Millions of people dream of having a government job in India. However, very few people manage to get one. Also, the competition in this sector has only increased. But the recent Covid 19 pandemic has shown the importance of job security and other privileges that government jobs carry. From amongst different categories, civil services have the highest prestige. As UPSC conducts Civil Services exam to recruit officers for All India Services and Central Government Services. Similarly, PSCs of different states conduct Civil Services Examination for recruiting officers at the state level. It is conducted to recruit the best possible talents for top-level government posts in the state. The JPSC Civil Services Examination is conducted to recruit Grade A and Grade B Officers in the state of Jharkhand. Here in this article we take you into the details of this examination and clarify every aspect related to it.
The Jharkhand Public Services Commission or JPSC is a constitutional government body. It is mainly responsible for the recruitment of officers at the level of Class I and Class II. Though JPSC is also consulted on other matters of recruitment, appointment by the government. As per article 315 of the Indian Constitution, there is a State Service Commission in every state. Accordingly, it was constituted in the year 2000, following the formation of the new state of Jharkhand. Furthermore, It conducts various examinations for different departments in the state.
| Abbreviation | JPSC |
| Type | Constitutional Government Recruitment Body |
| Purpose | Recruitment of Officers in the Government of Jharkhand |
| Location | Ranchi, Jharkhand, India |
| Chairman | Shri Amitabh Choudhary (Former I.P.S.) |
Normally, JPSC conducts the civil services examination once a year. And, It is held to recruit officers of Class I and Class II in the state. But for the last four years, the commission could not conduct the exam. Consequently, this year JPSC is conducting Combined Civil Services Examination 2021 for 252 vacancies. Thus it covers the requirements of different departments for all the years pending since 2017. Broadly, JPSC Civil Services Examination consists of two successive stages, Preliminary and Main. And the examination through these different stages picks the best possible talents to serve at the top level.
Firstly, there is a preliminary stage which is for the screening of candidates for the mains examination. So it has objective-type questions and has two papers, namely General Studies Paper I and General Studies Paper-II. And both the papers are of 200 marks each. The candidates clearing this stage appear for the main exam. Notably, there is no negative marking. At the time of the prelims result, JPSC shortlists a total of candidates about fifteen times of vacancies for the main stage.
Next is the Main stage which comprises two parts, Written Examination and Interview. The written examination has six papers. One paper is of qualifying nature while the rest five are counted for merit. And all the papers are of 3 hours duration.
First Paper is of qualifying nature. It is of General Hindi and General English and carries a total of 100 marks (50 marks each). And the minimum qualifying marks combining both sections English and Hindi fixed at 30.
The second Paper is on Language and Literature and it is of 150 marks.
Next is the third Paper. It is on Social Sciences with two sections. It also carries 200 marks. One section is History and the other one Geography both having equal weightage of marks.
Fourth paper deals with the Indian Constitution and Polity, Good Governance, Public Administration. It is of 200 marks.
Fifth paper deals with topics like Indian Economy, Globalization, and Sustainable Development carrying 200 marks in total.
The sixth paper has questions on Science and Technology, Environment and Development. It also carries 200 marks.
Finally, the total marks combining all the scoring papers in the written exam is 950. In the end, candidates approximately 2.5 times the total posts make it to the Interview stage.
Interview – The Interview carries 100 marks. JPSC evaluates the Personality and suitability of the candidates through the Interview.
The commission draws the final merit list by adding the marks in the written exam and Interviews. After that in the final result, JPSC then allocates the different services to candidates as per their ranks, preferences, and reservation applicable.
So after four years, JPSC is conducting the Combined Civil Services Examination 2021. And it will be held to fill the vacant posts from the years 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. Thus, notification for the same was released on the official website of JPSC that is www.jpsc.gov.in on 08/02/2021. Comprehensively, it contains all the details pertaining to the exam process. Importantly, candidates should carefully go through it before appearing for the examination. Because it consists of all the details regarding eligibility conditions, the process of applying, important dates, plan of the exam, salaries, vacancies, relaxations, reservation applicable, and other important details.
