
4. After Profile Lock, go to New Advertisement Tab – find the 72nd CCE notification, click “Pay Fees”, accept Terms & Conditions, select the post/service, and complete payment via SBI Payment Gateway.
5. After successful payment, click “Apply” on the advertisement – fill the Application Form, select your post preference and optional subject (mandatory for Saarni-II posts), and click “Submit Application”.
6. Upload all required documents in PDF format (max 100 KB each) including caste, domicile, marksheets, and Digilocker-linked documents where available.
7. After submission, go to My Account Tab – click View → Application Print and download two copies of the filled application. Keep all supporting documents secured for interview stage.
8. Verify the downloaded hard copy has Application Number, Application ID, and Bar Code printed on every page – if any of these are missing, the application is considered incomplete and will not be accepted.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the approximate in-hand salary for BPSC 72nd CCE Level-9 posts like SDO?

For Level-9 posts (Bihar Administrative Service, Police DSP, Finance posts) with basic pay of ₹53,100, the approximate in-hand salary after NPS deduction (~10%), professional tax, and other standard deductions is estimated at ₹65,000–₹78,000 per month. For Level-7 posts like Revenue Officer, the approximate in-hand is ₹48,000–₹60,000 per month. These are estimates based on 7th Pay Commission norms – verify from official pay rules before making decisions.

What is the last date to apply for BPSC 72nd CCE 2026?

The online application last date is 31 May 2026. The application window opened on 07 May 2026. BPSC does not accept applications after this date under any circumstances, and no provision exists for late fee submission. Apply early to avoid last-minute internet or banking issues.

What are the total vacancies and which post has the most seats in BPSC 72nd CCE 2026?

Total vacancies are 1,421 – Saarni-I has 1,077 posts and Saarni-II has 344 posts across 25 departments. The single largest post is Rajaswa Adhikari evam Samakaksh (Revenue Officer, Level-7) with 488 combined vacancies (365 in Saarni-I + 123 reserved women seats). The Anumandal Sanrakshan Padhaadhikari in Saarni-II with 101 seats is exclusively for women candidates.

What is the minimum passing mark in BPSC 72nd CCE Preliminary Exam?

Category-wise minimum qualifying marks in Prelims are: General (UR) – 40%, Backward Class (BC) – 36.5%, Extremely Backward Class (EBC) – 34%, SC/ST/Women/PwD – 32%. Candidates who score below their category cutoff are eliminated from the process regardless of the overall rank, and their candidacy stands cancelled.

Is there negative marking in BPSC 72nd CCE?

Yes. The Preliminary Examination carries 1/3rd (one-third) negative marking for every wrong answer. If a candidate does not attempt a question, they must mark option E – unanswered questions carry no negative mark, but choosing any of A, B, C, or D incorrectly deducts 1/3rd of that question’s mark.

Can candidates from outside Bihar apply for BPSC 72nd CCE 2026?

Yes, all Indian citizens can apply. However, reservation benefits (OBC/SC/ST/EWS/BCL) are available exclusively to Bihar domicile candidates. Candidates who are permanent residents outside Bihar will be treated as Unreserved (General) category regardless of their caste or reservation status in their home state.

Is the optional subject selection mandatory during the application itself?

For the standard 72nd CCE Saarni-I posts, optional subject selection happens at the Mains application stage. However, for Saarni-II posts – Bal Vikas Pariyojana Padhaadhikari, Vittiya Prashashnik Padhaadhikari, and Anumandal Sanrakshan Padhaadhikari – the notification explicitly states that optional subject must be selected during the initial online application itself. Failure to do so cancels candidacy for that post permanently.