WBCS Exam -Syllabus, Eligibility Criteria, Salary, FAQs
WBCS Exam: West Bengal Civil Service Commission Examination Infromation is here
WBCS Exam- West Bengal Civil Service Commission
WBCS Exam stands for West Bengal Civil Service Exam. It is a competitive examination held by the West Bengal Public Service Commission (WBPSC) for recruitment of officers for the various administrative services of the state government of West Bengal, India.
WBCS Exam Qualification
To appear in WBCS examination a candidate must have these qualifications:
WBCS Educational Qualification
The educational qualification required to be eligible for the West Bengal Civil Service (WBCS) Examination is a Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university. This is the minimum educational requirement for all candidates who wish to appear for the WBCS Examination.
WBCS Age Limit
The age limit for the West Bengal Civil Service (WBCS) Examination is as follows:
- Must have reached the age of 21 years on the 1st day of January of the year in which the candidate intends to appear for the exam
- Must not have reached the age of 36 years on the 1st day of January of the year in which the candidate intends to appear for the exam.
However, there are age relaxation rules for certain categories of candidates as per the rules of the West Bengal Public Service Commission (WBPSC). For example, there are age relaxations for SC/ST candidates, OBC candidates, and physically disabled candidates, etc.
WBCS other Qualification
- Must be a citizen of India.
- The candidate must be a citizen of India.
WBCS Age Relaxation
| Category | Relaxation (Upper Age Limit) |
| SC/ST from West Bengal (Non-creamy layer) | 5 years extension |
| OBC from West Bengal (Non-creamy layer) | 3 years extension |
| PWD | Up to the age of 45 years |
WBCS Exam Syllabus
Syllabus for WBCS can be divided into two main sections WBCS Preliminary Syllabus and WBCS Mains Examination Syllabus.
WBCS Syllabus for Preliminary Exam
WBCS Syllabus for Preliminary Exam: WBCS preliminary exam is a 200-mark objective test with 200 MCQs. It’s a screening test with 1 mark for correct answers and -0.25 for incorrect answers. To proceed to the main exam, one must qualify the preliminary exam. At present the common WBCS Syllabus for Preliminary examination is stated below.
WBCS Preliminary syllabus | ||
Subject Name | No. of Question | Marks |
| English Composition | 25 | 25 |
| General Science | 25 | 25 |
| History of India | 25 | 25 |
| Indian Polity and Economy | 25 | 25 |
| Indian National Movement | 25 | 25 |
| Geography of India with special reference to West Bengal | 25 | 25 |
| Current events of National and International Importance | 25 | 25 |
| General Mental Ability | 25 | 25 |
| Total | 200 | 200 |
| Types of Questions | MCQs | |
| Time/Duration | 2 hours 30 mins | |
Detailed WBCS Syllabus for Preliminary
WBCS Syllabus Preliminary for English
As per the official notification of WBPSC, WBCS preliminary examination follows English syllabus as stated below.
WBCS Exam Pattern and syllabus: Preliminary | |
| English Composition | Synonyms and Antonyms Correct Spelling Idioms and Phrases Vocabulary Test Phrasal Verbs Homophones Fill in the qualifying words etc |
WBCS Syllabus Preliminary for General Science
WBCS Syllabus Preliminary for General | |
| General Science | General appreciation Understanding of science Matters of everyday observation Experience as expected from an educated person not having made special studies of scientific disciplines |
WBCS Syllabus Preliminary for History
WBCS Syllabus Preliminary for History | |
| History of India | Ancient MedievalModern |
WBCS Syllabus Preliminary for Indian Polity and Economy
WBCS Syllabus Preliminary for Indian Polity and Economy | |
| Indian Polity and Economy | Indian Constitution Panchayati Raj Constitutional Bodies, etc. |
WBCS Syllabus Preliminary for Indian Nation Movement
WBCS Syllabus Preliminary for Indian Nation Movement | |
| Indian National Movement | Nature and character of Nineteenth-Century Resurgence Growth of Nationalism Attainment of Independence |
WBCS Syllabus Preliminary for Geography
WBCS Syllabus Preliminary for Geography | |
| Geography of India with special reference to West Bengal | Physical Geography Social and Economic Geography of India (with special reference to Indian agriculture and natural resources of West Bengal) |
WBCS Syllabus Preliminary for Current Affairs
WBCS Syllabus Preliminary for Current Affairs | |
| Current Affairs | Current events of National and International Importance |
WBCS Syllabus Preliminary for General Mental Ability
WBCS Syllabus Preliminary for General Mental Ability | |
| General Mental Ability | Logical Reasoning Common Aptitude |
WBCS Syllabus Main Exam
WBCS Main Exam has 6 compulsory papers and an optional subject (for Group A and B only) with 2 papers (200 marks each). Each paper (compulsory or optional) has a duration of 3 hours and carries 200 marks.
WBS Main Exam compulsory papers
| Paper No. | Paper Name | Content |
| Paper I | Bengali/Hindi/Urdu/Nepali/Santali | Letter Writing, Drafting of Report, Precis Writing, Composition, Translation from English to Bengali/Hindi/Urdu/Nepali/Santali |
| Paper II | English | Letter Writing, Drafting of Report, Precis Writing, Composition, Translation from Bengali/Hindi/Urdu/Nepali/Santali to English |
| Paper III | General Studies-I | Indian History with emphasis on National Movement, Geography of India with reference to West Bengal |
| Paper IV | General Studies-II | Science and Technological advancement, Environment, General Knowledge, Current Affairs |
| Paper V | The Constitution of India and Indian Economy | Role and functions of Reserve Bank of India |
| Paper VI | Arithmetic and Test of Reasoning | — |
WBCS Main Examination Syllabus at a glance
Group ‘A’ & ‘B’ Services & Posts: All 6 compulsory papers and one optional subject consisting of two papers.
