If you've been eyeing a uniformed government job in Bihar and don't want to wait for the next Bihar Police SI cycle, the Prohibition Sub Inspector post deserves your attention. It comes from BPSSC, carries the same pay band as a regular police SI, and this year it's actually moving on a real timeline instead of sitting stuck for years.
This post isn't as crowded as Bihar Police SI or BPSC exams yet, simply because fewer people know it exists. That's actually good news for you if you start preparing now. Let's go through everything you need — dates, vacancy, syllabus, salary, and how to actually crack it.
Quick Answer
The Bihar Prohibition Sub Inspector 2026 notification (Advertisement 03/2026) is already out. BPSSC released it on 22 January 2026 for 78 Sub Inspector (Prohibition) posts. Online applications ran from 27 January to 27 February 2026, the pre exam admit card came out around 22 June 2026, and the preliminary written exam is set for 12 July 2026 (tentative, confirm on bpssc.bihar.gov.in). Selection has five stages: Prelims, Mains, PET/PST, document verification, and medical test.
Latest Notification and Important Dates
BPSSC has already released this notification and the exam calendar is active right now, so this is not a "wait and watch" post anymore — it's live.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification released | 22 January 2026 |
| Advertisement number | 03/2026 |
| Application start | 27 January 2026 |
| Application last date | 27 February 2026 |
| Pre exam admit card | 22 June 2026 |
| Preliminary written exam | 12 July 2026 (tentative) |
| Prelims result | To be announced |
| Mains exam | To be announced |
| PET/PST | To be announced |
Dates for mains and physical test haven't been confirmed yet as of this writing. Keep checking bpssc.bihar.gov.in directly, and also bookmark Pareeksha's exam news page so you don't miss the update when it drops.
What the Job Actually Is
A Prohibition Sub Inspector works under the Bihar Prohibition, Excise and Registration Department, and the job is built around enforcing Bihar's liquor prohibition law. Bihar banned alcohol in 2016, and ever since, the state has needed a dedicated force to catch illegal manufacturing, smuggling, and sale of liquor across districts.
Day to day, you'd be leading raids on illicit liquor units, checking vehicles at check posts, gathering intelligence on bootlegging networks, filing cases under the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, and coordinating with local police stations. It's field-heavy work — expect long hours, night raids, and travel within your posted district. You'll also handle paperwork: FIRs, seizure reports, and court-related documentation.
Rank-wise, you sit at the same level as a police Sub Inspector, wear a similar uniform structure, and carry arms during operations. If enforcement work interests you more than routine desk postings, this role fits well.
Vacancy Details
There are 78 total posts in this cycle, spread across all major reservation categories, with 35% of seats reserved for women.
| Category | Vacancies |
|---|---|
| Unreserved (UR) | 41 |
| EWS | 8 |
| BC | 9 |
| BC Female | 2 |
| EBC | 12 |
| SC | 5 |
| ST | 1 |
| Total | 78 |
Notice how UR alone takes more than half the seats. That means general category candidates have a real shot if their score is solid — this isn't a post where reservation eats up all the openings.
Eligibility Criteria
You need a bachelor's degree from a recognised university, and you must fall within the 20 to 37 (or 42) year age band depending on your category and gender.
Education
A graduation degree (any stream) from a UGC-recognised university, completed by 1 August 2025, is the minimum requirement. No specific subject is mandated, so arts, science, or commerce graduates are all eligible.
Age Limit
Age is calculated as on 1 August 2025.
| Category | Minimum Age | Maximum Age |
|---|---|---|
| UR (Male) | 20 years | 37 years |
| UR (Female) | 20 years | 40 years |
| BC/EBC (Male & Female) | 20 years | 40 years |
| SC/ST (Male & Female) | 20 years | 42 years |
Domicile
There's no strict Bihar domicile bar for most posts under BPSSC recruitment, but reservation benefits under Bihar's state category (BC/EBC/SC/ST) apply only to candidates who hold a valid Bihar caste certificate.
Physical Standards
Height, chest, and weight requirements vary by category and gender, and you'll also need to clear running, jump, and shot put tests.
| Parameter | UR/BC Male | EBC/SC/ST Male | All Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Height | 165 cm | 160 cm | 155 cm |
| Chest (unexpanded/expanded) | 81/86 cm | 79/84 cm | Not applicable |
| Weight | — | — | 48 kg minimum |
PET benchmarks: men run 1.6 km in 6.5 minutes, women run 1 km in 6 minutes. High jump is 4 feet for men and 3 feet for women. Long jump is 12 feet for men and 9 feet for women. Shot put is 16 feet for men and 10 feet for women.
