This article is written by Zehra Jamal, a student of Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University. The article deals with multi-dimensional aspects of Bihar Judicial Services Exam, including but not limited to the scope, eligibility, syllabus, books, tips & tricks to qualify the exam, etc. The article tries to cover the maximum information present in public domain on the Bihar Judicial Services Exam in an analytical manner.

It has been published by Rachit Garg.

Overview of Bihar judiciary exam

The Bihar Public Service Commission recently conducted the preliminary examination for the 32^nd Bihar Judicial Services Exam, also known as the Bihar PCS J exams. The results of the exams have been published by the BPSC recently and the timeline for the second stage of the paper, which is the Mains paper of the Bihar Judicial Services Exam has also been released. The mains examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination is expected to be held from 25th November 2023 to 29th November 2023. The dates are however tentative and can be changed due to unavoidable or unforeseeable circumstances. 

The Bihar Public Service Commission body conducts the exam every year to recruit candidates for various posts in the courts in Bihar. There are two ways to become a judge in the State of Bihar. One is by qualifying for the examination for higher judiciary after practising for seven years in any district or High Court. The second way is by cracking the Bihar Judicial Services Examinations (PCS J), which the Bihar Public Service Commission conducts. By cracking it, you’re appointed as a civil judge in the lower judiciary in Bihar.

In this article, we will discuss everything about the Bihar PCS J exams and try to answer any doubts the aspirants have in their minds. 

What is Bihar judiciary exam

The Bihar Judicial Services Exam is conducted to recruit candidates for the vacancies in various posts in the civil courts in Bihar. The Bihar Public Service Commission is the body that conducts the Bihar Judicial Services Examination.

When is Bihar judiciary exam conducted

The papers of the Bihar Judicial Services Exam are usually conducted when the vacancies for the civil judge post arise in the state of Bihar, and the same is notified to the public through a notice by the Bihar Public Service Commission. The preliminary papers of the PCS J are conducted three to four months before the Mains, and the interview stage is followed by the exam results, which are usually declared a few months after the Mains examination. This year, the preliminary examination of the 32^nd Bihar Judicial Services Exam was conducted on Sunday, 04 June 2023, and the result was recently released in the last week of September 2023. The tentative dates for mains examination is the last week of November 2023. The dates of the interview shall be notified later on, after the successful conduction of the mains exam and issuance of its result. 

Where is Bihar judiciary exam conducted

The preliminary papers of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination are conducted across various centres (1000+) in the 38 districts of Bihar. The Mains paper on the same is conducted mainly in the city of Patna. The interview of the selected candidates is held at the office of the Bihar Public Service Commission, located at Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, in Patna.

How is Bihar judiciary exam conducted

The Bihar Judicial Services Examination is conducted offline (pen-paper mode) across various centres in the state of Bihar. The interview stage of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination is conducted at the office of the Bihar Public Service Commission, which is located in the city of Patna.

Important details of Bihar judiciary exam

Even during the phase of preparation, a candidate has so many doubts on the details of the examination they are preparing for; the most important of them, of course, includes the details of the post on which they will be appointed, their designation, remuneration, allowances, etc. So, in this part of the article, we will discuss important things associated with the Bihar Judicial Services Examination. 

Brief details on the post of civil judge for Bihar judiciary exam

According to the official notification of the Bihar Public Service Commission body, present on its website, there are a total of 155 vacancies for the post of civil judge in the State of Bihar.  

The minimum educational qualification of a candidate to become a civil judge in the State of Bihar is graduation in law (5 years or 3 years). 

Designation

When a candidate successfully clears all three stages of the Bihar Judicial Services Exam and qualifies for the merit list, he/she joins the Bihar Judicial Academy situated in Patna – the capital city of Bihar, which is the apex training institute for the judicial officers of Bihar Cadre. After the training period, the candidate is appointed as a civil judge in a lower court of the state. 

Salary and allowances after getting selected for Bihar judiciary exam

The Bihar state gives allowances and salaries to judges based on their ranking. For a junior civil judge, the salary ranges from Rs. 27700 to Rs. 44700; for a senior civil judge, it ranges from Rs. 39530 to Rs. 54010, and so on. The state also provides several allowances, including but not limited to:

• Medical allowance.
• Conveyance allowance.
• Child education allowance.
• Travel allowance.
• House rent allowance.
• Electricity and medical charges.
• Specific location allowance.

The position also offers various other allowances. The allowances also increase with promotion and years.

Tabular representation of Bihar judiciary exam 2023-24

Name of the Exam	Bihar Judicial Services Exam
Name of the exam conducting exam	Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC)
Official website of the conducting body	https://www.bpsc.bih.nic.in/
Minimum qualification	Graduation in law from any college recognised by the Bar Council of India.
Nationality	Indian
Minimum age to appear in the exam	General category – 22 years Reserved category – 22 years
Maximum age to appear in the exam	General category – 35 years Reserved category – 40 years
Any bar on number of attempts	No, except for the maximum age as prescribed
Stages of the exam	3 stages – prelims exam, Mains exam and viva voice/interview
Designation of the post	Civil Judge
Total number of vacancies	155 (One hundred and fifty-five)
Official notification	https://bpsc.bih.nic.in/Advt/NB-2023-02-20-04.pdf
Date of notification issued	February 20, 2023
Date of opening of online application window (preliminary examination)	February 27, 2023
The last date to apply for the application (preliminary examination)	March 27, 2023
Correction window period for the online form	Till May 05, 2023
Date of admit card release	May 31, 2023
Date of prelims exam	June 03, 2023
Date of issuance of prelims exam result	September 26, 2023
Date of opening of online application window (Mains examination)	October 05, 2023
The last date to apply for the application (mains examination)	October 25, 2023
Date of Mains exam	November 25, 2023 to November 29, 2023 (tentative date)
Date of viva voice/personal interview	Yet to be declared
Date of issuing the final result	Yet to be declared
Registration fees (preliminary examination)	General and OBC category – 600 Rupees SC and ST category – 150 Rupees
Registration fees (mains examination)	Scheduled caste and scheduled tribes of Bihar, women residents of state of Bihar, PWD candidates – 750 Rupees General category and all other category candidates which are left – 200 Rupees
Mode of application	Online
Mode of examination	Offline (pen – paper based)
Types of questions in prelims exam	Objective (Multiple choice questions)
Negative marking in prelims exam	No
Types of questions in Mains exam	Subjective questions
Total number of papers in prelims exam	Two papers
Total number of papers in Mains exam	Five papers
Total number of optional papers	03 out of 05 options
State	Bihar
Credentials of the job	Bihar Government Job (Judiciary department)

Vacancies for Bihar judiciary exam 2023-24

According to the official notification for the Bihar Judicial Services Exam 2023-24, which has been released by the Bihar Public Service Commission, there is a total vacancy of 155 seats for the posts of civil judge in the state of Bihar. The distribution of the seat matrix for these 155 seats is given as below:

Category of the Candidate	No. of seats	Seats reserved for women candidates’
General Category	61	23
OBC Category	30	10
SC Category	29	07
ST Category	02	01
EWS Category	15	04
BC Category	18	06
Total	155	51

An important point to note is that the benefit of reservation based on caste will be given only to those candidates who are permanent native residents of the state of Bihar. 

Previous year vacancies in Bihar Judiciary

The vacancy for the post of civil judge in the state of Bihar keeps fluctuating according to the need in the judicial department. The schedule of the exam was also interrupted for a few years because of the deadly pandemic. Let us have a look at the vacancies for the post of civil judge in the state of Bihar for the past few years:

Vacancies in the year 2020

For the year 2020, there were a total of 221 vacancies for the post of civil judge in the state of Bihar. Out of these 221 vacancies, a total of 79 seats were reserved for women (including the caste based reservation), 47 seats for OBCs, 35 seats for SCs, 2 seats for STs, 26 seats for BCs and 23 seats were reserved for the EWS. 

