BPSC MCQ Exams Now Have a Fifth Option E — Choose It to Skip a Question
The Bihar Public Service Commission has changed the answer system of its MCQ-based examinations. Each question now carries five options, A to E, where E means 'Not Attempted'. A candidate who does not want to answer must select E; a question with none of the five options marked loses 1/3 mark. The revised system applies to upcoming examinations.
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Checked against bpsc.bihar.gov.in on 4 Oct 2026.
Important dates
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Notice dated | Next upCompleted |
About this notification
The Commission’s notice, dated 1 May 2026 in the handwritten date on the document, revises the answer system for the MCQ-based examinations it conducts. Earlier, each question had four options (A, B, C, D). Now every question has five: A, B, C, D and E, where option E means “Not Attempted”.
A candidate who wants to answer picks one of A to D. A candidate who does not want to answer must pick E. If a candidate marks none of the five options, that unanswered question is penalised with a deduction of 1/3 mark.
The notice says the revised system will apply in upcoming examinations. It does not name any particular examination, including the 72nd Combined Competitive Examination Preliminary, and does not state the negative marking for a wrong answer or an effective date.