WBCS Exam Pattern & Marking Scheme

From the official Public Service Commission, West Bengal (WBPSC) documents · last checked 1 October 2026

Preliminary Examination

Offline objective (MCQ) test. You mark answers on an OMR sheet with a black ball-point pen. · 2 hours 30 minutes

SectionQuestionsMarks
English Composition2525
General Science2525
Current Events of National & International Importance2525
History of India2525
Geography of India with special reference to West Bengal2525
Indian Polity and Economy2525
Indian National Movement2525
General Mental Ability2525
Total200200

Marking: There is one paper, General Studies, with 200 questions worth 200 marks. All questions carry equal marks, so each correct answer gets 1 mark. Each wrong answer loses 0.25 mark, as printed on the 2024 question booklet.

  • Each of the 8 areas carries 25 marks. Because all questions carry equal marks, this works out to 25 questions per area.
  • Each question has four options, (A) to (D). Marking more than one circle counts as a wrong answer.
  • The Prelims is only a screening test. Its marks are not added to your final merit score.
  • Only candidates who qualify in the Prelims of a given year can sit the Main exam of that same year.
  • The paper is set at the level of a graduate in any subject.
  • The exam is held in Kolkata and in district centres across West Bengal. In 2024 there were 25 district centres.
  • In the 2024 final answer key, every candidate gets 1 mark for each question marked '*', whether or not they attempted it.

Main Examination

Offline written exam. Four compulsory papers are MCQ, answered on OMR sheets. Papers I and II (languages) and the optional papers are conventional (descriptive) answer papers. · 3 hours per paper

SectionQuestionsMarks
Paper I – Bengali/Hindi/Urdu/Nepali/Santali (letter or report writing, précis, composition, translation from English) – conventional—200
Paper II – English (letter or report writing, précis, composition, translation into English) – conventional—200
Paper III – General Studies-I (Indian History with emphasis on National Movement; Geography of India with reference to West Bengal) – MCQ—200
Paper IV – General Studies-II (Science & Technology, Environment, General Knowledge, Current Affairs) – MCQ—200
Paper V – The Constitution of India and Indian Economy including role and functions of RBI – MCQ—200
Paper VI – Arithmetic and Test of Reasoning – MCQ—200
Optional Subject Paper 1 (Group A and B candidates only) – conventional—200
Optional Subject Paper 2 (Group A and B candidates only) – conventional—200
Total—1600

Marking: Each paper carries 200 marks. Every wrong answer in an MCQ paper carries negative marking, at the rate printed on the question booklet. If you reveal your identity in an answer script (for example your name or roll number), 10% of that paper's full marks will be cut.

  • Group A and B candidates write all 6 compulsory papers plus one optional subject of two papers, for 1600 marks.
  • Group C and D candidates write only the 6 compulsory papers, for 1200 marks.
  • For Paper I you pick one language: Bengali, Hindi, Urdu, Nepali or Santali. Paper II asks you to translate from that language into English.
  • You can answer every paper except the language papers in English or Bengali, but you must use only one language within a paper. The Political Science and Botany optionals may also be answered in Nepali.
  • The scheme says Santali papers are set in the Ol Chiki script and must be answered in Ol Chiki.
  • There are 38 optional subjects to choose from. The optional papers are at about Honours degree level. Law, Medical Science and Engineering are at LLB, MBBS and BE level.
  • WBPSC can set qualifying marks in any paper and in the aggregate. If you fail to reach the qualifying mark in a paper, that paper is left out of your aggregate.
  • The official scheme does not say how many questions each MCQ paper has.

Personality Test

Interview at the Public Service Commission office, Kolkata · Not stated in the official scheme

SectionQuestionsMarks
Group A & B services—200
Group C services and posts—150
Group D posts—100

Marking: Each candidate has one Personality Test. Marks are then given separately for each group applied for, out of 200 (A & B), 150 (C) or 100 (D).

  • Candidates are called in order of merit based on their Main exam results.
  • Your final merit is based on your Main exam marks plus your Personality Test marks.
  • Maximum total marks are 1800 for Group A, 1800 for Group B, 1350 for Group C and 1300 for Group D.
  • Group B (West Bengal Police Service) candidates are specially tested for suitability for police service.
  • If your mother tongue is not Bengali or Nepali, your knowledge of Bengali is tested at the Personality Test.
  • To qualify, your aggregate (written plus Personality Test) must reach at least: UR 40%, EWS 40%, OBC (A & B) 38%, SC 35%, ST 30%, PwBD 30%, MSP 40%. WBPSC may relax these marks for reserved categories.
  • If two candidates tie, the higher Personality Test mark ranks first. Next comes the higher compulsory aggregate, then the best compulsory papers, and finally the older candidate.

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