State PSC exams: how they work and how to prepare
What state public service commission exams offer, how they differ from UPSC, and how to prepare for UPPSC, BPSC, RPSC, MPPSC and others.
Every state has a Public Service Commission (PSC) that recruits officers for the state government – such as Deputy Collector (SDM), Deputy SP, Block Development Officer, Tehsildar and Commercial Tax officers. States also have subordinate service selection boards for Group B and C posts.
Popular state exams
- UPPSC PCS – Uttar Pradesh
- BPSC CCE – Bihar
- RPSC RAS – Rajasthan
- MPPSC SSE – Madhya Pradesh
- Others: HPSC, UKPSC, CGPSC, JPSC, MPSC, WBPSC, OPSC and more
How they differ from UPSC
- Higher upper age limits (often 37–42).
- State-specific history, geography, economy, culture and government schemes carry heavy weight.
- Many include a compulsory Hindi or regional language paper.
- Reservation and age relaxation apply mainly to domicile candidates.
Preparation
- Start with the UPSC-style base: NCERTs, polity, economy, history and geography.
- Add a good state GK book and the state's budget and economic survey.
- Practise answer writing in the language you'll use in the exam.
- Solve at least 5–10 years of the state's previous papers.
Subordinate boards
UPSSSC (UP – start with PET), BSSC (Bihar), RSSB (Rajasthan), MPESB (Madhya Pradesh), HSSC (Haryana), DSSSB (Delhi) and others recruit for clerks, lekhpal, patwari, teachers, police and many more.
Course fees, seats, exam patterns and salaries change over time and differ between institutions and states. Use this guide to plan, and confirm details on official websites before you decide.