BPSC Judicial Services Syllabus 2026: Topic-Wise Checklist

The BPSC Judicial Services syllabus covers two things: general subjects such as GK, science, Hindi and English, and a core set of substantive and procedural laws. If you are preparing for the Civil Judge (Junior Division) post, this page lists what each paper asks for and how to cover it in a sensible order. It follows the 33rd Bihar Judicial Services Competitive Examination (Advt. No. 12/2026).

A note on how to read the topic lists. BPSC names the papers and their marks in its advertisement, and the law papers follow the standard subjects of the Bihar judicial service rules. The detailed topic lists below are working checklists built from those paper names and from the statutes normally tested, not a copy of an official topic list. Compare them with the syllabus published by the Commission on the official website: https://bpsc.bihar.gov.in/

Table of Contents

• Syllabus at a glance

• Key changes to know

• Preliminary syllabus

• Mains syllabus: compulsory papers

• Mains syllabus: optional law papers

• Overlap between Prelims and Mains

• Is there a syllabus for the interview?

• How to cover the syllabus

Syllabus at a glance

The table shows the papers as reported from the 33rd advertisement. Marks are the part you can plan around. For question counts, timing and negative marking, check the notification, because websites disagree on those.

Key changes to know

• New criminal and evidence laws: The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam have replaced the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act for new cases. Study the new statutes first and keep the old section numbers only for reference, since older books and papers use them.

• Optional papers are chosen at Mains: The Prelims Law paper tests all law subjects, so you cannot skip any subject until Mains.

• Hindi and English are qualifying: These papers are reported to need 30 per cent each and not to count in merit, but failing them ends the attempt.

• Older pages mislead: Some websites still list the Indian Penal Code as the criminal law paper or give the older exam date. Rely on the latest BPSC notice.

Preliminary syllabus

The Preliminary Examination is a screening test of two objective papers. Its marks are not added to the final merit list, so the goal is to qualify with a comfortable margin and move on to Mains preparation.

Paper I: General Studies

Questions in this paper are usually factual. Since the exam is conducted for Bihar, keep a separate notebook for Bihar-specific history, geography, schemes and polity.

Paper II: Law

A sensible starting order is procedure, evidence and contract law, because a Civil Judge uses them daily and they also feed the compulsory Mains paper. Then widen to the personal-law and commercial subjects.

Mains syllabus: compulsory papers

Mains is descriptive. The same subjects reappear, but you must explain, apply and argue, so depth and answer structure matter as much as recall.

General Knowledge including Current Affairs (150 marks)

• Current events: National and international developments with a short analysis of why each matters.

• History and culture: The national movement, social reform and Bihar's history and culture.

• Geography and economy: Resources, agriculture, industry and development issues of India and Bihar.

• Polity: Constitutional institutions, rights, governance reforms and judicial developments.

Elementary General Science (100 marks)

• Physical science: Motion, energy, light, heat, electricity, acids and bases, metals, carbon compounds.

• Life science: Human body, nutrition, diseases, plants, ecology.

• Applied topics: Environment, climate, technology in daily life, and basic space and IT awareness.

Law of Evidence and Procedure (150 marks)

• Evidence: Facts in issue, relevancy, admissions and confessions, documentary and oral evidence, burden of proof, examination of witnesses, estoppel, electronic evidence.

• Civil procedure: Jurisdiction, parties, pleadings, summons, interim orders, execution, appeals, review and revision, Limitation Act.

• Criminal procedure: Investigation, cognizance, bail, charge, trial types, judgment, appeals, plea bargaining.

General Hindi and General English (100 marks each, qualifying)

Mains syllabus: optional law papers

You choose three papers out of the five below, each carrying 150 marks. A paper-wise outline follows.

Constitutional and Administrative Law of India

• Constitutional framework: Preamble, citizenship, Fundamental Rights and Duties, Directive Principles.

• Structure of government: Union and State executive, legislatures, judiciary, Centre-State relations, emergency provisions, amendment.

• Administrative law: Natural justice, judicial review, delegated legislation, tribunals, writs.

Hindu Law and Muhammadan Law

• Hindu law: Marriage, divorce, maintenance, adoption, guardianship, succession, joint family property.

• Muhammadan law: Sources, marriage and dower, talaq, maintenance, guardianship, gift, wills, inheritance, pre-emption.

Transfer of Property, Principles of Equity, Law of Trusts and Specific Relief

• Transfer of property: Sale, mortgage, lease, exchange, gift, actionable claims, doctrines such as lis pendens and part performance.

• Equity and trusts: Nature of trusts, trustee duties, rights of beneficiaries.

• Specific relief: Specific performance, injunctions, declaratory decrees, rescission.

Law of Contracts and Torts

• Contracts: Formation, capacity, free consent, void and voidable agreements, performance, breach, remedies, special contracts, Sale of Goods, Partnership, Negotiable Instruments.

• Torts: General defences, negligence, nuisance, defamation, strict and absolute liability, consumer protection.

Commercial Law

• Corporate law: Incorporation, shares, directors, meetings, winding up.

• Insolvency and arbitration: Insolvency and bankruptcy process, arbitration and conciliation, enforcement of awards.

• Banking and insurance: Basic principles and statutes.

Overlap between Prelims and Mains

You do not need two separate syllabi. Study each subject once at Mains depth and revise it for Prelims.

Is there a syllabus for the interview?

No topic-wise syllabus is published for the 100-mark interview. It is a personality and legal knowledge test, reported to need a minimum of 35 per cent to qualify. Expect questions on your law degree subjects, recent judgments, current affairs, your background and your reasons for choosing the judiciary. The best preparation is clear fundamentals in your optional subjects and calm, structured speaking.

How to cover the syllabus

1. Weeks 1 to 4, procedure and evidence: Read the new criminal and evidence statutes, CPC and Limitation Act, and make short notes by section.

2. Weeks 5 to 8, constitution and contracts: Cover fundamental rights, writs, contract formation and remedies, torts and Transfer of Property.

3. Weeks 9 to 11, personal and commercial law: Finish Hindu and Muhammadan law, specific relief, trusts and commercial statutes.

4. Alongside, GK and language: Spend 30 to 40 minutes daily on GK and current affairs, and write one Hindi or English answer every second day.

5. Final phase, test and revise: Take topic tests, then full papers, and revise from your error log.