HPSC AE Exam Pattern 2026: Marks, Stages and Marking Scheme

The HPSC AE exam pattern has three stages: an objective screening test, a descriptive Subject Knowledge Test and an interview. Only the second and third stages count towards final merit, so the pattern rewards candidates who can write clear engineering answers, not just those who can tick options quickly.

This page explains the marks, time, negative marking and merit calculation reported for the latest Assistant Engineer (Civil) notification of the Haryana Public Service Commission, and what each number means for your preparation. Details come from the notification as summarised by secondary sources, so confirm them on hpsc.gov.in.

Table of Contents

Pattern at a Glance

Screening Test Pattern

The paper tests general awareness, reasoning, numeracy and Haryana knowledge. The screening marks are used to shortlist candidates for the next stage and, as reported, are not added to the final merit.

Subject Knowledge Test Pattern

Marking Scheme and Negative Marking

• Correct answer: One mark in the screening test.

• Wrong answer: One-fourth (0.25) mark is deducted.

• Fifth option: Each screening question is reported to carry five options, and the fifth is meant for questions you choose not to attempt. A blank without marking this option may attract the same deduction, so follow the instructions printed on the question booklet.

• Descriptive paper: No negative marking is reported. Marks depend on the accuracy, method and presentation of each answer.

Older pages may still show a different scheme from an earlier advertisement, so follow the official notification for the cycle you applied under.

What the Pattern Means for You

• Cost of a wrong guess: Four wrong answers cancel one correct answer. Guess only when you can remove at least two options.

• Aim of the screening test: It is a gate. Clear the qualifying mark with a comfortable margin and move on.

• Where effort goes: The Subject Knowledge Test carries most of the merit, so most of your study time should go to civil subjects and answer writing.

• Writing speed matters: With 150 marks in 3 hours, you have roughly 72 seconds per mark. Plan your answers by marks, not by number of questions.

• Qualifying marks risk: Ignoring the screening syllabus because it does not count in merit can end your attempt before the main paper.

Interview and Later Steps

Candidates who clear the Subject Knowledge Test are called for the interview. After the interview, document verification and a medical examination follow, and the final result is prepared from merit. Requirements for character verification and medical fitness are listed in the notification.

Final Merit Calculation

The final merit is built from the Subject Knowledge Test (87.5%) and the interview (12.5%). The example below is only an illustration of how the weightage works, not an official result.

Because the descriptive paper has seven times the weight of the interview, a strong written paper is the most reliable way to improve your rank.

Time Management and Exam-Day Strategy

Screening test

• Attempt your strong sections first: numeracy, reasoning and data interpretation, then awareness questions.

• Keep a rough budget of 70 seconds per question and mark the fifth option when you skip.

• Reserve the last 10 minutes to check your OMR sheet for shading errors.

Subject Knowledge Test

• Read the paper for 10 minutes and start with the questions you can answer completely.

• Use neat diagrams, state formulas and assumptions, and carry units through every step.

• Leave a few minutes at the end to number answers and fix missing steps.