HPSC AE Syllabus 2026: Civil Engineering Topic List

The HPSC AE syllabus has two parts: a general awareness and aptitude syllabus for the screening test, and a Civil Engineering syllabus for the descriptive Subject Knowledge Test. The first part decides whether you move ahead. The second part decides your rank, so most of your study hours belong there.

The Haryana Public Service Commission names the subject areas in its Assistant Engineer notification, but the detailed sub-topic lists you see online differ from site to site. The topic lists below are built from the areas named in the notification and from standard Civil Engineering degree coverage. Use them as a working checklist, not as an official list, and compare them with the syllabus annexure on hpsc.gov.in.

Table of Contents

Syllabus at a Glance

Key Points to Know

• Civil only in recent cycles: The latest notifications are for Civil Engineering. If a future notice adds Electrical or Mechanical posts, the second-stage syllabus will change.

• Two very different papers: The screening test rewards breadth and speed. The Subject Knowledge Test rewards depth, diagrams and calculations.

• Older pages can mislead: Some pages still show syllabi from earlier advertisements. Follow the annexure of the notification you applied under.

Screening Test Syllabus

This objective paper tests general knowledge and aptitude. Reported topic areas are listed below, with a suggestion for where to begin.

Some sources also mention elementary engineering aptitude and general English. Since the paper is qualifying, give these a light pass after the sections above are stable.

High-weight areas to prioritise are Haryana GK and current events, because they are the least likely to be covered by your degree. Reasoning and numeracy can be built quickly with daily timed sets.

Subject Knowledge Test Syllabus

The Subject Knowledge Test is a descriptive paper in English. The subject areas reported for Civil Engineering are given below.

Structural Engineering

• Engineering mechanics and solid mechanics, including stress, strain, bending moment and shear force

• Structural analysis of beams, trusses and frames, deflection methods

• Reinforced concrete design and steel structures as per Indian codes

• Construction materials, estimation, project planning and management (PERT and CPM)

Geotechnical Engineering

• Soil classification, phase relationships and index properties

• Permeability, seepage, consolidation and shear strength

• Earth pressure theories, bearing capacity and foundation types

• Field tests such as SPT, CPT and plate load test

Water Resources Engineering

• Fluid mechanics and open channel hydraulics

• Hydrology: rainfall, runoff, hydrographs and groundwater

• Irrigation: crop water requirement, duty, delta and canal design

• Dams, spillways, weirs and diversion works

Environmental Engineering

• Water quality, water treatment and distribution

• Wastewater characteristics, treatment and sewerage design

• Air pollution and its control

• Municipal solid waste management

Transportation Engineering

• Highway geometric design and pavement design (flexible and rigid)

• Traffic engineering: studies, capacity and signal design

• Railway, airport and runway basics

Geomatics Engineering

• Surveying, levelling, traversing and triangulation

• Errors and adjustment, map scales and coordinate systems

• Total station, curves, photogrammetry, remote sensing and GIS

Official notices give no marks split between these six areas, so treat them as equally likely until a past paper tells you otherwise.

Overlap Between the Two Stages

Interview

The interview does not have a published syllabus. Expect questions on your degree subjects, your final-year project, basic site and design judgement, and general awareness about Haryana and public works. Revise your own application form because panels often ask from it.

How to Cover the Syllabus

1. Weeks 1 to 6: Finish concepts in Structural, Geotechnical and Water Resources. These three subjects are the core of most civil engineering descriptive papers.

2. From week 3: Add 30 minutes a day of Haryana GK and current events, and make short monthly notes.

3. Weeks 7 to 10: Cover Environmental, Transportation and Geomatics. Begin writing two full answers a day with diagrams.

4. Weeks 11 to 12: Take timed screening tests and full-length descriptive practice, then revise your error log.

Topic-wise practice helps you check each subject as you finish it.