WBCS (Exe.) etc. Examination — 2024 Prelim Held, 2025 Announced: Eligibility, Bengali Rule, Scheme, Pay
The West Bengal Civil Service (Executive) etc. Examination recruits to WBCS (Executive) and about twenty other state services in four groups. This page follows WBPSC's notices for the 2024 examination (Advt 08/2024), the indicative advertisement for 2025 (Advt 03/2025), the 2024 scheme and syllabus, and the last detailed advertisement that opens on the Commission's site (Advt 01/2023).
One exam, four groups of services
WBPSC treats the WBCS (Exe.) etc. Examination as one combined competitive exam for four groups of services and posts — A, B, C and D — with a graduated syllabus. A candidate can compete for one or more groups with a single application, and has to name the groups in the form. The written exam has two stages (a prelim and a mains), followed by a personality test in Kolkata. [1]
Services by group and pay level (as listed in Advt 01/2023) [1]
| Group | Services and posts | Pay level |
|---|---|---|
| A | WBCS (Executive), Asst. Commissioner of Revenue, WB Co-operative Service, WB Labour Service, WB Food & Supplies Service, WB Employment Service | Level 16 |
| B | West Bengal Police Service | Level 16 |
| C | Superintendent of District Correctional Home and others | Level 15 |
| C | Joint BDO, Asst. Commercial Tax Officer, WB Sub-ordinate Land Revenue Service Grade-I, Junior Social Welfare Service and others | Level 14 |
| C | Asst. Canal Revenue Officer, Chief Controller of Correctional Services | Level 12 |
| D | Inspector of Co-operative Societies, Panchayat Development Officer, Rehabilitation Officer | Level 10 |
WBCS (Exe.) etc. Examination, 2024 (Advt 08/2024) [3]
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Online application closed | 17 Dec 2025 (extended from 9 Dec) |
| Edit window and certificate upload | 22 Dec 2025 – 7 Jan 2026 |
| Prelim (Kolkata + 25 district centres) | 14 Jun 2026, 12:00 noon – 2:30 pm |
| Final answer key published | 27 Aug 2026 |
| Edit window for OBC sub-category / UR details | 6–14 Sep, 20–23 Sep and 28 Sep – 1 Oct 2026 |
No WBCS 2024 prelim result was on the Commission's site when we checked on 18 October 2026. [4]
WBPSC has also announced the WBCS (Exe.) etc. Examination, 2025 (indicative advertisement 03/2025, 29 November 2025). Age, qualification, pay, fees and the scheme will come in the detailed advertisement on psc.wb.gov.in. [6]
The 2024 exam follows the old scheme of 2014. A new pattern and syllabus (notifications of 15 March 2023 and 24 July 2024) applies from the 2025 exam onwards, so the scheme below may change for 2025. [7]
A degree, Bengali, and age by group
The detailed advertisement of WBCS 2024 does not open on the WBPSC site (the link returns an error). The rules below are from the last detailed advertisement that opens — Advt 01/2023 — so check the current one before you apply.
- Qualification: a degree of a recognised university, held by the closing date of the application.
- Bengali: you must be able to read, write and speak Bengali. This is not required of candidates whose mother tongue is Nepali (Finance Department notification 1243-F(P), 2 March 2016).
- Citizenship: a citizen of India, or another national declared eligible by the Government of India.
- Only the Madhyamik or equivalent certificate is accepted for date of birth. [1]
Age on 1 January of the exam year [1]
| Group | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| A and C | 21 | 36 |
| B (West Bengal Police Service) | 20 | 36 |
| D | 21 | 39 |
- Relaxation: 5 years for SC and ST, 3 years for OBC (non-creamy layer) — only for West Bengal candidates; persons with benchmark disabilities up to 45 years.
- West Bengal Police Service: minimum height 1.65 m for men and 1.50 m for women (relaxable for Gorkhas, Garhwalis, Assamese tribals and similar groups).
- Sub-ordinate Land Revenue Service Grade-I: a good working knowledge of written and spoken Bengali is compulsory; candidates whose mother tongue is Nepali are exempt but must pass a departmental Bengali exam within two years. [1]
Screening prelim, 1,200-mark compulsory mains, personality test
Prelim — one General Studies paper, 200 MCQs, 200 marks, 2½ hours [2]
| Section | Marks |
|---|---|
| English Composition | 25 |
| General Science | 25 |
| Current events of national & international importance | 25 |
| History of India | 25 |
| Geography of India with special reference to West Bengal | 25 |
| Indian Polity and Economy | 25 |
| Indian National Movement | 25 |
| General Mental Ability | 25 |
The prelim is only a screening test; its marks are not counted in the final merit list, which is made from the mains and the personality test together. [2]
Mains — every paper 200 marks, 3 hours [2]
| Paper | Type | Who writes it |
|---|---|---|
| I — Bengali / Hindi / Urdu / Nepali / Santali (letter or report, précis, composition, translation from English) | Conventional | All groups |
| II — English (letter or report, précis, composition, translation into English) | Conventional | All groups |
| III — General Studies I (Indian history, national movement, geography of India with West Bengal) | MCQ on OMR | All groups |
| IV — General Studies II (science, environment, GK, current affairs) | MCQ on OMR | All groups |
| V — Constitution of India and Indian Economy including the RBI | MCQ on OMR | All groups |
| VI — Arithmetic and Test of Reasoning (Madhyamik-level arithmetic) | MCQ on OMR | All groups |
| Optional subject — two papers of 200 marks each (38 subjects) | Conventional | Groups A and B only |
- Personality test: 200 marks for Groups A and B, 150 for Group C and 100 for Group D — one interview per candidate, marked against each group's full marks. WBPS candidates are tested specially for police work.
