HPSC

HPSC HCS 2026 is the Haryana Civil Services (Executive Branch) and Other Allied Services Examination, conducted by the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) for Group A and Group B posts such as HCS (Executive Branch), DSP, ETO, AETO and Tehsildar. Advertisement No. 22/2026, issued on 30 January 2026, announced 102 vacancies.

This is the first cycle under the revised pattern. Prelims is now worth 400 marks, and Mains has six compulsory descriptive papers with no optional subject. The Mains result is out and interviews were scheduled from 3 to 8 October 2026. This page brings dates, vacancies, eligibility, pattern, selection and preparation together so you can plan the next cycle with current facts.

Contents

• HPSC HCS 2026 at a glance

• Latest updates

• Important dates

• Vacancy details

• Eligibility

• How to apply

• Exam pattern

• Syllabus summary

• Selection process and final merit

• Posts and salary

• How to prepare

• Interview preparation

• Cut-off reference

HPSC HCS 2026 at a glance

Latest updates

Here is where the cycle stands as of 8 October 2026.

• Notification and applications: The advertisement was released on 30 January 2026. Online applications ran from 6 February to 26 February 2026 and are now closed.

• Prelims: The Preliminary Examination was held on 26 April 2026. HPSC released results in stages and later issued a revised Prelims result.

• Mains: The six papers were held from 27 to 29 June 2026, two papers a day.

• Mains result: Declared on 17 September 2026. Qualified roll numbers were shortlisted for the Personality Test.

• Interview: Scheduled from 3 to 8 October 2026 at the HPSC office in Sector 4, Panchkula, in two shifts with reporting at 8:00 AM and 12:00 noon. Individual call letters were not sent.

• DSP physical test: A Physical Measurement Test for shortlisted DSP candidates was fixed for 1 October 2026.

• Final result: Awaited at the time of writing. Watch the official site for the merit list.

Important dates

Dates for future cycles are not fixed yet. Track the official HPSC website and your registered email for the next advertisement.

Vacancy details

The advertisement lists ten posts. The table below follows the post-wise break-up reported from the notification.

These figures are indicative. Some pages still quote 114 vacancies, but the post-wise numbers add up to 102, which matches the figure used by most sources. Confirm the final count and category-wise split in the official advertisement.

Eligibility

Educational qualification

Candidates need a Bachelor's degree in Arts, Science, Commerce or an equivalent course from a recognised university. There is no restriction on the stream. Check the advertisement for the date by which the degree must be complete.

Age limit

The upper age limit is 42 years for most posts and 27 years for DSP, counted as on 1 January 2026. Reserved categories receive upper age relaxation under Haryana government rules, and one summary reports 5 years for SC and BC candidates. The minimum age appears as 21 years on some pages and 18 years on others, so read the post-wise age table in the notification before you decide.

Other conditions

• Haryana documents: Candidates called for the interview had to bring a Haryana residence certificate and category certificates as per the advertisement.

• DSP post: DSP candidates also go through a Physical Measurement Test and a medical examination.

• Attempts: Sources report no fixed limit on attempts, as long as you meet the age condition of that cycle.

How to apply

Applications are online only, and the window for this cycle has closed. For the next cycle, the process will broadly follow these steps.

1. Open the official HPSC website and read the advertisement fully.

2. Register on the application portal with a working mobile number and email address.

3. Fill in personal, educational and category details, and choose your post preferences.

4. Upload your photograph, signature and any documents asked for.

5. Pay the fee online. The amount depends on category and is listed in the advertisement.

6. Submit, then save a printout of the final application. You will need it at the interview.

Exam pattern

Prelims rules

Both Prelims papers are objective and bilingual, with 2 hours for each. Every wrong answer costs 0.25 mark. Each question has five options, A to D and a fifth option E for "not attempted". If you skip a question, you must darken E. Leaving all circles blank costs 0.25 mark, and leaving more than 10 percent of questions unmarked can lead to disqualification. Only Paper I marks decide who goes to Mains. CSAT is qualifying at 33 percent.

Mains papers

The six papers are English with Essay, Hindi with Essay, and General Studies I, II, III and IV, each worth 100 marks. The optional subject has been removed, and Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude is now a full paper.

What this means for you

• General Studies carries the weight: Four of six Mains papers are General Studies, so one strong GS base serves both Prelims and Mains.