Vacancies in the year 2018

For the year 2018, there were a total of 349 vacancies for the post of civil judge in the state of Bihar. Out of these 349 vacancies, a total of 123 seats were reserved for women (including the caste based reservation), 73 seats for OBCs, 56 seats for SCs, 3 seats for STs, and 42 seats for BCs. At that time, there was no reservation for candidates belonging to the EWS category. 

Vacancies in the year 2017

For the year 2017, there were a total of 194 vacancies for the post of civil judge in the state of Bihar. Out of these 194 vacancies, a total of 70 seats were reserved for women (including the caste based reservation), 41 seats for OBCs, 31 seats for SCs, 2 seats for STs, and 23 seats for BCs. At that time, there was no reservation for candidates belonging to the EWS category.

Criteria for reservation in Bihar judiciary exam 

The vacancies in the Bihar Judicial Services Exam provide reservations to Bihar native candidates belonging to the following categories:

Category of the candidates	Percentage of reservation
Other Backward Castes (OBCs)	27%
Scheduled Caste (SC)	15%
Scheduled Tribe (ST)	7.5%
Economically Weaker Section (EWS)	10%
Total	59.5%

Some important points regarding reservation in Bihar judiciary exam

The following important points are also needed to be kept in mind while applying for the above reservation in the Bihar Judicial Services Exam:

1. The reservation is given to only native residents of the state of Bihar and therefore, while applying for the reservation, only permanent addresses will be accepted.
2. For candidates belonging to the Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, Other Backward Caste or Backward Caste, the caste certificate is also required, apart from the permanent address and domicile certificate.
3. For the candidates belonging to the Other Backward Caste and Backward Caste, the non – creamy layer certificate is also required, apart from the caste certificate, permanent address and domicile certificate.
4. A candidate will not be allowed to take advantage of the reservation criteria if they fail to produce all the above certificates (as required) during the initial phase of the interview.
5. For the benefit of reservation under the disability criteria, the candidate is required to furnish the disability certificate in the prescribed form approved by the competent authority. Failing to do so will lead to the non applicability of the reservation to the candidature. 
6. Once the appointment process is started/ongoing, the reservation criteria can not be modified or altered. 

Eligibility criteria for Bihar judiciary exam 

The eligibility for the Bihar Judicial Services Examination is categorised into the following parts:

• Eligibility criteria for the Unreserved category
  • Maximum age criteria for males
  • Maximum age criteria for females
• Eligibility criteria for the Reserved category

Eligibility criteria for the Unreserved category

For the candidates belonging to the unreserved category, the following criteria are common for both males and females:

1. The candidate must be a citizen of India.
2. The candidate must be a law graduate from a college or university recognised by the Bar Council of India.
3. The candidate must be 22 years of age or older.

Maximum age criteria for males – The maximum age criteria for unreserved males is 35.

Maximum age criteria for females – The maximum age criteria for unreserved females is 40.

Eligibility criteria for the reserved category

For candidates belonging to the reserved category, these are the criteria for the Bihar Judicial Services Exam:

1. The candidate must be a citizen of India.
2. The candidate must be a law graduate from a college or university recognised by the Bar Council of India.
3. The candidate must be 22 years of age or older.
4. The candidates must be at least 40 years old.

Stages of Bihar judiciary exam

The examination pattern of the Bihar Judicial Services Exam is divided into the following subtopics:

1. Preliminary Examination – paper 1 and paper 2
2. Mains Examinations
3. Viva Voice/Personal Interview

Preliminary stage of Bihar judiciary exam

The preliminary examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Exam is objective in nature and is divided into two papers, which are as follows:

Paper 1 – The first preliminary paper of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination is based on general knowledge and current affairs. It is an offline, multiple-choice paper consisting of 100 questions. The duration of the paper is one and a half hours.

Paper 2 – The second preliminary Bihar Judicial Services Examination paper is based on legal topics. It is an offline, multiple-choice paper consisting of 150 questions. The duration of the paper is two hours.

Criteria for negative marking – There are no criteria for negative marking in the Bihar Judicial Services Examination. So, if you mark an answer as incorrect or leave the question unattempted, no marks will be deducted for the same.

Both the preliminary papers of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination are qualifying in nature. Each correct answer in the paper will award you one mark and zero marks for wrong/unattempted answers. The minimum qualifying score for the unreserved category candidates is 45%, and for the reserved category, the score is 40%.

Tabular representation of the Bihar judiciary preliminary exam

	Paper 1	Paper 2
Syllabus	General studies and current affairs	Legal topics
Mode	Offline	Offline
Total number of questions/marks	100	150
Marks for the correct answer	01	01
Marks for incorrect/unattempted	00	00
Type of question	MCQ	MCQ
Time limit	1.5 hours (90 minutes)	2 hours (120 minutes)
Qualifying marks	40% for reserved categories and	45% for the unreserved category

Mains examination stage of the Bihar Judicial Services Exam  

The main examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Exam is subjective in nature and is divided into the following papers:

Five mandatory papers:

1. General Knowledge and Current Affairs
2. Elementary General Science
3. General Hindi
4. General English
5. Law of Evidence and Procedure

Three optional papers out of the following papers:

1. Constitutional and Administrative Law of India
2. Hindu Law and Mohammedan Law
3. Transfer of Property, Principal of Equity, Law of Trust, and Specific Relief Act
4. Law of Contracts and Torts
5. Commercial Law

All these papers are subjective in nature. Amongst the five compulsory papers, the papers of General English and General Hindi are qualifying, and their marks need not be added to prepare the final merit list of Bihar Judicial Services Examinations. The qualifying marks of these papers are 30% of the total marks. Before moving forward, we can sum up the exam pattern of the Mains examination of the Bihar Judicial Services as follows:

Tabular representation of Bihar judiciary mains exam 

For compulsory papers

S. No.	Subjects	Paper Code	Mode of Examination	Type of Questions	Time Limit	Max Marks
1.	General Knowledge and Current Affairs	01	Offline	Subjective	03 hours	150
2.	Elementary General Science	02	Offline	Subjective	03 hours	100
3.	General Hindi	03	Offline	Subjective	03 hours	100
4.	General English	04	Offline	Subjective	03 hours	100
5.	Law of Evidence and Procedure	05	Offline	Subjective	03 hours	150

For optional papers

S. No.	Subjects	Paper Code	Mode of Examination	Type of Questions	Time Limit	Max Marks
1.	Constitutional and Administrative Law of India	06	Offline	Subjective	03 hours	150
2.	Hindu Law and Mohammedan Law	07	Offline	Subjective	03 hours	150
3.	Transfer of Property, Principal of Equity, Law of Trust, and Specific Relief Act	08	Offline	Subjective	03 hours	150
4.	Law of Contracts and Torts	09	Offline	Subjective	03 hours	150
5.	Commercial Law	10	Offline	Subjective	03 hours	150

Viva-voice or the personal interview stage

The candidates who successfully clear the Mains examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination are called for a viva voce or personal interview. The interview is held at the office of the Bihar Public Service Commission, which is located in the city of Patna. The interview consists of a total of 100 marks. The final merit list will be prepared based on the applicant’s marks in the Mains examination (except for the qualifying paper) and the personal interview. For a candidate to make it to the final merit list, they must score at least 35% of the total marks allocated to the viva voce/personal interview.

Syllabus of Bihar judiciary exam

The syllabus of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination is divided into the following subparts:

1. Syllabus of the Preliminary Examination
2. Syllabus of the Mains Examination
3. Syllabus of Viva Voice or the Personal Interview

Syllabus of Bihar judiciary prelims exam

The preliminary Bihar Judicial Services Examination has two papers, as discussed above. Let us now have a look at the syllabus for both papers:

Paper 1: General Knowledge and Current Affairs:

For the current affairs part, you must read a newspaper daily, preferably the Indian Express or any other newspaper that keeps you updated with current affairs. You can also follow some good weekly/monthly magazines for current affairs. It would be best if you also focused on recent developments around you.