- Negative marking: there is negative marking for every wrong MCQ answer (the scheme does not print the fraction).
- Answers (except language papers) can be written in English or Bengali; Political Science and Botany optionals may also be answered in Nepali.
- 10% of a paper's full marks is deducted if a candidate writes their name or roll number or any identifying mark in the answer script. [2]
Application fee
| Candidate | Fee |
|---|---|
| General and OBC (including OBC of West Bengal) | ₹210 + service charge |
| SC / ST of West Bengal | Nil |
| Persons with benchmark disability (40% or more) | Nil |
| SC / ST / OBC of other states | ₹210 (no exemption) |
Source [1]
Service charge is 1% (minimum ₹5) for card payments, ₹5 for net banking or ₹20 at a bank counter. The fee is never refunded or held over for another exam. Figures are from Advt 01/2023. [1]
West Bengal certificates only — and the 2026 OBC change
- Vacancies may be reserved for SC, ST and OBC (non-creamy layer) candidates of West Bengal and for persons with benchmark disabilities (40% and above). SC, ST and OBC candidates of other states are considered for Unreserved posts only.
- Reservation for meritorious sportspersons applies only to Group D posts (20 listed sports, from athletics to archery).
- Who issues certificates: the Sub-Divisional Officer in the districts; in Kolkata the District Magistrate (or an authorised Additional DM) of South 24-Parganas, or the District Welfare Officer, Kolkata.
- OBC candidates must submit a renewed or revalidated non-creamy-layer certificate before the interview and at appointment.
- Every certificate must be issued on or before the closing date of the application. [1]
Following Backward Classes Welfare Department memos of 18 May 2026 and 7 August 2026, WBPSC opened an edit window for WBCS 2024 candidates to update their OBC sub-category or switch to Unreserved, entering the number, issuing authority and date of their latest state non-creamy-layer certificate. [5]
What to keep ready
- One photo ID named in the form (Madhyamik certificate with photo, passport, PAN card, voter ID, driving licence or another government ID) — carry the original to the exam.
- Madhyamik or equivalent certificate (date of birth) and degree certificate.
- SC / ST / OBC (non-creamy layer) certificate from a West Bengal authority; disability certificate from a medical board; sportsperson certificate (Group D).
- Appendix-I certificate from a government Chief Medical Officer if a scribe or compensatory time (20 minutes per hour) is needed. [1]
For WBCS 2024, category certificates (SC, ST, OBC-A, OBC-B, EWS, PwBD and others) had to be merged into one PDF of at most 100 kb and uploaded in the edit window. [3]
Pay levels from the advertisement
Pay band by level (besides DA, medical allowance and HRA) [1]
| Pay level | Pay range | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Level 16 | ₹56,100 – ₹1,44,300 | WBCS (Executive), WB Police Service, Revenue, Co-operative, Labour |
| Level 15 | ₹42,600 – ₹1,09,800 | Superintendent, District Correctional Home |
| Level 14 | ₹39,900 – ₹1,02,800 | Joint BDO, Asst. Commercial Tax Officer, Land Revenue Grade-I |
| Level 12 | ₹35,800 – ₹92,100 | Asst. Canal Revenue Officer |
| Level 10 | ₹32,100 – ₹82,900 | Inspector of Co-operative Societies, Panchayat Development Officer |
Training term: selected Land Revenue Grade-I officers are appointed provisionally and do six months of in-service training on the initial pay of the scale; those who fail the end-of-training exam can be discharged. [1]
The advertisement prints pay bands only. In-hand salary depends on DA, HRA and deductions, so no in-hand figure is shown.
Preferences decide your service
Candidates called to the personality test list their preferred services within the groups they applied for; that choice is final. Allotment follows merit, vacancies and preferences, but you will not be recommended for a service you did not list. All appointments are temporary at first. [1]
Where these facts come from
Every fact on this page is taken from the official files below, read on 18 October 2026. Boards change rules, fees and dates every cycle — open the current notification before you apply.
- WBPSC — Advertisement No. 01/2023, West Bengal Civil Service (Executive) etc. Examination, 2023 (latest detailed advertisement that opens) (opens in a new tab) groups and pay levels, qualification, Bengali rule, age, relaxations, WBPS height, fee, reservation, certificates, preferences, training · Last checked 18 Oct 2026
- WBPSC — Scheme and Syllabus, WBCS (Exe.) etc. Examination, 2024 (Advt 08/2024), 14 Nov 2025 (opens in a new tab) prelim sections, mains papers, optional subjects, personality test marks, negative marking, answer language · Last checked 18 Oct 2026
- WBPSC — Important announcements, WBCS 2024 (5, 16 and 18 Dec 2025; 2 Jan 2026) (opens in a new tab) application deadline extensions, edit window, certificate upload rules · Last checked 18 Oct 2026
- WBPSC — Exam announcement (14 May 2026) and Final Answer Key, WBCS (Exe.) etc. (Preli) Examination 2024 (27 Aug 2026) (opens in a new tab) prelim date 14 Jun 2026, centres, final key · Last checked 18 Oct 2026
- WBPSC — Edit option for updating OBC sub-category / UR category details (3 Sep 2026) (opens in a new tab) OBC edit windows for WBCS 2024 after BCW memos of 18 May and 7 Aug 2026 · Last checked 18 Oct 2026
- WBPSC — Indicative Advertisement No. 03/2025, WBCS (Exe.) etc. Examination, 2025 (29 Nov 2025) (opens in a new tab) 2025 examination announced; details to follow · Last checked 18 Oct 2026
- WBPSC — Important announcement on the scheme for WBCS 2024 and the new pattern from 2025 (Aug 2024) (opens in a new tab) 2024 on old scheme; new pattern from the 2025 exam · Last checked 18 Oct 2026
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