The Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) Combined Civil Services Examination
The Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) Combined Civil Services Examination is a prestigious state-level recruitment process designed to select candidates for various Group A and Group B administrative positions, including Deputy Collector, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), and Block Development Officer (BDO) in the Jharkhand government.
Drishti IAS +1
Based on the latest notifications for the 2026 cycle, here is a detailed breakdown of the information:
JPSC Combined Civil Services Recruitment 2026 (Advt No. 01/2026)
- Total Vacancies: 103 posts.
- Application Period: Jan 31, 2026, to March 9, 2026.
- Pre Exam (Tentative): 26th April 2026
The Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) conducts the Combined Civil Services Examination (CCS) to recruit for prestigious state-level positions such as Deputy Collector, DSP, and other Group A and Group B services. With the release of the Exam Calendar 2026, aspirants now have a clear timeline for the upcoming Combined Civil Services
(Regular) Examination-2025.
This article provides a complete preparation guide, updated exam dates, and a syllabus breakdown for serious aspirants.
JPSC Civil Services 2025: Exam Highlights
Particulars | Details |
Conducting Authority | Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) |
Exam Name | Combined Civil Services (Regular) Examination-2025 |
Eligibility | Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline from a recognized university. |
Age Limit | 21 to 35 years (General). Relaxations apply for BC, SC/ST, and Female candidates. |
Selection Stages | Preliminary Exam, Mains Exam, Interview (Personality Test). |
Posts | Deputy Collector, DSP, District Coordinator, Jail Superintendent, etc. |
Exam Mode | Prelims: Offline (OMR-based Objective) Mains: Offline (Written Subjective) |
Negative Marking | No Negative Marking in Prelims (as per current trends). |
Total Marks | Prelims: 400 Marks Mains: 950 Marks Interview: 100 Marks |
Official Website |
Important Dates (Official Calendar 2026)
According to the official Exam Calendar 2026 released on January 6, 2026, the schedule for the Combined Civil Services (Regular) Examination-2025 is as follows. Mark these dates in your planner.
Event | Date |
|
Official Calendar Release | 6th January 2026 | |
JPSC Prelims (PT) Exam 2025 | 26-04-2026 | Paper-I Paper-II |
JPSC Mains Examination | 2nd, 3rd and 4th May 2026 (tentative) | Paper-I Paper-II
Paper-III Paper-IV
Paper-V Paper-VI |
Interview (Personality Test) | 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th June 2026 (tentative) |
|
Note
- Dates are tentative and subject to revision by JPSC.
- The calendar also lists the Combined Civil Services (Backlog) Examination-2025 with Prelims on 15th March 2026 and Mains on 09th-11th May 2026. Aspirants should ensure they are preparing for the correct cycle.
Exam Pattern Overview
The JPSC exam is conducted in three stages. Unlike UPSC, the JPSC Prelims marks are not counted for the final merit list, but the Paper II (Jharkhand Specific) plays a massive role.
- Preliminary Examination (Screening Test)
- Structure: Two Compulsory Papers (Objective Type).
- Total Marks: 400 (200 each).
- Duration: 2 Hours per paper.
- Negative Marking: None.
Paper | Subject | Questions | Marks |
GS Paper I | General Studies (History, Geography, Polity, etc.) | 100 | 200 |
GS Paper II | Jharkhand Specific General Knowledge | 100 | 200 |
- Mains Examination (Written)
There are 6 compulsory papers. There is no optional subject in JPSC, which levels the playing field.
Paper | Subject | Marks |
Paper I | General Hindi & General English (Qualifying – Min 30 marks) | 100 |
Paper II | Language & Literature (Selected from 15 languages) | 150 |
Paper III | Social Sciences (History & Geography) | 200 |
Paper IV | Indian Constitution, Polity, Pub Admin & Good Governance | 200 |
Paper V | Indian Economy, Globalization & Sustainable Development | 200 |
Paper VI | General Science, Environment & Technology Development | 200 |
Total | (Merit Counting) | 950 |
- Interview / Personality Test
- Marks: 100
- Final Merit: Based on Mains (950) + Interview (100) = 1050 Marks.
JPSC Syllabus Overview
Prelims Syllabus
General Studies Paper I:
- History of India: Ancient (5 Questions), Medieval (5 Questions), Modern (5 Questions).
- Geography of India: General (3 Questions), Physical (3 Questions), Economic (2 Questions), and Social & Demographic Geography (2 Questions).