The application form link was open from 15/02/2021 to 21/03/2021. And the date for the preliminary exam was 02/05/2021 which later got changed to 12/09/2021. JPSC later changed the date on account of disruption of the exam calendar due to Covid 19 pandemic. Accordingly, the exam schedule is changed and the commission shall notify the dates for the written exam and interview on its website.
| Date of Notification Release | February 8th, 2021 |
| Official Notification |
The Preliminary exam was scheduled for 02/05/2021. But, due to the rising Covid19 cases, it got postponed. As per the latest update, the new date is 12/09/2021. Also, any further changes or updates can be seen on the website of JPSC. It is important that candidates must regularly keep an eye on it for the latest updates related to the examination. Further, the commission will notify the dates for written and main on its website later. Earlier, however, the commission had planned the main exam for the fourth week of September. Also, the Interview was scheduled from 15/12/2021 to 25/12/2021.
| Examination | Date |
| Preliminary | 12th September 2021 |
| Mains Written | To be announced. |
| Interview | To be announced. |
The application fee for the exam is Rs. 600 plus bank charges for Unreserved Category, Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), Extremely Backward Classes, and Backward Classes. But the exam fee for candidates belonging to Scheduled Tribes of Jharkhand including Primitive Tribes and Scheduled Castes of the state is Rs. 150 plus bank charges. Notably, if candidates not belonging to Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes of Jharkhand pay a relaxed fee by any means, their application form will be rejected and candidature canceled. Also, the exam forms filled without paying the fee will be rejected. And the exam fee is Non-Refundable.
Candidates can pay the examination fee through Credit Card/Debit Card/Internet Banking/ Bank Challan on SBI COLLECT. The details regarding it are available on the website www.jpsc.gov.in. Though, JPSC has exempted the candidates of the Handicapped (Divyang) category from payment of exam fees.
| Category | Exam Fee |
| Unreserved, EWS, OBC (List I), OBC (List II) | Rs. 600 plus bank charges |
| Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes | Rs. 150 plus bank charges |
| Handicapped (Divyang) | Exempted from fee payment |
The commission has specified the minimum educational qualification to appear for Civil Services Exam. According to it, the candidate compulsorily needs to be a graduate in any stream from any of the established institutions by Central or State Government/Any Recognized University. Or else, candidates should have passed an equivalent examination as on the last date of applying for the exam. So those candidates who are not graduated or have passed any equivalent examination till the last date for applying, should not apply as such application forms will be rejected.
To appear for JPSC Civil Services Examination, a candidate should be a citizen of India. Thus any Indian citizen can appear for it provided they fulfill other eligibility conditions. And no relaxation is given. That is, only those candidates who possess Indian Citizenship should apply for the exam.
The minimum age to appear for the exam is 21 years and the maximum age is 35 years. So, the upper age limit for Unreserved and EWS category candidates is 35 years. However, the upper age limit will be relaxed for certain categories. Thus, it is 37 years for candidates belonging to Extremely Backward Classes and Backward Classes. Also, for females of Unreserved Category and EBC/BC, it is 38 years. Further, the upper age limit for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (both male and female) is 40 years. Also, Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD) are given a relaxation of 10 years in their respective category. And Ex-Servicemen are given a relaxation of 5 years in their respective category. Further, candidates who have rendered at least 3 years of regular service in the Government of Jharkhand are given a relaxation of 5 Years in the upper age limit.
The number of attempts is unlimited for all the categories provided they are otherwise eligible.
Required Physical Eligibility for the posts of Deputy Superintendent of Police/District Commander/Jail Superintendent/Probation Officer
The male candidates of Unreserved/EBC/BC categories should have a minimum height of 165 cm. And the male candidates of Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes should have a minimum height of 162 cm. Also, the female candidates of Unreserved/EBC/BC categories should have a minimum height of 155 cm and female candidates of Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes should have a minimum height of 152 cm.
JPSC has notified a total number of 252 vacancies from different departments. Importantly, the vacancies as intimated to be filled by various departments from the years 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 can increase or decrease as per the requirements. In addition, reservations are applicable for different categories. But it will be provided to those who fulfill the eligibility conditions for such reservation. So, the candidates may refer to the notification for the distribution of vacancies for all the categories.
| S.No.. | Name of Post | Total Vacancy |
| 1 | Deputy Collector | 44 |
| 2 | Deputy Superintendent of Police | 40 |
| 3 | District Commander | 16 |
| 4 | Jail Superintendent | 2 |
| 5 | Assistant Municipal Commissioner/Executive Officer/Special Officer | 65 |
| 6 | Jharkhand Education Service Class II | 41 |
| 7 | Registrar | 10 |
| 8 | Assistant Registrar Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Cooperation Department | 6 |
| 9 | Assistant Director Social Security | 2 |
| 10 | Planning Officer/District Planning Officer | 9 |
| 11 | Probation Officer (Home, Prisons and Disaster Management Department) | 17 |
As with any other Civil Services Exam, the salary offered to newly recruited officers through the JPSC exam is amongst the highest in the state considering the stature and responsibility of the posts. Additionally, various allowances are applicable as per the salary structure. For more clarity on salary structure, candidates can refer to the official notification. Though, an overview of the same is given here.