Application Process and Fee
You apply online through the BPSSC portal, and the fee is just Rs 100 for every category — a rare case where BPSC/BPSSC doesn't charge extra for general candidates.
| Category | Application Fee |
|---|---|
| All categories (UR/EWS/BC/EBC/SC/ST) | Rs 100 |
Steps to apply:
- Go to the official site bpssc.bihar.gov.in and find the SI Prohibition Advt 03/2026 link.
- Register with your basic details, mobile number, and email ID.
- Fill in your education, category, and personal details carefully.
- Upload photo, signature, and required certificates in the specified format.
- Pay the Rs 100 fee online via net banking, card, or UPI.
- Submit and download the confirmation page for your records.
Since applications for this cycle have already closed, this is here mainly for reference and for the next cycle whenever it opens.
Exam Pattern
The selection has two written stages (Prelims and Mains) followed by physical tests, document verification, and a medical exam.
Preliminary Exam
| Subject | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Knowledge & Current Affairs | 100 | 200 | 2 hours |
Prelims is a qualifying-cum-screening stage. Negative marking applies — 0.2 marks are deducted for every wrong answer, so don't guess blindly. Practice with free mock tests on Pareeksha to get a feel for the actual pressure and timing before exam day.
Mains Exam
| Paper | Subject | Questions | Marks | Duration | Nature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | General Hindi | 100 | 200 | 2 hours | Qualifying |
| Paper 2 | General Studies (History, Geography, Civics, Maths, Mental Ability) | 100 | 200 | 2 hours | Merit-determining |
Only Paper 2 marks count toward the final merit for mains. Paper 1 (Hindi) just needs a passing score, so don't overinvest time there once you're comfortable with basic Hindi grammar and comprehension.
Detailed Syllabus
General Knowledge & Current Affairs (Prelims)
This covers Indian history, Indian polity, Indian and world geography, Indian economy, general science, static GK, sports, awards, books and authors, and current affairs of the last 6 to 12 months with heavy focus on Bihar-specific events, schemes, and personalities. Bihar's own history, culture, rivers, and government schemes get extra weightage compared to national-level exams — don't skip this part.
General Studies (Mains Paper 2)
- History: Ancient, medieval, and modern Indian history, freedom struggle, and Bihar's role in the independence movement.
- Geography: Physical and economic geography of India and Bihar — rivers, soil, agriculture, minerals, and climate.
- Civics/Polity: Indian Constitution, fundamental rights, Panchayati Raj, local self-government, and Bihar's administrative structure.
- Elementary Mathematics: Number system, percentage, ratio, average, profit-loss, time-speed-distance, simple/compound interest, mensuration — class 10 level.
- Mental Ability/Reasoning: Analogy, series, coding-decoding, blood relations, direction sense, syllogism, and non-verbal reasoning.
Build your base using the Quantitative Aptitude guide and the Reasoning guide on Pareeksha, both written for exactly this level of exam. For GK and current affairs, the General Awareness guide and the current affairs section will save you a lot of scattered searching.
Salary, Pay Scale, and Career Growth
A Bihar Prohibition SI starts at Pay Level 6 of the 7th Pay Commission, with a pay band of Rs 35,400 to Rs 1,12,400.
On top of basic pay, you get dearness allowance, house rent allowance, and other police-service allowances. In-hand salary typically works out to somewhere between Rs 45,000 and Rs 55,000 a month depending on posting city and allowance rates, though this can shift a bit once the official pay circular for this cadre is confirmed.
Career-wise, promotions follow the same ladder as police services — from Sub Inspector you can move up to Inspector, and further up the enforcement hierarchy over the years with seniority and departmental exams. It's a stable, pensionable government job with real authority in the field, which is part of why it attracts serious aspirants despite the physical demands.
Previous Year Cut-off
This is a relatively new and specific cadre under BPSSC, and official cut-off marks for the current 2026 cycle (Advt 03/2026) have not been published yet since results are still awaited. Once BPSSC releases the prelims result, check back here and on Pareeksha's exam guides page for the updated cut-off table. As a rough benchmark, similar BPSSC SI-level prelims exams have closed in the 120-140 out of 200 range for UR candidates in recent years, with reserved categories a bit lower — treat this only as a general sense, not a guaranteed number.
