The premier administrative recruitment for SDM, DSP, and Excise & Taxation Officers in Haryana.
Mandatory educational background, age limits, pay scale, and service designations
The Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) conducts the Haryana Civil Services (HCS) Executive Branch and Allied Services Examination to recruit officers for key governance posts in Haryana. Closely following the UPSC Prelims model with GS and CSAT (qualifying 33%), HPSC Mains features four papers: English, Hindi, General Studies, and one Optional Subject, culminating in a 75-mark personality test.
Bachelor's Degree in Arts, Science, Commerce or an equivalent degree from a recognized University.
21 to 42 Years
SC / BC-A / BC-B of Haryana: 5 years (up to 47) | PwD of Haryana: 5-10 years | ESM: As per Haryana rules
General / UR: No attempt limit (Up to 42 years of age; 27 for DSP)
OBC: No attempt limit (Up to 47 years)
SC / ST: No attempt limit (Up to 47 years)
Pay Matrix Level 10 (₹56,100 – ₹1,77,500) for HCS Executive & Level 9/7 for Allied Services
Annual Vacancies: Approx. 100 – 175 vacancies annually
Stage-wise breakdown, paper timing, question distribution, and negative marking rules
Negative Marking Rule: 1/4th (0.25) marks deducted per incorrect answer in Prelims. 5th option darkening mandatory.
Mode: Offline OMR (5 options) for Prelims, Descriptive Sheets for Mains, In-Person Interview in Panchkula | Medium: Bilingual (Hindi / English) for GS and Optional; English & Hindi papers dedicated in their languages.
Two objective papers of 100 marks each. Paper 1 (GS) determines qualification for Mains; Paper 2 (CSAT) is qualifying with mandatory 33% minimum marks. HPSC implements 1/4th negative marking and mandatory 5th option filling.
| Paper / Component | Format | Questions | Marks | Duration | Negative Marking & Nature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
General Studies (Paper 1) General Science, Current Events of National & International Importance, History of India & Indian National Movement, Indian and World Geography, Indian Culture, Polity & Economy, General Mental Ability, Haryana Economy, Society, History, Culture & Language | Objective (MCQ) | 100 | 100 | 2 Hours | Decides Mains cutoff (12x vacancies) |
Civil Services Aptitude Test - CSAT (Paper 2) Comprehension, Interpersonal skills including communication, Logical reasoning and analytical ability, Decision making & problem solving, General Mental Ability, Basic numeracy (Class X level) & Data interpretation | Objective (MCQ) | 100 | 100 | 2 Hours | Qualifying in nature (Mandatory minimum 33% = 33 Marks) |
Four conventional descriptive papers (3 hours each) conducted in Panchkula/Chandigarh. Marks in all four papers count towards the 600-mark merit.
| Paper / Component | Format | Marks | Duration | Negative Marking & Nature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Paper 1: English (including English Essay) Precis Writing, Reading Comprehension, Essay (300 words), Grammar and Vocabulary Usage | Descriptive (Written) | 100 | 3 Hours | Merit |
Paper 2: Hindi (including Hindi Essay in Devanagari) Translation from English to Hindi, Letter/Praroop writing, Explanation of Hindi passage, Grammar & Composition, Essay | Descriptive (Written) | 100 | 3 Hours | Merit |
Paper 3: General Studies Part 1: History, Heritage, Culture of India & Haryana; Part 2: Indian Polity, Constitution & International Affairs; Part 3: Economy, Geography, Environment, Science & Tech with Haryana specific developments | Descriptive (Written) | 200 | 3 Hours | Merit |
Paper 4: One Optional Subject Choice of one optional subject from 29 approved disciplines (History, Public Administration, Political Science, Geography, Sociology, etc.) | Descriptive (Written) | 200 | 3 Hours | Merit |
Personality evaluation board held at HPSC headquarters in Panchkula assessing intellectual curiosity, balance of judgement, and awareness of Haryana rural and industrial administration.
| Paper / Component | Format | Marks | Duration | Negative Marking & Nature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Personality Interview Personal Bio-data / DAF, Haryana governance issues (Sex ratio improvement, Sports policy, Industrial clusters in Gurugram/Faridabad), Panchayat governance & Haryana Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP), Situational administrative challenges | Interview | 75 | 20 – 30 Minutes | Added to Mains marks for 675 Grand Total Merit |
Detailed curriculum modules categorized by standard foundations vs. high-yield scoring chapters
Phase-by-phase roadmap, daily study schedule, topper golden rules, and fatal pitfalls to avoid
HPSC HCS requires a disciplined UPSC-style preparation since its Prelims and Mains GS papers mirror the analytical rigor of UPSC CSE. However, the presence of one Optional Subject (200 marks) and high-scoring Hindi/English language papers (100 marks each) makes subject mastery and neat linguistic presentation crucial for clearing the 675-mark hurdle.
NCERTs, Laxmikanth, Spectrum, Optional Subject syllabus
GS Mains answer writing, English & Hindi essays, Optional completion
Prelims GS revision, CSAT math/reasoning, Haryana Current Affairs
Full mock exams across all 4 papers, interview polish
Topper-validated standard reference books and chapter-wise question banks
Author: Preeti Aggarwal / Arihant Experts | Pub: Arihant Publications
Comprehensive guide to Haryana geography, history, districts, folk songs, and industrial economy.
Author: M. Laxmikanth | Pub: McGraw Hill
Essential reference for constitutional questions in both Prelims Paper 1 and Mains GS Paper 3.
Author: Dr. Vasudev Nandan Prasad | Pub: Bharti Bhawan
Ideal for HPSC Hindi grammar, vocabulary, formal letter formats, and prose explanation.
Author: Kiran Editorial / Disha Experts | Pub: Disha Publication
Provides authentic past HPSC papers with detailed solutions and negative marking answer keys.
Official past category-wise cutoffs to benchmark your target mock scores
| Cycle / Tier / Service | General (UR) | OBC | EWS | SC | ST | Scope & Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Prelims GS-1 (Out of 100 Marks) | 58.35 Marks | 53.25 Marks (BC-A) | 58.35 Marks | 47.50 Marks | N/A | Cutoff out of 100 marks in Paper 1; CSAT is qualifying at 33%. |
| 2022 Prelims GS-1 (Out of 100 Marks) | 55.50 Marks | 50.15 Marks | 55.50 Marks | 44.75 Marks | N/A | Screening cutoff for Mains examination entry. |
| 2021 Final Merit (Out of 675 Marks) | 420.50 Marks (SDM) | 405.00 Marks | 412.00 Marks | 382.50 Marks | N/A | Final aggregate out of 675 (Mains 600 + Viva 75). |
From initial application to final cadre allocation and joining the training academy
Apply online at hpsc.gov.in with academic credentials and post preferences.
Appear for Paper 1 (GS) and Paper 2 (CSAT qualifying). Top 12 times vacancies qualify for Mains.
Write 4 descriptive papers (English, Hindi, GS, and Optional) totaling 600 marks.
Attend board interview in Panchkula (75 Marks).
Allocation to HCS Executive, DSP, ETO, or BDPO based on total 675 marks.
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