DSSSB PGT Exam Pattern 2026: Marking Scheme and Section-Wise Marks

The DSSSB PGT exam pattern is a one-tier computer-based test (CBT) of 300 objective questions, 300 marks and 3 hours. The Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board (DSSSB) uses this pattern to recruit Post Graduate Teachers for Delhi government schools under the Directorate of Education (DoE) and NDMC. It covers all PGT posts in Advertisement 10/2024 and Advertisement 01/2025.

The paper has two sections. Section A tests general ability, and Section B tests the subject of your post along with teaching methodology. This page explains how marks are split, how negative marking and qualifying marks work, how much time each section deserves and what happens after the CBT. Several websites still describe an older two-tier, two-hour format, so the current rules are set out clearly below.

Table of Contents

• DSSSB PGT Exam Pattern

• Section-Wise DSSSB PGT Exam Pattern

• Key Points Other Pages Get Wrong

• Marking Scheme and Negative Marking

• Minimum Qualifying Marks

• What the Pattern Means for Your Preparation

• Section A: What Each Part Tests

• Section B: Subject and Teaching Methodology

• How Scores Are Processed After the Exam

• Selection Process After the CBT

• Exam-Day Strategy for the 3-Hour Paper

• How to Practise in the Current Pattern

DSSSB PGT Exam Pattern at a Glance

Section-Wise DSSSB PGT Exam Pattern

Section A is common to every DSSSB teaching post. Section B changes with your post code, so a PGT Chemistry candidate and a PGT Political Science candidate write the same Section A but a completely different Section B.

There is no separate time limit for each section. You get one 3-hour window and can move between sections as you like, which makes your own time plan important.

Key Points Other Pages Get Wrong

• It is one tier, not two: Some websites still show "Tier 1 and Tier 2" for PGT. Under the current advertisements, there is a single CBT followed by document checks.

• The paper lasts 3 hours, not 2: The 2-hour figure belongs to the 200-mark pattern used for TGT and several other posts. PGT has 300 questions and 3 hours.

• It is online, not pen and paper: Older articles describe an offline exam. Current PGT exams are computer-based.

• Teaching methodology sits inside Section B: There is no separate pedagogy paper, but methodology questions are part of the 200 subject marks.

Older pages may still show these outdated details, so follow the scheme in your own advertisement on the DSSSB website.

Marking Scheme and Negative Marking

Here is how this works in practice. Suppose you attempt 240 questions and get 200 right and 40 wrong. Your score is 200 minus 10 (40 × 0.25), which is 190 out of 300. Those 40 wrong answers cost you 10 marks, and in a close post-wise merit list that gap can decide selection.

When Is a Guess Worth It?

Each question has four options. A pure blind guess gives a very small expected gain, because the penalty is only a quarter mark, but it adds risk without much reward. The picture changes once you can rule out options:

• No option ruled out: The expected gain is close to zero. Skip unless time is left at the end.

• One option ruled out: You choose from three, and the odds start to favour attempting.

• Two options ruled out: You choose from two, and attempting is clearly worth it.

The practical rule: attempt freely in your strong units, and in weak units attempt only when you can eliminate at least one option.

Minimum Qualifying Marks

DSSSB applies minimum qualifying marks to its written exams under a Board notice of 26 April 2013, and its result notices continue to cite these figures. Reaching them makes you eligible for the merit list. It does not guarantee selection.

The actual cut-off for each post code is decided by vacancies, difficulty and the number of candidates, and it usually sits well above the minimum. Treat the minimum as a floor, not a target, and aim for a clear margin above previous cut-offs for your subject.

What the Pattern Means for Your Preparation

• Section B carries two-thirds of the marks: 200 of 300 marks come from your subject. A candidate who is strong in the subject but average in Section A usually beats one who is the reverse.

• Section A still matters: Its 100 marks are the easiest to protect with practice. Losing 15 to 20 marks here through slow arithmetic or grammar errors is hard to recover in Section B.