The preparation for the general knowledge part should focus on history, geography, politics, economy, and general science. The important topics to be studied in the following arts are summarised below:

History

1. Particular focus is on broad aspects of the history of Bihar and the important nationalist movements arising out of the State of Bihar, their important freedom fighters, etc.
2. History of Ancient, Mediaeval, and Modern India.
3. History of Indian Independence and important independence heroes.
4. Important Indian national movements and how they created an impact.
5. World War I and World War II.
6. The impact of the World Wars on India.
7. Important peace pact involving India.
8. History of the Constituent Assembly and Constitution of India.
9. History of India after independence and the consolidation of states.
10. Cultural and social history of India.

Geography

1. Emphasise the geography of India and the State of Bihar.
2. Major rivers in Bihar and geographical division of the State of Bihar.
3. Geography of India and the division of resources.
4. The focus should also be on Indian natural and agricultural resources.
5. Physical geography of Earth, atmosphere, solar system, climatology, Geomorphology, Oceanography, etc.
6. Essential geographical techniques like latitude, longitude, surveying, fieldwork, statistical methods, geographical information systems, etc.
7. Essential aspects of cartography include map projections, map reading, map making, map marking, types of maps, remote sensing, etc.
8. Human geography and important sustainable factors, including all kinds of geography such as economic, social, cultural, political, urban, rural, etc.
9. Environmental geography, like pollution, biodiversity, sustainable development goals, environmental hazards, etc.

Polity

1. Panchayati Raj, political system, community development, etc., in Bihar and India.
2. Constitution of India, union and states, fundamental rights, directive principles of state policy, fundamental duties, etc.
3. Executive, judiciary, and legislature.
4. Interstate relations and center-state relations.
5. Constitutional amendments and emergency provisions.
6. Indian political system and political parties.
7. Public administration and local self-governance.

Economy

1. Basic concepts of the Indian economy and the economy of Bihar.
2. GDP, GNP, population growth, national income, etc.
3. RBI monetary policy, fiscal policy, Indian banking system, and nationalisation of banks.
4. International trade and balance of payments.
5. Indian agriculture, industry, and service sector.
6. Important world organizations, world policy developments, etc.

General Science

1. Origin and evolution of life on Earth.
2. Biological classification and five kingdom classification of plants and animals.
3. Development in science and technology.
4. Communications and space, magnetic field, gravity, etc.
5. University, solar system, stars, sun, etc.
6. India’s nuclear programs.
7. Carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, fats, minerals, etc.
8. Cells and tissues.
9. Human digestive systems, respiratory systems, neural systems, excretory systems, etc.
10. Glands, muscular, and skeletal system.
11. Diseases, blood group, circulatory system, immunity, etc.
12. Drug and alcohol abuse.
13. Sex determination, laws on inheritance, genetic disorders, etc.
14. Atomic theory, biotechnology, etc.

Paper 2: Legal topics

In paper 2 of the preliminary examination of the Bihar judicial service examination, questions are asked about the following topics of law:

1. The law of evidence and procedure.
2. Constitutional and administrative law of India.
3. Hindu law and Mohammedan law.
4. Law on the transfer of property, principles of equity, law of trusts, and specific relief act.
5. The law of contracts and the law of torts.
6. Commercial law.  

Syllabus of Bihar judiciary mains exam

The Mains exam of the Bihar Judicial Services examination has five compulsory papers and three optional papers to be chosen from five subjects, as already discussed above. Let us now have a look at the syllabus for these papers.

Compulsory papers

The syllabus for the compulsory papers in the Bihar Judicial Services Exam is as follows:

Paper 1: General Knowledge and Current Affairs

1. Current events of national and international importance
2. The history and Culture of India and Bihar
3. The geography of India and Bihar
4. The economy of India and Bihar
5. The polity of India and Bihar

The candidates must remember that the above-given topics must be read in detail with the subtopics already provided with the preliminary examination syllabus. They have to be read more broadly than the preliminary syllabus. The questions in this subject will test a candidate’s common knowledge of general knowledge and current affairs, and no specialised questions will be asked.

Paper 2: Elementary general science 

This paper will check the candidate’s ability to understand and observe scientific aspects in their everyday experiences. It will not be asking such advanced questions, which are expected to be known by a person who has done advanced studies in science. The following subtopics will be asked, mainly:

1. Origin and evolution of life on Earth.
2. Biological classification and five kingdom classification of plants and animals.
3. Development in science and technology.
4. Communications and space, magnetic field, gravity, etc.
5. University, solar system, stars, sun, etc.
6. India’s nuclear programs.
7. Carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, fats, minerals, etc.
8. Cells and tissues.
9. Human digestive systems, respiratory systems, neural systems, excretory systems, etc.
10. Glands, muscular, and skeletal system.
11. Diseases, blood group, circulatory system, immunity, etc.
12. Drug and alcohol abuse.
13. Sex determination, laws on inheritance, genetic disorders, etc.
14. Atomic theory, biotechnology, etc.

Paper 3: General Hindi 

The level of this paper will be equivalent to the level of Hindi language of those students who are continuously studying Hindi from the fourth grade in the schools of Bihar. The paper will check the abilities of the candidates to convey their thoughts clearly and nicely in Hindi. The paper will also check the intuitive understanding of the candidates on various simple topics. The paper will mainly comprise the following things:

1. Essay writing in Hindi
2. Basic hindi grammar
3. Reading comprehension
4. Precise writing

Paper 4: General English 

The purpose of this paper is to judge a candidate’s understanding of the English language. The questions in this paper will primarily be on the following topics:

1. Synonyms and antonyms
2. Reading comprehension
3. Summary or precise writing
4. Spotting errors in phrases and sentences
5. Spelling test
6. Word analogies
7. Letter writing
8. Idioms and phrases
9. Rearranging sentences
10. Usage of propositions

Paper 5: Law of evidence and procedure 

The paper on the law of evidence & procedure will broadly cover the following topics:

1. Indian Evidence Act, 1872
2. Civil Procedure Code, 1908
3. Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996
4. Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973
5. Provincial Small Cause Courts Act, 1887

Optional papers

The syllabus for the compulsory papers in the Bihar Judicial Services Exam is as follows:

Paper 1 – Constitutional and administrative law of India 

The following topics will be covered in this paper:

Constitutional law:

1. The Constitution of India, 1950 – Article 1 to Article 395
2. Schedules of the Constitution of India

Administrative law:

1. Delegated legislation
2. Control of delegated legislation – judicial & legislative 
3. Fair hearing; Rules of natural justice; Rules against bias; Audi Alteram Partem
4. Tribunals and quasi-judicial authorities; Judicial control over them
5. Judicial review of administrative action
6. Writ jurisdiction and statutory judicial remedies, scope, extent and distinction
7. Public Interest Litigation (PIL)
8. Tortious liability of state and compensation
9. Promissory Estoppel, Legitimate Expectation and Doctrine of Proportionality
10. Government contracts
11. Ombudsman 

Paper 2 – Hindu law and Mohammedan law 

The following topics will be covered in this paper:

Hindu law:

1. Two Hindu schools of law – Mitakshara School and Dayabhaga School
2. Hindu law on marriage
3. Hindu law on adoption
4. Hindu law on impartible state
5. Hindu law on endowment

Mohammedan law:

1. Mohammedan law on marriage
2. Mohammedan law on adoption
3. Mohammedan law on wills
4. Mohammedan law on the legitimacy
5. Mohammedan law on acknowledgement
6. Mohammedan law on guardianship

 Paper 3 – Transfer of property, principal of equity, law of trust, and Specific Relief Act 

The following topics will be covered in this paper:     

1. The Transfer of Property Act of 1882. 
2. History of the court of equity, maxims, origin of use, etc.
3. Definition of trust and development of trust.   
4. Types of transactions, including express transactions, implied transactions, public transactions, private transactions, constructive transactions, benami transactions, etc.
5. Advancement of trust, determination of trusts, and remedies for breach of trusts.
6. The Indian Trust Act of 1882.
7. The Specific Relief Act of 1963.                                 

