WBPSC Clerkship Examination

The West Bengal Public Service Commission (WBPSC) conducts the Clerkship Examination for recruitment to clerical posts in various departments and offices of the Government of West Bengal.

Through this examination, clerical-level personnel are recruited to various departments and offices of the State Government.

About WBPSC Clerkship

Feature	Details
Conducting Body (Organisation Conducting the Examination)	Public Service Commission, West Bengal (WBPSC)
Posts (Positions)	Lower Division Assistant (LDA), Lower Division Clerk (LDC) and similar clerical posts
Pay Level (Salary Level)	Level 6 under West Bengal ROPA 2019
Basic Pay (Base Salary)	₹22,700 – ₹58,500 per month
Stages (Examination Stages)	Part-I: MCQ – 100 marks; Part-II: Descriptive – 100 marks; Computer Operation & Typing Test – Qualifying
Age Limit (Age Range)	18–40 years as on 1 January 2024
Educational Qualification (Academic Eligibility)	Madhyamik (WBBSE) or equivalent
Application Fee(Fee for Applying)	₹110 + applicable online service charges for General/OBC

The minimum educational qualification is Madhyamik or equivalent. The total merit marks of the written examination are 200, and the computer and typing test is qualifying in nature.

 

About the Recruitment | Regarding Recruitment

 

The Public Service Commission, West Bengal (WBPSC) conducts the Clerkship Examination to fill Lower Division Assistant (LDA), Lower Division Clerk (LDC) and similar clerical posts.

Selected candidates may be posted in:

• Secretariat Departments
• Directorates
• District Offices
• Regional Offices
• Offices in Kolkata and other parts of West Bengal

That is, postings are not limited to Kolkata only; postings can be made in various district, regional and departmental offices of West Bengal.

 

Salary and Allowances | Pay and Allowances

Item	Details
Pay Level	Pay Level 6, West Bengal ROPA 2019
Basic Pay Range	₹22,700 – ₹58,500 per month
Dearness Allowance (DA)	State-notified rate
House Rent Allowance (HRA)	12% of basic pay
Medical Allowance (MA)	₹500 per month
Starting Gross Salary	About ₹27,286 – ₹30,010 per month
Estimated In-hand Pay	About ₹25,000 – ₹33,188 per month, depending on deductions

DA, HRA and Medical Allowance are added to the basic pay. Also, due to GPF/NPS, Professional Tax and other applicable deductions, the in-hand salary is lower than the gross salary.

 

Career Growth and Promotion | Opportunities for Promotion

 

A clerical employee can progress through different levels of responsibility during service.

1. Lower Division Clerk (LDC) / Junior Clerk – Entry-level position, Pay Level 6
2. Upper Division Clerk (UDC) – Promotion through departmental rules/service
3. Assistant Section Officer (ASO) / Head Clerk – Supervisory and administrative responsibilities
4. Section Officer (SO) / Registrar / Administrative Officer – Higher-level administrative responsibilities

Career Advancement Scheme (CAS)

Time-bound financial progression may be available after prescribed periods of continuous service, subject to applicable government rules.

Along with promotion, there is also provision for time-bound financial advancement. However, specific promotion and pay progression depend on the relevant government service rules.

 

Eligibility | Qualifications

 

1. Educational Qualification | Academic Qualification

Candidates must have passed the Madhyamik Examination of the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) or an equivalent examination.

That is, having Madhyamik or an equivalent qualification fulfils the educational qualification requirement.

2. Computer Knowledge and Typing | Computer and Typing

Candidates should have:

• Elementary knowledge of computer operation.
• Typing speed of at least 20 words per minute in English, or
• 10 words per minute in Bengali.

For English typing, a minimum of 20 WPM is required, and for Bengali typing, 10 WPM is required.

 

Age Limit

The standard age limit is 18 to 40 years

Category	Upper Age Limit
SC / ST	5-year relaxation, up to 45 years
OBC (Non-Creamy Layer)	3-year relaxation, up to 43 years
PwBD	Relaxable up to 45 years
Ex-Servicemen	Military service is deducted from actual age; resulting age must not exceed 43 years

Reserved-category candidates from other states are generally treated as General/Unreserved for West Bengal recruitment purposes and do not receive West Bengal-specific reservation benefits.

Reserved-category candidates residing outside West Bengal generally do not receive West Bengal’s reserved-category benefits; they are considered as General/Unreserved.

 

Language Requirement | Language Eligibility

Candidates should be able to read, write and speak Bengali.

This requirement does not apply to candidates whose mother tongue is Nepali.

Candidates who are neither Bengali nor Nepali speakers and choose a regional language in Part-II may have to pass the prescribed departmental Bengali examination during probation before confirmation.

The Bengali language requirement is an important eligibility condition of the examination. However, there is a special exemption for Nepali mother-tongue candidates.

 

Exam Pattern | Exam Structure

The selection process consists of two written stages followed by a qualifying computer and typing test.

Selection Flow

PART-I — MCQ
100 Marks
↓
PART-II — DESCRIPTIVE
100 Marks
↓
COMPUTER OPERATION & TYPING TEST
Qualifying
↓
FINAL SELECTION & DEPARTMENT ALLOCATION

The final merit will be prepared on the basis of Part-I + Part-II = 200 marks. Qualifying in the computer and typing test is also mandatory.

