The Haryana Government has amended the rules for the Haryana Civil Services examination, bringing changes to the structure of the main written exam. The update has been notified through an official gazette issued by the state government after approval from the state cabinet.If you are preparing for the HPSC HCS examination, these changes matter because the number of papers in the main examination has now increased. The amendment alters the pattern candidates will follow during the selection process.Mains examination structure changedUnder the amended rules, the main written examination will now consist of six papers carrying a total of 600 marks. Earlier, the mains examination had only four papers. The revised structure includes two language papers and four General Studies papers, all of which are compulsory.The English paper will carry 100 marks and will include an English essay. The Hindi paper will also be of 100 marks and will include a Hindi essay. Apart from the language papers, there will be four General Studies papers, each carrying 100 marks. These will be labelled as General Studies-I, General Studies-II, General Studies-III, and General Studies-IV.Medium and nature of question papersAccording to the amended rules, the question papers will be prepared in both Hindi and English. Question Paper One will be in English, while Question Paper Two will be in Hindi. The remaining four papers will cover General Studies topics. All question papers in the main written examination will be of the conventional essay type.This change ensures that candidates have clarity on the language and format of the examination well in advance.Selection for mains and interview stagesThe revised rules also define the number of candidates to be selected at each stage. For the main written examination, candidates numbering twelve times the advertised vacancies will be shortlisted, including those who secure equal marks. For the personality or interview test, candidates three times the number of advertised vacancies will be called, again including candidates with the same marks.Ex-servicemen and dependents of ex-servicemen will be required to appear in all papers of the main written examination without any exemption.Read the official notification hereMinimum qualifying marks and final meritTo qualify for the personality or interview test, candidates must secure at least 45 percent of the total marks in all written papers combined. In addition, they must obtain a minimum of 33 percent marks separately in both the English and Hindi papers. If a sufficient number of candidates with benchmark disabilities are not available, the Haryana State Public Service Commission may reduce the overall qualifying marks from 45 percent to 35 percent.The final merit list will be prepared based on marks obtained in the main written examination and the personality test, out of a total of 675 marks, along with the service preferences exercised by candidates.
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