The highest administrative examination for SDM and RPS officers in Rajasthan.
Mandatory educational background, age limits, pay scale, and service designations
The Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) conducts the Combined Competitive Examination for the Rajasthan Administrative Service (RAS) and Rajasthan Police Service (RPS). Featuring a single comprehensive Preliminary paper with 150 questions and four intensive descriptive Mains papers — notably Paper 4 comprising General Hindi (120 marks) and General English (80 marks) — RPSC RAS tests deep Rajasthan regional geography, art, architecture, princely history, and administrative efficiency.
Degree of a recognized University in any discipline (Final year candidates can apply for Prelims; must produce degree proof before Mains).
21 to 40 Years
Male SC/ST/OBC/MBC/EWS of Rajasthan: 5 years (up to 45) | Female General: 5 years (up to 45) | Female SC/ST/OBC/MBC/EWS: 10 years (up to 50)
General / UR: No attempt limit (Up to 40 years of age)
OBC: No attempt limit (Up to 45 years)
SC / ST: No attempt limit (Up to 45 years)
Pay Matrix Level 14 (Grade Pay 5400, ₹56,100 basic) for State Services & Level 10/11 for Subordinate Services
Annual Vacancies: Approx. 700 – 1,000 vacancies per cycle
Stage-wise breakdown, paper timing, question distribution, and negative marking rules
Negative Marking Rule: 1/3rd (0.33) marks deducted for incorrect answers in Prelims.
Mode: Offline OMR for Prelims (with 5th option rule), Offline Descriptive for Mains, In-Person Board Interview in Ajmer | Medium: Bilingual (Hindi / English) for Papers 1 to 3; Paper 4 has fixed Hindi and English sections.
Single objective paper comprising 150 questions testing General Knowledge and General Science with special weightage to Rajasthan history, art, and geography. RPSC now enforces the 5th option rule (candidates must darken the 5th bubble if leaving an answer unattempted; failure to darken in >10% questions leads to disqualification).
| Paper / Component | Format | Questions | Marks | Duration | Negative Marking & Nature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
General Knowledge & General Science History, Art, Culture, Literature, Tradition & Heritage of Rajasthan, Indian History & Culture, Geography of Rajasthan, India & World, Indian Constitution & Political System, Administrative & Political System of Rajasthan, Economic Concepts & Rajasthan Economy, Science & Technology, Reasoning & Mental Ability, Current Affairs (Rajasthan, National & International) | Objective (MCQ) | 150 | 200 | 3 Hours (180 Minutes) | Decides Mains qualification list (15x vacancies) |
Four compulsory descriptive papers of 200 marks each (3 hours per paper) conducted over 2 consecutive days. No optional subject is required.
| Paper / Component | Format | Marks | Duration | Negative Marking & Nature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
General Studies I Unit 1: History (Rajasthan, Indian & World), Unit 2: Economics (Indian, Global & Rajasthan Economy), Unit 3: Sociology, Management, Accounting & Auditing | Descriptive (Written) | 200 | 3 Hours | Merit |
General Studies II Unit 1: Administrative Ethics, Unit 2: General Science & Technology, Unit 3: Geography (World, India & Rajasthan) | Descriptive (Written) | 200 | 3 Hours | Merit |
General Studies III Unit 1: Indian Political System, World Politics & Current Affairs, Unit 2: Public Administration & Management Concepts, Unit 3: Sports and Yoga, Behaviour, Law | Descriptive (Written) | 200 | 3 Hours | Merit |
General Hindi & General English Part A: Samanya Hindi (Grammar, Comprehension, Translation, Letter Writing, Essay - 120 Marks), Part B: General English (Grammar, Comprehension, Precis, Elaboration, Letter/Report - 80 Marks) | Descriptive (Written) | 200 | 3 Hours | Merit (Decisive Paper: Hindi 120 Marks, English 80 Marks) |
Personality test held at RPSC headquarters in Ajmer assessing character, leadership, administrative adaptability, and knowledge of Rajasthani dialects and social customs.
| Paper / Component | Format | Marks | Duration | Negative Marking & Nature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Viva-Voce Board Personal record & education, Knowledge of Rajasthani culture & dialects (Marwari, Mewari, Dhundhari), Water conservation (Johad, Bawdi, Indira Gandhi Canal), State welfare policies (Chiranjeevi, Annapurna, Old Age Pension) | Interview | 100 | 20 – 30 Minutes | Combined with Mains for 900 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
In RPSC RAS, Paper 4 (General Hindi 120 + English 80) is universally acknowledged as the single biggest factor separating top ranks from unselected candidates. A candidate scoring 130-140+ in Paper 4 almost invariably secures an administrative (SDM/RPS) service. Combine rigorous grammar drills with in-depth Rajasthan history and state economic survey figures.
Panoroma / Lakshya Rajasthan GK, Raghav Prakash Hindi, BK Rastogi English
Management, Sociology, Accounting, Law, Behaviour, Public Admin
Full syllabus revision, Math/Reasoning (20 Qs), Rajasthan Current Affairs
Complete 4-paper simulations, time-management drills
Topper-validated standard reference books and chapter-wise question banks
Author: H.D. Singh & K.S. Chitra | Pub: Raj Panoroma Publications / Mahaveer
The ultimate authority on Rajasthan state history, princely treaties, folk deities, fairs, and physical geography.
Author: Dr. Raghav Prakash | Pub: Pink City Publishers Jaipur
The gold standard book for RPSC RAS Paper 4 Hindi grammar, official draft letters, and vocabulary.
Author: B.K. Rastogi | Pub: Rastogi Publications
Targeted specifically to the 80-mark English composition, precis, and grammar requirements.
Author: Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Govt of Rajasthan | Pub: Government of Rajasthan Official
Directly referenced by RPSC paper-setters for economic data, agriculture growth, and welfare schemes.
Official past category-wise cutoffs to benchmark your target mock scores
| Cycle / Tier / Service | General (UR) | OBC | EWS | SC | ST | Scope & Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Prelims (Out of 200 Marks) | 100.69 Marks | 100.69 Marks | 100.69 Marks | 91.49 Marks | 94.25 Marks | Prelims screening cutoff; General, OBC, MBC, and EWS cutoffs equalized. |
| 2021 Final Merit (Out of 900 Marks) | 398 Marks (SDM) | 390 Marks | 392 Marks | 360 Marks | 362 Marks | Final aggregate score (Mains 800 + Interview 100) for Rajasthan Administrative Service. |
| 2018 Final Merit (Out of 900 Marks) | 385 Marks (RAS) | 382 Marks | 380 Marks | 352 Marks | 356 Marks | Combined merit for administrative executive postings. |
From initial application to final cadre allocation and joining the training academy
Apply through Rajasthan Single Sign-On (SSO) portal and RPSC recruitment portal.
Appear for single 150-question 200-mark paper with 5-option OMR rules (top 15x qualify for Mains).
Write 4 descriptive papers (200 marks each = 800 total) across two days.
Attend board interview in Ajmer (100 Marks).
Merit ranking out of 900 determines allocation to RAS, RPS, Accounts, or Subordinate services followed by training at HCM RIPA Jaipur.
Authoritative SEO & GEO clarifications: Domicile rules, regional languages, exam centers, pay scale & cutoffs
Explore in-depth patterns, booklists, and preparation strategies for companion examinations:
Verified active circulars & notices from our real-time gazette database:
Free client-side tools to help you complete job forms and eligibility verification accurately:
