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HPAS RECRUITMENT - Notification, eligibility, Important Dates, Admit Card and more 2021
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Himachal Pradesh Administrative Service Combined Competitive Examination is conducted by the HPPSC to offer various positions in the state administrative services to competent candidates. The HPAS Combined Competitive Examination is a preliminary stage exam open to all graduates wanting to serve in the state administrative services. The various posts filled in HPAS through this examination are-
- Himachal Pradesh Administrative Service
- Himachal Pradesh Police Service
- District Controller
- Block Development Officer
- Assistant Registrar
- Tehsildar
The preliminary examination is a common entrance test, and those candidates who get through the screening test will have to appear for the HPAS Mains examination in their respective specialisation.
Find details of the HPAS Combined Competitive (Prelims) Examination in this article.
HPAS Combined Competitive Examination 2020 Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Release of HPAS Exam notification | 19 May 2021 |
| Start date of application | 19 May 2021 |
| Last date to apply for HPAS 2020 | 15 Jun 2021 |
| Last day to pay the application fee | 22 Jun 2021 |
| HPAS Prelims exam date | 12 Sept 2021 |
| HPAS Prelims result | to be announced |
| HPAS Mains exam date | to be announced |
| HPAS Mains results | to be announced |
| Interview | to be announced |
Eligibility Criteria for HPAS Combined Competitive Examination 2020
Nationality
The candidate must be a citizen of India and a domicile or a permanent resident of Himachal Pradesh.
Educational Qualification
The minimum educational qualification required for the HPAS exam is Bachelor's degree or its equivalent from a recognised university.
Final year degree students are also welcome to apply for the HPAS exam. Their eligibility is provisional till they clear the qualifying examination.
Age (as on 01.01.2021)
Lower age limit: 21 years
Upper age limit: 35 years
The state offers upper age limit relaxations to reserved categories and residents of Himachal Pradesh. The Government of Himachal Pradesh releases this provision from time to time.
Upper age relaxation
| Category | Age Relaxation |
|---|---|
| SC and ST of Himachal Pradesh | 5 years |
| OBC of Himachal Pradesh | 5 years |
| Persons with disabilities and Children/Grand Children of Freedom Fighters of Himachal Pradesh | 5 years |
HPAS Combined Competitive Examination 2020 Application fee
| Category | Application Fee |
|---|---|
| General | ₹ 400 |
| SC/ST/OBC of Himachal Pradesh | ₹ 100 |
| Ex-Serviceman | Exempted |
How to apply for HPAS Combined Competitive Examination 2020
- Visit the HPPSC official website here.
- Click on the "Apply Online" line on the Home Page.
- Register by creating your profile for "One-Time Registration(OTR)."
- Log into your OTR account, and you will find a list of advertisements for various posts offered.
- Click on the "HPAS Prelims 2020" link.
- Fill in your details and upload the requisite documents as mentioned in the advertisement.
- Select your optional subject for the mains examination.
- Review your details and documents.
- Pay the application fee online by Debit Card/Credit Card/Internet Banking through “ePayment Gateway.”
- Submit the application form by signing the declaration.
- Print your application for future reference.
HPAS Combined Competitive Examination 2020 Admit Card
The HPPSC will release e-Admit cards of eligible candidates who have applied for the HPAS exam on the official website. Remember, the Admit cards will not be sent to you by post. You must download your admit card from the official website of the commission. So note down your login credentials while filling the application form and save them. Use these credentials to log into your OTR account and download your e-Admit card.
Vacancy and Reserve List
| Post | Vacancy | Category wise distribution |
|---|---|---|
| H.P. ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES | 8 | UR=4, UR(hearing impaied)=1, UR(ex-servicemen)=1, SC=1, OBC=1 |
| DISTRICT CONTROLLER | 1 | UR=1 |
| HIMACHAL PRADESH POLICE SERVICES | 4 | UR=2, UR(ex-servicemen)=1, ST=1 |
| TEHSILDAR | 1 | UR(ex-servicemen)=1 (BACKLOG) |
| ASSISTANT REGISTRAR | 2 | UR=2 |
Selection Process
The appointment into Himachal Pradesh Administrative Services through the Combined Examination consists of three steps
- Preliminary examination
- Mains examination
- Interview
Preliminary Examination
The HPPSC HPAS Combined competitive examination is the preliminary test for all graduates desiring a position in the state administrative service wing. The preliminary exam consists of two papers - General Studies and Aptitude Test for 400 marks. The minimum qualifying mark in the preliminary exam is 33%.
