State PSC Exams
Recruits state civil service officers (SDM / Deputy Collector, DSP, Block Development Officer, Commercial Tax Officer and similar posts) through each state's combined competitive exam.
Eligibility
You need a bachelor's degree in any discipline for all major state exams. Age limits vary by state: about 21-40 for UPPSC, 20/21-37 for BPSC (General men), 19-38 for MPSC and 21-40 for RPSC, with extra relaxation for domiciled reserved categories, women and ex-servicemen. Most states set no attempt limit. Reservation benefits usually apply only to domiciles of the state. Some states also require knowledge of the state language (for example Marathi for MPSC or Hindi in Devanagari for UPPSC).
Age limit: Varies by state; typically 21 to 37-40 years for General candidates, with relaxations for state domiciles
Exam pattern
Most states follow the UPSC model: an objective Prelims to screen candidates, a descriptive Mains that decides merit, and an interview. UPPSC Prelims has GS I (150 questions, 200 marks) and a qualifying CSAT, and Mains has General Hindi, Essay, six GS papers (including two on Uttar Pradesh) and no optional subject. BPSC Prelims is a single GS paper of 150 questions, and Mains has qualifying General Hindi, an Essay, GS I and II and an optional subject that is qualifying only. MPSC Rajyaseva Mains has moved to a UPSC-style descriptive format with an optional subject (reports suggest the optional may be dropped from the 2027 cycle; check MPSC notices). Negative marking rules differ by state (UPPSC and BPSC deduct one-third of the question's marks for wrong answers; check each notice).
Syllabus at a glance
The common core is the UPSC GS syllabus: history, geography, polity, economy, environment, science and current affairs. Each state adds a substantial state-specific component covering its history, culture, geography, economy, schemes and administration (Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and so on). Most states also test a compulsory language paper (Hindi, Marathi, Tamil and others) and an essay.
Upcoming dates
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| MPSC Rajyaseva 2026 Main Examination, final sitting (earlier sittings held 3, 17 and 18 Oct) | 24 Oct 2026 (tentative; check mpsc.gov.in) | expected |
| BPSC 72nd Integrated CCE Prelims (postponed again from 25 Oct 2026) | New date to be announced; check bpsc.bihar.gov.in | tba |
| UPPSC PCS 2026 Preliminary Examination | 6 Dec 2026 (Sunday) | confirmed |
| UPPSC PCS 2026 Prelims result | Jan-Mar 2027 (expected) | expected |
| UPPSC PCS 2027 notification | Early-mid 2027 (as per the UPPSC exam calendar) | expected |
Expected dates follow the usual calendar; confirm on the official notification before planning.
Free prep material
Standard books
- Indian Polity - M. Laxmikanth
- A Brief History of Modern India - Rajiv Ahir (Spectrum)
- Indian Economy - Ramesh Singh
- Certificate Physical and Human Geography - G.C. Leong
- State-specific general knowledge books, for example Uttar Pradesh Samanya Gyan (Ghatna Chakra / Arihant), Bihar Samanya Gyan (Arihant), Rajasthan ka Itihas, Kala evam Sanskriti (Hukam Chand Jain)
- The state's latest Economic Survey and Budget documents (official, free)
How toppers play it
- The state-specific section (history, geography, economy, schemes) separates candidates at both Prelims and Mains. Give it a fixed daily slot and use the state's own Economic Survey and Budget documents rather than general guides.
- Prepare for UPSC and a State PSC together. The core GS overlaps by about 60-70%, so add the state syllabus and language paper on top rather than preparing for each separately.
- Solve at least 10 years of your state's previous papers. State commissions repeat themes and even questions far more than UPSC does, and answer keys on the official sites show how much ambiguity to expect.
- Do not neglect the qualifying language paper (General Hindi for UPPSC and BPSC, Marathi for MPSC). Failing it disqualifies you regardless of GS marks, and in UPPSC it counts towards merit.
- Track each commission's own notices, as dates move often. Keep exam, correction-window and admit-card dates on a single calendar, because several states' exams often overlap.