BPSC Mains Syllabus, paper by paper

Mains carries 60% of the weight that decides your rank, against 30% for Prelims — yet almost every free resource stops at Prelims. Here is the whole thing, topic by topic. Free to read.

What each paper is worth

Paper	Share of the decision
Prelims	30%
Mains — gs1	25%
Mains — gs2	25%
Mains — essay	10%
Mains — hindi	5%
Mains — interview	5%

General Hindi (Qualifying)

Paper I — Qualifying Hindi (100 marks)

Hindi Grammar (Vyakaran) HIGH

Sandhi & Samas · Karak & Vibhakti · Tatsam–Tadbhav · Muhavare & Lokoktiyan · Visheshan & Sarvanam

Worth knowing: Sandhi = Swar / Vyanjan / Visarg. Six Karaks — Karta, Karm, Karan, Sampradan, Apadan, Adhikaran (+ Sambandh, Sambodhan). Common Muhavare/Lokoktiyan are frequently asked — make a personal list of 50–100.

Hindi Essay (Nibandh) HIGH

Word limit ~600 · Structure: Intro, body, conclusion · Bihar topics · National & Social topics · Polishing language

Worth knowing: Practice 1 essay per week; cover Bihar, women, environment, social issues. Open with quote/statistic; close with vision/way forward. Use simple sentences; avoid loanwords from English where possible.

Patra Lekhan — not in the BPSC paper LOW

Aupcharik (formal) · Anaupcharik (informal) · Application · Complaint · Editor letter

Worth knowing: Format strictly: address, date, salutation, subject, body, closing. Keep formal letter to ~150–200 words. Practice common scenarios — RTI complaint, application to DM, leave letter.

Sankshepan & Pallavan MEDIUM

Precis (1/3rd of original) · Title for passage · Pallavan (expansion) · Comprehension Q&A

Worth knowing: Sankshepan = exact 1/3rd of original; no own ideas — only summary. Title should be brief (3–6 words) yet capture essence. Pallavan — expand a quotation into 3 paragraphs (~300 words).

General Studies I

Paper II — Modern History, Indian Culture, Statistics & Current Events

Modern Indian History HIGH

British conquest · Economic policies · Reform movements · Freedom struggle · Post-Independence integration

Worth knowing: British took 100 years (1757 Plassey to 1857 Revolt) to consolidate. Drain theory — Dadabhai Naoroji (Poverty and Un-British Rule in India). Sardar Patel integrated 562 princely states; called "Iron Man of India".

Mauryan Art & Architecture HIGH

Pillars (Sarnath, Lauriya Nandangarh) · Stupas (Sanchi, Bharhut) · Caves (Barabar) · Pottery (NBPW) · Sculpture

Worth knowing: Ashokan pillars — monolithic, polished sandstone, lion/bull capitals; Sarnath capital is national emblem. Lauriya Nandangarh & Vaishali pillars are in Bihar. Barabar caves (Bihar) — earliest rock-cut caves; given to Ajivikas by Ashoka.

Pala Art & Architecture HIGH

Bronze sculptures · Manuscript painting · Vajrayana iconography · Spread to SE Asia & Tibet · Major centres (Nalanda, Vikramshila)

Worth knowing: Pala school (8th–12th c.) — last great phase of Buddhist art in India. Bronze images cast by lost-wax (cire perdue) method; centres at Nalanda & Kurkihar. Pala art influenced Tibetan, Nepalese, Burmese, Javanese (Borobudur) Buddhist art.

Patna Kalam Painting HIGH

Origin (late 18th c.) · Influences (Mughal + Company) · Themes (Bazaar, Festivals) · Famous artists (Sevak Ram, Ishwari Prasad) · GI tag (2020)

Worth knowing: Patna Kalam (also Patna Qalam) — first independent school of painting in India focusing on common people. Developed late 18th c. when Mughal artists migrated to Patna; flourished under EIC patronage. Got GI tag in 2020. Famous painters: Sewak Ram, Hulas Lal, Shiv Lal, Ishwari Prasad.

