Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) Exam Pattern

HPSC Exam Pattern 2024: The Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) releases the pattern for HPSC HCS exam along with the notification on its official website. Candidates preparing for the examination must know the exam pattern as it helps candidates know the marking scheme, weightage, and overall exam structure.

As per the revised HPSC exam pattern for Haryana Civil Services (Executive Branch) examination, the selection process is divided into three stages: Preliminary, Mains, and Interview. The preliminary round consists of two papers: Paper I (General Studies) & Paper II (CSAT). The CSAT paper, similar to the UPSC IAS Exam, is qualifying in nature. Hence, the HPSC HCS preliminary result will be based on marks obtained by candidates in Paper I (General Studies). There is also a negative marking of 0.25 marks in the preliminary examination. Also, Read HPSC HCS Syllabus 2024 The HPSC HCS mains examination will be conducted in a descriptive format. A total of five papers will be conducted out of which two are optional subjects. Students can choose two optional subjects out of a list of 23 subjects. Students who clear the main examination will be called for the interview round. The interview round, also known as the Personality Test, carries 75 marks.

Table of Contents

HPSC Exam Pattern 2024: Highlights HPSC Exam Pattern 2024: Prelims HPSC Exam Pattern 2024: Mains HPSC Exam Pattern 2024: Interview Round HPSC Exam Pattern 2024: Optional Subjects HPSC Exam Pattern 2024: Important Instructions Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

HPSC Exam Pattern 2024: Highlights

Interested candidates can check the highlights of the HPSC exam pattern in the table below:

Particulars	Details
Name of the Exam	Haryana Civil Services Examination (Executive Branch)
Conducting Body	Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC)
Exam Frequency	Once a year
Exam Mode	Pen & Paper Mode (Offline)
Stages	Three Stages: Preliminary, Mains & Interview
Exam Type	Preliminary: Objective
Negative Marking	Mains: Descriptive

HPSC Exam Pattern 2024: Prelims

The Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) conducts the preliminary examination for HCS (Executive Branch) & Other Allied Services. The preliminary examination is a qualifying exam that screens candidates for the main examination. Below is the HCS exam pattern for preliminary examinations:

Papers	Total Marks	Duration
Paper I (General Studies)	100	2 hours
Paper II (CSAT)	100	2 hours

Interested candidates can check the key points of the exam pattern below:

• The preliminary exam consists of two papers: Paper I (General Studies) & Paper II (CSAT)
• Questions will be MCQ type.
• There is a negative marking of 0.25 marks for each incorrect answer.
• The medium of language will be both Hindi & English.
• The CSAT paper is qualifying. In other words, students must bring at least 33% marks to pass the examination.
• The merit list released after the preliminary examination will be based on marks scored by candidates in Paper I (General Studies).

HPSC Exam Pattern 2024: Mains

• The Mains examination is the second stage of the HPSC HCS exam.
• Candidates who clear the preliminary exam cutoff are eligible to appear for the mains round.
• The Mains examination is descriptive in nature.
• There are a total of 5 papers in the mains examination out of which two papers are of optional subjects.
• The duration of each paper is 3 hours
• The optional subjects carry 150 marks each, while other subjects carry 100 marks each.

Papers	Total Marks	Duration
Paper I (English)	100	3 hours
Paper II (Hindi)	100	3 hours
Paper III (General Studies)	100	3 hours
Paper IV (Optional Subject)	150	3 hours
Paper V (Optional Subject)	150	3 hours
Total	600	–

HPSC Exam Pattern 2024: Interview Round

The interview round/personality test is the last stage of the HPSC HCS selection process. The interview round carries 75 marks. Students must note that the HPSC HCS result (final merit list) will be released based on marks obtained by them in the mains and the interview round. In other words, marks scored by them out of 675 will serve as the basis of their selection.

HPSC Exam Pattern 2024: Optional Subjects

The HPSC HCS mains exam consists of two papers from optional subjects. Below is the list of 23 optional subjects:

Agriculture	Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Service	Botany
Chemistry	Civil Engineering	Commerce and Accountancy
Economics	Electrical Engineering	English Literature
Geography	Hindi Literature	Indian History
Law	Mathematics	Mechanical Engineering
Physics	Political Science and International Relations	Psychology
Public Administration	Punjabi Literature	Sociology
Sanskrit Literature	Zoology

However, there are certain combinations of subjects which are not allowed by the commission. These combinations are as follows:

• Political Science & International Relations (PSIR) & Public Administration
• Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Service & Agriculture
• Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Electrical Engineering
• Hindi literature, English literature, Sanskrit literature and Punjabi literature

HPSC Exam Pattern 2024: Important Instructions

Candidates must know the following instructions while attempting the paper:

• Each question shall have five options (A, B, C, D and E). lf a candidate is attempting a question, he shall have to darken the appropriate circle A, B, C or D and if not attempting a question then, he shall have to darken the corresponding circle E below #. If none of the circles is darkened, one-fourth (0.25) mark shall be deducted.
• Any candidate not darkening any of the five circles in more than 10% questions in each paper, shall be disqualified.

Any omission or discrepancy in filling the Roll Number, Question Booklet Series and Question Booklet Number will render the OMR Answer Sheet liable for rejection.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the HPSC HCS exam pattern? HPSC HCS exam patterns outline the exam structure, number of papers, total marks, and duration of the examination.

How many stages are there in the HPSC HCS exam? There are a total of three stages in the HPSC HCS exam selection process.

What are the different stages of the HPSC HCS exam? The three stages of the HPSC HCS exam selection process are: Preliminary, Mains & Interview What is the marking scheme for the HPSC HCS exam? The marking scheme for the HPSC HCS exam is as follows: Prelims: 200 Marks Mains: 600 Marks Interview: 75 Marks

Is there a negative marking in the HPSC HCS exam? Yes, there is a negative marking in the HPSC HCS prelims exam. For each incorrect answer, 0.25 marks are deducted.

What are the subjects included in the HPSC HCS Preliminary exam? The HPSC HCS preliminary exam consists of two papers: Paper I (General Studies) & Paper II (CSAT).

What is the duration of the HPSC HCS Preliminary exam? The duration of each paper of the HPSC HCS Preliminary exam is 2 hours.

What are the subjects included in the HPSC HCS Mains exam? The HPSC HCS mains examination includes the following subjects: Paper I (English), Paper II (Hindi), Paper III (General Studies), and Paper IV & Paper V (Any 2 Optional Subjects). The list of 23 optional subjects is given in the article above.

What is the duration of the HPSC HCS Mains exam? The duration of each paper of the HPSC HCS Mains exam is 3 hours.

What is the interview pattern for the HPSC HCS exam? The interview round carries 75 marks in the HPSC HCS exam. The marks obtained by candidates in the interview round are taken into consideration for the final merit list.