BPSC Eligibility Criteria 2026: Age Limit, Qualification and Domicile

The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) fills Bihar's administrative, revenue, police and allied posts through the Combined Competitive Examination (CCE). Before you start preparing, it is worth checking that you meet the BPSC eligibility criteria, because the rules on age, qualification and domicile differ by post and category. The current cycle is the 72nd CCE, notified on 5 May 2026 for 1,186 posts after a corrigendum.

This guide explains the 72nd CCE eligibility rules in plain terms: who can apply, which degree you need, post-wise minimum age, upper age limits by category, domicile and reservation rules, and the mistakes that lead to rejection. Two dates matter most this cycle. Age is counted as on 1 August 2026, and all qualifications had to be held by the last date of application, 31 May 2026.

BPSC Eligibility Criteria 2026 at a Glance

Nationality and Domicile Rules

Any citizen of India can apply for the BPSC CCE. You do not need to be from Bihar to sit the exam, but domicile decides whether you can claim reservation.

• Bihar permanent residents: Can claim reservation under SC, ST, EBC, BC, EWS, Divyang and other categories, provided they hold valid certificates in the format the notification prescribes.

• Candidates from other states: Can apply only under the Unreserved category, even if they belong to a reserved category in their home state. They must meet the Unreserved age limit and cut-off.

• Women candidates: Bihar provides 35% horizontal reservation for women within each category. This benefit is meant for women who are permanent residents of Bihar.

A caste or residence certificate that is not in the prescribed format, or is issued after the cut-off date, can lead to the loss of reservation at the document verification stage. Get your certificates checked well before Mains.

Educational Qualification

For General Posts

For the general posts of the 72nd CCE, you need a bachelor's degree or an equivalent qualification from a recognised university. Any discipline is accepted, including arts, science, commerce, engineering, law, medicine and management. The notification does not set a minimum percentage for these posts, so a pass degree is enough.

Every eligibility condition, including the degree, must be met by the closing date of the online application. For the 72nd CCE, this was 31 May 2026. If your final-year result was declared after this date, you were not eligible for this cycle and should plan for the next one. Admission at every stage is provisional and depends on document verification.

For Specialised Posts

Three posts in the integrated advertisement need a specific degree, and some also tie your Mains optional subject to that degree.

If you want to apply for both general posts and one of these specialised posts, check that your degree and optional subject satisfy both sets of rules. The Mains pattern for these three posts is different, as explained on the BPSC exam pattern page.

BPSC Age Limit 2026

Age is calculated as on 1 August 2026. The minimum age depends on the post, while the maximum age depends on your category and gender.

Minimum Age by Post

Because the minimum age varies, a 21-year-old can apply but will only be considered for posts with a minimum age of 20 or 21. Check the post-wise table in the notification before you fill in your preferences.

Maximum Age by Category

These category-based limits apply only to permanent residents of Bihar. Candidates from other states follow the Unreserved limit.

How to Check Your Date-of-Birth Window

Work from the reference date of 1 August 2026. Two examples make the rule clear:

• Minimum age 21: You must have turned 21 on or before 1 August 2026, so you must be born on or before 1 August 2005.

• Maximum age 37 (Unreserved male): You must not be older than 37 on 1 August 2026, so you must be born on or after 2 August 1988.

Use the same method for your own category limit, and confirm the exact wording in the notification, since the Commission's dates are final.

Additional Age Relaxation

Divyang (PwD) candidates have received an extra 10 years of upper age relaxation in previous BPSC CCE notifications. Ex-servicemen and eligible Bihar government employees can also get relaxation under state rules. The amount and conditions are set out in the notification, so read that section closely if any of these apply to you.

Number of Attempts

BPSC does not cap the number of attempts in the CCE. You can appear as many times as you like, as long as you are within the age limit and meet the other conditions for that cycle. This makes the age limit, not the attempt count, the real constraint to plan around.

Physical Standards for Police Posts

Most CCE posts have no physical requirement. The exception is the Deputy Superintendent of Police and other uniformed posts, where candidates must meet physical standards for height and chest (men) or height and weight (women), and pass a medical examination before appointment.

The exact measurements are listed category-wise in the notification. Other websites show conflicting figures, so take the numbers only from the official document if you plan to opt for DSP.

Eligibility for Final-Year Students and Working Candidates

• Final-year students: BPSC judges the degree on the closing date of the application, not on the exam date. If your final result is expected after the closing date of a future notification, you will have to wait for the next cycle, even if the Prelims falls months later.

• Government employees: Candidates already serving in a government post can apply if they meet the age and qualification rules. Keep a no-objection certificate (NOC) from your employer ready, because it may be asked for at the document verification stage.

• Private sector employees: No permission or experience is needed. Work experience is not an eligibility condition for any CCE post, though it often comes up in the interview.

Eligibility Checklist Before You Apply

1. Confirm your degree date: Check that your graduation result is declared on or before the closing date of the application.

2. Work out your age on the reference date: Compare it with the minimum age of each post you want and the upper limit for your category.

3. Decide your category status: If you are not a permanent resident of Bihar, plan as an Unreserved candidate.

4. Match your degree to specialised posts: Apply for CDPO, FAO or SDPO only if your degree and optional subject meet their rules.

5. Collect certificates in the prescribed format: Get caste, non-creamy layer, EWS and residence certificates issued before the cut-off date.

Who Is Not Eligible: Common Reasons for Rejection

• Degree result after the closing date: If you did not have your graduation result by 31 May 2026, you are not eligible for the 72nd CCE.

• Age outside the window: Being even one day too young for a post's minimum age, or one day over your category limit, makes you ineligible for that post.

• Reservation claimed by non-Bihar candidates: Candidates from other states cannot claim reserved-category benefits and must apply as Unreserved.

• Wrong degree for a specialised post: For example, applying for FAO without a degree in Commerce, Economics, Mathematics or Statistics.

• Wrong optional for CDPO or SDPO: Choosing an optional outside the permitted list for these posts.

• Invalid certificates: Caste, non-creamy layer, EWS or residence certificates in the wrong format or issued after the cut-off date.

• Mismatched details: Name or date of birth in the form that does not match your Class 10 certificate.

Application Fee and Documents

For the 72nd CCE, the fee was Rs. 100 for each examination applied for (such as the CCE, CDPO, FAO or SDPO). Candidates who did not provide an Aadhaar number paid an additional biometric fee of Rs. 200 per examination. The online application window ran from 7 May to 31 May 2026 on the BPSC online portal and is now closed.

Keep these documents ready for verification at the Mains and interview stages:

• Age proof: Class 10 certificate showing your date of birth.

• Qualification proof: Graduation degree or provisional certificate and mark sheets, dated on or before the closing date.

• Category and domicile: Caste, non-creamy layer, EWS and permanent residence certificates in the prescribed format, if you claim reservation.

• Other certificates: Divyang, ex-serviceman or government employee certificates and NOC, where relevant.

For dates, vacancies and the full selection process, see the BPSC exam overview.

Next Step After Checking Eligibility

The BPSC eligibility criteria 2026 described here follow the 72nd CCE notification. Rules can change through a corrigendum or a new notification, so always confirm the latest details on the official BPSC website before you apply.