• Speed is part of the test: 300 questions in 180 minutes leaves an average of 36 seconds per question. Stamina for a 3-hour sitting needs practice of its own.

• Two language sections are fixed: Every candidate answers 20 Hindi and 20 English questions, whatever their subject. Do not ignore the weaker one.

Suggested Time Plan

This plan keeps Section A under about 50 minutes and gives Section B roughly 36 seconds per question. Adjust it after your first few full-length mocks; if your subject is your strength, you may finish Section B faster and give the spare time to arithmetic.

Section A: What Each Part Tests

The level of Section A is close to other graduate-level government exams. Questions are short, so accuracy and quick recognition of question types matter more than depth.

Section B: Subject and Teaching Methodology

Section B has 200 questions on the subject of your post code. DSSSB publishes a post-wise indicative syllabus for it, and the level runs from Class 11 and 12 concepts up to postgraduate topics. Questions on teaching methodology, such as learning theories, teaching methods and assessment, are also part of this section.

• Language subject papers: For PGT Hindi, English and Sanskrit, Section B is set in that language rather than in both Hindi and English.

• Same syllabus for male and female posts: PGT English (Male) and PGT English (Female) follow the same Section B syllabus, though their exams may be held in different shifts or on different dates.

• Depth varies by subject: Some subject papers lean heavily on school-level concepts, while others go deeper into postgraduate theory. Previous papers for your subject show which way it leans.

How Scores Are Processed After the Exam

• Provisional answer key: DSSSB releases a provisional answer key through the candidate login, with a window to raise objections. The final result uses the key after objections are reviewed.

• Normalisation: When the exam for a post is held in more than one shift, DSSSB may normalise scores so that candidates are not helped or hurt by an easier or harder shift. The method is announced in its notices.

• Marks and cut-offs: Marks are released post-wise, and shortlisted candidates are called for e-dossier submission. Each post code has its own category-wise cut-off.

Selection Process After the CBT

1. Computer-based test: Candidates must reach the minimum qualifying marks. A merit list is then drawn post-wise and category-wise.

2. E-dossier: Shortlisted candidates upload scanned documents such as degrees, B.Ed., category certificates and ID proof through the OARS login on the DSSSB application portal.

3. Document verification: Originals are checked for age, qualification and category. Any mismatch with the application can lead to rejection.

4. Nomination: DSSSB sends the final list to the DoE or NDMC, which issues offers of appointment after medical and character verification.

There is no interview, demonstration lesson or skill test for PGT posts, so the CBT score decides your merit position.

Exam-Day Strategy for the 3-Hour Paper

• Choose your order in advance: Many candidates start with the language sections and General Awareness for quick marks, then take Section B while fresh, and finish with arithmetic and reasoning. Others prefer the subject first. Test both orders in mocks and keep the one that gives your best score.

• Use two passes in Section B: In the first pass, answer everything you know at once and mark the rest. In the second pass, return to marked questions you can solve with some working.

• Watch the clock at fixed points: Check that you are near question 100 at about 50 minutes and near question 200 at about 115 minutes.

• Do not get stuck: No single question is worth more than one mark. If a question takes over a minute without progress, mark it and move on.

• Review marked items last: Use the final minutes on questions where you can rule out options, not on blind guesses.

How to Practise in the Current Pattern

A 300-question, 3-hour paper is a test of stamina and pacing as much as knowledge. Plan your practice in stages so that the real exam feels familiar.

1. Topic tests: Short tests after each unit of your subject and each Section A topic show exactly where accuracy breaks down.

2. Sectional tests: Timed 100-question Section A tests and 200-question Section B tests help you fix your time plan.

3. Full-length mocks: Six to eight weeks before your exam, take two to three full 3-hour mocks a week. Analyse each one the same day for wrong answers, slow questions and questions you skipped but could have solved.