UPPSC stands for Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission. The UPPSC exam is a competitive exam conducted to select the candidates for state civil services. BPSC stands for Bihar Public Service Commission, and the BPSC exam is conducted to select suitable candidates for Bihar state civil services.
Both the exams are conducted in three stages, namely prelims, mains, and personal interviews. The candidates qualifying prelims are eligible for mains. The final round is the personal interview for the qualified candidates in the mains. Both UPPSC and BPSC exams mostly follow the same pattern. There are minor differences in the UPPSC exam pattern that should be carefully noted.
Prelims exam pattern for UPPSC and BPSC
Both the exams are objective. While UPPSC has two papers for general studies, BPSC has only one paper.
| EXAM | SUBJECT | DURATION | NO. OF QUESTIONS | MARKS |
| UPPSC | General Studies 1 | 2 Hrs | 150 | 200 |
| General Studies 2 (Aptitude, Hindi, English) | 2 Hrs | 100 | 200 | |
| BPSC | General Studies | 2 Hrs | 150 | 150 |
The UPPSC Prelims Exam 1 and Exam 2 carry negative marking. For every wrong answer, 33% percent of the allotted marks for the question shall be deducted. While in the BPSC exam, there is no negative marking for the prelims exam.
Mains exam pattern for UPPSC and BPSC
The major difference between the main exam pattern for UPPSC and BPSC is that while the former has 8 papers, the latter has 4 papers for the candidates. The division of subjects and the allotted marks are mentioned in the table below for both exams.
| EXAM | SUBJECT | DURATION | MARKS |
| UPPSC | Hindi | 3 Hrs | 150 |
| Essay | 3 Hrs | 150 | |
| General Studies -1 | 3 Hrs | 200 | |
| General Studies -2 | 3 Hrs | 200 | |
| General Studies -3 | 3 Hrs | 200 | |
| General Studies -4 | 3 Hrs | 200 | |
| Optional Paper -1 | 3 Hrs | 200 | |
| Optional Paper -2 | 3 Hrs | 200 |
| EXAM | SUBJECT | DURATION | MARKS |
| BPSC | General Hindi | 3 Hrs | 100 |
| General Studies -1 | 3 Hrs | 300 | |
| General Studies -2 | 3 Hrs | 300 | |
| Optional Paper | 3 Hrs | 300 |
List of Optional Subjects for UPPSC and BPSC Mains Exam
UPPSC Optional Subjects
- Law
- Agriculture
- Botany
- Mechanical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Animal Husbandry
- Electrical Engineering
- Chemistry
- Psychology
- Zoology
- Medical Science
- Physics and Veterinary Science
- Statistics
- Urdu Literature
- Mathematics
- Hindi Literature
- English Literature
- Management
- Sanskrit Literature
- Geography
- Economics
- Sociology
- Philosophy
- History
- Political Science
- Public Administration
- Anthropology
- Commerce
- Geology
- Anthropology
- Commerce and Accounts
- Geology
- Defense Studies
- Social work
BPSC Optional Subjects
- Agriculture
- Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science
- Anthropology
- Botany
- Chemistry
- Civil Engineering
- Commerce and Accountancy
- Economics
- Electrical Engineering
- Geography
- Geology
- History
- Labour and Social Welfare
- Law
- Management
- Mathematics
- Mechanical Engineering
- Philosophy
- Physics
- Political Science and International Relations
- Psychology
- Public Administration
- Sociology
- Statistics
- Zoology
- Hindi Language and Literature
- English Language and Literature
- Urdu Language and Literature
- Bangla Language and Literature
- Sanskrit Language and Literature
- Persian Language and Literature
- Arabic Language and Literature
- Pali Language and Literature
- Maithili Language and Literature
Personal Interview in UPPSC and BPSC Exam
UPPSC personal interview will consist of 100 marks while BPSC personal interview is conducted for 120 marks. The final merit list for BPSC is calculated based on 1020 marks, including 900 marks from mains and 120 marks from a personal interview. The final merit list for UPPSC is calculated based on 1600 marks, including 1500 marks from mains and 100 marks from a personal interview. The candidates are also tested for their general awareness, character, personality, general suitability, and intelligence.
While both BPSC and UPPSC are highly competitive, an organized study plan and proper understanding of the subjects can help clear the exam easily. BYJU’S Exam Prep is one pit-stop for all your queries regarding exam preparation, mock tests, study plan, exam pattern, and much other necessary expertise. Join the bandwagon and enjoy hassle-free learning.
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