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WEST BENGAL · POLICE

West Bengal Police Sub-Inspector Recruitment: syllabus and eligibility

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WBP SI key facts
Conducting bodyWest Bengal Police Recruitment Board (WBPRB). Official website ↗
PostsSub-Inspector (Unarmed Branch), male and female, Sub-Inspector (Armed Branch)
QualificationA bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised university, or equivalent.
Age limit20–30 years on 1 January 2024 (general category)
DomicileNot required
Selection stagesPreliminary exam (200 marks, screening only) → Physical Measurement Test → Physical Efficiency Test → Final Combined Competitive Examination (three descriptive papers, 200 marks) → Personality test (30 marks, minimum 8 to pass)
Latest notificationWBPRB Notice No. WBPRB/NOTICE-2024/14: Sub-Inspector (Unarmed and Armed Branch) in West Bengal Police - 2024 · 1,131 vacancies

Last checked . Sources

About WBP SI

WBPRB recruits Sub-Inspectors for the Unarmed and Armed Branches of West Bengal Police. It is a graduate-level entry with a screening prelims, physical tests, a descriptive final exam and a personality test. You state your order of preference between the two branches when you apply, and that choice is final.

Eligibility

Age limit

General category: 20–30 years, counted on 1 January 2024.

Age relaxation

  • SC: 5 years
  • ST: 5 years
  • OBC: 3 years
  • OBC-A and OBC-B: 3 years
  • Transgender persons: 3 years
  • Departmental candidates of West Bengal Police: up to 35 years, with further SC/ST (5 years), OBC (3 years) and transgender (3 years) relaxation

Qualification

A bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised university, or equivalent.

Other conditions

  • You must be able to speak, read and write Bengali. Permanent residents of the Darjeeling and Kalimpong hill sub-divisions follow the West Bengal Official Language Act, 1961 instead.
  • Women can apply only for the Unarmed Branch. The 2024 vacancy table lists Armed Branch posts for men, and the physical standards and PET also set limits for transgender candidates in both branches.

Selection process

  1. Preliminary exam (200 marks, screening only)
  2. Physical Measurement Test
  3. Physical Efficiency Test
  4. Final Combined Competitive Examination (three descriptive papers, 200 marks)
  5. Personality test (30 marks, minimum 8 to pass)

Exam pattern

Preliminary exam

Mode: OMR-based multiple choice, English and Bengali · Duration: 90 minutes · Negative marking: One-fourth of the question's mark per wrong answer

SUBJECTQUESTIONSMARKS
General Studies50100
Logical and Analytical Reasoning2550
Arithmetic2550

Physical Efficiency Test

Mode: Timed run, qualifying

SUBJECT
Male (both branches): 800 m in 3 minutes
Female (Unarmed Branch): 400 m in 2 minutes
Transgender: 400 m in 1 minute 40 seconds

Final Combined Competitive Examination

Mode: Conventional (written answers) · Duration: Paper I 2 hours; Papers II and III 1 hour each

SUBJECTMARKS
Paper I: General Studies (50), Logical and Analytical Reasoning (25), Arithmetic (25)100
Paper II: English50
Paper III: Bengali, Hindi, Urdu or Nepali50

Personality test

SUBJECTMARKS
Personality test (pass mark 8)30

WBP SI syllabus

Prelims and Final Paper I

  • General Studies: general knowledge in different spheres
  • Logical and analytical reasoning
  • Arithmetic on the Madhyamik syllabus of WBBSE

Final Paper II: English

  • Drafting a report from given points
  • Translation from Bengali, Hindi, Urdu or Nepali into English
  • Summary or precis of a prose passage
  • Correct usage, sentence correction, common phrases, synonyms and antonyms

Final Paper III: Bengali, Hindi, Urdu or Nepali

  • Drafting a report from given points
  • Translation (20 marks): English to Bengali or Nepali, or Hindi/Urdu to Bengali

What they ask

The prelims gives you 100 questions in 90 minutes, and General Studies questions are worth 2 marks each, the same as reasoning and arithmetic. Prelims marks only decide who goes to the physical tests; they are not added to the final merit. The final exam switches to written answers, so report drafting, precis and translation practice matters as much as GK. Paper I of the final is set in English, Bengali and Nepali, and all answers in a paper must be in one language.

How to prepare

  • Prepare for two formats: fast MCQs for the prelims and written answers for the final, where Paper I alone carries 100 of the 200 marks.
  • Practise translation every week, since Paper III gives 20 marks to it and Paper II also asks for translation into English.
  • Revise Madhyamik-level arithmetic, which is tested in both the prelims (50 marks) and the final (25 marks).
  • Men should train for the 800 m run in 3 minutes; female Unarmed Branch candidates need 400 m in 2 minutes.
  • Prepare for the personality test seriously: scoring below 8 out of 30 disqualifies you whatever your written marks.
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Source: official instructions ↗

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WBP SI FAQs

No. The prelims is a screening test for PMT and PET. Final merit uses the three final papers and the personality test.

Sources

Checked against official sources on . Rules change with each notification, so read the latest one before you apply.

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