Mains Examination
Candidates who qualify the preliminary examination must apply for the HPAS Mains examination for their respective posts. The mains exam has eight descriptive papers for a total of 1100 marks. Out of these eight papers, six papers are compulsory, and two papers of the selected optional subject are chosen by the candidate. The minimum qualifying marks in compulsory papers is 40% each.
Interview
Candidates who pass the HPAS Mains examination are called for an interview by the Commission. The interview carries 150 marks.
HPAS Combined Competitive Examination Pattern
Prelims
| Paper | Subject | Number of questions | Max. Marks | Duration | Type of questions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper-I | General Studies | 100 | 200 | 2 hours | Objective |
| Paper-II | Aptitude Test | 100 | 200 | 2 hours | Objective |
Marking Scheme: Each question carries two marks. Correct response fetches you +2 marks, and a wrong answer will bring you -0.66 marks.
| Paper | Subject | Max. Marks | Type of questions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper-I | English | 100 | Descriptive |
| Paper-II | Hindi | 100 | Descriptive |
| Paper-III | Essay writing | 100 | Descriptive |
| Paper-IV | General Studies-I | 200 | Descriptive |
| Paper-V | General Studies-II | 200 | Descriptive |
| Paper-VI | General Studies-III | 200 | Descriptive |
| Paper-VII | Optional paper-I | 100 | Descriptive |
| Paper-VIII | Optional paper-II | 100 | Descriptive |
Optional Subjects-
| Indian History | Law |
|---|---|
| Statistics | Management |
| Chemistry | Mechanical Engineering |
| Philosophy | Hindi |
| Public Administration | English Literature |
| Agriculture | Physics |
| Civil Engineering | Forestry |
| Urdu | Mathematics |
| Geology | Commerce and Accountancy |
| Anthropology | Zoology |
| Medical Sciences | Sociology |
| Political Science and International Relations | Geography |
| Economics | Electrical Engineering |
| Botany | Sanskrit |
| Psychology | Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science |
| Horticulture |
HPAS Combined Competitive Examination 2020 Syllabus
Prelims
| Subject | Topics included |
|---|---|
| General Studies | History, geography, political, art & culture and socio economic development of Himachal Pradesh |
| Aptitude Test | Comprehension |
click here to view the detailed syllabus for HPAS Mains
HPAS Combined Competitive Examination 2020 Result
HPAS Prelims results will be released shortly after the examination is conducted throughout the state. The HPPSC will release a list of candidates who have qualified for the HPAS Mains examination on the official website.
The candidates whose roll numbers appear on the list must apply to appear for the mains examination. The application format will be available for download on the official website here. Candidates should fill in the application form, pay the fee through a Demand Draft and mail it to the following address -
- The Secretary, H.P. Public Service Commission, Nigam Vihar, Shimla – 171002
HPAS Combined Competitive Examination 2020 Cut-off
The Aptitude Test of the preliminary examination is of qualifying nature. The minimum qualifying mark in this paper is 33%.
Marks obtained by the candidate in Paper-I (General Studies) will be considered for the HPAS Mains Examination.
The cut-off patterns of previous years examinations are as follows-
| Category | Prelims cut-off (out of 200) |
|---|---|
| General | 105 |
| SC | 95 |
| ST | 90 |
| ex-servicemen | 85 |
This year's cut-off is expected to be in the same range.
Job Profile
HPAS Officer
Duties and responsibilities include
- Assisting the HPPSC in discharging their duties.
- Work on any assigned duties
- Being responsible for getting finalized all the service matters received from the Government being Branch Office of Services Section.
HPPS Officer
Duties and responsibilities include
- Preserving public order
- Maintaining law and order in the state
- Manage crowds.
District Controller
Duties and responsibilities include
- managing accounting records
- producing financial reports
- maintaining an inventory.
Block Development Officer
Duties and responsibilities include
- Implementation of development programmes.
- Monitoring and supervising development activities.
- General administration and evaluation.
Assistant Registrar
Duties and responsibilities include
- Taking care of non-academic administrative functions within the office
- Supervising administration and registrative operations.
Tehsildar
Duties and responsibilities include
- Revenue duties.
- Maintainence of revenue records and accounts.