Best Books and Preparation Strategy
Don't try to cover everything on day one. Build subject by subject, and revise weekly instead of just moving forward blindly.
Books to use:
- Lucent's General Knowledge for static GK basics
- NCERT History, Geography, and Polity (class 6-10) for concept building
- A standard Bihar GK book for state-specific facts
- R.S. Aggarwal for elementary maths and reasoning
- A daily Hindi newspaper for current affairs and Hindi comprehension practice
Month-wise plan (if you have 4-5 months before Mains):
- Month 1: NCERT basics + Bihar GK foundation, daily current affairs reading.
- Month 2: Maths and reasoning practice, one topic per day with topic-wise practice sets.
- Month 3: Full syllabus revision + weekly full-length mocks.
- Month 4: Focus on weak areas identified from mocks, speed drills for the numerical section.
- Month 5: Daily current affairs revision, previous year papers, and full mock test simulation under exam conditions.
Follow a structured study plan rather than random YouTube-hopping — consistency beats intensity for this kind of exam.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Most candidates lose marks not because the syllabus is hard, but because of avoidable errors. Here's what trips people up:
Ignoring Bihar-specific GK and focusing only on national-level current affairs is a big one — this paper rewards state knowledge heavily. Guessing too much in prelims despite the 0.2 negative marking also costs candidates dearly; attempt only what you're reasonably sure about. Skipping physical fitness prep until after the mains result is another trap — start running and building stamina months in advance, not after you clear the written stage. And don't neglect Hindi paper prep just because it's qualifying; a surprising number of candidates fail to clear even the qualifying threshold because they assumed it would be easy.
FAQ
Is the Bihar Prohibition Sub Inspector 2026 notification out? Yes, BPSSC released Advertisement 03/2026 on 22 January 2026 for 78 posts, and the application window has already closed.
How many vacancies are there in Bihar Prohibition SI 2026? There are 78 total vacancies across UR, EWS, BC, EBC, SC, and ST categories, with 35% reserved for women.
What is the application fee for Bihar Prohibition SI? The fee is Rs 100 for all categories, with no separate fee slab for general or reserved candidates.
What is the age limit for Bihar Prohibition Sub Inspector? Minimum age is 20 years for everyone. Maximum age is 37 for UR males, and goes up to 40 or 42 years for women and reserved categories depending on the specific group.
What is the salary of a Bihar Prohibition SI? The pay scale is Rs 35,400 to Rs 1,12,400 under Pay Level 6, with in-hand pay usually falling between Rs 45,000 and Rs 55,000 after allowances.
When is the Bihar Prohibition SI prelims exam? The preliminary exam is tentatively scheduled for 12 July 2026. This date should be confirmed on the official BPSSC website closer to the exam.
What is the selection process for Bihar Prohibition SI? Selection has five stages: preliminary written exam, mains written exam, PET/PST physical test, document verification, and a final medical examination.
Is graduation compulsory for Bihar Prohibition SI? Yes, a bachelor's degree in any stream from a recognised university is mandatory, completed by 1 August 2025.
Does the Hindi paper in mains count toward merit? No, Paper 1 (General Hindi) is only qualifying. Only Paper 2 (General Studies) marks decide your final merit rank.
What work does a Bihar Prohibition Sub Inspector do? The role involves enforcing Bihar's liquor prohibition law — conducting raids, checking vehicles, gathering intelligence on illegal liquor trade, and filing cases under the Excise Act.
Related reads on Pareeksha
- Bihar Police Constable recruitment guide
- BPSC 72nd CCE complete guide
- SSC GD Constable exam guide
- RRB Group D recruitment guide
Final Word
Bihar Prohibition SI is a genuinely good post if you want government service with fieldwork, decent pay, and a clear promotion path, and it's currently less competitive than the main Bihar Police SI exam simply because awareness is lower. If you've already applied for Advt 03/2026, put your energy into mains preparation now — GK, elementary maths, and reasoning practice, along with steady Hindi reading.
If you missed this cycle, don't worry. BPSSC runs this cadre periodically, and knowing the syllabus and pattern now puts you ahead for whenever the next notification drops. Start building your base today with free practice tests so you're ready the moment applications open again.
Official sources: bpssc.bihar.gov.in | bpssc.bihar.gov.in Notices
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