West Bengal Public Service Commission has made major changes in West Bengal Civil Services Examination and a gazette notification dated on 15 March has been published in the matter. There are marked changes in the layout of the curriculum for West Bengal Civil Service examinations.

Though the examination still consists of preliminary, mains and personal interview, the syllabus content has noticeably changed and so is the marks pattern.

It is more like glancing at the IAS examination, conducted by the UPSC. Unlike previous years, the preliminary examination will consist of two papers, each carrying 200 marks. New inclusion in the prelims section is English composition, comprehension, interpersonal skills, including communication skills and decision making and problem solving.

Now inclusion of these topics and emphasis on mental ability and basic numeracy makes the syllabus a blending of tradition and innovation. In the mains section there is a paper on ‘tradition and culture of Bengal’, comprising literature, folk art and architectural heritage of Bengal. In one section of general studies in the mains exams studies on environment science and biodiversity is inserted.

A clear look into the changed form of WBCS exam would reveal how the examinees need to prepare in both intensive and extensive manner. The corpus of subjects has expanded and the psychological and mental measurement of the aspiring candidates is given prominence. With this outfit students initially may face some stiffness in arranging study materials of the new topics.

However, the deserving ones shall always find the means and that is desirable, to filter the merit. A senior retired IAS officer said the revised syllabus would also encourage the WBCS aspirants to simultaneously prepare for IAS examinations. It may be mentioned that chief minister Mamata Banerjee has over and again urged the students to sit for the IAS examinations.

With this view, an IAS coaching centre has been set up by the state government named Satyendranath Tagore Civil Service Study Centre at the Administrative Training Institute, Salt Lake. Different universities have started WBCS coaching centres for its students.

Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture and RKM Vidyamandira have offered WBCS coaching classes both online and offline by experienced faculty and more and more students are taking coaching for state civil services examination.