BPSC 2026 Exam Pattern: Questions, Marks, Duration & Negative Marking
BPSC 2026 exam pattern — number of questions, marks per question, duration, negative marking scheme, section-wise split, and tips to maximise your score within the time limit.
Reviewed by: StudyRoadmap Editorial · Last verified: 2026-04-24
BPSC 2026 exam pattern
The BPSC Preliminary Examination consists of one General Studies paper with 100 multiple-choice questions carrying 200 marks, to be completed in 2 hours. The Main Examination has four compulsory papers: General Hindi (100 marks), General Studies Paper 1 (300 marks), General Studies Paper 2 (300 marks), and Optional Subject Paper (300 marks). Each Main paper is of 3 hours duration. The Interview/Personality Test carries 120 marks. The Preliminary serves as a screening test; only those who qualify are allowed to appear for the Main examination.
Subjects in this exam
- History: 10 topics
- Geography: 10 topics
- Indian Polity: 10 topics
- Current Affairs: 8 topics