Paper 4 – Law of Contracts and Torts 

The following topics will be covered in this paper:     

1. The Indian Contract Act of 1872.
2. The law of torts.
3. General principles of liabilities.
4. Injuries to persons, public nuisance and private nuisance, remedies, etc.
5. Injuries to domestic and contractual obligations and relations.
6. Assault
7. False imprisonment.
8. Negligence and its remedies.
9. Defamation – slander and libel.
10. The rule in Rylands vs. Fletcher (1868).
11. Conspiracy and malicious prosecution.

Paper 5 – Commercial law 

The following topics will be covered in this paper: 

1. Negotiable instrument
2. Sales of goods
3. Company law
4. Partnership

Marking scheme for Bihar judiciary exam 2023 – 24 

For preliminary examination 

The preliminary examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Exam 2023-24 consists of two papers. Paper 1 was based on general studies and current affairs, while Paper 2 was based on legal topics. 

Paper 1 contained a total of 100 questions of one mark each, while Paper 2 had 150 questions of one mark each. There were no criteria for negative marking for the unattempted and wrong question. The preliminary examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Exam is qualifying in nature and for a candidate to qualify the preliminary examination, they have to score a minimum of 45% (for candidates belonging to the general category) and 40% (for candidates belonging to the reserved category). 

For Mains examination

The Mains examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Exam 2023-24 consists of two types of papers – compulsory papers and optional papers. 

There are a total of five compulsory papers in the Bihar Judicial Services Exam 2023-24, of which the two papers of general English and general Hindi (of 100 marks each) are qualifying in nature. The candidates have to score a total of 30% of the total marks in both of these papers to qualify. The other three compulsory papers are general knowledge and current affairs (150 marks), elementary general science (100 marks), and law of evidence and procedure (150 marks). The marks from these three papers are added to the final merit list. 

There are a total of five optional papers in the Bihar Judicial Services Exam 2023-24, of which a candidate has to choose three papers. The papers are – constitutional law and administrative law of India; Hindu law and Mohammedan law; transfer of property; principle of equity; law of trusts and Specific Relief Act; law of contracts and torts; and commercial law. All these papers are of 150 marks each and the marks of all the optional papers are added to make the final merit list.

The marks of the three compulsory papers (total – 400 marks) and the marks of the three optional papers (450 each) will be added to the final merit list for the preparation of the results of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24. 

For viva voice or the personal interview

Once a candidate successfully qualifies for the merit list of the Mains examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24, they are eligible to appear for the viva voce or the personal interview.

The viva voce or personal interview, of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24 consists of a total of 100 marks and to qualify for the viva voce, the candidate has to score at least a minimum of 35% of the total marks allocated to the interview part. 

Thus, the final merit list of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24 comprises a total of 950 marks, of which 400 marks are for the compulsory paper of the main examination, 450 marks for the optional papers of the Mains examination and 100 marks for the viva voce or personal interview.

How to start your preparation for Bihar judiciary exam 2023-24

This part will discuss how to kickstart your preparation for the Bihar Judicial Services Examination. We will bifurcate this part into the following three sub-parts:

1. How to prepare for the preliminary examination
2. How to prepare for the Mains examination
3. How to prepare for the viva voice/personal interview

But before we move forward to these three sub-parts, we will discuss a few crucial points that a candidate should follow before kick-starting their preparation for all three phases of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination. These points include but are not limited to:

• Make up your mind for the competition – Before starting any new work, one has to make up their mind for the same, which applies more accurately when it is about a competitive exam. Ensure you understand the amount of patience, diligence, time, dedication, perseverance, and hard work it requires to crack the exam. Understand the positive and negative aspects of the competition. And then, make sure that you are ready for everything.
• List down your reasons for giving the exam – This may sound a little unnecessary now, but once you start the preparation, the amusement fades away. The competition’s colour becomes darker, and then you need a reason to stand by your decision to take the exam. In hard times, these reasons will give you the hope and power to work hard to achieve your goal. So, pen down your reasons for the same and stick to them always.
• Get the hang of the syllabus and the exam pattern – Now that you have decided to move forward with the preparation, get the hang of the syllabus of the examination first. It is the first and foremost thing when preparing for any examination. Identify the syllabus and crucial topics for your study. Save a picture of the syllabus and the exam pattern in your mind, and always abide by it.
• Know your study resources – After understanding the syllabus and the exam pattern, identify the vital book, online and offline resources, etc.—that will help you and guide you in preparation for the examination. Collect all the essential resources and study them regularly.
• Make your strategy and timetable – After finalising the study resources and materials, devise a timeline that is comfortable for you to follow and then follow it regularly. Ensure that your timetable gives time to every subject of the examination according to their weightage.
• Make a revision strategy – All your studies and preparation will go in vain if you do not regularly revise what you are studying, so make a revision strategy and give sufficient time to revise everything you learn. This will make things easier for you when the exam is nearby.
• Be disciplined – If you are not disciplined in your approach, studying and preparing for your exam will mean nothing and be wasted. So, remember to always be disciplined in your approach. Remember to abide by your timetable and the revision strategy you made.
• Interact with people who have already qualified for the examination – This is very important, as they must have been in your place at some point. They successfully managed to crack the examination. Try to understand how they did what they did. Do not copy exactly what they did, as it might not work for you, but try to devise a feasible strategy for yourself.

Now we will move forward with how to start a specific phase of preparation. We will begin with the first part, that is, the preliminary examination:

Bihar judiciary Preliminary exam 2023 – 24 

To start your preparation for the preliminary examination, the following points should be kept in mind and followed for a better and more effective result and to qualify for the examination.

For Paper 1

• Identify your current affairs resources – Since it is crucial for Paper 1 to be updated with current affairs, identify the resources you will be studying current affairs from.
• Read daily newspapers and editorials – Make sure you read an English newspaper daily and, more importantly, analyse the critical articles in the newspaper. This will enhance your current affairs and help with reading comprehension and other topics in the general English paper.
• Identify books and other vital resources for the general knowledge part – Paper 1 tests your current affairs and general knowledge, so make sure to identify your resources for general knowledge and stick to it.
• Analyse the previous year’s papers – Find out the important topics and repeated questions from the previous year’s papers and focus more on them. Prepare those topics and questions more thoroughly.
• Give time-bound tests and mock papers – Side by side of your preparation, keep giving time-bound tests and mocks to provide you with an actual taste of how the exam will be. After giving tests, analyse your performance and find out your strong and weak areas.
• Focus more on your weak parts – Focus more on topics you score less on and try to improve them. Give more tests on those topics.

  For Paper 2 

• Boost your legal knowledge – Paper 2 consists of questions on legal topics, so boost your legal knowledge.
• Be up to date with current legal affairs – Since you will be taking the judiciary exam, you should be updated with every recent legal development and legal knowledge. They can also be asked in the exam. One of the best ways to grab them is to read newspapers daily.
• Identify important books and legal resources – Identify the essential books needed to qualify for the exam and other vital resources that prepare you for the examination. Make sure to collect and save the materials in a place or a folder and prepare from them religiously.
• Give time-bound tests and mock papers – Side by side of your preparation, keep giving time-bound tests and mocks to provide you with an actual taste of how the exam will be. After giving tests, analyse your performance and find out your strong and weak areas. Focus more on learning the concepts of your weak areas and focus more on increasing the efficiency of your strong areas. 
• Prepare the topics broadly – Remember that some of the topics of preliminary papers come in the Mains examination as well, so prepare the topics likewise.