Madhubani Painting HIGH

Origin (Mithila, Janakpur tradition) · Styles — Bharni, Kachni, Tantrik, Godna, Kohbar · Themes (mythology, nature) · Famous artists (Sita Devi, Mahasundari Devi, Ganga Devi) · GI tag (2007)

Worth knowing: Madhubani (Mithila) painting — practiced by women on walls during weddings; later on paper. GI tag granted in 2007. Five styles: Bharni (filled), Kachni (line), Tantrik, Godna, Kohbar. Padma awardees: Sita Devi, Mahasundari Devi, Ganga Devi, Bua Devi.

Bihar Crafts & Folk Arts MEDIUM

Sikki craft · Sujani embroidery · Bhagalpur silk (Tussar) · Lac bangles (Muzaffarpur) · Manjusha (Angika) painting · Wood inlay & Stone craft

Worth knowing: Sikki craft (golden grass) — Madhubani; used to make boxes, dolls, baskets. Bhagalpur — "Silk City"; famous for Tussar (Kosa) silk; GI tag. Manjusha (Angika) art — only art form depicting story sequence; from Bhagalpur.

Chhath Puja & Bihar Festivals MEDIUM

Chhath Puja — 4 days · Sama-Chakeva · Jitiya · Sonepur Mela · Pitrapaksha (Gaya) · Rajgir Mahotsav

Worth knowing: Chhath — only festival worshipping setting (Sandhya Arghya) and rising sun (Usha Arghya). Sonepur Mela — largest cattle fair in Asia; held on Kartik Purnima at Sonepur (Saran). Pitrapaksha mela at Gaya — for ancestors' liberation; 17 days; Vishnupad temple.

Statistics — Basics MEDIUM

Mean, Median, Mode · Standard Deviation & Variance · Correlation & Regression · Index numbers · Tabular & Graphical analysis

Worth knowing: Mean is sensitive to outliers; median is robust; mode for categorical data. Karl Pearson correlation coefficient r ∈ [-1, +1]; Spearman for ranks. CPI & WPI used for inflation measurement; base year for CPI(IW) is currently 2016.

Current Events of National Importance HIGH

Major govt initiatives · Constitutional amendments (recent) · SC judgments · Foreign policy · Bihar developments

Worth knowing: Article 370 abrogation (Aug 2019); upheld by SC in Dec 2023. Women's Reservation Act (Nari Shakti Vandan, 2023) — 33% in LS/State Assemblies (post next census + delimitation). Bihar caste survey — published Oct 2023.

General Studies II

Paper III — Polity, Economy, Geography, Sci & Tech

Constitution: Basics & Features HIGH

Making · Salient features · Preamble · Parts & Schedules · Borrowed features

Worth knowing: Original: 22 parts, 8 schedules, 395 articles. Now: 25 parts, 12 schedules, ~470 articles. Borrowed features — UK (parl. system), USA (Judicial review, FRs), Ireland (DPSP), Canada (federation), Japan (procedure of law), Australia (concurrent list). Basic Structure Doctrine — Kesavananda Bharati case (1973).

Fundamental Rights HIGH

Articles 14–18 · 19–22 · 23–24 · 25–28 · 29–30 · Article 32 — Writs

Worth knowing: RTE Act 2009 (Art 21A) — free, compulsory education 6–14 years. Triple Talaq declared unconstitutional (Shayara Bano 2017); criminalized 2019. Section 377 (consensual same-sex) struck down (Navtej Singh Johar 2018).

DPSP & Fundamental Duties MEDIUM

DPSP categories · Implementation status · FRs vs DPSP · Fundamental Duties · Verma Committee

Worth knowing: Implementation: UCC (Art 44), Free legal aid (39A), Living wage (43) — partial. Bihar enacted UCC discussion still ongoing; Uttarakhand enacted 1st UCC (2024). Verma Committee (1976) recommended FDs; expanded by Sachar Committee.

Parliament & President HIGH

Parliamentary procedures · Committees · President's powers · PM & CoM · Centre-state friction

Worth knowing: Department-related Standing Committees (24); Public Accounts Committee — chaired by Opposition member. President's veto powers — Absolute, Suspensive, Pocket; no qualified veto. Anti-defection — 10th schedule (52nd CAA, 1985); strengthened by 91st CAA (2003).

Judiciary & PIL MEDIUM

SC jurisdictions · High Courts · Subordinate judiciary · Tribunals · Judicial activism vs overreach

Worth knowing: NJAC struck down (2015); collegium continues. Memorandum of Procedure unfinished. Tribunals — Art 323A & 323B (added by 42nd CAA). Examples of activism — Vineet Narain, Vishakha guidelines, Right to Privacy.

Federalism — Centre State Relations MEDIUM

Legislative · Administrative · Financial · Inter-state Council · Cooperative & Competitive Federalism

Worth knowing: Finance Commission constituted every 5 years (Art 280); 16th FC under Arvind Panagariya. GST Council (Art 279A) — Centre 1/3rd weight, States 2/3rd; landmark cooperative federalism. NITI Aayog replaced Planning Commission in 2015; CM are members in Governing Council.

Panchayati Raj — 73rd Amendment & Bihar HIGH

73rd CAA · PESA Act · Bihar Panchayati Raj Act 2006 · Women reservation · Issues — finance, capacity

Worth knowing: Bihar — 1st state to give 50% reservation to women (2006). Now followed by 21 states. PESA Act 1996 — for Scheduled Areas; enables tribal self-governance. State Finance Commission constituted every 5 years (Art 243-I).

Electoral System & Reforms MEDIUM

ECI structure · FPTP vs PR debate · NOTA & VVPAT · Electoral bonds · One Nation One Election

Worth knowing: Electoral Bonds scheme struck down by SC (Feb 2024) for violating Right to Information. NOTA introduced 2013 (PUCL judgment). Kovind Committee (2024) recommended ONOE — simultaneous LS+SLA; LB+UB within 100 days.

Indian Economy — Basics HIGH

GDP, GNP, NNP, NDP · Sectors of economy · Planning history · Monetary & fiscal policy · Inflation & banking

Worth knowing: India's economy: 5th largest by nominal, 3rd by PPP. Services contribute ~54% of GDP. Fiscal Responsibility & Budget Management Act 2003; aims at fiscal discipline. RBI established 1935 (under RBI Act 1934); nationalized 1949.

World & Indian Geography MEDIUM

Latitude/Longitude · Earth's motions · Atmosphere & climate · World physical · Indian physical & economic

Worth knowing: IST = UTC + 5:30; standard meridian 82°30' E (Mirzapur, UP). Earth's axis tilted 23.5° from vertical — causes seasons. Tropic of Cancer passes through 8 Indian states — Gujarat, Rajasthan, MP, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, WB, Tripura, Mizoram.

Science & Technology MEDIUM

Space — ISRO programmes · Nuclear & defence · Biotech & health · IT & AI · Energy

Worth knowing: ISRO milestones — Aryabhata (1975), PSLV-C11 Chandrayaan-1 (2008), Mangalyaan (2014, 1st-attempt success), Chandrayaan-3 (2023). India is one of 5 nuclear weapon states with NSG-aspirations; signed 123 Agreement with US in 2008. India ranks 39 on Global Innovation Index 2023; aims top 25 by 2030.

Essay Paper

Paper IV — Essay (300 marks)

Essay Structure & Approach HIGH

Brainstorming · Outline · Intro–Body–Conclusion · Multidimensional approach · Inter-linkage with quotes/data

Worth knowing: Spend 15–20 min on outline; 90 min on writing. Use the SPELT-D framework — Social, Political, Economic, Legal, Technological, Demographic angles. Open with anecdote/quote/statistic; close with vision/way forward.

Common Essay Themes HIGH

Women & Gender · Education & Youth · Climate & Environment · Federalism & Governance · Economy & Inclusive growth · Bihar specific

Worth knowing: Maintain a quote/statistic bank — 5–10 per theme. Bihar-specific: floods, migration, education revival, MSMEs. Gandhi, Tagore, Nehru, Ambedkar, Vivekananda quotes are reliable.

Essay Practice Plan MEDIUM

1 essay/week · Timed practice · Self-evaluation · Peer review · Revision

Worth knowing: Aim for 1200–1800 words (handwritten, ~3 hrs). Maintain readability — short paras, sub-headings, transitions. Avoid factual errors and one-sided views.

Ethics & Integrity (Essay + Interview)

Not a BPSC paper — values material for Essay Section III and the interview

Ethics & Human Interface MEDIUM

Essence of ethics · Determinants & consequences · Ethics in private vs public life · Role of family/society/education · Human values

Worth knowing: Ethics = moral principles guiding behaviour; differs from morality (personal) and law (codified). Determinants of ethics — culture, upbringing, religion, peer group, profession. Three levels (Kohlberg) — pre-conventional (reward/punishment), conventional (social norms), post-conventional (universal principles).

Attitude & Behaviour MEDIUM

Components — cognitive, affective, behavioural (CAB) · Persuasion (ELM) · Moral attitude · Political attitude · Civil-service attitude

Worth knowing: Attitude = learned predisposition to respond favourably/unfavourably to objects. CAB triad — cognition (beliefs), affect (feelings), behaviour (actions). Petty (1986) Elaboration Likelihood Model — central vs peripheral persuasion routes.

Foundational Values for Civil Services MEDIUM

Integrity · Impartiality & Non-partisanship · Objectivity · Dedication to public service · Empathy, tolerance, compassion

Worth knowing: Sardar Patel — civil servants are the "steel frame of India". 2nd ARC (4th Report) — ethics in governance = transparency + accountability + integrity. Code of Conduct rules — All India Services (Conduct) Rules 1968; Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules 1964.

Moral Thinkers & Philosophers MEDIUM

Indian — Kautilya, Buddha, Gandhi, Vivekananda, Tagore, Ambedkar · Western — Aristotle, Kant, Mill, Plato, Rawls · Application to administration

Worth knowing: Kautilya's Arthashastra — Yogakshema (welfare state); 4-fold Saam-Daam-Dand-Bhed. Gandhi — Sarvodaya, Trusteeship, 7 social sins, Talisman. Aristotle — virtue ethics, golden mean.

Emotional Intelligence (EI) MEDIUM

Goleman's 5 components · Self-awareness, Self-regulation · Motivation, Empathy, Social skills · EI in administration

Worth knowing: Goleman's 5 EI components: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, social skills. IQ (cognitive) vs EQ (emotional) vs SQ (spiritual) — civil servant needs all. EI helps in conflict resolution, public dealing, crisis response.

Probity in Governance MEDIUM

Concept of public service · Transparency & RTI · Citizen's Charters · Code of ethics & conduct · Information sharing

Worth knowing: Probity = adherence to highest moral principles; integrity in office. Right to Information Act 2005; transparency mechanism. Lokpal (centre, 2014) and Lokayuktas (states); Bihar Lokayukta Act 1973 (revised 2018).

Case Study Approach MEDIUM

Identify ethical issues · List stakeholders · Options & evaluation · Best course of action · Justification

Worth knowing: Standard frame: Facts → Stakeholders → Ethical issues → Options → Evaluation → Decision → Justification. Ethical lenses: utilitarian, rights-based, justice, virtue, care. Bihar context cases: dealing with hooch tragedy enforcement, caste-discrimination complaint, election-bond donor request.

Study these topics in order, and remember them

These questions are free to read. The app is the paid part, and it covers the whole exam rather than stopping at Prelims: 83 Prelims topics, 34 Mains topics across 5 papers, the interview, and 19 Bihar-specific topics — 94 chapters in reading order, each with a brief on how the examiner asks it. ₹199 for a month, or ₹499 until your attempt is done — which is the one to take if your exam is close.

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