RPSC RAS 2026 • EXAM PATTERN
RPSC RAS Exam Pattern 2026: Prelims, Mains Marks & Question Scheme
A stage-by-stage guide to the official paper format, duration, marks, question types and written-paper distribution.
The Rajasthan State and Subordinate Services Combined Competitive Examination is conducted in stages. The RPSC scheme dated 9 January 2026 describes one objective Preliminary paper followed, for shortlisted candidates, by four compulsory descriptive and analytical Mains papers. This article focuses only on the exam pattern—paper format, marks, duration and question distribution—not the subject syllabus.
1 paper • 200 marks
150 MCQs • 3 hours
4 papers • 800 marks
3 hours per paper
Hindi 90 + English 70
Essay 40 = 200
RAS selection stages at a glance
- Preliminary Examination: objective screening test. Marks are not added to the final merit score.
- Main Examination: four compulsory descriptive/analytical written papers, total 800 marks.
- Further selection: candidates who qualify proceed to subsequent stage(s) specified in the recruitment rules and the relevant RPSC advertisement. Always use the current advertisement for the complete selection procedure.
The 2026 RPSC Mains scheme states that candidates admitted to Mains will ordinarily be up to 15 times the approximate vacancies, with candidates tied at the relevant cutoff also admitted as specified by the Commission.
Prelims exam pattern
| Feature | Official pattern |
|---|---|
| Number of papers | One compulsory paper: General Knowledge and General Science |
| Question format | Objective-type multiple-choice questions |
| Questions and marks | 150 questions; maximum 200 marks; questions carry equal marks |
| Duration | 3 hours |
| Negative marking | One-third of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for each incorrect answer, as stated in the official scheme. |
| Role in selection | Screening only; marks of candidates declared qualified for Mains are not counted in final merit. |
Because the 150 questions carry equal marks, the paper totals 200 marks. The official document describes Prelims as a screening test and sets its standard at Bachelor’s Degree level. Check the latest advertisement for qualifying criteria and other exam-day instructions.
Mains exam pattern
Mains has four compulsory written papers. Each paper carries 200 marks and lasts 3 hours, giving a written total of 800 marks. RPSC describes the papers as descriptive/analytical and says they may include brief, medium, long-answer and descriptive questions. General Hindi and General English are at Senior Secondary level.
| Paper | Paper name / components | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | General Studies I | 200 | 3 hours |
| II | General Studies II | 200 | 3 hours |
| III | General Studies III | 200 | 3 hours |
| IV | General Hindi and General English, plus Essay component | 200 | 3 hours |
Indicative question and answer-length distribution: Papers I–III
The separate RPSC scheme sheet provides a unit-wise indicative distribution. In these papers, 5-mark questions carry an indicative 50-word limit and 10-mark questions an indicative 150-word limit.
| Paper | Unit I | Unit II | Unit III | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | 8 × 5 marks + 3 × 10 marks = 70 | 6 × 5 + 3 × 10 = 60 | 14 × 5 = 70 | 200 |
| II | 7 × 5 + 3 × 10 = 65 | 14 × 5 = 70 | 7 × 5 + 3 × 10 = 65 | 200 |
| III | 11 × 5 + 3 × 10 = 85 | 6 × 5 + 3 × 10 = 60 | 11 × 5 = 55 | 200 |
RPSC explicitly says the unit-wise distribution of marks and questions may vary. Treat this table as the published guidance for question practice, not a guarantee that every paper will follow an identical split.
Paper IV mark distribution
90 marks
Three parts of 30 marks each
70 marks
Grammar 20 + comprehension/translation/precis 30 + composition/letter 20
40 marks
One essay of about 600 words, written in Hindi or English
The Mains scheme sheet lists Paper IV as Unit I 90 marks, Unit II 70 marks and Unit III 40 marks. The syllabus identifies these units as General Hindi, General English and Essay respectively.
How to read the pattern for preparation
- Prelims: plan the full 3-hour sitting around 150 MCQs, and practise careful answer selection because wrong answers attract negative marking.
- Mains Papers I–III: practise concise 5-mark responses and structured 10-mark responses to the indicative word limits, while completing the whole paper within 3 hours.
- Paper IV: reserve practice time for Hindi, English and the essay; together they make up a full 200-mark paper, not a qualifying language-only paper.
- Check the current notice: exam dates, eligibility, cutoffs, qualifying conditions, later-stage rules and any amendments are specified by RPSC notifications and recruitment rules.
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Disclaimer: This is an exam-pattern explainer. RPSC’s current advertisement, official scheme, corrigenda and applicable service rules prevail if any detail changes.
