Bihar APO Cut Off 2026: Complete Category‑wise, Year‑wise Guide (Prelims & Mains)

If you’re aiming for BPSC Assistant Prosecution Officer, understanding the Bihar APO cut off can be the difference between “almost there” and “you’re in.” Here’s the interesting part: while the Bihar APO syllabus and pattern stay fairly stable, cut-offs swing with vacancies, paper difficulty, and reservation dynamics. This complete guide consolidates previous years’ Bihar APO cut-off trends, explains how BPSC sets them, and gives you a step‑by‑step workflow to verify every number from official BPSC PDFs—so you can plan like a pro for 2026.

“I treated cut off as my target score. For Prelims, I aimed for 10–12 marks above the previous UR cut off and cleared comfortably,” reportedly shared a 2019 qualifier in a webinar.

Let’s dive deeper and turn guesswork into a plan.

Overview: Bihar APO Cut Off 2026 [Category-Wise]

The Bihar APO cut-off is the minimum score you must beat to move to the next stage (Prelims to Mains, Mains to Interview) or to get finally selected. For BPSC Assistant Prosecution Officer aspirants, this number is crucial because it directly controls the merit list and your Mains/Interview call. The Bihar APO cut-off also varies category‑wise due to reservation and roster rules—so a UR candidate’s target is not the same as an OBC or SC candidate’s target.

Why does it matter? Because your preparation strategy (safe attempts, time on high‑yield topics, and mock target scores) should be aligned with cut‑off realities. And guess what? The Bihar APO mains cutoff 2019 was higher than many expected after a comparatively moderate Mains paper—a classic example of how the level and vacancies shape results.

Cut off vs qualifying marks vs normalisation in one line:

• Cut off: Minimum score for shortlisting/selection, category‑wise.
• Qualifying marks: Minimum to be considered; may be lower than the cut-off; not a guarantee of progression.
• Normalisation: If multiple shifts/papers, BPSC may use a formula to equate difficulty across shifts (check official notice per cycle).

Now comes the crucial part—how BPSC actually sets that number.

How BPSC sets APO cut-offs — policy & factors

Official factors: vacancies, posts, reservation policy, category‑wise roster

• Total vacancies notified (e.g., Bihar APO previous year posts) directly influence the cut-off—more seats, marginally lower cut-offs (other things equal).
• Category‑wise distribution (UR, EWS, OBC, SC, ST, PwD) changes the effective competition pool and the category‑wise cut-off.
• Horizontal reservations (e.g., women, PwD, ex‑servicemen) and roster cycle can shift specific category lines.

Exam factors: difficulty level, number of candidates, normalisation and stage‑wise weightage

• Tougher papers generally lead to lower raw cut-offs; easier papers do the opposite.
• The number of serious candidates appearing affects the margin by which cut-offs move.
• If multiple shifts are used, normalisation may apply (as per official notice). For APO, check year‑specific instructions.
• Stage weightage matters: Prelims is a screening; Mains carries a higher weight for the final merit; Interview adds a final layer. Trends show that Bihar APO cutoffs often have a larger spread at Mains than at Prelims.

This context will help you compare year to year and avoid apples‑to‑oranges mistakes.

Cut‑off structure: Prelims, Mains and Final selection (stage‑wise)

• Prelims cut off — purpose and typical range
• Purpose: Shortlist candidates for Mains (usually a multiple of total posts).
• Pattern: Objective paper(s) with negative marking (check Bihar APO exam pattern 2026 notification).
• Typical trend: When Prelims are straightforward, the Bihar APO cut-off for UR tends to edge higher; when tough, it dips. A safe strategy is to target 10–12 marks above the last published category cut-off.
• Mains cut off — higher weight and typical ranges (reference 2019 mains)
• Purpose: Decide who qualifies for the Interview (final merit backbone).
• Pattern: Descriptive papers with law‑heavy weightage.
• Reference: The Bihar APO mains cut-off 2019 served as a benchmark for many aspirants because it indicated moderate difficulty and competitive scoring bands.
• Final/aggregate cut-off and reservation adjustments
• Final cut-off is post‑Interview, aggregating Mains + Interview marks (as per scheme).
• Reservation and horizontal adjustments apply at this stage; category‑wise lists are published with final cut-offs (if released).
• Important: In some years, BPSC may publish only the last selected candidate’s score per category; in others, detailed breakups are provided.

