WBCS EXAMINATION: PATTERN AND SYLLABUS

Pattern and Syllabus
SCHEME OF PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION
SCHEME OF MAIN EXAMINATION

Scheme of the Preliminary Examination:
The Preliminary Examination will consist of only one paper, viz., a paper on “General Studies”. The paper will be of an objective type consisting of 200 multiple-choice questions. The paper will carry 200 marks and will be of 2½ hours duration. The standard of the paper will be of the level of knowledge as expected of a graduate of any faculty of a recognized University. The paper will include questions covering the following fields of knowledge:
(i) English Composition : 25 Marks
(ii) General Science : 25 Marks
(iii) Current events of National & International Importance : 25 Marks
(iv) History of India : 25 Marks
(v) Geography of India with special reference to West Bengal : 25 Marks
(vi) Indian Polity and Economy: 25 Marks
(vii) Indian National Movement: 25 Marks
(viii) General Mental Ability: 25 Marks
SYLLABI FOR PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION
Questions on English Composition will cover Synonyms, Antonyms, Idioms and Phrases, Vocabulary test, Phrasal Verbs, the same words bearing more than one meaning, use of appropriate and qualifying words etc. Questions on General Science will cover general appreciation and understanding of science, including matters of everyday observation and experience as may be expected of a well-educated person who has not made a special study of any scientific discipline. In History, emphasis will be on broad general understanding of the subject in its social, economic and political aspects. Questions on the Geography of India will relate to Physical, Social and Economic Geography of the country, including the main features of Indian Agricultural and Natural Resources with special reference to West Bengal. Questions of Indian Polity and Economy will test the knowledge of the country’s Political System, Panchayatee Raj, Community Development and Planning in India, Questions on the Indian National Movement will relate to the nature and character of the Nineteenth Century Resurgence, Growth of Nationalism and Attainment of Independence. General Mental Ability will relate to Logical perception, understanding and natural conclusion. The Preliminary Examination is meant to serve as a Screening Test only for the purpose of selection of candidates for the Main Examination. The marks obtained in this examination by the candidates will not be considered for final selection. Only those candidates who will be declared qualified at the Preliminary Examination in a year will be eligible for admission to the W.B.C.S. (Exe.) etc.(Main) Examination of that year.

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Scheme of the Main Examination:
The Main Examination will consist of five Compulsory papers and two optional subjects (one optional subject for candidates applying only for group C and / or D) to be chosen by the candidates from the list of optional subjects given below. If a candidate offers two optional subjects and intends to compete for only Group – ‘C’ and/or ‘D’. There will be two papers on each optional subject. Every paper –Compulsory or optional – will carry 100 marks and will be of 3 hours’ duration.
Compulsory Papers:

Paper I

Bengali/Hindi/Urdu/Nepali Essay, Précis Writing, Composition and Translation from English into Bengali/Hindi/Urdu/Nepali (Marks 40+20+20+20).

Paper II/
English Essay, Précis Writing, Composition and Translation from Bengali/Hindi/ Urdu/Nepali into English (Marks 40+20+20+0).

Paper III

General Knowledge and Current Affairs (Excluding questions on the Constitution of India and the Five-year Plans (Marks 50+50).

Paper IV

The Constitution of India and the Five-year Plans (Marks 50+50).

Paper V

Arithmetic and Test of Reasoning (Marks 50+50).

List of optionalSubjects:

Subject	Code
Bengali	01
Hindi	02
Sanskrit	03
English	04
Pali	05
Arabic	06
Persian	07
French	08
Urdu	09
Comparative Literature	10
Agriculture	11
Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science	12
Anthropology	13
Botany	14
Chemistry	15
Civil Engineering	16
Commerce and Accountancy	17
Economics	19
Electrical Engineering	20
Geography	21
Geology	22
History	23
Law	24
Mathematics	25
Management	26
Mechanical Engineering	27
Medical Science	28
Philosophy	29
Physiology	30
Physics	31
Political Science	32
Psychology	33
Sociology	34
Statistics	35
Zoology	36