| S.No. | Name of Post | Pay Scale |
| 1 | Deputy Collector | 9300 – 34800 Grade Pay – 5400 |
| 2 | Deputy Superintendent of Police | 9300 – 34800 Grade Pay – 5400 |
| 3 | District Commander | 9300 – 34800 Grade Pay – 5400 |
| 4 | Jail Superintendent | 9300 – 34800 Grade Pay – 5400 |
| 5 | Assistant Municipal Commissioner/Executive Officer/Special Officer | 9300 – 34800 Grade Pay – 5400 |
| 6 | Jharkhand Education Service Class II | 9300 – 34800 Grade Pay – 5400 |
| 7 | Registrar | 9300 – 34800 Grade Pay – 5400 |
| 8 | Assistant Registrar Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Cooperation Department | 9300 – 34800 Grade Pay – 5400 |
| 9 | Assistant Director Social Security | 9300 – 34800 Grade Pay – 4800 |
| 10 | Planning Officer/District Planning Officer | 9300 – 34800 Grade Pay – 4800 |
| 11 | Probation Officer (Home, Prisons and Disaster Management Department) | 9300 – 34800 Grade Pay – 4800 |
JPSC has provided a detailed syllabus for the examination on its website www.jpsc.gov.in. The syllabus for preliminary and mains is given separately. A brief overview of the syllabus is given here.
General Studies Paper I – History, Geography, Indian Polity and Governance, Economic and Sustainable Development, Science and Technology, Questions specific to Jharkhand state (History, Culture, Geography of Jharkhand, etc.), National and International Current Events, Miscellaneous topics such as Human Rights, Environment, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Disaster Management, Sports, Awards, United Nations and other International Agencies.
General Studies Paper-II – History of Jharkhand, Jharkhand Movement, Specific Identity/Speciality of Jharkhand state, Folk Literature, Dance, Music, Tourist places and Tribal Culture, Jharkhand Literature and Litterateur, Important Educational Institutes of Jharkhand, Sports in Jharkhand, Laws of Jharkhand related to land, Development since 1947 in the state, Geography of state, Major Industries, Forest Management, Disaster Management, Miscellaneous topics about the state.
Paper 1 is of General Hindi and General English (Qualifying with minimum marks including both English and Hindi fixed at 30). And second paper is on Language and Literature. The third paper is on Social Sciences (History and Geography) while the Fourth paper is on Indian Constitution and Polity, Public Administration, Good Governance. The fifth paper deals with the Indian Economy, Globalization, and Sustainable Development, and the sixth paper is on General Science and Technology, Environment, and Technology Development.
Test of Personality
The JPSC Civil Services Exam broadly consists of two successive stages, preliminary and main.
The Preliminary stage of the exam has two papers General Studies Paper I and General Studies Paper-II. These are objective-type questions carrying 200 marks each. At the preliminary stage, both the papers are of two hours duration. And both the question papers are set in both English and Hindi language. To the respite of candidates, there is no negative marking. Marks scored by candidates in both the papers are added and a certain minimum number of candidates are shortlisted for the main exam. The total number of candidates shortlisted for the main exam is about 15 times the total number of vacancies to be filled.
Broadly, the main examination consists of a written exam and an Interview. The written examination consists of six papers. All these papers are of three hours duration. Paper 1 is of 100 marks and it is of qualifying nature while the second paper is of 150 marks (Descriptive Type). The third one is of 200 marks (Descriptive Type). Paper 4 is of 200 marks (Descriptive Type) while the fifth one is also of 200 marks (Descriptive Type). Paper 6 is of 200 marks (Descriptive Type). This way, the total marks counted for determining the merit in the written exam is 950. And candidates about 2.5 times the total number of vacancies to be filled are shortlisted to appear for the interview.
In the final stage of the exam, JPSC conducts an Interview to assess the overall personality of the candidates and their suitability for the posts. It is of 100 marks. After the interview, the commission prepares a final merit list by adding the marks for written papers and interviews. Finally, the commission recommends the successful candidates and allocates the posts as per their ranks, preferences, and reservation applicable. As per The Jharkhand Combined Civil Services Examination Rules 2021, only candidates who score a minimum of 40% in aggregate will be considered for preparing the merit list for both written and interview. However, the minimum qualifying marks are relaxed as per the criteria given for certain categories.