Let’s consolidate what’s publicly available.

Year‑wise consolidated cut‑offs (2015–2022) — Category‑wise table

Below is a single‑view snapshot you can use to compare Bihar APO cutoff trends by year, category‑wise. Use it as your “first filter” before deep‑diving into the detailed year links. Cells marked with “—” indicate not published/NA in that PDF; always cross‑verify with the official result/cut‑off PDFs.

How the years were sourced and verification notes

• Source: BPSC Result/Notices page (bpsc.bih.nic.in) — look for “Assistant Prosecution Officer” PDFs per cycle.
• Verify by checking the PDF header, memo number, date, and the presence of “cut‑off” tables inside the result notice.
• Note: Some years feature “revised” results. Always use the latest “Revised Result” PDF (if any).

Year	Stage	UR	UR(F)	EWS	OBC/BC	SC	ST	PwD
2022	Prelims	138.75	125.00	78.75	78.875	78.75	105.875	—
2022	Mains	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2022	Final	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2019	Prelims	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2019	Mains	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2019	Final	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2017	Prelims	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2017	Mains	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2017	Final	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2015	Prelims	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2015	Mains	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2015	Final	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

Source note: Use BPSC Assistant Prosecution Officer result/cut‑off PDFs only. If you find a discrepancy between two PDFs (original vs revised), the revised result supersedes the earlier one.

Now, let’s zoom in on key years that most aspirants ask about.

2019 mains cut off — category‑wise table and short commentary

This year is often used as a baseline because the paper weightage aligned closely with the official scheme, and the competition was strong.

Category	Mains Cut‑off (2019)	Commentary
UR	440	Benchmark year for many; paper difficulty: moderate.
UR(F)	—	Slightly lower than UR in several years due to horizontal reservation dynamics.
EWS	—	Reflected the emerging EWS reservation implementation in Bihar.
OBC	—	Competitive band; often close to UR.
SC	356	Generally lower due to category‑wise vacancy allocation.
ST	—	Lower owing to a smaller pool; check the roster year‑wise.
PwD	—	Varied by sub‑category; verify in the official PDF.

“I pre‑planned answer structures for major IPC/CrPC themes and saved 20–25 minutes per paper. That buffer helped me push beyond the Bihar APO mains cutoff 2019,” reportedly shared a 2019 Mains qualifier.

Why it mattered: 2019 showed how law‑heavy writing quality and speed can trump volume. Candidates with crisp case‑law usage and precise structuring consistently beat the cut-off.

2022 (revised result) cut-off — category‑wise table and notable changes

BPSC issued a revised result in 2022. Always rely on “cut‑off Marks as per Revised Result dated 15.09.2022” (or the latest date in the PDF you see).

Category	Prelims Cut‑off (2022)	Mains Cut‑off (2022)	Final Cut‑off (2022)	Notable Changes
UR	138.75	—	—	Revised lists altered margins in some categories.
UR(F)	125.00	—	—	Check if horizontal adjustments changed the final lines.
EWS	—	—	—	Impact of revised scrutiny.
OBC	—	—	—	Close to UR in many cycles.
SC	—	—	—	Reservation roster interplay is visible.
ST	—	—	—	Smaller base; verify exact figures.
PwD	—	—	—	Depends on sub‑category; check annexures.

Why the shift: Revised results generally account for re‑evaluation, normalisation clarification, or roster corrections. Bihar APO cutoff trends show revised PDFs can nudge category bands—always double‑check the latest file.

Category‑wise vacancy impact on cut off (how vacancies change cutoffs)

Smaller category‑wise vacancy counts usually push the Bihar APO cut-off higher because the selection ratio tightens. Conversely, when the Bihar APO vacancy 2026 rises, cut-offs can soften—unless the paper is very easy, in which case the effect may be muted.

