The Government of Odisha has prescribed a new comprehensive Scheme of Examination and Syllabus for Odisha Education Service (School Branch), Group-B. The examination will be conducted by the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) for direct recruitment to the post.
According to the notification provided in the source PDF, the selection process has two stages: a 600-mark Written Examination followed by a 75-mark Personality Test/Interview. The final merit list will be prepared using the combined marks of both stages.
OPSC OES (School Branch) Vacancy Syllabus 2026: Overview
| Organization | Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) |
| Job Name | Odisha Education Service (School Branch), Group-B |
| Total Post | Will be Notified |
| Salary | Level-10 Pay Matrix, Starting Basic Pay ₹44,900 + Applicable Allowances |
| Qualification | Graduation + M.Ed. OR Master's Degree + B.Ed. OR prescribed integrated B.A./B.Sc. (Hons.) B.Ed. qualification, along with basic computer knowledge, as applicable under the recruitment rules. |
| Who Should Apply | Candidates who meet the prescribed educational and other eligibility conditions for Odisha Education Service (School Branch) recruitment. |
| Category | Odisha Government Job / Education Department / Group-B |
| Official Website | OPSC Official Website |
OES School Branch Exam Pattern 2026
The written examination consists of two papers carrying 300 marks each. Paper-I is objective in nature, while Paper-II is a subjective Education paper.
Candidates should understand the paper structure before starting preparation because the two papers require different preparation strategies and answer-writing approaches.
| Stage/Paper | Type | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written Paper-I | Objective | 300 | 2 Hours 30 Minutes |
| Written Paper-II | Subjective | 300 | 2 Hours 30 Minutes |
| Personality Test/Interview | Interview | 75 | As decided by Commission |
| Total | - | 675 | - |
Paper-I: General Awareness, Odia and General English
Paper-I carries 300 marks and contains 150 objective-type questions. Each correct answer carries 2 marks. The Commission may conduct this paper through OMR-based evaluation or a Computer-Based Test (CBT), as decided by OPSC.
| Component | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General Awareness | 150 | 300 |
| Odia | ||
| General English |
Negative Marking in Paper-I
The examination includes negative marking. A candidate receives 2 marks for every correct answer, while 25% of the marks assigned to a question will be deducted for an incorrect response. An unattempted question receives zero marks.
- Correct answer: 2 marks
- Wrong answer: 0.50 mark deduction
- Unattempted: 0 mark
- Total questions: 150
- Total marks: 300
Paper-I General Awareness Syllabus
General Awareness is designed around areas expected from a candidate with a graduate-level background. The syllabus gives significant importance to India as well as Odisha.
Students should cover static subjects along with important national and international current affairs for better preparation.
1. History of Modern India and Indian Culture
- History of India since 1857
- Important personalities who shaped the freedom movements in Odisha and India
- Social reform movements
- Indian culture from ancient times to modern times
- Temple architecture of Odisha
- Socio-cultural developments in Odisha
2. Geography of India
- Physical geography of India
- Economic geography of India
- Social geography of India
- Physiography of Odisha
- Drainage system of Odisha
- Water, forest and mineral resources of Odisha
- Climate and natural calamities
- Flood, tsunami and super cyclone
- Global warming and related issues
3. Indian Polity
- Constitution of India
- Political system of India
- Government and politics in Odisha
- Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in Odisha
4. India and the World
- India's foreign affairs
- External security and related matters
- International organisations
- India's relationship with other countries
5. Indian Economy
- Planning and economic development
- Economic reforms
- Development of the corporate sector in India
- Economic and trade issues
- Role and functions of IMF
- Role and functions of World Bank
- Role and functions of WTO
- Role and functions of Reserve Bank of India
- Odisha economy and development during the post-reform period
6. Science and Technology
- Basic knowledge of science
- Inventions and discoveries
- Information Technology
- Recent scientific developments
- Artificial Intelligence and its evolving field
7. Current Affairs
The General Awareness syllabus also includes important current affairs and events of national and international importance. Candidates should therefore regularly follow important developments rather than depending only on static GK.
