Why Solve Previous Year Papers?
Understand the exam pattern & difficulty level
PYQs mirror the actual exam — the distribution of topics, types of questions, and level of difficulty. This helps you anticipate what to expect.Identify important topics & repeated questions
Some topics tend to appear often across years. By solving past papers, you’ll notice trends, which can guide your revision priorities.Improve speed and accuracy
The more you practice under timed conditions, the better you manage time on exam day. You’ll also reduce silly mistakes.Self-assessment and gap analysis
After attempting a paper, check your answers using the answer key. This helps you spot weak areas (e.g. reasoning, arithmetic, general knowledge) and allocate extra study time accordingly.Boost confidence and reduce exam anxiety
Familiarity with the exam style makes you more comfortable and less nervous when you face the real test.
WB Police SI Exam Structure — A Quick Recap
Before diving into PYQs, let’s glance at the exam structure (as per recent years):
| Stage | Subjects / Papers | No. of Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preliminary (Screening) | General Studies, Arithmetic, Logical / Analytical Reasoning | 100 | 200 | 90 minutes |
| Final Combined Competitive Examination | Paper I (General Studies + Arithmetic), Paper II (English), Paper III (Regional Language) | — | 200 | ~4 hours total |
Note: Negative marking is usually 0.25 marks for wrong answers in the preliminary exam.
Also included are physical tests (PMT, PET) and, finally, a personality test. The written exams are the core where past papers matter most.
Where to Download WB Police SI PYQs + Answer Keys (PDF)
Here are some reliable sources to download WB Police SI previous year papers and answer keys in PDF format:
JagranJosh provides a compilation of SI previous year question papers (Prelims & Mains) with answer keys for download.
Testbook’s “Previous Year Papers” section offers free PDF downloads for multiple years.
Adda247 lists WB Police SI past year papers (PDF) for aspirants to practice.
Prepp.in includes older SI papers (2013, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021) with links to PDFs.
CareerPower also provides downloadable PDFs of both Prelims and Mains papers.
Also, the official West Bengal Police site periodically releases answer keys (e.g. Revised Answer Key SI) after exams.
Tip: Always download both the question paper PDF and the answer key PDF to cross-check your performance.
How to Effectively Use These PYQs
Simulate exam conditions
Sit in a quiet room, set a timer for 90 minutes (or as per the exam), and attempt the full paper. Don’t peek at solutions mid-way.Mark and review
After finishing, use the answer key to calculate your score. Mark wrong answers and categorize mistakes (computation error, concept confusion, silly mistake).Re-solve weak areas
For questions you got wrong, revisit theory or practice more questions in that topic until you’re confident.Track progress over time
Maintain a sheet/log: which year, your score, errors, time spent. Compare before vs after — you should see gradual improvement.Alternate with mock tests
Mix PYQs with high-quality mock tests to expose yourself to newer question styles, while retaining the classic forms from past years.
Sample Download List (with Recent Years)
Here’s a quick list of a few recent papers (Prelims / Mains) you can download and practice:
WB SI Prelims — 5 Dec 2021 (PDF)
WB SI Prelims — 2019 (15 Dec)
WB SI Prelims — 2018 (26 Aug)
WB SI Mains — e.g. 2020, 2018, 2015, 2013
When you download, pay attention to whether the answer key is provisional or final (the board sometimes allows objections before finalizing).
Final Thoughts & Tips
Don’t just collect many PDFs — solve them actively.
After solving, spend equal time analyzing mistakes as solving itself.
Combine PYQs with topic-wise drills.
Gradually reduce dependence on answer keys: try to answer first, then verify.
Time yourself to build speed—one common challenge is getting stuck on tricky questions.