Restriction on choice of Optional Subjects:
Candidates will be allowed to offer optional subjects mentioned below in the followingrestricted manner.
i) Bengali/Hindi/Sanskrit/English/Pali/Arabic/Persian/French/Urdu/Comparative Literature (candidates will have the option to choose if they so intend, only one of those subjects as an optional paper).
ii) Commerce and Accountancy or Management
iii) Sociology or Political Science or Anthropology
iv) Mathematics or Statistics
v) Agriculture or Botany
vi) Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science or Medical Science or Physiology or Zoology
vii) Civil Engineering or Electrical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering or Computer Science
viii) Geography or Geology
ix) Philosophy or Psychology
The standard of Arithmetic part of Compulsory Paper – V :
Arithmetic & Test of Reasoning will be similar to that of the Compulsory Mathematics paper at the Madhyamik Examination of the Board of Secondary Education, West Bengal. Test of Reasoning will cover Analytical Reasoning – Data Sufficiency; Logical Reasoning – (1) Logical Deduction, (2) Forcefulness of the Arguments, (3) Implication of sentences, (4) Inferring from
diagrams; Series – (1) Letter series, (2) Number series; Inferring from Data; analogy tests; Symbol Interpretation; Mathematical puzzles; Odd man out; Perception test; Non-verbal reasoning; Selecting the correct sequence. The standard of other compulsory papers will be of the level of learning expected of a graduate of any faculty of a recognized University. The standard of the examination in optional subjects will be approximately that of an Honours Degree Examination as prescribed by the recognized Indian Universities except Law, Medical Science and Engineering subjects. For Law, Medical Science and Engineering subjects those specified for the LLB course theoretical papers for MBBS and BE or equivalent courses respectively of recognized Indian University / Institution.
Answers in all the paper – Compulsory and Optional – except the language papers may be written either in English or in Bengali (unless otherwise directed in these rules or in the question papers). Answers in the following compulsory and optional papers may also be written in Nepali :
Compulsory : (1) General Knowledge & Current Affairs. (2) The Constitution of India & the Five-Year Plans.
Optional : (1) Political Science (2) Botany
Note : Candidates should write their answers to all the questions in only one and the same language in any particular paper.
Candidates may use the Devanagari or Bengali Script in the answer papers on Sanskrit; the Devanagari Script in the answer papers on Hindi or Nepali;and the Bengali, Arabic, Persian and Urdu Scripts respectively in the answer papers on Bengali, Arabic, Persian & Urdu.
A summary of the group-wise papers in the Main Examination : Group ‘A’ & ‘B’ Services & Posts : All 5 compulsory papers and two optional subjects of two papers each.
Group ‘C’ & ‘D’ Services & Posts : All 5 compulsory papers and one optional subject of two papers. In case of a candidate competing for Group ‘A’ and / or ‘B’ along with Group ‘C’ and / or ‘D’ and offering two optional subjects the particular optional subject in which higher marks have been secured will be taken into account in calculating his / her aggregate in Group ‘C’ and / or ‘D’.
Personality Test : A number of candidates selected in order of merit on the results of the Main Examination (Written) for all the services and posts included in Groups A. B, C and D will have to appear for the Personality Test. Each candidate will be asked questions on matters of general interest. The object of the test will be to assess the candidate’s personal qualities, e.g., alertness of mind, power of clear and logical exposition, intellectual and moral integrity, leadership and also the candidates’ range of interests.

Candidates for Group ‘B’ Service (West Bengal Police Service) will be specially tested at the interviews with regard to their suitability for the service.

Marks for the Personality Test

Group ‘A’, ‘B’ & ‘C’	200Marks
Group ‘D’	100 Marks

Deduction of marks:
In all the answer papers under examination due credit will be given for proper economy of words combined withclarity, precision and effectiveness of expression and originality of approach.A deduction of 10% of full marks may be made from the total marks secured by a candidate in a particular paper if he / she discloses his / her identityby writing his / her name, roll number or by putting and identifying marks inside the answer script of that paper.
Discretion of the Commission :
The Commission has discretion to fix qualifying marks in any or all the papers / subjects and in theaggregate. If a candidate fails to secure qualifying marks in any paper / subject, the marks in that paper / subject will not be considered in calculating his / her aggregate.

Subjects and Marks: Main Examination and Personality Test

	Compulsory Papers	A	B	C	D
1	Bengali / Hindi / Urdu / Nepali Essay, Précis Writing, Composition and Translation from English into Bengali / Hindi / Urdu / Nepali	100	100	100	100
2	English Essay, Précis Writing, Composition and Translation from Bengali / Hindi / Urdu /Nepali into English	100	100	100	100
3	General Knowledge and Current Affairs	100	100	100	100
4	The Constitution of India and the Five-year-Plans	100	100	100	100
5	Arithmetic and Test of Reasoning	100	100	100	100
6	Optional Subjects:	400	400	200	200
7	Personality Test:	200	200	200	100
	TOTAL	1100	1100	900	800

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Click here for complete Syllabus:--> SYLLABI FOR OPTIONAL PAPERS OF MAIN EXAMINATION: