The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) exam is a highly competitive examination for various civil service posts in the state of Bihar. Many aspirants often ask, “What is the passing marks in BPSC Exam?” Understanding the qualifying marks is important to plan your preparation effectively. Let’s explore the details:
What are the Minimum Passing Marks in BPSC Prelims?
The BPSC Prelims is a qualifying paper that consists of objective-type questions for 150 marks. Candidates must score the minimum qualifying marks to be eligible for the Mains exam.
Here is the category-wise expected minimum passing marks in BPSC Prelims:
Category |
Minimum Qualifying Marks |
General |
40% (60 marks) |
OBC |
36.5% (54.75 marks) |
SC/ST |
34% (51 marks) |
Women & PwD Candidates |
32% (48 marks) |
✅ Note: These percentages may vary slightly depending on the notification year and cutoff trends.
Read More: Can I Clear BPSC in 1st Attempt?
What are the Passing Marks in BPSC Mains?
The BPSC Mains examination is descriptive and includes four papers. Out of these, one paper (General Hindi) is qualifying in nature. The other three papers — General Studies Paper 1, General Studies Paper 2, and Optional Subject — are merit-based.
To qualify the Hindi paper, a candidate must score at least 30% (30 marks out of 100). Failure to secure these marks disqualifies a candidate, even if they perform well in other papers.
There is no official passing mark set for the General Studies and Optional papers; selection is purely based on merit and total score.
Do Passing Marks Guarantee Selection in BPSC?
No, scoring the minimum passing marks does not guarantee selection. These marks only qualify a candidate to the next round. Final selection is based on the cutoff marks, which vary every year based on:
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Number of vacancies
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Difficulty level of the paper
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Number of applicants
To get an idea of the cutoff trend and important topics, you should refer to BPSC Previous Year Question Paper collections. These papers help in understanding the pattern, weightage, and expected question types.
How to Strategically Prepare to Clear BPSC?
To go beyond just the passing marks, candidates should follow a smart study approach:
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Build a strong foundation using BPSC Books that cover the latest syllabus comprehensively.
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Practice from BPSC Previous Year Question Paper sets to identify high-weightage topics.
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Regularly revise and attempt mock tests for better time management and confidence.
Final Thoughts
While knowing the passing marks in BPSC helps you set a base target, aiming higher is essential to secure a spot on the final merit list. Analyze the exam pattern, stay updated with official notifications, and prepare with consistency.
Whether you're a first-time aspirant or a repeater, aligning your preparation with quality BPSC Books and solving BPSC Previous Year Question Papers regularly will significantly boost your chances.