The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) has introduced new OMR sheet rules for all objective-type examinations conducted by the commission. Under the new guidelines, candidates will now see five options — A, B, C, D, and a newly added Option E on the OMR sheet.
According to the latest update, Option E will be used for “Not Attempted” questions. Candidates who do not want to answer a question must now mark Option E instead of leaving the question blank.
What Is the New BPSC OMR Rule?
The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) has introduced a major change in its examination pattern by replacing the traditional four-option system with a new five-option answer format. Starting from the 33rd Bihar Judicial Service (Preliminary) Examination on 3 June 2026, candidates will now see an additional ‘E’ option on the OMR sheet, which stands for “Not Attempted.” Under the new rules, selecting Option E will not lead to any penalty, but leaving a question blank without marking any option will result in a deduction of 1/3 mark.
Compensatory Extra Time (Only for 3 June 2026 Exam)
To help candidates adjust to this new system, BPSC has provided compensatory extra time for the 33rd Bihar Judicial Service Preliminary Exam. This extra time will NOT be given in future exams.
| Shift | Subject | Old Timing | New Timing | Extra Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Shift | General Studies | 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM | 10:00 AM – 11:40 AM | 10 minutes |
| Second Shift | Law | 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM | 2:00 PM – 4:15 PM | 15 minutes |
The Commission has clarified that this extra compensatory time will not be given in future examinations and candidates should not expect it in upcoming exams.
Important Notes for Candidates
- Mandatory selection of ‘E’ – If you want to skip a question, you must fill in the bubble ‘E’ on the OMR sheet.
- Don’t leave blanks – Leaving any question blank (without selecting any option) will cost you 1/3 mark per question.
- Compensatory time is a one-time arrangement – Do not expect extra time in future examinations.
Adda247 Job portal has complete information about all Sarkari Jobs and Naukri Alerts, its latest recruitment notifications, from all state and national level jobs and their updates.