Odia and General English Syllabus
Odia and General English are the other two components of Paper-I. The notification specifies that their standard will be at the +2 level.
The Commission will decide the exact number of questions from different topics. The notification states that almost equal weightage will be given to General Awareness, Odia and General English while setting Paper-I.
Odia
The prescribed syllabus includes Odia language-related areas covering grammar and other language skills. Candidates should prepare the topics specified in the official syllabus carefully and practise questions at the prescribed level.
General English
- Verb
- Preposition
- Adverb
- Subject-Verb Agreement
- Error Correction/Recognition
- Tenses
- Articles and fill-in-the-blanks
- Vocabulary
- Synonyms
- Antonyms
- Comprehension
- Sentence Rearrangement
Paper-II Education Syllabus 2026
Paper-II is an important part of the OES School Branch examination and carries 300 marks. It is a subjective paper with a duration of 2 hours and 30 minutes.
The syllabus covers Philosophy of Education, Educational Psychology, and Educational Administration and Supervision. The question standard is specified as Post Graduate Degree level.
A. Philosophy of Education
- Contemporary Western educational thought
- Contemporary Indian educational thought
- Education and society
- Social control
- Social change
- Process of socialization
- Modernization
- Determinants of culture
- Culture and education
B. Educational Psychology
Educational Psychology covers several areas related to learning, individual differences, intelligence, personality and adjustment. Candidates should prepare both concepts and their educational applications.
Learning
- Nature and scope of learning
- Theories of learning
- Laws of learning
- Transfer and training
- Motivation
- Functional autonomy of motives
Individual Differences
- Differences due to heredity and environment
- Types and extent of individual differences
- Educational provisions for individual differences
Intelligence
- Nature of intelligence
- Measurement of intelligence
- Special abilities
- Measurement tests
- Administration of tests
Personality
- Definitions of personality
- Traits of personality
- Measurement of personality
Adjustment
- Mental health and adjustment
- Conflict
- Frustrations and complexes
- Defence mechanisms
- Behaviour problems in schools
- Teacher's mental health
Educational Administration and Supervision
This section focuses on the principles and practical aspects of educational administration, management, supervision and finance. It also includes planning, organisation and research in educational administration.
Because Paper-II is subjective and carries 300 marks, candidates should practise structured answers with clear introductions, relevant points and suitable conclusions.
Educational Administration
- Scope of educational administration
- Factors determining educational administration
- Principles of educational administration in a democracy
Educational Control and Management
- Educational authorities at Central, State and Local levels
- Organisation, powers and functions of educational authorities
- UGC
- NCERT
- All India Council for Technical Education
Supervision
- Concept, scope and principles of supervision
- Objectives
- Planning and organisation
- Techniques of supervision
Educational Finance
- Concept, scope and principles
- Sources of income
- Central, State, Local and Private sources
- Grant-in-aid
- Educational expenditure
Planning, Organisation and Research
- Five-Year Plans
- Equality of educational opportunity
- Educational provisions for handicapped children
- Research in educational administration
OES School Branch Selection Process
The selection process is based on the Written Examination followed by the Personality Test/Interview. Candidates who meet the qualifying requirements set by the Commission will be considered for shortlisting.
The notification states that suitable candidates will generally be shortlisted in a ratio of about 1:2, subject to a minimum of five candidates, with reference to the number of vacancies in different categories.
- Written Examination: 600 marks
- Personality Test/Interview: 75 marks
- Final Merit: Written Examination + Personality Test/Interview
The final Select List will be prepared based on the combined marks obtained in the Written Examination and Personality Test/Interview for the respective categories and available vacancies.
How to Prepare for OES School Branch Exam
The syllabus is broad, so candidates should avoid studying everything randomly. A topic-wise preparation plan can make the preparation more manageable.
Paper-I requires accuracy because of negative marking, while Paper-II requires strong conceptual understanding and answer-writing practice.
