BPSC TRE 4.0 2026: 32,388 Vacancies, Exam Pattern, Dates and Eligibility
BPSC TRE 4.0 2026: 32,388 Teacher Posts, One Written Exam, and Negative Marking
Bihar Lok Seva Aayog released Advertisement No. 15/2026 on 22 September 2026 for the fourth phase of school teacher recruitment. Total posts: 32,388. The same notice cancelled the earlier Advt 14/2026 dated 18 August 2026, so anything you read that quotes Advt 14 is now dead paper.
Two things in this cycle are different enough to change how you prepare. There is only one written exam (no prelims, no mains), and every wrong answer now costs 1/3 mark. TRE 3.0 had no negative marking at all. Read the marking section below before you touch a single mock.
BPSC TRE 4.0 at a glance
Where the 32,388 posts sit
Class 11-12 alone holds half the recruitment. If you are eligible for more than one level, this table should decide your preference order before anything else does.
Category split across all four levels: UR 9,015, EWS 1,726, EBC 5,809, BC 3,435, SC 9,973, ST 696, and BCL (women of backward classes) 1,734. The SC share is unusually large this time because backlog posts are folded in. Subject-wise and district-wise breakups are published on bpsc.bihar.gov.in, and the subject tables are covered in our TRE 4.0 notification blog.
There is no prelims. Stop looking for one.
Several websites are still running headlines about a preliminary test followed by a mains for qualified candidates. That is wrong for this cycle. Advt 15/2026 says selection happens "on the basis of the written (objective) examination", singular.
The Commission has said the exam may be held in more than one shift if the number of applicants is large. A shift is not a stage. Everyone writes the same one paper, just possibly on different days or sittings.
There is also no interview, and no provision for re-evaluation of answer sheets.
Marking: five options, and E is not decoration
This is the part most aspirants get wrong, and it will cost marks in the hall.
- Every question has five options: A, B, C, D and E.
- The correct answer is always among A, B, C or D.
- If you do not want to answer a question, you must darken option E.
- If you darken none of the five, the question counts as unattempted and still attracts the 1/3 negative.
- Only one option per question.
So a blank bubble is not free. Leave 20 questions completely untouched and you have handed back 6.67 marks. Mark E on those same 20 and you lose nothing. Practise this on OMR sheets now, because in a 150-question paper under time pressure, the E column is exactly the kind of thing a tired hand skips.
The full mechanics, including how to plan guessing at 1/3 negative, are in our TRE 4.0 exam pattern guide.
Paper structure by level
Part-I tests working knowledge of English plus one of Hindi, Urdu or Bangla. You need at least 30% in it, and those marks never enter the merit list. Once you pick a language subject, the same pick applies across all levels you apply for.
Qualifying marks, and the EBC figure people keep getting wrong
Plenty of pages online still print "BC and EBC both 36.5%". The notification says EBC is 34%. The 32% slab for women applies only to women who are permanent residents of Bihar, under General Administration Department letter no. 15937 dated 01.09.2026. The Commission also keeps discretionary power over qualifying marks under Rule 7(v) of the Bihar State School Teacher Rules 2023.
Pay by level
These are starting pay figures, with other allowances as fixed by the state government added on top. Retirement age is 60. A fuller breakdown sits in the TRE 4.0 salary blog.
Dates you cannot miss
That certificate cut-off deserves a second read. Every academic, training, experience and TET certificate must be issued on or before 26.10.2026. Even if the Commission extends the application deadline later, this eligibility date does not move.
Eligibility in one paragraph each
TET requirement: CTET/BTET Paper-I for Class 1-5, CTET/BTET Paper-II for Class 6-8, STET Paper-I for Class 9-10 and STET Paper-II for Class 11-12. Candidates who are going to appear in STET 2026 may apply, but they must clear it before the written exam or no admit card will be issued.
Age on 01.08.2026: minimum 18 years for Class 1-5 and 6-8, and 21 years for Class 9-10 and 11-12. Maximum age is 37 for unreserved men, 40 for BC/EBC and unreserved women, 42 for SC/ST and transgender candidates. Maximum age is calculated with 01.08.2024 as the base date.
Degree combinations, subject groups and the relaxations are long enough to need their own page, so they live in the TRE 4.0 eligibility guide.
The preference rule that ends your candidature early
You submit one application and rank your preferences inside it. If you qualify at a higher preference, the result is declared for that post and your candidature for every lower option becomes invalid automatically. There is no coming back to it later.
So if you put Class 11-12 first and clear it, nobody will look at your Class 6-8 option even if the school posting there suited you better. Fill the order with your head, not with vacancy counts alone.
Four errors doing the rounds right now
- "Prelims then mains." Wrong. One written exam.
- "No negative marking." Wrong. 1/3 per wrong answer, and per unattempted one.
- "BC and EBC both 36.5%." Wrong. EBC is 34%.
- "46,595 vacancies, fee Rs 750." Both stale. It is 32,388 posts and Rs 100.
Start your practice with full-length 150-question sets that include the Option E column and 1/3 deduction. ExamAtlas has free TRE-specific mocks with AI analytics that show which sections your accuracy drops in once negative marking is switched on.
FAQs
Is there a prelims exam in BPSC TRE 4.0?
No. Advt 15/2026 provides for one objective written exam only. The paper may be conducted in multiple shifts if applicant numbers are high, but that is a shift, not a separate stage.
How much is deducted for a wrong answer?
1/3 mark. The same 1/3 is deducted if you leave a question completely blank without marking option E.
What is option E for?
Option E is the "not attempting this question" choice. Darkening E protects you from the 1/3 deduction. Leaving all five blank does not.
What is the last date to apply for TRE 4.0?
26 October 2026 for the application, 25 October 2026 for the fee payment. All certificates must be issued by 26 October 2026.
Has BPSC announced the TRE 4.0 exam date?
No. The notification carries no exam date. Some sites quote dates from the old February 2026 BPSC calendar, which was prepared when the vacancy figure was 46,595 and Advt 14 had not even been issued. Watch bpsc.bihar.gov.in for the official date.
Can I apply for more than one level?
Yes, if you meet the eligibility for each, but through a single application with a preference order. Clearing a higher preference cancels your candidature for the lower ones.
What to do this week
Complete your One Time Registration on bpsconline.bihar.gov.in and lock your profile before the portal gets crowded in the third week of October. The photo has to be captured live through a webcam and signatures are needed in both Hindi and English, which is exactly the kind of thing that eats an evening if you attempt it on the last day. Our step-by-step application guide walks through all six profile steps.
One honest caveat: the subject-wise vacancy spread is very uneven, and a Class 11-12 Chemistry aspirant is looking at 3,695 posts while a Philosophy aspirant is looking at 80. Check your subject's number before you decide how many hours this exam deserves.