Salary
| Post | Salary |
|---|---|
| Himachal Pradesh Administrative Services | ₹ 15600 - 39100 + (GP 5400) |
| District Controller | ₹ 15600 - 39100 + (GP 5400) |
| Himachal Pradesh Police Services | ₹ 15600 - 39100 + (GP 5400) |
| Tehsildar | ₹ 10300 - 34800 + (GP 5000) |
| Assistant Registrar | ₹ 10300 - 34800 + (GP 5000) |
HPAS Combined Competitive Exam Analysis
According to the latest examination structure, Paper 1 and 2 of the HPAS Combined Civil Services Examination are of qualifying nature. Marks obtained in these two papers will not be counted for merit. Candidates must score a minimum of 40% in each of these papers for selection.
Marks obtained in the remaining six papers will be considered for merit. An aggregate score of 45% is compulsory for selection.
Preparation Tips for HPAS Combined Competitive Exam (Prelims)
- Go through the syllabus in detail and tackle the topics one by one.
- Make notes as you study the topics.
- Collecting resources - books recommended for HPAS Preliminary Examination section-wise is given in this article. Refer to these books and select a limited number of books. It is not necessary to read every book provided in the recommendation. Tackle the syllabus topic wise and not book-wise. Don't stick to just one book or source. Refer to different sources for different subjects. Don't limit yourself to conventional sources. You can turn to the internet for clearing your doubts. There are plenty of videos and tutorials for numerical ability, logical reasoning, English language etc. Make a list of materials and references for each section.
- Read newspapers every day to stay updated with current events around the world.
Question papers
click here to view all the papers of HPAS 2017
click here to view all the papers of HPAS 2018
(you will be redirected to the archives section on the official website)
Recommended Books for HPAS Combined Competitive Exam 2020
Current Affairs
| Book name | Author/Publication |
|---|---|
| Indian Express, One local newspaper | (Newspapers) |
| Press Information Bureau (PIB) | (Website) |
| VisionIAS, CSR | (Magazine) |
Geography
| Book name | Author/Publication |
|---|---|
| Certificate Physical and Human Geography | G C Leong |
| Fundamentals of Physical Geography Class 11 textbook | NCERT |
| Concise Geography | ALS |
Indian and Himachal Economy
| Book name | Author/Publication |
|---|---|
| Indian Economic Development | NCERT |
| Introduction to Macroeconomics | NCERT |
| Himachal Government Year Book | - |
| Indian Economy | Ramesh Singh |
| Niti Aayog Reports(Specific to Himachal Pradesh) | - |
History
| Book name | Author/Publication |
|---|---|
| Ancient History Class 11 textbook | NCERT |
| India’s Ancient Past | R.S. Sharma |
| Indian Art and Culture | Nitin Singhania |
| Medieval and Modern History: Class 11 and 12 textbooks | NCERT |
| A brief history of Modern India | Spectrum |
Indian Polity
| Book name | Author/Publication |
|---|---|
| Indian polity | Laxmikant |
| Constitution of India Bare Act | - |
Science, Environment and Technology
| Book name | Author/Publication |
|---|---|
| Science and technology | Ashok Singh |
| Newspaper columns dedicated to technology | - |
| Environmental Studies Books | IGNOU and NOS |
| Environment Book | DS Khullar |
Study Plan for HPAS Combined Competitive Examination 2020
Syllabus: Covering all the topics in the syllabus is very important. There is plenty of practice material available on the internet - mock tests, sample papers, e-books, video lectures, online study materials, topper notes, etc. Take complete advantage of the digital age!
Making notes: make short notes as you proceed through the syllabus. These notes should be crisp and to the point. Include mindmaps and flowcharts wherever appropriate. Make notes for each chapter highlighting essential details and include a precise explanation of concepts.
Explore your choices: If you get stuck at any point, search for videos explaining the idea and watch them. Visual aids help you retain information.
Solve previous year papers- Try solving them by having yourself the time limit which you are getting in the examination. The main objective of doing this is that aspirants will identify their weak & strong areas.
Quality Study- It is suggested to not cramp yourself with a massive bulk of study material from multiple sources. This causes you to end up studying nothing instead. Keep your references bounded and knowledge unbounded.
We hope this article gave you a headstart on your preparation. Go through the official notification carefully and stay updated with all the developments regarding the examination. We wish you All the Best!
To view the official notification, click here.