Preliminary Examination consisting of Objective Tests (Multiple Choice type Questions) for 100 marks will be conducted online (applicable for all disciplines except Hindi Officers). This test would be of 60 minutes duration consisting of 3 sections (with separate timings for each section) as follows:

Candidates have to qualify in each test/section by securing passing marks to be decided by the Company. Adequate number of candidates in each category as decided by the Company (approximately 15 times the numbers of vacancies subject to availability) will be shortlisted for the Main Examination.

Main Examination will consist of Objective Tests (Multiple Choice type Questions) for 250 marks and Descriptive Test for 30 Marks. Both the Objective and Descriptive Tests will be online. Candidates will have to answer Descriptive Test by typing on the computer. Immediately after completion of Objective Test, Descriptive Test will be administered.

(i) Objective Test: The Objective Test of 3 Hours duration consists of five & six sections for Generalists & Specialists respectively for total 250 Marks

For Generalists:

For Specialists:

(ii) Descriptive Test: The descriptive Test of 30 Minutes duration with 30 marks will be a Test of English Language (Essay – 10 Marks, Précis – 10 & Comprehension – 10 marks). The descriptive test will be in English and will be conducted through on-line mode.

Candidates will be required to obtain a minimum score for each section separately of objective test for short listing for the Descriptive Test evaluation i.e., the descriptive answer script would be evaluated only in respect of those candidates who qualify the objective test. Depending on the number of vacancies, cut offs will be decided for Descriptive Papers evaluation i.e. there will also be a separate cut-off marks for the Descriptive Test. The Descriptive test will be qualifying in nature and the marks scored in the Descriptive test will not be counted towards short listing for interview or final selection.

Each candidate will be required to obtain a minimum total score (to be decided by the Company according to number of vacancies) in the objective test (Main Examination) and qualify in the descriptive test for short listing for the Interview.

Penalty for Wrong Answers (Applicable to both – Preliminary and Main Examination (objective tests):

The objective test except on “English Language” will be bilingual (in English and in Hindi). All the questions will be objective type with alternative choices out of which one will be correct answer. The candidate has to select the correct answer and “mouse click” that alternative which he or she feels correct. There will be penalty for wrong answers marked in the Objective Tests. Each question for which a wrong answer has been given by the candidate, one-fourth of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted as penalty to arrive at corrected score. If a question is left blank, i.e. no answer is marked by the candidate; there will be no penalty for that question. The alternative/option that is clicked on will be highlighted and will be treated as answered to that question.