BPSC English Language and Literature Syllabus 2026: Section-wise Topics & Exam Pattern
Aarti .22 Jul, 2026
Many candidates choose English Language and Literature as their optional subject but struggle to identify which topics deserve the most attention. Studying multiple books without following the official syllabus can make preparation time-consuming and less effective. The BPSC English Language and Literature Syllabus 2026 helps you focus on the prescribed topics, organise your preparation, and cover the optional paper systematically. Understanding the syllabus before you begin will help you revise more efficiently and prepare with confidence for the BPSC Mains examination.
BPSC English Language and Literature Syllabus 2026 (Section-wise)
The official BPSC English Language and Literature syllabus is divided into Section I and Section II. Section I focuses on the history of English literature and literary developments, while Section II includes prescribed literary works that test your understanding of important authors and texts. If you are comparing different BPSC Optional Subjects, reviewing the syllabus section-wise can help you understand the scope of this optional paper.
BPSC English Language and Literature Syllabus 2026 Section I
Section I focuses on the study of English literature during the nineteenth century, including major literary movements and the works of prominent writers prescribed by BPSC.
|
Topics |
Syllabus |
|
Literary Period |
Detailed study of nineteenth-century English literature |
|
Time Period Covered |
English literature from 1798 to 1900 |
|
Major Poets |
William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Percy Bysshe Shelley, John Keats |
|
Essayists |
Charles Lamb, William Hazlitt |
|
Novelists |
William Makepeace Thackeray, Charles Dickens |
|
Victorian Literature |
Alfred Tennyson, Robert Browning, Matthew Arnold, George Eliot |
|
Other Prescribed Authors |
Thomas Carlyle, John Ruskin, Walter Pater |
|
Nature of Examination |
Questions may test literary understanding, historical background, and social and cultural context of the nineteenth-century period, along with close reading of prescribed authors and texts. |
BPSC English Language and Literature Syllabus 2026 Section II
Section II consists of prescribed literary works from major English writers. The examination requires close reading and critical understanding of these texts.
|
Author |
Prescribed Works |
|
William Shakespeare |
As You Like It, Henry IV Part I, Hamlet, The Tempest |
|
John Milton |
Paradise Lost |
|
Jane Austen |
Emma |
|
William Wordsworth |
The Prelude |
|
Charles Dickens |
David Copperfield |
|
George Eliot |
Middlemarch |
|
Thomas Hardy |
Jude the Obscure |
|
W. B. Yeats |
Easter 1916, The Second Coming, Byzantium, Sailing to Byzantium, Meru, The Tower, Among School Children, Lapis Lazuli, A Prayer for My Daughter, Leda and the Swan |
|
T. S. Eliot |
The Waste Land |
|
D. H. Lawrence |
The Rainbow |
Note: The paper requires first-hand reading of the prescribed texts and assesses critical understanding, literary interpretation, and analytical writing based on the official BPSC syllabus.
BPSC English Language and Literature Exam Pattern 2026
Before going through the syllabus, it is important to understand the examination pattern for the English Language and Literature optional subject. The optional paper is conducted during the BPSC Mains examination and evaluates your understanding of literary concepts, analysis, and written expression.
|
Particular |
Details |
|
Conducting Body |
Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) |
|
Examination Stage |
BPSC Mains |
|
Subject |
English Language and Literature (Optional) |
|
Syllabus Structure |
Divided into Section I and Section II (Merged into a single paper) |
|
Total Marks |
100 Marks |
|
Question Type |
Objective Type (Multiple Choice Questions) |
|
Mode of Examination |
Offline (OMR-Based) |
|
Medium of Examination |
English |
|
Standard of Questions |
Graduation / Honours Level in English Literature |
Note: Under the revised examination scheme, the Optional Paper carries a total of 100 marks and has been converted into an Objective (MCQ-based) format. It is purely qualifying in nature, meaning its marks are not added to the final merit list, though candidates must score the minimum category-wise qualifying percentage to pass.
Recommended Books for BPSC English Language and Literature Preparation
Choosing the right study material is equally important as understanding the official syllabus. Standard reference books can help you build a strong foundation in literary history, criticism, poetry, drama, and fiction. Along with these books, make sure you read the prescribed literary texts carefully and revise them regularly before the examination.
|
Book |
Author |
|
A History of English Literature |
Edward Albert |
|
The Short Oxford History of English Literature |
Andrew Sanders |
|
A Critical History of English Literature (Vol. I & II) |
David Daiches |
|
An Introduction to English Literature |
W.H. Hudson |
|
A Glossary of Literary Terms |
M.H. Abrams |
|
Prescribed Texts |
Various Authors |
The BPSC English Language and Literature Syllabus 2026 provides a clear roadmap for preparing the optional paper in the BPSC Mains examination. Cover each section systematically, read the prescribed literary texts carefully, and revise important literary concepts regularly. Following the latest official syllabus throughout your preparation will help you stay focused on relevant topics and improve your performance in the examination.
BPSC English Language and Literature Syllabus FAQs
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