Bihar Police Prohibition Sub Inspector Syllabus

All papers are multiple choice, with 0.2 marks off per wrong answer in both stages. Each question carries two marks, so ten wrong answers cancel one right one.

BPSSC may lower a shortlist ratio if too few qualify. If an exam runs in several shifts, marks are normalised by the Equi-Percentile Method. The answer sheet is in two copies and the Commission keeps one.

Physical Efficiency Test

No marks, but you must pass every event.

• Over time in the race, or short in any jump or throw, and you're out. Fail an event and you don't attempt the rest.
• Three attempts each at the high jump, long jump and shot put.
• Kinnar, Kothi, Hijra and transgender candidates take the Backward Class standards, not the women's standards used in Bihar's constable recruitments.

These are tougher than BPSSC's ASI (Operation) standards for men in the same season: a mile in 7:00, 3 feet 6 inches, 10 feet and 14 feet.

The advertisement names subjects, not topics.

• Preliminary: general knowledge and current affairs.
• Mains Paper I: General Hindi (qualifying).
• Mains Paper II: General Studies, General Science, Civics, Indian History, Indian Geography, Mathematics and Mental Ability Test. The split of the 100 questions isn't given.

The papers are pitched at graduate level, since the qualification is a degree. Constable-level material aims lower.

Indian citizens; men, women and third-gender candidates may apply.

Qualification

A graduate degree from a recognised university, or a State-Government-recognised equivalent, by 1 August 2025. Any discipline (the technical BPSSC posts want a B.Sc. with Physics).

Age on 1 August 2025

From the date of birth on your matriculation certificate.

That's far wider than Bihar's constable recruitments, which close between 25 and 30. Bihar government servants with three years' regular service moving to a higher scale get five years more (GAD resolution 2374 of 16 July 2007). Ex-servicemen get three years plus defence service, with actual age not over 57.

Physical standards

No marks, but failing them means you're out.

Men need at least 5 cm expansion. Women aren't measured for chest but need a minimum weight of 48 kg.

Reservation

• Vertical reservation under the Bihar Reservation of Vacancies in Posts and Services Act, 1991 (Bihar Act 3 of 1992).
• 35 per cent horizontal reservation for women within each category (GAD resolution of 7 January 2016).
• 2 per cent for grandchildren and daughters' children of the state's freedom fighters (GAD resolution 13185 of 3 September 2015; roster by letter 2526 of 18 February 2016).
• Third-gender candidates' category follows the District Magistrate's Form-3 identity certificate under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) provisions, Gazette 483 of 25 September 2020.

1. Preliminary (200): 30 per cent to qualify; 20 times the vacancies go through.
2. Mains: General Hindi (30 per cent, not counted) and Paper II (200, ranks you). Six times the vacancies go to the PET.
3. Physical Efficiency Test: four events, pass only.

The final merit list is category-wise on Mains marks, which in practice means Paper II. BPSSC then sends its recommendation to the appointing authority.

Minimum qualifying marks for the final list

Ties

1. The older candidate.
2. The higher educational qualification.
3. English alphabetical order of the name on the tenth board certificate.

Pay Matrix Level 6. The advertisement gives only the level; allowances follow Bihar Government rules for the post and posting.

A higher grade and wider eligibility than those posts tends to draw a large field for 78 places.

Apply online through the link on the BPSSC Prohibition Department page. Only one application per candidate. The 03/2026 window was 27 January to 27 February 2026; degree and age are reckoned on 1 August 2025.

Have ready:

• Matriculation certificate (it fixes your date of birth) and graduate degree.
• Caste and permanent residence certificates for reserved categories; the EWS certificate under Bihar's rules.
• Freedom fighter descendant certificate, if claiming that quota.
• Form-3 certificate from the District Magistrate, for third-gender candidates.
• Proof of three years' regular service (Bihar employees) or discharge record (ex-servicemen).

After applying, watch for the photo and signature re-upload link and the list of invalid applications.

Candidates with a benchmark disability under section 2(r) of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 can have a scribe and 20 minutes per hour extra (maximum 60; for shorter papers, proportionate, at least 5 minutes and in multiples of 5). There's a separate link to upload scribe details.