- Start with the official syllabus and divide it into small topics.
- Prepare Odisha-specific General Awareness separately.
- Revise Modern Indian History, Polity, Geography and Economy regularly.
- Follow important national and international current affairs.
- Give special attention to Artificial Intelligence and recent developments in Science and Technology.
- Practise English grammar, vocabulary, comprehension and sentence rearrangement.
- Build strong conceptual understanding of Educational Psychology.
- Prepare short and long answers for the subjective Education paper.
- Practise mock tests for Paper-I while maintaining accuracy.
- Keep a separate revision notebook for important facts and concepts.
Important Points About OES Exam Pattern
Several details in the prescribed scheme are especially important for candidates preparing for the examination. Keeping these points clear can help avoid mistakes during preparation.
The exact number of questions from individual syllabus topics may be decided by the Commission, so candidates should prepare the complete prescribed syllabus.
- Written Examination carries 600 marks.
- Paper-I contains 150 questions for 300 marks.
- Each correct Paper-I answer carries 2 marks.
- Paper-I has 25% negative marking for wrong responses.
- Both written papers have a duration of 2 hours 30 minutes.
- Paper-II is a 300-mark subjective Education paper.
- Personality Test/Interview carries 75 marks.
- The final merit is based on the written examination and interview together.
Important Links
Use the official OPSC portal for recruitment-related updates, advertisements, application facilities and examination information. The OPSC website provides separate sections for advertisements, notifications, examination syllabus and online application services.
The notification supplied for this article is the primary source for the OES School Branch examination scheme and syllabus.
| Link | Action |
|---|---|
| Download Latest OES Syllabus and Exam Patterns PDF | Click Here |
| Apply Online | Visit OPSC Portal |
| Official Website | OPSC Official Website |
Follow Us for Odisha Job Updates
Want to receive Odisha government job notifications, exam updates, syllabus news and important education updates? Follow OdishaGovtExam.Com on WhatsApp and Telegram so you can get new updates without regularly searching for them.
Follow our WhatsApp Channel: Get important Odisha job And education updates directly on WhatsApp.
Join our Telegram Channel: Stay updated with recruitment notifications, exam information, results and other useful updates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total mark of the OES School Branch examination?
The Written Examination carries 600 marks and the Personality Test/Interview carries 75 marks. Therefore, the total marks considered for the final merit are 675.
How many questions are there in OES Paper-I?
Paper-I contains 150 objective-type questions carrying a total of 300 marks.
Is there negative marking in Paper-I?
Yes. For every wrong response, 25% of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted. An unattempted question receives zero marks.
What is the duration of the OES written papers?
Both Paper-I and Paper-II have a duration of 2 hours and 30 minutes.
What subjects are included in Paper-I?
Paper-I consists of General Awareness, Odia and General English. The notification states that almost equal weightage will be given to these three components while setting the paper.
What is the standard of Paper-II?
Paper-II is an Education paper and the notification specifies that the questions will be of Post Graduate Degree standard.
How is the final merit list prepared?
The final merit list is prepared using the marks obtained in the Written Examination and Personality Test/Interview taken together, subject to the applicable category-wise vacancies and selection rules.
Conclusion
The new Odisha Education Service (School Branch) Group-B Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2026 gives candidates a clear structure for preparation. The 600-mark written examination is divided into an objective Paper-I and a subjective Education Paper-II, followed by a 75-mark Personality Test/Interview.
Candidates should cover the complete syllabus rather than focusing on only a few expected topics. For Paper-I, accuracy and regular revision are important because of negative marking. For Paper-II, candidates should focus on concepts and practise writing well-structured answers.
Note: This article is prepared primarily from the OES (School Branch) syllabus and examination-pattern notification supplied with the request. Candidates should always check the latest official OPSC notice for any subsequent change, examination schedule or application-related instruction. The official OPSC portal provides recruitment advertisements, notifications, syllabus and online application facilities.