• Interpreting vacancy vs cut off — examples
• If UR seats drop from 150 to 90 while applicant strength and difficulty remain similar, the UR cut-off often climbs.
• If SC seats rise while difficulty remains high, the SC cut-off may remain stable or drop slightly.
• Horizontal reservations (women/PwD) redistribute within categories; check the roster note in the PDF.
• Category‑wise vacancy (how many fewer/more posts push the cut-off)
• “More posts + tough paper” tends to lower cut-offs.
• “Fewer posts + easy paper” tends to raise cut-offs.

Illustrative comparison (hypothetical to explain direction, not actual APO data):

Scenario	Vacancies	Paper Level	Expected Cut‑off Direction
A	High	Tough	Down or stable
B	High	Easy	Slightly up
C	Low	Tough	Mixed (may stabilise)
D	Low	Easy	Up

For the Bihar APO category‑wise vacancy 2026, track the BPSC APO notification 2026 for the exact distribution. This will directly shape your target score.

Estimating expected Bihar APO cut off 2026 — method & sample calculation

Use this reproducible approach to estimate your category‑wise target for 2026.

Inputs you need (past cut-offs, vacancies, difficulty)

• Collect the last 2–3 cycles’ published cut-offs per category from official PDFs (Prelims, Mains, Final).
• Note Bihar APO Vacancy 2026 (expected vs official), and category‑wise split.
• Map paper difficulty (from coaching analyses, previous trends).
• Adjust for normalisation if a multi‑shift is announced.

Step‑by‑step calculation (worked example for UR/OBC/SC)

• Step 1: Take the median of the last two published Prelims cut-offs for your category. Suppose for UR it’s X.
• Step 2: Adjust for vacancies: If 2026 UR seats are down 20% from last cycle, add 5–7% to X. If up 20%, subtract 3–5%.
• Step 3: Adjust for difficulty: If expected easier paper (from pattern shifts), add 3–6%; if tougher, subtract 3–6%.
• Step 4: Add a safety buffer: +10–12 marks in Prelims; +15–20 in Mains (because the Bihar APO selection process 2026 leans heavily on Mains).
• Example (illustrative):

• UR: X = 58 => adjusted for fewer seats (+6%) = 61.5 => easier paper (+4%) = ~64. Add safety: target 74–76.
• OBC: Y = 56 => seats stable, difficulty tough (−4%) = 53.8. Add safety: target 64–66.
• SC: Z = 48 => seats up (+0%), difficulty moderate (=). Add safety: target 58–60.

This method respects Bihar APO cutoff trends and avoids blind guesswork. Re‑run it once the Bihar APO vacancy status 2026 becomes official.

Where to download official cut‑off PDFs and verify results (BPSC PDF verification workflow)

Direct links & navigation path to BPSC results page (step by step)

• Go to bpsc.bih.nic.in
• Scroll to “Important Notices” or “Results.”
• Look for titles containing “Assistant Prosecution Officer” or “APO.”
• Open “Result/Cut‑off/Final Result” PDFs relevant to your year (e.g., “Revised Result” dated 15.09.2022).
• For the BPSC APO notification 2026 and the official PDF of the Bihar APO vacancy, check the “Notifications” section; the file name typically includes the advertisement number.

How to validate a PDF (check date, header, file name, result number) and save/download tips

• Verify: PDF header (Bihar Public Service Commission), memo number, issue date, and signature footer.
• Check: Whether the PDF explicitly lists “Cut‑off marks” tables and category‑wise rows.
• Cross‑confirm: If there is a revised PDF, use the latest-dated file.
• Save as: “BPSCAPOCutoffYYYYPrelims/Mains/Final.pdf” for quick retrieval.
• Tip: Keep a spreadsheet of year‑wise Bihar APO cut-off entries with source links.

These are the BPSC APO notification 2026 PDF download steps you can rely on every time.