Bihar judiciary Main exam 2023-24 

To start your preparation for the Mains examination, the following points should be kept in mind and followed for a better and more effective result and to score better than others:

• Choose your optional subjects – You should choose your optional subjects at the beginning of your preparation only to get more time to study and prepare them thoroughly. Choosing your optional subject wisely is crucial, and we will discuss later in this topic what parameters you should select for your optional subjects.
• Answer writing practice – Since the Mains examination is subjective, practise the answer writing frequently along with your preparation. We will discuss how to effectively write answers in the Mains examination later in this article.
• Mark important areas and ace them up-  Analyse the previous year’s papers and carve out the essential sections, topics, and areas that come up in the examination. Make yourself a master of those topics.
• Refer to your preliminary notes and other identified resources for general knowledge and current affairs – Since several topics of the preliminary exam and the Mains exam overlap, you can refer to your preliminary notes and add whatever is required.
• Do not give more than the required time to papers that are qualifying in nature – The two papers of general English and general Hindi out of the five compulsory papers are qualifying in nature, so do not give more than the required time to them, as it will be compensated for by your other subject’s time, whose marks will be added to the final merit list.
• Define your weak and strong areas – Give more time to the areas where you score comparatively lower than others and try to improve them because that might prove detrimental to your selection. 

Viva-voice or personal interview of Bihar judiciary exam 

• Give mock interviews – Nothing will help you more than giving mock interviews. You will learn it better when you are in the situation. Enrol in a mock interview programme and give as many interviews as possible.
• Analyse your mock interviews – Take pointers on which parts you are lacking in your mock interviews and try to improve them. Take help from mentors, friends, and people who have already qualified for it. Make sure you do not lack in those areas in the final interview.
• Try personality development courses – You can also try some courses if you want. It will help you outshine others and create a positive impact.
• Remain up to date with recent legal developments and current affairs – Ensure you get the hang of every topic in the national media that is of national importance, including all the legal developments.

When to start your preparation for Bihar judiciary exam

In this part, we will discuss when to start your preparation for the Bihar Judicial Services Examination. Although there is no perfect time, it varies from person to person. Still, to gain an advantage over others, one should start their preparation at least a year or two years before attempting the examination. We will try to answer it concerning all three stages below:

For the Preliminary examination 

To prepare thoroughly and nicely, one should start preparing for Bihar Judicial Services Examinations during their college days only, preferably in their penultimate year or maybe before, if the candidate has already decided to pursue judiciary as their career. In the first year of their preparation, they can focus more on general knowledge, general science, and law subjects. During the second year of their preparation, they can focus more on current affairs, mocks, and answer writing, and thereby, when they graduate, they will also be fully prepared to take the exams.

For the Mains examination 

One can start preparing for the Mains papers of the Bihar Judicial Services Examinations once they are done with the general knowledge part, preferably in the second semester of their penultimate year in law school. This will give them a hang on law subjects as well. And then, in the final year of law school, they can practise answer writing and mock papers and give a final touch to their preparation. Although they can leave the qualifying paper for the Mains examination in Bihar Judicial Services for the last three months as those papers do not require much time.

For the viva voce or the personal interview 

One should start preparing for the viva voice/personal interview only after they clear their Mains examination. There is enough time given to candidates to prepare themselves for the viva voice/personal interview. Also, preparing for the viva voice/personal interview from the beginning isn’t a good option because the important part in the beginning is to get through the Mains examination. If one doesn’t pass it, the viva voice/personal interview preparation will have no meaning.

Important tips and tricks for Bihar judiciary exam 

Tips for Bihar judiciary Preliminary exam 

• Make sure to attempt all the questions in the preliminary examination, as there is no negative marking. Even in the case of a wrong answer or an unattempted question, you will be awarded zero, and no marks will be deducted, so do not leave any question unattempted.
• Use the elimination techniques, as they work best for the multiple-choice questions.
• Make sure to read and analyse the editorials daily, as many questions are asked based on the information provided in the editorial.
• For the general knowledge and current affairs part, focus more on the social, economic, geographic, political, and cultural information on the state of Bihar.
• Learn all the important articles and sections from the syllabus of legal topics.
• Focus more on the recent legal developments in Bihar.
• Learn the leading case laws and important constitutional landmark judgements.

Tips for Bihar judiciary Mains exam

• Choose your optional subjects wisely. The marks of the optional subjects play a vital role in reaching the final merit list of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination.
• Analyse the previous year’s papers. Many questions are repeated from past years.
• Practise answering frequently. See the topper’s answer copies and try to understand their way of writing.
• Be concise and clear while writing your answers, and try to present your answer neatly.
• Focus more on your optional subjects, as they are scoring in nature. Try to achieve the maximum in those papers, as they will help you make it to the merit list.
• Only spend a little time on general English and Hindi preparation as their paper is easy and also qualifying in nature. Their marks are not added to the preparation of the final merit list.
• Remember to add case laws and legal maxims to your answer in the Mains paper of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination.

  Tips for viva-voice or the personal interview

• Remain updated with current affairs and recent legal developments, specifically concerning the state of Bihar and other news of national and international importance.
• Try not to be critical of any government scheme or speak very negatively on a particular issue.
• Be confident, as it makes a lot of positive impact before the panel that takes the viva voice or personal interview.
• Improve your critical thinking skills and develop positive thinking. Try to give positive views about court controversies.
• Research profoundly and be versed in the role of civil judge, court proceedings, etc.

Mistakes to avoid while preparing for Bihar judiciary exam 

• Not analysing the mock tests properly. It is very crucial to analyse your mock tests properly.
• Not focusing on your weak part. It is vital to concentrate on your vulnerable parts and improve them.
• Leaving complex topics for the end. Always try to cover complex topics during the initial stage of your preparation.
• Never keep the preparation of prelims aside for the last few months. Keep them prepared side by side with the syllabus of the Mains examination.
• Focus on a few resources rather than trying many resources and being confused amongst them.

Sources to refer for Bihar judiciary exam 

In order to prepare thoroughly and qualify for the Bihar Judicial Services Examination, one needs to study from the best set of books and resources available on the market. The following are the best sets of books and resources available on the market:

Books

The following books are the best available in the market for the preparation of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24:

Preliminary examination  

Subjects	Books
General knowledge and current affairs	Lucent’s General Knowledge by Vinay Karna
Indian Contract Act	Indian Contract Act by R. K. Bangia
Indian Penal Code	Indian Penal Code by Ratanlal & Dhirajlal
Indian Evidence Act	Indian Evidence Act by Vepa P. Sarathi
Jurisprudence	Jurisprudence by J.G. Riddall
Hindu Law	Modern Hindu Law by Paras Diwan
Mohammedan Law	Mulla’s principles of Mohammedan Law
Constitutional Law	Constitution of India by MP Jain
CrPC	Criminal Procedure Code by R.V. Kelkar
Transfer of Property Act	Transfer of Property Act by S.N. Shukla
Practice papers	Singhal’s Multiple Choice Questions for Judicial Services

Mains examination

Subjects or areas	Books
Practice guide	Guide for Bihar Judicial Services (Mains) Examination by Rajiv Ranjan Sahay
Practice papers	Singhal’s Bihar & Jharkhand Judicial Service Examinations: Solved (Pre.) Papers Unsolved (Mains) Papers by Sandeep Kumar
General English	Wren & Martin High School English Grammar and Composition Book
General Hindi	Encyclopaedia of Samanya Vigyan (Hindi)
Elementary general science	General Awareness by Manohar Pandey

Other resources 

Apart from the above best available books in the market, the following resources can also be accessed for better preparation for the Bihar Judicial Services Exam 2023-24:

LawSikho’s course on judiciary preparation 

Also known by the name of ‘Lord of the courses – judiciary test prep’, it is one of the best available courses on judiciary preparation, with features like personal guidance, top-notch and unique presentation of content, best strategies, smart study techniques, live online classes, problem discussion sessions, regular tests, personal evaluation and many other features that make it one of the best online courses on judiciary preparation. 

