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BCS Preliminary

BCS Preliminary Preparation — Clear the 200-Mark MCQ Screening

Beat negative marking with topic-wise MCQ practice, ten-subject coverage, previous year questions and timed model tests built for the BCS Preliminary.

Start Learning Free Practice MCQ
MCQ questions
200 MCQ questions
Duration
2 hrs Duration
Subjects
10 Subjects

Understanding the BCS Preliminary

The Preliminary is a 200-mark, 200-question MCQ test and the first screening stage of the BCS. Only candidates who cross the cut-off — set by BPSC each year — advance to the Written examination.

1 What is the Preliminary?

A two-hour objective test covering ten subjects. It is purely qualifying: your Preliminary marks do not count toward final merit, but you must pass it to sit the Written.

2 Who should focus here?

Every BCS aspirant starts here. If you are eligible for the BCS (Bangladeshi graduate, age 21–30), a strong Preliminary strategy is your first priority before Written preparation.

3 Why it needs strategy

With 0.50 negative marking, blind guessing hurts. You need speed, accuracy and smart question-selection — solving the easy, high-confidence questions first and managing risk on the rest.

4 How NextBCS helps

Practise unlimited topic-wise MCQs, take full-length mocks with real negative marking, and let the AI flag the exact topics where you lose the most marks — then drill them.

Exam Pattern

BCS Preliminary Marks Distribution

All 200 marks are spread across ten subjects. Knowing the weight of each subject lets you allocate study time where it counts most.

Format at a glance

Objective MCQ

Total Marks
200
Questions
200 MCQ
Duration
2 hours
Negative Marking
0.50 per wrong answer

Qualifying stage — marks are not carried to the merit list.

High-weight subjects

Score drivers

Bangla
35
English
35
Bangladesh Affairs
30
International Affairs
20

These four subjects make up 120 of 200 marks.

Supporting subjects

Don't neglect

Science / ICT
15 + 15
Maths / Mental Ability
15 + 15
Geography & Disaster
10
Ethics & Governance
10

Easy marks with practice — ideal for boosting your total.

Syllabus

BCS Preliminary Subject-wise Syllabus

Focus your MCQ practice on these core topics for each subject.

বাংলা / Bangla

35
  • ভাষা ও বর্ণমালা
  • সন্ধি, সমাস, কারক
  • প্রকৃতি ও প্রত্যয়
  • বাংলা সাহিত্য ও সাহিত্যিক
Practise বাংলা / Bangla questions

English

35
  • Grammar & Usage
  • Vocabulary & Idioms
  • Error Correction
  • Literature
Practise English questions

Bangladesh Affairs

30
  • History & Liberation War
  • Constitution & Government
  • Economy & Geography
  • Culture & Current Events

International Affairs

20
  • World Organisations
  • Global Current Affairs
  • Diplomacy & Treaties
  • Geopolitics

General Science

15
  • Physics & Chemistry
  • Biology & Health
  • Everyday Science
  • New Technology

Computer & ICT

15
  • Fundamentals
  • Networking & Internet
  • Data & Number Systems
  • Cyber Security

Mathematical Reasoning

15
  • Arithmetic
  • Algebra
  • Geometry
  • Series & Averages

Mental Ability

15
  • Logical Reasoning
  • Pattern Recognition
  • Coding–Decoding
  • Analogy

Geography & Disaster

10
  • Physical Geography
  • Climate & Disasters
  • Disaster Management
  • Environment

Ethics & Good Governance

10
  • Values & Morality
  • Good Governance
  • Rights & Duties
  • Accountability
Study Plan

3-Month BCS Preliminary Plan

A focused sprint to peak accuracy on all ten subjects before the MCQ exam.

  1. Month 1

    Cover high-weight subjects

    Finish Bangla, English and Bangladesh Affairs first with daily topic-wise MCQ drills.

  2. Month 2

    Complete remaining subjects

    Cover Science, ICT, Maths, Mental Ability, Geography and Ethics, plus daily current affairs.

  3. Month 3 – Weeks 1–2

    Previous year questions

    Solve 10+ years of Preliminary PYQs and revise every topic you get wrong.

  4. Month 3 – Weeks 3–4

    Timed model tests

    Sit full 200-question mocks with negative marking daily; fine-tune speed, accuracy and guessing strategy.

Resources

Preliminary preparation toolkit

The essentials for clearing the MCQ screening.

MCQ Practice

Unlimited topic-wise MCQs with instant explanations.

Open

Previous Year Questions

Every past Preliminary question, solved and searchable.

Open

Model Tests

Full 200-question mocks with negative marking and rankings.

Open

Weakness Analysis

See exactly which topics cost you marks and drill them.

Open

Quick Revision Notes

Bilingual notes for last-minute Preliminary revision.

Open
FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is the cut-off for the BCS Preliminary?

BPSC sets the cut-off separately for each BCS depending on the number of candidates and vacancies. It is not fixed in advance, so aim to maximise your score rather than target a specific number.

Do Preliminary marks count toward the final merit?

No. The Preliminary is only a qualifying (screening) stage. Your final merit is decided by the Written (900) and Viva (200) marks.

How do I handle negative marking?

Answer questions you are confident about first. For others, guess only when you can eliminate at least two options — that keeps expected value positive despite the 0.50 penalty.

How many questions should I attempt?

There is no minimum, but strong candidates typically attempt 160–185 questions with high accuracy. Balance coverage against the risk of negative marking.

How long should Preliminary preparation take?

With focused daily practice, 3–4 months is enough to cover all subjects, solve previous year questions and sit multiple full-length model tests.

Can I practise Preliminary MCQs for free on NextBCS?

Yes. Daily quizzes and a large bank of previous year MCQs are free; premium unlocks unlimited full-length model tests and detailed analytics.

Continue your BCS preparation

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