BPSSC organises bpssc.bihar.gov.in by employing department; it recruits Enforcement Sub-Inspectors for Transport and Assistant Superintendents for the Inspectorate of Prisons the same way. The site address has changed once, so use the current domain.

Other BPSSC recruitments in the same season, each with its own paper and rules: Advt. 01/2024 (Steno ASI), 03/2025 (Enforcement SI), 04/2025 (Assistant Superintendent), 05/2025 (Police SI), 04/2026 and 07/2026 (ASI Operation and Technical), 09/2026 (Police SI, Special Branch closed cadre).

BPSSC does change centres: for this advertisement it renamed centre code 4609 after publishing the list. Check the latest notice before you travel.

In the previous cycle, Advt. 01/2025, the Mains result came on 23 September 2025, followed by the PET, the final result and the marks of all candidates. Watch the BPSSC Prohibition Department page for each notice.

BPSSC issues an e-admit card for the Preliminary, the Mains and the PET, each through a link announced on the BPSSC Prohibition Department page. If yours doesn't appear, check the list of invalid applications, which gives the reason. Read the latest centre notice, not the first one.

Results for each stage go up on the BPSSC Prohibition Department page. For Advt. 03/2026 the Preliminary result came on 12 August 2026. The 01/2025 cycle ended with a final result and every candidate's marks through a search link.

Only Mains Paper II decides rank, subject to the category minimums under Selection Process. The Preliminary, General Hindi and PET only remove candidates.

Fixed bars: 30 per cent in the Preliminary, 30 per cent in General Hindi, and final minimums of 40, 36.5, 34 and 32 per cent on Paper II (see Selection Process). The 20-times and six-times shortlists and the final line for 78 posts float with each cycle: roughly 1,560 at the Mains and 468 at the PET.

BPSSC doesn't publish a cut-off table, but it published every candidate's marks for the 01/2025 and 03/2023 cycles through search links on the BPSSC Prohibition Department page, after each final result.

Spend your time on Paper II

It's your whole rank. Cover all seven areas, since the split isn't published. Mathematics and Mental Ability reward practice most and are what GK-heavy preparation tends to skip.

Don't get caught by the Preliminary

It's general knowledge and current affairs, not the Mains subjects. Missing 30 per cent ends your attempt.

Clear General Hindi with margin and move on

It can't raise your rank, but under 30 per cent makes you ineligible.

Guess when you can narrow it down

The 0.2 penalty is light. Two options left is worth a go.

Train to this post's PET

A 6:30 mile, a 4-foot high jump, 12-foot long jump and 16-foot shot put for men. Training to the softer ASI (Operation) standards will fail you here, and missing one event stops you there.

No sample papers or previous year papers are available for this exam as of now. BPSSC doesn't publish question papers for this post.

The BPSSC Prohibition Department page carries the advertisement, results and every candidate's marks for past cycles (01/2025 and 03/2023). New notices for 03/2026 appear there.

• Bihar Police Subordinate Services Commission, 5 Harding Road, Patna 800001
• BPSSC Prohibition Department page: notices, admit cards, results and marks
• Advt. No. 03/2026 (78 posts)
• Preliminary result, Advt. 03/2026
• Final result, Advt. 01/2025
• BPSSC Transport Department page (Enforcement SI, Advt. 03/2025)

Is this a police post?

No. The employer is the Prohibition, Excise and Registration Department.

How many vacancies?

78 under Advt. 03/2026, at Level 6.

What decides my rank?

Mains Paper II alone. The Preliminary and General Hindi are qualifying.

Is there negative marking?

Yes, 0.2 per wrong answer.

What is the age limit?

20 to 37 for General men, up to 40 for General women, BC and EBC, and up to 42 for SC and ST, on 1 August 2025.

Does the physical test carry marks?

No, but you must pass all four events.

Which standards apply to third-gender candidates?

The Backward Class standards.

Can I see my marks afterwards?

BPSSC published all candidates' marks for the previous cycles, after the final result.