BPSC AEDO Syllabus 2026: PT + Mains Exam Pattern & Complete Topics
The BPSC Agriculture Extension District Officer exam has a two-stage structure — a Preliminary Test (PT) to filter candidates, and a detailed Mains to select the final merit list. If you have a B.Sc. Agriculture background, the agriculture subject paper will be your scoring engine. But the General Studies and Hindi sections are where candidates with poor strategy lose ground. Here is the complete breakdown.
📝 BPSC AEDO Previous Year Papers 2026 — see the actual question types that come from this syllabus.
BPSC AEDO Exam Structure — Overview
| Stage | Type | Marks | Duration | Counts in Merit? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preliminary Test (PT) | Objective (MCQ) | 150 | 2 hours | No — qualifying only |
| Mains — Paper I (Hindi) | Descriptive | 100 | 3 hours | Qualifying only |
| Mains — Paper II (Agri I) | Descriptive | 300 | 3 hours | Yes |
| Mains — Paper III (Agri II) | Descriptive | 300 | 3 hours | Yes |
| Interview (Viva Voce) | Oral | 50 | — | Yes |
| Total (Mains + Interview) | — | 650 | — | — |
PT Exam Pattern — Subject-wise Distribution
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General Studies (Bihar GK + National GK) | 75 | 75 |
| Agriculture (Subject Paper) | 50 | 50 |
| Reasoning & Mental Ability | 25 | 25 |
| Total | 150 | 150 |
Negative marking: -0.25 per wrong answer. Time: 2 hours. Medium: Hindi and English bilingual paper.
PT — Agriculture Topics (50 marks)
This is your home ground. Score 40+ here to compensate for GK variance.
- Agronomy: Kharif crops (paddy, maize, soybean, cotton), Rabi crops (wheat, gram, mustard, barley), Zaid crops. Crop-specific nutrient requirements, sowing methods, yield potential. Crop rotation and intercropping systems.
- Soil Science: Soil types in Bihar (alluvial dominant), soil pH ranges for major crops, NPK nutrients — deficiency symptoms, sources. Organic matter and soil health. Biofertilizers (Rhizobium, Azospirillum, PSB). Soil erosion and water conservation.
- Horticulture: Fruits — mango, litchi (Bihar is top litchi producer in India), banana, guava. Vegetables — potato, tomato, brinjal, onion. Spices — ginger, turmeric. Post-harvest management basics.
- Plant Protection: Major pests of paddy (stem borer, gall midge, brown planthopper), wheat (aphid, rust), vegetables. Major diseases — late blight (potato, Phytophthora infestans), blast (paddy, Magnaporthe oryzae). IPM principles. Common insecticides and fungicides (generic names).
- Agricultural Extension: Extension methods (farm and home visits, demonstrations, field days, Kisan Goshthi). Communication channels. ATMA (Agricultural Technology Management Agency) structure. Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) functions. Technology dissemination models.
- Seed Science: Seed certification classes (Foundation, Certified, Truthful), seed testing (germination %, moisture content), seed treatment chemicals. HYV (High Yielding Varieties) vs. hybrid seeds.
- Agricultural Economics: Land holdings in Bihar (small and marginal dominant), agricultural credit (short-term, medium-term, long-term), minimum support price (MSP) mechanism, APMC, e-NAM. Agricultural marketing and cooperative structure.
- Bihar Agriculture Specifics: Major crops (paddy, wheat, maize, sugarcane, litchi, makhana — Fox Nut), crop calendar, flood-affected areas (Kosi belt), drought-prone districts (South Bihar plateau). Government schemes — Bihar Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, Mukhyamantri Tivra Beej Vistar Yojana.
PT — General Studies Topics (75 marks)
- Bihar History: Ancient Bihar (Magadha, Pataliputra, Maurya empire, Ashoka), Medieval (Sher Shah Suri from Bihar), Modern (Champaran Satyagraha 1917 — Gandhi's first satyagraha in India, Quit India 1942 role).
- Bihar Geography: Rivers (Ganga, Kosi — "Sorrow of Bihar", Gandak, Ghaghra, Son), regions (North Bihar plains, South Bihar plateau), districts (38 total), bordering states (UP, Jharkhand, West Bengal) and Nepal.
- Bihar Current Affairs: Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali Mission, 7 Nishchay schemes, Nal Jal Yojana, Bihar Industrial Investment Promotion Policy, recent appointments.
- Indian Constitution: Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles, Preamble, amendment process, federal structure, Centre-State relations (Articles 256-263).
- Indian Economy: GDP, inflation, budget basics, FDI, MSME sector, banking (RBI functions), agricultural credit, NABARD.
- General Science: Basic physics (laws of motion, electricity), chemistry (common reactions, periodic table basics), biology (cell structure, human body systems, plant physiology basics).
- National Current Affairs: Last 6 months — schemes, appointments, sports, science/tech achievements.
Mains Agriculture Syllabus — Paper II & III
Both Agriculture papers are descriptive (written answers). The questions are longer, require explanation, and carry 300 marks each. Cover these topics in depth:
- Paper II (Agri I): Agronomy (crop production), Soil Science (soil fertility, irrigation), Horticulture (production technology for fruits, vegetables, flowers), Seed Technology (production, certification, storage)
- Paper III (Agri II): Plant Pathology (diseases, their management), Entomology (insects, pest management), Agricultural Extension Education (theories, methods, rural sociology), Agricultural Economics and Marketing
Mains Paper I — General Hindi (Qualifying)
100 marks, descriptive. You need to pass (typically 33%) but marks don't count in merit. Sections: Essay writing (30 marks), Precis writing (20 marks), Grammar (25 marks), Translation Hindi-English (25 marks). Focus on passing — don't over-invest time here.
Interview — 50 Marks
Interview at BPSC office, Patna. Questions typically cover: your B.Sc. agriculture specialisation, Bihar's agriculture challenges, current central and state schemes, your approach to farmer extension work, and general awareness. 30-45 minutes typically. Dress formally, speak in Hindi or English as comfortable.
Recommended Books for BPSC AEDO Preparation
| Subject | Book / Resource |
|---|---|
| Agriculture (General) | B.Sc. Agriculture textbooks (ICAR curriculum), Fundamentals of Agronomy — OP Gupta |
| Soil Science | Soil Science — D.K. Das, Fundamentals of Soil Science — H.D. Foth |
| Plant Protection | Principles of Plant Pathology — Singh, Principles of Entomology — P.P. Reddy |
| Extension Education | Extension Education — R.K. Samanta |
| Bihar GK | Bihar Ek Parichay (Arihant), Bihar GK (various competitive exam guides) |
| General Studies | Lucent GK, NCERT books (6-12), Pratiyogita Darpan monthly |