Aspirants can download the admit cards for the Preliminary exam from the official website www.jpsc.gov.in. Most probably, JPSC will release the admit cards before two to three weeks of the preliminary exam. Therefore, the candidates can expect the admit cards to be available around the last week of August 2021. And the preliminary exam is scheduled for 12/09/2021. After opening the official website of JPSC, on clicking on the Admit card option, candidates will be redirected to the link to download admit card. After filling in the required information such as registration number and date of birth, the admit card will be available to download or print. Candidates can either download or print the admit card.
Admit card will contain all the important information. The details such as name, registration number, roll number, father’s name or mother’s name, exam center name and code, exam date and time, photo and signature of the candidates, and instructions to candidates. It is important that candidates should immediately bring to the notice of the commission any mistake or discrepancy in the admit card. Also, it is compulsory that one photo identity proof should be there with candidates with this admit card on the date of the exam. Similarly, the admit card for the mains examination shall also be uploaded before two to three weeks of the main exam.
JPSC releases the result of the exam after one month of the prelims in normal cases. Candidates can check the result on the official website of JPSC www.jpsc.gov.in. The roll number of candidates who are shortlisted for the main stage will be uploaded. And the candidates about 15 times the total vacant posts as notified will be shortlisted to appear for mains.
Like the preliminary exam, the result of the written exam will be announced after about a month of the written exam. Candidates about 2.5 times the total number of vacancies will be selected to appear for the Interview. Aspirants can check their results on the official website of JPSC. After the Interview is over, the final result will be declared in about a month or two. In the end, the final merit list will contain the names of recommended candidates for appointment to various posts according to their ranks, preferences, and reservation applicable.
Candidates will have to apply on the website of JPSC through Online Application System. To apply for Civil Services Examination, candidates have to go to the official website of JPSC www.jpsc.gov.in. Next, click on the tab Online Application. After that click on the link for Civil Services Examination. The candidates will then go to the first page of the Online Application Form. Now, click on “Click Here for New Registration” and fill in all the required personal details in the online application. Finally, preview the details and press the “Submit” button. Importantly, Candidates should carefully check the details before pressing the Submit button. Because candidates cannot make any change after submitting the details.
After this step, a Provisional Registration Number will be generated, which will also be sent to the mobile number and email ids of candidates. So, candidates need to register with valid emails and mobile numbers. All the communication will be done by the JPSC through the same mobile number and email.
Next, after submitting the personal details and educational details, the candidates need to upload the scanned copies of their recent passport-sized color photograph and signatures in the running hand. The Photo should be clear and should be in jpg format while the size of the image should be between 15-25 kb. For signature, the candidates need to sign on white paper with a blue or black ball pen. Scan the signature, save the file and upload it. The file should be in jpg format and the size of the file should be between 10-15 kb.
After this, candidates then will have to pay the examination fee after one working day after 12:00 P.M. It is important that candidates should properly check all the details before payment. Payment options are available through debit/credit card, Internet Banking. Further, candidates opting for offline challan for payment can do so through SBI collect link. This offline payment will be at SBI Branches only.
After the verification and reconciliation of payment, candidates will have access to a registration slip after one working day. Candidates can take the printout of it for future references. Once the candidates take the printout, they get provisionally admitted to appear for the examination. The eligibility and other details of the candidates are verified at a later stage. Application forms for JPSC Combined Civil Services Examination 2021 were available between 15/02/2021 to 21/03/2021.
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Ans. The JPSC Civil Services Exam takes place once a year normally.
Ans. Basically, the minimum age limit is 21 years and the maximum age limit is 35 years. But relaxations are available for reserved categories in the upper age limit.
Ans. A total of 252 vacancies are there in JPSC Civil Services Exam 2021.
Ans. The newly appointed officers draw a salary in the Pay Scale 9300-34800 Grade Pay 5400 or 4800.
Ans. There is no limit on the number of attempts, provided the candidates are otherwise eligible.
Ans. The minimum educational qualification is to possess a graduate degree in any stream.
Ans. The application fee for Unreserved/EWS/EBC/BC category candidates is Rs. 600 plus bank charges. But the fee for SC/ST candidates is Rs.150 plus bank charges.
Ans. The JPSC will conduct the Preliminary Exam on 12/09/2021.
Ans. The JPSC will release the Admit Card in the fourth week of August 2021.
Ans. The result of the preliminary exam will be after about one month of the exam.
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