• Do not skip the language papers: Hindi and English count in the 600 marks and also carry a minimum qualifying mark, explained below.

• Practise the OMR habit early: Darkening option E for skipped questions should be automatic in every mock test.

Older pages may still show the earlier four-paper Mains with an optional subject, so follow the official notification.

Syllabus summary

The syllabus asks for "related issues of Haryana" in General Studies I, II and III, so state-level study is a separate track.

Selection process and final merit

1. Preliminary Examination: Candidates in a multiple of the vacancies, reported as 12 times, are shortlisted on Paper I marks, provided they clear the CSAT qualifying mark.

2. Main Examination: Six descriptive papers totalling 600 marks.

3. Personality Test: 75 marks. Candidates are shortlisted if they score at least 45 percent of total Mains marks and at least 33 percent in each of the Hindi and English papers.

4. Document verification and medical: The Commission verifies originals, and DSP candidates also take the physical and medical tests.

The final merit list is prepared out of 675 marks, Mains plus Interview, keeping in view the post preferences you exercised. If marks are tied, the older candidate ranks higher. Prelims marks do not count here. Note that some pages claim there is no qualifying paper in Mains, but the 33 percent rule for Hindi and English applies for interview shortlisting.

Interview-day documents included original mark sheets and degree, Haryana residence and category certificates, the online application form with self-attested copies, a passport-size photograph, an original photo ID and, where applicable, a No Objection Certificate for Haryana government employees who have executed a bond.

Posts and salary

HCS (Executive Branch) and DSP posts are reported at Pay Level 10 of the Haryana pay matrix, with basic pay starting at Rs. 56,100 a month. Allowances such as DA and HRA are added on top. Other allied posts sit at different levels, so check the advertisement for the pay of the post you target. In-hand salary varies with city and allowances, and any figure beyond basic pay is an estimate, not an official number.

The posts differ in work. HCS officers handle district-level administration, DSPs handle policing, ETO and AETO handle excise and taxation, and Tehsildars handle revenue administration.

How to prepare

• Build a General Studies base first: NCERT-level history, polity, geography and economy serve both Prelims and Mains.

• Treat Haryana as its own subject: Keep separate notes on state history, geography, economy, culture and schemes.

• Start answer writing early: Write two to three answers a day, and attempt essays in both English and Hindi.

• Give Ethics real time: Practise case studies with a structured approach: stakeholders, options, decision, justification.

• Secure the CSAT buffer: Aim to clear 33 percent comfortably, then spend the rest of your time on General Studies.

A phased plan for the next cycle

1. Foundation (first 3 to 4 months): Finish NCERT-level reading, build Haryana notes and take one short test a week to see where you stand.

2. Practice (next 3 to 4 months): Move to topic-wise tests, start daily answer writing and revise current affairs every month.

3. Simulation (final 2 months): Attempt full-length Prelims papers in exam conditions, then write Mains-style sets of two papers in a day, as the real schedule runs.

The split above is a suggestion, not an official timeline. Adjust it to the months you actually have before the next advertisement.

Interview preparation

The Personality Test carries 75 marks, and those marks count in final merit, so a small gain here can change a rank. It is not a test of facts alone. The panel looks at how clearly you think, how honestly you answer and how well you understand public service in Haryana.

• Know your own file: Be ready to speak about your education, hobbies, home district and the post preferences you chose.

• Revise Haryana and current issues: Questions often come from your background and from what is in the news.

• Practise speaking: Mock interviews with friends or mentors help you answer in short, balanced sentences.

• Keep documents ready: Arrange originals and self-attested copies well before the call, as listed above.

Cut-off reference

HPSC has not published a final merit cut-off for this cycle at the time of writing. Cut-offs change every year with difficulty, vacancies and the number of applicants. Treat past figures as a benchmark only, and aim for a clear margin above them rather than a bare pass. Prelims shortlisting depends on Paper I marks alone, so General Studies accuracy matters more than CSAT scores beyond the qualifying mark.

HPSC HCS 2026 now looks much closer to the UPSC pattern, with four General Studies papers, an Ethics paper and no optional subject. Aspirants who build a General Studies base, add a Haryana track and practise answer writing early are best placed for the next cycle. Explore the Testkart test series for HCS to practise under timed conditions.