It is a one-year course, with 8 to 10 classes a week so that students can accommodate accordingly. Also, it has a refund policy of 100% if the candidate does not benefit from the course after 30 days of full participation. The link to the judiciary preparation course at LawSikho can be accessed here. 

LawSikho’s Youtube channel

This is a free of cost resource for acing in your preparation for Judicial Services Examination. The YouTube channel of LawSikho provides various videos like how to start and shape your preparation for the judicial services examination, how to crack judicial services examinations in the first attempt, how to practise answer writing for the Mains part of the judicial services examinations, insights and strategies on cracking various judicial services examinations, and many more videos that are significant for the preparation of the judicial services examination. The link to the YouTube channel of LawSikho can be accessed here. 

How to write answers effectively for the Mains paper of Bihar judiciary exam 

There are three main factors that help you write an effective answer in the Mains paper of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination: the structure of your answer, the content of your answer, and the presentation of your answer. Let us discuss these:

The structure of your answer

The structure of your answer should be very definitive and precise. You need to be very clear in your approach as to what you want to tell the examiner reading your answer scripts. The structure should be precisely divided into topics, subtopics, and sub-subtopics.

The content of your answer

The most important part of your answer is the content you write. It has the highest weight. It would be best if you corresponded precisely to the point content and did not try to fool the examiner. Just stick to the question asked while writing the answer, and there is no need to write unnecessary things not asked in the question.

The presentation of your answer

The way in which you present your answer determines your impression on the examiner. Try to write your answer in a very neat and tidy manner, as it will have a very positive impact on the examiner. Try to use lines and borders to highlight important points and facts.

Importance of giving mock tests for Bihar judiciary exam

• Giving mock tests helps you track your progress and identifies the areas in which you need to work.
• The mock tests are based on current important topics and previous year’s questions and thus help you to strengthen your concepts.
• They also help you make an effective strategy that suits you and enables you to manage your time effectively.
• Mock tests boost your confidence and help you prepare for the actual exam.
• Analysing mocks helps you understand your mistakes and work on them.

Importance of optional subjects in Bihar judiciary exam

The optional subjects play a very vital role in the Bihar Judicial Services Examination, and it is therefore equally important that we choose our optional subjects for the Bihar Judicial Services Examination very wisely. Thus, in this part, we will discuss the importance of selecting optional subjects wisely and how to choose the right one.

The importance of choosing optional subjects wisely

• The marks of the optional subjects (450 marks) comprise 47%-48% of the total marks on the merit list, and some optional subjects score more than others, making a massive difference in the marks of the candidates in the final merit list.
• There is usually very little difference in marks in the compulsory papers of the students who qualify for the Mains examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examinations. However, the difference in the marks of their optional subject is sometimes very huge because of the option they choose. This difference in marks sometimes leads to the selection and rejection of the candidate in the Bihar Judicial Services Examination.
• Sometimes, the difference in the marks of the optional subject also becomes the deciding factor of the rank of the selected candidates in the Bihar Judicial Services Examination.

How to choose the right optional subjects

• One should choose the subject that is their strong point as it becomes easy to prepare for that subject thoroughly.
• The success rate of the optional subject should also be kept in mind while choosing the subject, as some subjects have a very high success rate and others have a shallow success rate.
• Before selecting the optional subjects, suggestions, and advice can also be taken from toppers and mentors.
• Before selecting the optional subjects
• Previous years’ papers and their toughness level should also be considered. 

Last 30 day strategy for Bihar judiciary exam

• Revise the important current affairs of each month.
• Revise important topics in each subject.
• Go through your handouts and notes for last-minute revision.
• Refrain from starting any new topic, and do not try to change your strategy.
• Stick to the strategy you have followed during the entire preparation.
• Study a little during the last week. Just keep revising whatever you have learned.
• Give only a few mocks in the last month. Try to analyse the previous mock you have given.

Application process for Bihar judiciary exam

In this section, we will discuss how to fill out the form for the Bihar Judicial Services Examination and what the required documents are for the same. We will also be discussing the procedure to submit the application and other important details.

Pre-requisites to fill the Bihar Judiciary’s application form

In order to fill the Bihar Judicial Services Examination application for, the following must be present:

Valid email address and contact number

While filling the form, the candidate will be asked for a valid email address and contact number so as to communicate all the necessary information regarding the examination. If the candidate does not have a valid email address and contact number, they will not be able to register on the portal. 

Valid payment method 

The candidate needs to ensure that they have a valid payment method before submitting the application form for Bihar Judicial Services Examination. The payment method accepted for the application fees are credit card/debit card & internet banking services. 

Stable internet connection 

For filling the application form of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination, the candidates need to have a stable internet connection with good connectivity. Without the same, it will be hard to access the official website of the Bihar Public Service Commission. 

Personal details and other scanned documents 

It is advised to the candidates filling the application form to have all your personal details like name, parents’ name, date of birth, place of residence, etc. (with correct spelling) at one place to fill the form correctly and smoothly. The candidate is also required to have the scanned copies (in the specified format) of their educational certificates, caste or any other reservation certificate, if applicable, passport sized photos etc. before filling out the application form. 

Eligibility criteria 

Before filling out the application form, the candidate must ensure that they fulfil all the eligibility criteria of the Bihar judicial Services Examination as specified by the Bihar Public Service Commission. Failing to do so will lead to the rejection of the candidature of the applicant. 

Documents required to fill out the application form for Bihar judiciary exam 

In order to fill out the form for the Bihar Judicial Services Examination, the candidates are required to have the following documents ready beforehand:

• Their marksheet of X standard or matriculation certificate, which is required as a proof of date of birth of the candidate. 
• Certificate of graduation in law from a college recognised by the Bar Council of India. 
• Marksheet of graduation for the minimum percentage eligibility criteria. 
• Conduct certificate for the candidate from the college they last attended.
• If the candidate belongs to backward class or other backward class, they need to produce non-creamy layer certificates for the same. In case of a female candidate, there needs to be the father’s name and address on the certificate.
• If the candidate belongs to backward class or other backward class, they need to produce non-creamy layer declaration letters.
• If the candidate belongs to a scheduled caste or scheduled tribe, they need to produce caste certificates for the same. In the case of a female candidate, there needs to be the father’s name and address on the certificate.
• Candidates claiming the benefit of caste need to produce a permanent address proof in the state of Bihar to avail themselves of the same.
• For the candidates claiming reservation under the economically weaker section (EWS) criteria, they need to submit the economically weaker section (EWS) certificate issued by the competent authority in the prescribed format in accordance with the Bihar Government’s Notification No. – 2622, dated – 26.02.2019. Only those certificates that were issued in the last financial year in this format will be valid.
• The candidate must also have valid identity proof, a few recently taken photographs and a copy of their filled online application for the Bihar Judicial Services Examination.   

Steps to fill out the Bihar judiciary exam application form

Follow the following steps to fill out the online application form for the Bihar Judicial Services Examination:

1. Visit the official website of the examination conduct body, the Bihar Public Service Commission. Click here to open the website. 
2. On the extreme left side of the website, you will find several options. Click on the “apply online” option. 
3. When the new window appears, click on “BPSC Online Application”.
4. In the next window, select the “Civil Judge (Junior Division)” option. The registration window will open next. Register on the website using your basic details, such as name, date of birth, email address, phone number, gender, etc.
5. After successfully registering on the website, login to your account using the email address and password you used during registration.
6. Fill out the application form provided on your portal with all the details. Ensure that the details you enter are correct.
7. Upload the already scanned copies of all the documents in the prescribed format.
8. After uploading the requisite documents, review your application and pay the fees for the application form.
9. After paying the fees, submit the form and take out a print of the same. 