Group ‘C’ & ‘D’ Services & Posts: All 6 compulsory papers.
WBCS Salary and Pay Scale
These are the different groups of services in West Bengal along with the respective pay scales and gross emoluments at the entry level.
WBCS GROUP A Salary
- West Bengal Civil Service (Executive)
- Assistant Commissioner of Revenue in the integrated West Bengal Revenue Service
- West Bengal Co-operative Service
- West Bengal Labour Service
- West Bengal Food and Supplies Service
- West Bengal Employment Service [Except the post of Status Officer (Technical)]
The pay scale for all the services in GROUP A is PB-4A (Rs. 15,600/- to 42,000/-) + G.P. (Rs. 5,400/-) and the gross emoluments at the entry level is Rs. 21,000/-, which also includes D.A., M.A., and H.R.A. admissible as per rules.
WBCS GROUP B Salary
- West Bengal Police Service
The pay scale for the service in GROUP B is PB-4A (Rs. 15,600/- to 42,000/-) + G.P. (Rs. 5,400/-) and the gross emoluments at the entry level is Rs. 21,000/-, which also includes D.A., M.A., and H.R.A. admissible as per rules.
WBCS GROUP C Salary
- Superintendent, District Correctional Home / Deputy Superintendent, Central Correctional Home
- Joint Block Development Officer
- Deputy Assistant Director of Consumer Affairs and Fair Business Practices
- West Bengal Junior Social Welfare Service
- West Bengal Subordinate Land Revenue Service, Grade-I
- Assistant Commercial Tax Officer
- Joint Registrar (West Bengal State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission under the Consumer Affairs Department, Government of West Bengal)
- Assistant Canal Revenue Officer (Irrigation)
The pay scale for all the services in GROUP C is PB-4 (Rs. 9,000/- to 40,500/-) + G.P. (Rs. 4,700/- to 4,800/-) and the gross emoluments at the entry level ranges from Rs. 13,400/- to Rs. 15,960/-, which also includes D.A., M.A., and H.R.A. admissible as per rules.
WBCS GROUP D Salary
- Inspector of Co-operative Societies
- Panchayat Development Officer under the Panchayat and Rural Development Department
- Rehabilitation Officer under the Refugee Relief and Rehabilitation Department
The pay scale for all the services in GROUP C is PB-3 (Rs.7,100/- to 37,600/- ) + G.P. Rs. 3,900/- and the gross emoluments at the entry level ranges from Rs. 13,400/- to Rs. 15,960/-, which also includes D.A., M.A., and H.R.A. admissible as per rules.
WBCS FAQs
- What is the full form of WBCS?
Ans:- WBCS stands for West Bengal Civil Service, which is the premier administrative service in the Indian state of West Bengal.
- What is the eligibility criteria for WBCS?
Ans:- The eligibility criteria for WBCS include being an Indian citizen and having a bachelor’s degree from a recognized university.
- How many stages are there in the WBCS exam?
Ans:- The WBCS exam has three stages – preliminary, main, and interview.
- How many times can I appear for the WBCS exam?
Ans:- There is no limit to the number of times a candidate can appear for the WBCS exam.
- What is the age limit for WBCS?
Ans:- The age limit for WBCS is 21 to 36 years.
- What is the syllabus for the WBCS preliminary exam?
Ans:- The syllabus for the WBCS preliminary exam includes General Studies, English, and Arithmetic.
- What is the syllabus for the WBCS main exam?
Ans:- The syllabus for the WBCS main exam includes a range of subjects such as General Studies, English, Arithmetic, and optional subjects.
- What is the duration of the WBCS main exam?
Ans:- The WBCS main exam is a 2-day exam, with each day having a duration of 6 hours.
- What is the marking scheme for the WBCS exam?
Ans:- The marking scheme for the WBCS exam varies for different stages, with the preliminary exam having a negative marking system and the main exam having a positive marking system.
- What is the selection process for WBCS?
Ans:- The selection process for WBCS involves clearing the preliminary, main, and interview stages.
- How many marks are required to clear the WBCS preliminary exam?
Ans:- The minimum marks required to clear the WBCS preliminary exam vary each year, as the cutoff is determined based on the number of candidates and the difficulty level of the exam.
- How many marks are required to clear the WBCS main exam?
Ans:- The minimum marks required to clear the WBCS main exam vary each year, as the cutoff is determined based on the number of candidates and the difficulty level of the exam.
- What is the cut-off for the WBCS interview?
Ans:- The cut-off for the WBCS interview is determined based on the overall performance of the candidate in the preliminary and main exams.
- What is the salary of a WBCS officer?
Ans:- The salary of a WBCS officer varies based on their rank and experience, with the starting salary being approximately INR 70,000 per month.
- What are the career prospects for a WBCS officer?
Ans:- WBCS officers have a bright career ahead of them, with opportunities for growth and advancement within the government sector.
WCBS Exam other information
- The Official Wbsite of WBCS- Clik Here
