Quick update (as of 22 October 2026)
- 25 October 2026 exam: postponed (BPSC notice signed 12 October 2026).
- New date: not announced yet; BPSC says it will be notified later.
- Vacancies: 1,187 posts after the corrigendum of 3 September 2026.
- Admit card: to be issued by BPSC for the new date.
BPSC 72nd Prelims 2026: exam postponed
The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) has postponed the Integrated 72nd Combined (Preliminary) Competitive Examination that was to be held on Sunday, 25 October 2026. The notice, signed by the Controller of Examinations on 12 October 2026, gives unavoidable reasons and says the new date will be announced later.
This is the second postponement. The exam was first scheduled for 26 July 2026 and was postponed by a notice dated 18 July 2026, after which the revised exam calendar of 14 August 2026 listed 25 October 2026.
BPSC 72nd CCE: important dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Advertisement published | 5 May 2026 |
| Online application | 7 May – 31 May 2026 |
| First exam date | 26 July 2026 (postponed on 18 July 2026) |
| Second exam date | 25 October 2026 (postponed on 12 October 2026) |
| New exam date | To be announced |
| Admit card | To be issued for the new date |
BPSC 72nd CCE vacancies
BPSC’s notice of 5 May 2026 said the departments had sent 1,230 vacancies for the 72nd CCE and related examinations. Two corrigenda then changed the CCE count:
- 6 May 2026: 44 Sugarcane Officer posts were deleted from the advertisement.
- 3 September 2026: Deputy Superintendent of Police posts were reduced from 22 to 20, taking the total to 1,187.
| Post (examples from the advertisement) | Posts |
|---|---|
| Sub-Divisional Officer / Senior Deputy Collector (Bihar Administrative Service) | 100 |
| State Tax Assistant Commissioner (Bihar Finance Service) | 76 |
| Rural Development Officer | 65 |
| Municipal Executive Officer (Urban Development and Housing Department) | 54 |
| Deputy Superintendent of Police (Bihar Police Service) | 20 |
BPSC 72nd Prelims exam pattern
The Prelims is a single General Studies paper of objective multiple-choice questions, for 150 marks in two hours. It is a qualifying stage; its marks are not counted in the final merit.
| Feature | Rule (72nd CCE advertisement) |
|---|---|
| Paper | General Studies, objective multiple-choice |
| Marks / time | 150 marks, 2 hours |
| Options per question | Five: A, B, C, D and E |
| Option E | Means ‘not attempted’; must be marked if the candidate does not want to answer |
| Wrong answer | 1/3 mark deducted |
| No option marked (A–E all blank) | 1/3 mark deducted |
| Minimum qualifying marks | General 40%, BC 36.5%, EBC 34%, SC/ST, women and PwD 32% |
The option-E system was introduced by BPSC’s notice of 1 May 2026 for all MCQ-based exams. It changes exam-day strategy: a candidate who skips a question must still darken E, or lose one-third of a mark.
Mains exam pattern (for reference)
| Paper | Marks | Counted in merit? |
|---|---|---|
| General Hindi | 100 (30% needed to qualify) | No |
| General Studies Paper I | 300 | Yes |
| General Studies Paper II | 300 | Yes |
| Essay | 300 | Yes |
| Optional subject (100 MCQs, 2 hours) | 100 (minimum marks required) | No |
What candidates should do now
- Check bpsc.bihar.gov.in for the new date notice; the admit card will be released for that date.
- Use the extra time for revision and timed practice under the new option-E and negative-marking rules.
- Keep Bihar-specific current affairs updated, since the exam date has moved by several months since July.
हिंदी में मुख्य बातें
- बीपीएससी 72वीं संयुक्त (प्रारंभिक) प्रतियोगिता परीक्षा, जो 25 अक्टूबर 2026 को होनी थी, स्थगित कर दी गई है (सूचना 12 अक्टूबर 2026)।
- नई तिथि की घोषणा अभी नहीं हुई है; आयोग बाद में सूचना देगा।
- यह दूसरी बार स्थगन है; पहले परीक्षा 26 जुलाई 2026 को होनी थी।
- कुल पद: 1,187 (शुद्धि-पत्र 3 सितंबर 2026 के अनुसार)।
- हर प्रश्न में पाँच विकल्प (A–E); E = प्रयास नहीं किया। गलत उत्तर या कोई विकल्प न भरने पर 1/3 अंक की कटौती।
Practise timed General Studies sets in the GSMitra MCQ Test Builder. The previous cycle’s Mains status is on the BPSC 71st Mains result 2026 page.
BPSC CCE reference: topic-wise BPSC syllabus 2026, marking rules with option-E examples on the BPSC exam pattern page, and the full 72nd post list, eligibility and age limits in the BPSC CCE complete guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is the BPSC 72nd Prelims exam on 25 October 2026?
No. BPSC postponed the Integrated 72nd Combined (Preliminary) Competitive Examination scheduled for Sunday, 25 October 2026, through a notice signed on 12 October 2026, citing unavoidable reasons.
What is the new date of the BPSC 72nd Prelims exam?
BPSC has not announced the new date yet. Its notice says the new date will be communicated later.
How many times has the BPSC 72nd Prelims been postponed?
Twice. It was first scheduled for 26 July 2026 and postponed by a notice dated 18 July 2026. It was then rescheduled for 25 October 2026 and postponed again by a notice dated 12 October 2026.
How many vacancies are there in BPSC 72nd CCE?
1,187 posts, as per the corrigendum dated 3 September 2026, which reduced Deputy Superintendent of Police posts from 22 to 20. Earlier, 44 Sugarcane Officer posts were removed by a corrigendum dated 6 May 2026.
Is there negative marking in BPSC 72nd Prelims?
Yes. One-third of a mark is deducted for each wrong answer. Each question has five options; option E means ‘not attempted’. If a candidate marks none of the five options, one-third of a mark is also deducted.
What are the qualifying marks for BPSC 72nd Prelims?
The Prelims is qualifying. The advertisement sets minimum marks of 40% for General, 36.5% for Backward Class, 34% for Extremely Backward Class and 32% for SC/ST, women and persons with disabilities.
Sources: BPSC notices: 72nd CCE advertisement and important notice (5 May 2026); corrigenda (6 May 2026 and 3 September 2026); option-E notice (1 May 2026); postponement notices (18 July 2026 and 12 October 2026); examination calendar (14 August 2026), bpsc.bihar.gov.in. The Commission’s notices are the final authority.
Prepared by the GSMitra Editorial Team. Last updated 22 October 2026.