BSSC Eligibility 2026: Age Limit, Qualification and Relaxation

BSSC eligibility depends on which exam you are applying for. The Bihar Staff Selection Commission recruits through an Inter Level exam that needs a 10+2 pass and a Graduate Level exam that needs a bachelor's degree, and each has its own minimum age and post-specific conditions. This page explains the qualification, age limit, relaxations, domicile rules and document requirements for the 2025-26 cycle, which covers the Second Inter Level exam (Advt. No. 02/23(A)) and the Fourth Graduate Level exam (Advt. No. 05/2025).

Applications for both advertisements have closed, so this page is most useful for checking where you stand and for planning ahead. The details are compiled from published coverage of the advertisements and are marked as reported where sources differ. Always read the advertisement for the exam you apply to, because a corrigendum can change a condition.

Official BSSC website: https://bssc.bihar.gov.in/

Table of Contents

BSSC Eligibility at a Glance

Educational Qualification

Inter Level exam

You must have passed the Intermediate (10+2) or an equivalent examination from a recognised board by the last date of application. Appearing in the exam or waiting for the result is not enough, so the pass certificate and marksheet should be dated on or before that deadline. Most posts accept any stream.

Typing and computer requirements often name Hindi and English typing, and they must be held by the last application date. Some posts in the Labour Resources Department ask only for working knowledge of office systems such as word processing and the internet.

Graduate Level exam

The base requirement is a bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised university. Final-year students waiting for their results are reported as not eligible. Several posts add a condition, and coverage differs on some of them, so match your degree against the advertisement.

If you hold a degree through distance education or from an unfamiliar university, check that the institution is recognised before you plan around the exam.

Age Limit and Age Relaxation

Age is counted as on 1 August 2025 for both exams. You need to have completed the minimum age on that date, and you must not be above the maximum for your category.

Some pages show a general maximum of 38 years. That figure belongs to the 2023 Inter Level cycle, so use the table above for this cycle and confirm it in the advertisement.

Other age relaxations (reported for the Inter Level exam)

• Bihar government servants: 5 years, provided they have not used up the permitted attempts.

• Ex-servicemen: 3 years plus the period of defence service, if the actual age on the application date is within the stated limit. SC and ST ex-servicemen receive an additional 5 years.

• NCC instructors and cadets: The days of full-time NCC service are deducted from age, with a small allowance if the result still exceeds the limit.

• Emergency and short service commissioned officers: 5 years, with at least 5 years of continuous military service.

Relaxation claims need original certificates at verification. Because these details come from analysis of the advertisement, verify each one in the official PDF.

A quick date-of-birth check

To meet the minimum age of 18 on 1 August 2025, you must have been born on or before 1 August 2007. For the Graduate Level exam, the minimum of 21 years means a date of birth on or before 1 August 2004. This assumes age is counted in completed years, so confirm the exact birth-date window printed in the advertisement.

Domicile and Reservation Rules

Reservation by caste, gender and disability applies only to permanent residents of Bihar. Candidates from other states can apply but compete in the unreserved pool, whatever their home-state category.

• Category choice is binding: The category you select online cannot be changed later. If you choose EBC but your certificate says BC, you may be moved to the unreserved category.

• Married women: Caste and creamy-layer certificates should be in the father's name and address, not the husband's. EWS certificates follow separate residence rules.

• Certificate timing: Certificates should be issued on or before the last date of application. An EWS certificate is valid for one year from issue.

• Disability certificates: Certificates from private or advisory bodies are provisional and must be confirmed by a government medical college or hospital before selection.

Other Conditions

• Citizenship: You must be an Indian citizen.

• Computer and typing knowledge: Required for most Inter Level posts and for some Graduate Level posts, as listed in the advertisement.

• Contract-service weightage: Reported for the Lower Division Clerk post only, at up to 5 marks per year of relevant contract work, capped at 25 marks. It applies only if the work was on that post.

• No objection certificate: Serving government employees should carry a no objection certificate for verification.

Who Is Not Eligible

• Result awaited: Candidates who have not passed the required qualification by the last application date.

• Under-age or over-age candidates: Those below the minimum age or above the category maximum on 1 August 2025.

• Wrong stream for a post: For example, applying for Pashu Sahayak without Biology at 10+2.

• Mismatched category certificate: A certificate that does not match the category you ticked, or one issued after the deadline.

• Unrecognised qualification: A degree or board that is not recognised for the post.

Documents to Keep Ready

Originals must match what you uploaded online, including certificate numbers. Mismatches are a common reason for trouble at document verification.

Application Fee and Process

Recent coverage reports an application fee of Rs. 100 for the Inter Level exam. For the Graduate Level exam, recent pages also show Rs. 100, while earlier pages listed Rs. 540 and Rs. 135 by category. Confirm the amount in the advertisement.

Eligibility Examples: Common Situations

These examples apply the reported rules to cases candidates often ask about. They are illustrations, not official rulings, so check your own case against the advertisement.

Choosing Between the Inter Level and Graduate Level Exams

If you hold a bachelor's degree, you can look at both exams, but check each post's conditions rather than assume. The Inter Level exam has far more vacancies and a younger minimum age, while the Graduate Level exam has fewer posts at a higher grade and a minimum age of 21. Both share the same style of prelims, so one preparation plan covers both until the Mains stage.

When you are ready to test that plan, explore the BSSC test series on Testkart for timed practice at either level, and revisit your choice after a few full-length attempts.

How to Check Your Eligibility Before the Next Cycle

1. Write down your key dates: Note your date of birth and the date your qualification result was declared.

2. Match them to the advertisement: Compare your age on the stated reference date and your result date with the stated deadline.

3. Check post conditions: Read the post-wise table for subject, computer or typing requirements.

4. Verify your certificates: Make sure your category and residence certificates are valid and in the right name.

5. Expect new dates: A later notification will carry its own age reference date and last date, and those decide your eligibility for that cycle, not the 2025 dates above.

6. Start preparing: The prelims pattern is stable across posts, so you can begin before the next notification.

BSSC also runs separate recruitments, such as stenographer and office attendant posts, each with its own advertisement and conditions. Do not assume the rules above apply to those exams. Check the notice board for the advertisement: https://bssc.bihar.gov.in/NoticeBoard.htm