Haryana Revises HCS Exam Pattern; Prelims to Be of 400 Marks, Mains Introduced With Four General Studies Papers

Haryana government revises HCS exam pattern for upcoming cycles. Prelims to be held for 400 marks, while mains will consist of six descriptive papers including four General Studies papers.

Haryana government has revised the syllabus and examination pattern of the Haryana Civil Services (HCS) examination. These changes will apply to upcoming HCS recruitment cycles notified after January 7, 2026.

As per revised structure, HCS Preliminary Examination will now be conducted for a total of 400 marks. It will comprise two objective-type question papers. Prelims will assess candidates on general awareness, current national and international events, Indian polity and economy, reasoning and analytical ability, along with Haryana-specific history, geography, economy and culture.

“The Haryana Government has amended the syllabus of the HCS examination. The preliminary examination will be of 400 marks, comprising two objective question papers. The main examination will be of a total of 600 marks, including 4 papers of General Studies. It will consist of a total of six descriptive question papers, each paper being of three hours and 100 marks,” reads a tweet by Haryana DPR.

Main Examination has been restructured and will now carry 600 marks. It will consist of six compulsory descriptive papers, each of three hours duration and 100 marks. These include English and Hindi language papers, along with four papers of General Studies.

Newly introduced General Studies papers in mains will broadly cover topics related to society and social justice, governance and constitutional issues, economic development, environment and agriculture, science and technology, ethics, integrity and administrative aptitude.

Revised pattern removes earlier emphasis on optional subjects and focuses on a comprehensive evaluation of candidates’ understanding of general studies and governance-related issues. Candidates qualifying main examination will be called for personality test as per existing selection norms