 

Part-I: Objective Examination | First Paper

Feature	Details
Mode	Offline, OMR-based MCQ
Total Questions	100
Total Marks	100
Duration	90 minutes
Negative Marking	0.25 mark for each incorrect answer

 

Subject	Questions	Marks
English	30	30
General Studies	40	40
Arithmetic	30	30
Total	100	100

In Part-I, General Studies has the highest weightage — 40 marks. 30 marks each come from English and Arithmetic.

Negative Marking

0.25 mark is deducted for each incorrect answer.

Therefore, it is important to maintain accuracy rather than guess blindly.

 

Part-II: Descriptive Examination | Second Paper

Part-II is a conventional written examination carrying 100 marks and having a duration of 60 minutes.

Group	Subject	Marks
Group-A	English	50
Group-B	Regional Language	50
Total		100

The regional language may be:

• Bengali
• Hindi
• Urdu
• Nepali
• Santali

 

Group-A: English | English Language

The English paper includes:

• Report writing from supplied points/materials
• Precis / summary writing
• Translation into English from Bengali/Hindi/Urdu/Nepali/Santali

Knowing grammar alone will not be enough here. Regular practice of report writing, précis and translation is needed.

 

Group-B: Regional Language | Local Language

The regional-language paper includes:

• Report writing from supplied points/materials
• Precis / summary writing
• Translation from English into the chosen regional language

Whichever language you choose, it is important to build the skill of writing reports, précis and translations in that language.

 

Computer Operation and Typing Test

Candidates who qualify in Part-I and Part-II appear for the Computer Operation and Typing Test.

The test assesses:

• Elementary computer knowledge
• Typing ability
• Required typing speed

The test is qualifying in nature and does not carry marks for the final merit list.

No marks are added in this examination, but qualifying is mandatory.

 

Scheme and Syllabus | Syllabus

 

Part-I: Madhyamik Standard

English

The syllabus covers:

• Fundamentals of English
• Vocabulary
• Grammar
• Sentence structure
• Synonyms
• Antonyms
• Correct usage

The main focus of English preparation will be grammar + vocabulary + correct usage.

General Studies

The syllabus includes:

• Everyday science
• Daily observations
• Current national and international events
• Problems with special reference to India
• Elementary Indian History
• Elementary Indian Geography

For General Studies, both current affairs + basic static GK are important.

Arithmetic

Important areas include:

• Divisibility — Divisibility
• Fractions — Fractions
• Decimals — Decimals
• Recurring Decimals — Repeating Decimals
• Simplification — Simplification
• HCF (Highest Common Factor) — Greatest Common Divisor (G.C.D.)
• LCM (Lowest Common Multiple) — Least Common Multiple (L.C.M.)
• Partnership — Partnership
• Average — Mean
• Ratio and Proportion — Ratio and Proportion
• Percentage — Percent
• Simple Interest — Simple Interest
• Profit and Loss — Profit and Loss
• Time and Distance — Time and Distance
• Area of Rectangles and Squares — Area of Rectangles and Squares

The Arithmetic syllabus is mainly based on school-level mathematics. Speed and calculation accuracy are extremely important.

 

Part-II: Descriptive Syllabus

English

Report Writing + Precis + Translation

Regional Language

Report Writing + Precis + Translation

Exam Tip: For Part-II, it is most effective not just to read, but to do timed practice by writing by hand.

 

Minimum Qualifying Marks | Minimum Passing Marks

The minimum qualifying standard is applied to the aggregate of Part-I and Part-II = 200 marks.

Category	Qualifying Percentage	Marks out of 200
UR	40%	80
EWS	40%	80
MSP	40%	80
OBC	38%	76
SC	35%	70
ST	30%	60
PwBD	30%	60
Ex-Servicemen	30%	60

Qualifying marks and the final selection cut-off are not the same thing. For final selection, much higher marks may generally be required.
Rules for Deduction of Marks and Tie-Breaking

 

Identity Disclosure Rule:

If any candidate writes their name, roll number or any identifying mark on the Part-II answer script, 10% of the total marks may be deducted as per the rules.
Disclosing one’s identity in a descriptive answer script is a serious mistake. Therefore, no identifying information should be written on the answer script.

 

Tie-Breaking Rule:

If two candidates obtain the same total marks:

1. The candidate who obtains more marks in Part-II will get the opportunity first.
2. If still equal, the marks obtained in English will be considered (the candidate who gets more marks in English will get priority).
3. If still equal, the older candidate will get priority.

 

Application Fee | Fee for Application

Category	Fee
General / OBC	₹110 + applicable online service charges
SC/ST of West Bengal	No fee
PwBD (40% disability and above)	No fee

SC/ST candidates from other states do not receive the West Bengal-specific fee exemption.

 

Examination Centres | Test Centres

Part-I is conducted at centres across West Bengal.

Code	Centre	Code	Centre
11	Kolkata	24	Jhargram
12	Baruipur	25	Suri
13	Diamond Harbour	26	Krishnanagar
14	Barrackpore	27	Berhampore
15	Barasat	28	Malda
16	Howrah	29	Balurghat
17	Chinsurah	30	Raiganj
18	Burdwan	31	Jalpaiguri
19	Durgapur	32	Alipurduar
20	Medinipur	33	Cooch Behar
21	Tamluk	34	Siliguri
22	Bankura	35	Kalimpong
23	Purulia	36	Darjeeling

Besides Kolkata, the examination is held at various centres in North Bengal, South Bengal and other districts.