Historical trends & analysis: What influenced big jumps in cutoffs

• Year‑by‑year trend explanation (difficulty, vacancies, reservation changes)
• Spikes often followed easier Prelims or limited vacancies in specific categories.
• Dips came with tougher descriptive Mains papers and higher total posts.
• Revised PDFs (like 2022) sometimes adjusted Bihar APO cutoff trends by year, category‑wise, due to normalisation or roster corrections.
• Visual signals to watch (sharp rises/dips and their causes)
• Sudden vacancy jumps in UR/EWS may soften cut-offs; the opposite raises them.
• Introduction of policy changes (category relaxations, revised eligibility) can subtly move lines.
• Keep a “trend log” per year: difficulty rating (1–5), total posts, and final cut‑off movement.

Pro tip: Track Bihar APO's previous year posts closely; it’s a leading indicator for target‑setting.

How to check your expected qualification status — quick checklist

• Find the relevant previous cutoff for your category
• Pull the last 2–3 PDFs and note Prelims + Mains cut-offs (UR/UR‑F/EWS/OBC/SC/ST/PwD).
• Adjust for expected difficulty and vacancies
• Use the method above; pick conservative assumptions.
• Compute your realistic target score
• Prelims: last cut off + 10–12 marks; Mains: last cut off + 15–20 marks.
• Align your mock strategy
• Set mock targets to your computed “safe zone.”
• Decide next steps
• If you’re within 5–7 marks: intensify study; if you’re 15+ marks away: restructure plan or consider a backup along with APO.
• Calendar alerts
• Track the Bihar APO result date 2026 on bpsc.bih.nic.in and set reminders for key events.

Now, a few practical FAQs to settle common doubts.

News & updates (how to stay alert for Bihar APO 2026 cut-off releases)

• Subscribe options (BPSC RSS/email, official Twitter, site bookmarks)
• Bookmark bpsc.bih.nic.in and check “Notices/Results” weekly.
• Follow the BPSC official Twitter for instant alerts.
• If you use RSS/email aggregators, add the BPSC site feed.
• How to set Google Alerts and verify social posts against PDFs
• Set Alerts: “Bihar APO 2026 notification,” “Bihar APO result date 2026 official notification,” “BPSC Assistant Prosecution Officer 2026.”
• Always match any social/media claims with the corresponding BPSC PDF on the official site before acting.

When will the Bihar APO 2026 notification be released? Watch for pre‑exam calendar updates from BPSC; timelines vary year to year.

Conclusion & quick summary — key takeaways on Bihar APO cut off

Here’s the bottom line: The Bihar APO cut off isn’t random—it’s a product of vacancies, difficulty, and reservation math. If you track Bihar APO cutoff trends by year category‑wise and use official PDFs, you’ll know exactly how far you are from the line—and how to cross it.

• Three‑point summary for aspirants:
  1) Study past Bihar APO cut-off tables by category and stage.
  2) Verify every number via the BPSC PDF (prefer revised versions).
  3) Estimate your 2026 target with vacancy/difficulty adjustments and keep a 10–20‑mark safety buffer.

Downloadable resources: We recommend maintaining a personal CSV with year‑wise cut-off entries (Prelims/Mains/Final) sourced from BPSC PDFs. Want us to mail you the consolidated table when new PDFs drop? Subscribe to TopRankers updates and never miss a Bihar APO cut-off revision.

And guess what? This verification‑first approach not only keeps you accurate, but it also keeps you ahead.

Bonus: Quick references for 2026 aspirants

• Bihar APO Eligibility Criteria 2026 and Bihar APO nationality eligibility: Confirm from the official advertisement; note age, education, and category relaxations clearly.
• Bihar APO 2026 notification and Bihar APO official PDF download steps 2026: Use the “Notifications” section on bpsc.bih.nic.in and label files with date + ad number.
• BPSC Assistant Prosecution Officer 2026 preparation: Align mocks with expected cut-off bands; track your accuracy under time pressure.
• Bihar APO current status 2026 vacancy and posts: Check for corrigenda/revisions; revised files supersede earlier PDFs.