- Indian Polity & Governance: Constitution (4 Questions), Public Administration (4 Questions), Panchayati Raj (2 Questions).
- Economic & Sustainable Development: Basic features (4 Questions), Sustainable Development (4 Questions), Economic Reforms (2 Questions).
- Science & Tech: General Science (6 Questions), Agriculture (6 Questions), ICT (3 Questions).
- Jharkhand Specific: History, Society, Culture, and Heritage (10 Questions).
- Current Events: National & International (15 Questions).
- General Questions of Miscellaneous Nature: Human Rights, Environment, Urbanization, Sports, Disaster Management, Poverty, Awards, UN and other International Agencies (15 Questions).
General Studies Paper II (Jharkhand Special):
This paper is the game-changer. It focuses entirely on the state.
- History of Jharkhand: Munda, Nagvanshi, Manjhi Pargana governance systems (8 Questions).
- Jharkhand Movement: Tribals, Freedom Fighters, Formation of State (7 Questions).
- Specific Identity: Social, Cultural, Political, Economic status (5 Questions).
- Folk Literature, Dance, Music: Folk culture and traditional arts (5 Questions).
- Jharkhand Literature and Writers (5 Questions).
- Major Educational Institutions of Jharkhand (3 Questions).
- Sports in Jharkhand (5 Questions).
- Land Laws: CNT Act (Chotanagpur Tenancy) (5 Questions), SPT Act (Santhal Pargana Tenancy) (5 Questions) and others (2 Questions).
- Geographical (Forest, River, Mountain, Mines) and Economical History of Jharkhand since 1947 (10 Questions).
- Industrial Policy (6 Questions) and major industries (5 Questions) of Jharkhand.
- Major Schemes of Jharkhand (5 Questions).
- Forest Management and Wildlife Conservation (5 Questions).
- Environment related facts of Jharkhand (7 Questions).
- Disaster Management in Jharkhand (5 Questions).
- Various Facts and Current Events related to Jharkhand (7 Questions).
Mains Syllabus Highlights
- Paper I (General Hindi & General English): A qualifying paper covering Essay (400 words), Grammar, Comprehension, and Precis writing for both languages (50 marks each). Standard is Matric level; marks are not added to the merit list. Every candidate will have to secure minimum 30 marks
- Paper II (Language & Literature): Candidates must choose one language from 15 options (e.g., Hindi, English, Urdu, Bengali, Santhali, Khortha, etc.). The syllabus generally covers the history of the language, grammar, and specific prose/poetry texts. Marks are counted for the merit list.
- Paper III (History & Geography): Covers Ancient to Modern Indian history and Physical/Human Geography of India, with a special focus on Jharkhand’s natural resources.
- Paper IV (Polity): Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Judiciary, and Good Governance.
- Paper V (Economy): Inflation, National Income, Globalization, and Jharkhand’s economy.
- Paper VI (Science): Physical Science, Life Science, Agriculture Science, and Environmental Science.
Selection Process
The selection process involves three rigorous stages:
- Prelims:Serves as a screening test. The marks obtained here are not added to the final result, but clearing the cutoff is mandatory to appear for Mains.
- Mains:This is the deciding phase. The total marks of Paper II to Paper VI (Total 950) are used to shortlist candidates for the interview. Paper I marks are NOT counted (qualifying nature).
- Interview:Assesses the candidate’s personality, leadership, and mental alertness.
(i)Minimum Qualifying Marks: Candidates must secure minimum aggregate marks (e.g., 40% for UR) to be considered for the merit list.
Strategy for JPSC Preparation
- Master the CNT & SPT Acts: For GS Paper II (Prelims), the Land Laws of Jharkhand (CNT & SPT Acts) carry significant weightage. Detailed study of these acts is non-negotiable.
- Focus on “Jharkhand Special”: Between Prelims Paper II (100 questions) and the Jharkhand sections in Paper I, roughly 110-120 questions out of 200 in Prelims are directly related to the state.
- No Negative Marking Advantage: Since there is no negative marking in Prelims, attempt all questions. Use intelligent guessing for doubtful options.
- Mains Answer Writing: JPSC Mains requires long-form answers. Practice writing 500-600 word answers for 40-mark questions found in History, Geography, and Polity papers.
- Current Affairs: Focus on Jharkhand-specific schemes, budget, and economic survey, along with national events.