Rachit Kumar SaxenaManager-Editorial
Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (HPPSC) conducts the Himachal Pradesh Administrative Service (HPAS) exam every year to recruit the candidates for the most coveted administrative services of the state. The HPAS exam is conducted offline in the following three stages
- HPAS Preliminary Exam
- HPAS Main (written) Exam
- HPAS Interview/Viva-voce
All three stages are important and essential to pass to appear in the next phase. The candidate should prepare for the HPAS exam as per the defined HPPSC syllabus and the pattern as defined in the separate HPPSC HPAS notification.
HPAS 2020 Exam Pattern–Preliminary Exam
The HPAS preliminary exam is the first stage of the HPPSC HPAS exam. The HPAS prelims exam serves as the screening exam only and acts as a filter for the main exam. The HPAS exam comprises two objective type multiple answer papers conducted offline at various centres across the state. The marks secured in the HPAS prelims exam are not considered for the final HPAS result.
The HPAS Prelims exam pattern is as follows:
| Subject |
No. of Questions |
Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General Studies |
100 |
200 |
| Aptitude Test |
100 |
200 |
| Total |
400 |
|
The time duration for both the papers is two hours. The candidates need to score more than or equal to the HPAS cut-off marks as decided by the HPPSC after the exam.
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HPAS 2020 Exam Pattern – Main Exam
The HPAS main exam is the critical stage of the HPAS exam because the marks secured in the main exam are considered for the final result. The HPAS main exam is a descriptive exam conducted offline in a pen and paper mode. The structure of the HPAS Main exam is as follows
| Paper No. |
Subject |
Maximum Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
English |
100(Qualifying Only) |
| 2 |
Hindi |
100(Qualifying Only) |
| Paper Counted for Merit |
||
| 3 |
Essay |
100 |
| 4 |
General Studies - I |
200 |
| 5 |
General Studies - II |
200 |
| 6 |
General Studies - III |
200 |
| Optional Subject |
||
| 7 |
Optional Subject – Paper I |
100 |
| 8 |
Optional Subject – Paper II |
100 |
| Main Exam |
900 |
|
| Viva-voce |
150 |
|
| Total |
1050 |
|
All paper shall be of three hours only. The standard and the questions asked in the English and Hindi paper will be of 10+2 level. It is necessary to secure 40% marks in the English and Hindi compulsory papers. Credit will be given for good English/Hindi including orderly, effective and exact expression combined with the economy of words, in all subjects of the examination.
HPAS Exam Pattern – Viva-voce
The HPAS Viva-voce is the last stage of the HPAS exam. The viva-voce carries 150 marks. The candidates are expected to know the local folklores of the Himachal Pradesh. The local languages, the Himachal centric problems, the socio-economic fabric of the state, the tribes of the state and the likes. The final merit will be prepared from the marks secured in the main (written) and the viva-voce. The final merit will be prepared from the 1050 marks.
Candidates will be allotted various services/posts keeping in view their ranks in the examination and the preference expressed by them for the various services and posts.
Read More: HPAS 2020 Exam Dates
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