Fees for the Bihar judiciary exam application form

The application fees for the Bihar Judicial Services Examination vary for different categories across the different stages of the examination. The fees for general category candidates and other candidates is INR 600, while for candidates belonging to SC and ST communities, women candidates belonging to the Bihar domicile and physically handicapped candidates, it is INR 150 for the preliminary examination. 

For the Mains examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination, the fees for general category candidates are INR 750, while for candidates belonging to SC and ST communities, women candidates belonging to the Bihar domicile and physically handicapped candidates, they are INR 150.

Tabular representation of fees of Bihar judiciary exam

Category of the candidate	Application fees
FOR THE PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION
General category and other category candidates	INR 600
Candidates belonging to the SC and ST communities	INR 150
Both reserved and unreserved category women candidates  belonging to the Bihar domicile	INR 150
Physically handicapped students	INR 150
FOR THE MAINS EXAMINATION
General category and other category candidates	INR 750
Candidates belonging to the SC and ST communities	INR 200
Both reserved and unreserved categories of women candidates  belonging to the Bihar domicile	INR 200
Physically handicapped students	INR 200

Details which can be edited in the application form of Bihar judiciary exam

The following details can be edited after filling out the form for the Bihar Judicial Services Examination (when the correction window of the form opens):

• Name of the candidate
• Name of parents of the candidate
• Gender of the candidate
• Spouse name of the candidate, if any
• Date of birth of the candidate
• Photograph of the candidate
• Signature of the candidate 
• Category, if any, of the candidate
• Optional paper of the candidate
• Mobile number of the candidate
• Email address of the candidate

Documents required at the examination centre of Bihar judiciary exam

The following documents are required to be carried by the candidate at the examination centre for the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 

1. A printed admit card for the candidate.
2. Aadhar card of the candidate.
3. Any other identity proof may also be valid, like a driving licence, a passport, etc.

Some important points to be noted while filling the application form for the mains examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023 – 24  

According to the latest notification released by the Bihar Public Service Commissions, the candidate should take a note of the following things while filling the form for the mains examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023 – 24: 

• While filling the form for the mains examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023 – 24, the candidates will come across various details in the form which will already be filled. Those details will be the same details which the candidate has already filled while filling the online application form for the preliminary stage of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination and the candidates will be having no option to edit those details. 
• The candidates are requested to fill the form as early as convenient. The server failure issue, payment declined issue, etc. will not be entertained by the BPSC during the last days of the filling of the form of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023 – 24. 

Selection process of Bihar judiciary exam

The Bihar Judicial Services Examination consists of a total of three stages. However, the marks of not all the stages are added for the selection process, nor are the marks of all the papers in any particular stage added for the selection process. 

Both the papers of the preliminary examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination are qualifying in nature and hence, the marks of both of these papers aren’t required for the selection process of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination.

In the Mains paper of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination, the marks of three compulsory papers (except the papers of general English and general Hindi, as they are qualifying papers in nature) plus the marks of three optional papers (total – 400 + 450 = 850 marks) are required for the selection process of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination.

The personal interview or viva voce, of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination is of 100 marks and the marks of the same are required for the selection process of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination.

So, in total, for the selection process of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination, the marks of three compulsory papers of the Mains examination plus three optional papers of the Mains examination plus the marks of viva voice or personal interview are calculated and the merit list is formed. The top 155 candidates (or as the vacancy requires every year) will be selected for the Bihar Judiciary (along with the reservation criteria).

Number of attempts in Bihar judiciary exam

There is no limit on how many times an aspirant can attempt the Bihar Judicial Services Examination. However, the age criteria are there, which restricts a general category male to attempt the exam only until 35 years of age, and females and reserved category candidates can attempt the same until 40 years of age.  

How to check the results of Bihar judiciary exam

Follow the following steps to check the results of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination:

1. Visit the official website of the examination conduct body, the Bihar Public Service Commission. Click here to open the website. 
2. On the extreme left side of the website, you will find several options. Click on the “marks sheet” option. 
3. When the new window appears, click on “Bihar Judicial Services Examination (preliminary paper)”.
4. In the next window, login to your account using the email address and password you used during registration.
5. After successfully logging in, the result will be on your student portal. 
6. Take a printout of the result sheet for future reference.

How to check the answer key for Bihar judiciary exam

Follow the following steps to check or match the answer key of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination:

1. Visit the official website of the examination conduct body, the Bihar Public Service Commission. Click here to open the website. 
2. On the homepage of the website, the new notifications will be displayed.
3. Click on the notification of the official answer key for the Bihar Judicial Services Examination.
4. Download the answer key from the set of your question paper.
5. Match your answers and calculate your score. Each correct answer will earn you one mark, while the wrong or unattempted answer will earn you zero marks. 

Analysis of the preliminary examination of Bihar judiciary exam 2023 – 24

The preliminary examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24 was held on June 04, 2023. The results of the same have been declared in the last week of September 2023. Here’s an analysis of the question paper of the preliminary examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023 – 24:

Analysis of paper 1

The first paper of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination is on general studies and current affairs. It was held during the timings of 11.30 am to 1 pm. The in-depth overall analysis of the paper leads to the following conclusions:

• The difficulty level of the paper was from easy to moderate. Any candidate who has a grasp on basic current affairs and a solid foundation of general knowledge will be able to solve the paper easily.
• The maximum number of questions were asked from the history section, followed by the science and technology section.
• A total of 35 questions were asked from the history section – dividing further, 15 questions were asked directly from ancient history and 10 questions each from medieval history and modern history.
• A total of 30 questions were asked from science and technology, followed by 20 questions from current affairs.
• A total of 15 questions were asked from the geography part.
• No sudden deviation from past year papers was seen and mostly the questions were direct. Not many tricky questions were found in the paper. 

Analysis of Paper 2

The paper 2 of the preliminary examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023 – 24 was of legal subjects. It was held during the timings of 2 pm to 4 pm. The in depth analysis of the paper leads to the following conclusions:

• The overall difficulty level of the paper was from moderate to difficult, with some sections being easy to other sections moderate and difficult. A deep understanding of the subjects is required to answer the question effectively.
• The majority of questions were based on constitutional law, followed by contracts and torts. Only two questions were asked from the Indian Penal Code.
• A total of 14 questions were asked from procedural laws like Civil Procedure Code and Code of Criminal Procedure. Most of the questions were direct. 
• In Civil Procedure Code, most of the questions were easy and directly based on important orders. No unusual orders were asked. The questions of the code of criminal procedure were also not very complex.
• A total of 20 questions were asked on personal laws. The focus was more on recent developments and changes in the personal laws.
• A total of 16 questions were miscellaneous in nature and they were of easy to moderate difficulty. Basic foundation knowledge of the subjects would have sufficed for such questions.
• Questions of Constitutional law and Transfer of Property Act ranged from moderate to difficult. The questions were based more on doctrines and case laws. Case laws became a deciding factor for the paper and anyone with good grasp over case laws had an upper hand over others.
• The questions on minor laws were more basic in nature. However, the Administrative Law section was a little bit tricky for aspirants.
• The number of questions for each subject of the paper was as follows: Constitutional law – 40, Law of Contracts and Torts – 31, Personal Laws – 20, Transfer of Property Act – 14, procedural laws – 14, Indian Evidence Act – 5 and Indian Penal Code – 2. Close to 15 questions were miscellaneous in nature.

Analysis of the results of Bihar judiciary exam 2023

The results for the preliminary examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023 – 24 has been issued by the Bihar Public Service Commission in the last week of September 2023. The result has been uploaded on the official website of the BPSC. The link to the official website of the BPSC can be accessed here. An analysis of the results and cutoff for the preliminary examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023 – 24 can be summed up as follows:

• The results have been declared on the official website of the BPSC in PDF format. 
• A candidate has cleared the cut-off for the examination if their roll no. appears on the list published by the BPSC. If a candidate has successfully cleared the cut-off, they are eligible for writing the mains paper of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023 – 24. 
• In order to qualify the preliminary examination, a candidate has to score at least a minimum of 45% in the paper (for general category candidates) and 40% in the paper ( for candidates belonging to reserved category).
• The cut-off list for the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023 – 24 has not yet been officially released by the BPSC. The BPSC however, has released the answer key on its official website. The candidates can match their scores with the help of the answer key issued by the BPSC.
• Though the official cut-off list has not yet been declared but an analysis of the results can lead to the conclusion of the following expected cut-offs: 

Category of the candidate	Expected cut-offs
General (male)	Around 180
General (female)	170 – 174
EWS	130 – 140
OBC	142 – 145
ST	Around 140
SC	131 – 135

Exam centres for Bihar judiciary exam

The preliminary papers of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination are conducted across various centres (1000+) in the 38 districts of Bihar. The Mains paper on the same is conducted mainly in the city of Patna. The interview of the selected candidates is held at the office of the Bihar Public Service Commission, located at Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, in Patna.

Things allowed inside the exam centres of Bihar judiciary exam

A candidate can carry the following things with him inside the examination centre of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination:

1. Pen, pencil, and other stationery items.
2. Admit card of the candidate.
3. Aadhar card of the candidate, along with any other identity proof.

Things disallowed inside the exam centres of Bihar judiciary exam

A candidate can carry the following things with him inside the examination centre of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination:

1. No other paper apart from the required documents. The candidates will be given space to do rough work.
2. Any electronic device, including mobile phones, bluetooth devices, etc. 

Contact details for Bihar judiciary exam

For any information or query regarding the Bihar Judicial Services Examination, the candidate can contact the Bihar Public Service Commission, which is the exam conducting body of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination. The contact details for the same are given below: 

Name of the Body	Bihar Public Service Commission
Website	https://www.bpsc.bih.nic.in
Email address	[email protected]
Office address	15, Jawahar Lal Nehru Marg (Bailey Road), Patna, Bihar, 800 001
Contact number of IT (online) section	9297739013
Contact number of the inquiry section	2237999 and 8986422296
Office number of the secretary	2215187
Office number of the controller of examination	2215368

Important pointers to note regarding Bihar judiciary exam

The candidates should keep the following important pointers for the Bihar Judicial Services Examination in mind before attempting the paper:

• The candidate must not exceed the age of 35 years (in the case of a general category candidate) and 40 years (in the case of 40 years of age).
• The candidates must attach their caste certificate, residence certificate or any other certificate, as applicable, during the time of filling out the form.
• The candidates must cross check all of their details before submitting the application form.
• The candidates must upload all of the required documents in the format prescribed by the Bihar Public Service Commission.
• The candidates must regularly visit the official website of the Bihar Public Service Commission so that they don’t miss out on any important information regarding the examination.
•  The candidates must carry their admit card to the examination hall on the day of the examination.
• The candidates should arrive at least one hour prior to the opening of the gates of the centre or examination hall. 
• The candidates should carry the required stationery items with them to the examination hall.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

These are some of the most frequently asked questions on the Bihar Judicial Services Examination:

Where is the notification of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24 published?

The notification of the examination can be accessed through the official website of the Bihar Public Service Commission. This is the link to the notification. 

What are the timings of the preliminary examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24?

Paper 1	11.30 AM to 1 PM
Paper 2	2 PM to 4 PM

What is the date of the preliminary examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023 – 24?

The preliminary examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023 – 24 was held on June 4, 2023.

When will the  result of the preliminary examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24 be declared?

The results of the  preliminary examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24 has been declared on September 27, 2023.

Are the marks of the preliminary examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24 added to the final merit list?

No, the marks of the preliminary examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 23-24 are not added to the final merit list and the two papers are just qualifying in nature.

What is the minimum percentage of marks required to qualify for the preliminary examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023 – 24?

The minimum percentage of marks required to qualify for the preliminary examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24 is 45% for the candidates belonging to the unreserved category and 40% for the candidates belonging to the reserved category. 

What is the nature of questions asked in the preliminary examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24?

Multiple questions are asked in the preliminary examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023 – 24.

What is the mode of the preliminary examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023 – 24?

The preliminary examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24 was held in the offline (pen – paper) mode. 

What is the date of the Mains examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24?

The Mains examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24 will be conducted on 08th October 2023.

What are the timings of the Mains examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24?

The timings of the Mains examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24 are  yet to be declared.

How many compulsory papers are there in the Mains examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24?

There are a total of five (05) compulsory papers in the Mains examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24.

How many optional papers have to be given by a candidate in the Mains examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24?

There are a total of five (05) optional papers in the Mains examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24, of which a candidate has to give three (03) optional papers. 

Are the marks of all the papers in the Mains examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24 added for the preparation of the final merit list?

No, only the marks of three (03) compulsory papers and three (03) optional papers are added for the preparation of the final merit list of the Mains examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24. 

Are there any qualifying papers in the Mains examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24?

Yes, the papers of general English and general Hindi, in the compulsory papers of the Mains examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24 are qualifying in nature. 

Who is eligible to give the viva voice or the personal interview for the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24?

The candidates who qualify for the Mains examination of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24 are eligible to sit for the viva voice or the personal interview.

What is the date of the viva voice or the personal interview for the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24?

The dates for the viva voice or the personal interview for the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24 are yet to be declared.

What will be the venue for the viva voice or the personal interview for the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24?

The personal interview or viva voce of the selected candidates will be held at the office of the Bihar Public Service Commission in Patna. 

What is the application fees for the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24?

The application fees for the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24 is INR 600 for general category candidates and INR for reserved category candidates.

What are the available means to submit the fees of the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24?

The fees for the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24 can be submitted through internet banking, debit cards, credit cards, etc.

The Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24 will be conducted in which language?

The Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24 will be conducted in English as well as Hindi language.

Where will the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24 be held?

The Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24 will be held across 100+ centres in the 38 cities of Bihar state. 

Is there any work experience required to give the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24?

Work experience is optional for the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24. Freshers’ with no work experience can also take the exam.

Can we prepare for Bihar Judiciary while working a part time job?

Yes, we can give the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24 while working at a part time job. 

Is reading a newspaper crucial for preparation for the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24?

Yes, reading a newspaper is crucial for preparation for the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023-24 as it helps to grasp current affairs and also helps with our reading speed & vocabulary.  

How frequently is the Bihar Judicial Services Examination conducted?

The Bihar Judicial Services Examination is usually conducted once a year or as per the vacancy.

How many vacancies are there in the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023 – 24?

According to the official notification of the Bihar Public Service Commission, there are a total of 155 vacancies in the Bihar Judicial Services Examination.

Is there any relaxation given to the candidates belonging to the reserved category for appearing in the Bihar Judicial Services Examination 2023 – 24?

Yes, the reserved category candidates are given an age relaxation of five (05) years appearing in the Bihar Judicial Services Examination. They can appear in the examination till the age of 40 years. 

Is there any seat reserved for the candidates belonging to the economically weaker section in the Bihar Judicial Services Examination?

Yes, a total of 10% of the seats are reserved for the candidates belonging to the economically weaker section in the Bihar Judicial Services Examination. 

What is the minimum education qualification for a candidate to take the Bihar Judicial Services Examination?

In order to take the Bihar Judicial Services Examination, the candidate must possess a degree in bachelor of law from a college recognized by the Bar Council of India. 

---

Students of Lawsikho courses regularly produce writing assignments and work on practical exercises as a part of their coursework and develop themselves in real-life practical skills.

LawSikho has created a telegram group for exchanging legal knowledge, referrals, and various opportunities. You can click on this link and join:

https://t.me/lawyerscommunity

Follow us on Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel for more amazing legal content.