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HCS Exam Pattern

The Haryana Civil Services (HCS) Examination is conducted by the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) in three stages. The pattern is similar to the UPSC CSE but differs significantly in the number of Mains papers and total marks.

Here is the detailed exam pattern for the HCS Exam (Executive Branch) & other Allied Services for 2025.

Stage 1: Preliminary Examination (Prelims)

• Nature: Objective Type (Multiple Choice Questions).
• Purpose: Screening test only; marks are not counted for the final ranking.
• Negative Marking: 0.25 marks (1/4th) are deducted for every wrong answer.
• The “5th Option” Rule: HPSC exams typically have 5 options (A, B, C, D, E). If you do not wish to attempt a question, you must darken circle ‘E’. If you leave all circles blank, 0.25 marks will be deducted.

Paper	Subject	Questions	Marks	Duration	Remarks
Paper I	General Studies (GS)	100	100	2 Hours	Counted for Cut-off. Questions include History, Geography, Polity, Science, and Haryana-specific GK.
Paper II	CSAT (Aptitude)	100	100	2 Hours	Qualifying Nature. You need to score at least 33% (33 marks) to pass.

Stage 2: Main Examination (Mains)

• Nature: Descriptive (Subjective/Essay type).
• Total Papers: 4 Papers.
• Ranking: Marks from all 4 papers are counted for the final ranking.
• Mode: Pen and Paper.

Paper	Subject	Marks	Duration	Remarks
Paper I	English (including English Essay)	100	3 Hours	Precis, Comprehension, Essay, Vocabulary, General Grammar.
Paper II	Hindi (including Hindi Essay)	100	3 Hours	Translation, Prose/Poetry explanation, Composition, Essay. (Devanagari Script)
Paper III	General Studies	200	3 Hours	History, Geography, Polity, Culture, Economy (India & World).
Paper IV	Optional Subject	200	3 Hours	Candidate must choose one subject from the list of 29 options provided by HPSC.
Total Written Marks		600

Crucial Note on Mains Qualification:

• You must score at least 33% in the Hindi and English papers separately. * You must score at least 45% in aggregate across all four papers to be eligible for the Interview call.

Stage 3: Personality Test (Viva-Voce)

• Marks: 75 Marks.
• Purpose: Assesses personal qualities, alertness of mind, and suitability for the post.
• Eligibility: Only candidates who clear the Mains cutoff are called (usually 3 times the number of vacancies).

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Final Selection Criteria

The final merit list is prepared based on the grand total of marks obtained in the Mains and the Interview.

• Mains Written: 600 Marks
• Interview: 75 Marks
• Grand Total: 675 Marks