WBCS syllabus to change from 2025, to be at par with UPSC

SOUMITRA NANDI, MP, 30 Sept 2024, Kolkata: The syllabus and pattern of West Bengal Civil Services (WBCS) examination will change from 2025 to make it at par with the UPSC pattern. 

“Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wants the state civil service examination’s syllabus to be at par with UPSC standard so a WBCS aspirant is also equipped for UPSC examination. 

This will help our students in all India examinations like IAS, IPS and allied services,” said a West Bengal Public Service Commission (WBPSC) official. 

Although WBPSC came out with the revised 2025 syllabus notification it clarified that those appearing for WBCS in 2024 will be following the existing syllabus prevalent since 2013 where there is one general studies (GS) paper with MCQ questions but from 2025 there will be two GS in the Prelims. 

In GS Paper I, the general mental ability part transfers to GS Paper II and subjects like environmental ecology, biodiversity and climate change are being included in GS Paper I. 

The GS Paper II will be a qualifier where a candidate has to score 66 out of 200 that is 33 per cent. It will have questions based on general mental ability and six fields of knowledge including comprehension, interpersonal skills, logical reasoning etc. 

In the Mains Examination, there will be no MCQ questions. The existing pattern had four subjective papers; Bengali, English and two optional subjects (total 800 marks) and the rest 800 marks including History, Geography, Science, GK etc were entirely MCQ. In the new syllabus, the entire Mains will be subjective in nature with 10 papers that include Bengali or Nepali and English (qualifying papers with 300 marks each for two subjects). 

A student has to score 90 which comes to 30 per cent in each of these two papers. The other Mains papers, which will be evaluated after an aspirant qualifies in the two papers, are English essay, tradition and culture of Bengal, general studies etc. 

There will be two optional papers for candidates competing for Group A and Group B category in WBCS. These will be of 250 marks each. 

The total marks for Mains will be 2000 for those competing in all four groups and 1500 for those who won’t appear for Group A and B. There will be a personality test of 200 marks for Group A and B, 150 for Group C and 100 for Group D. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/mamata-jabs-centre-for-north-bengal-flood-situation-581510?infinitescroll=1