HSSC Group D Exam Pattern 2026: Marks, Marking Scheme and Timing

The HSSC Group D exam pattern is simple: one offline written paper, the Common Eligibility Test (CET), with 100 multiple-choice questions for 100 marks in 1 hour 45 minutes. There is no second written stage and no interview, so this single paper decides your merit. The details below come from the Commission's Advertisement No. 05/2026.

The detail that catches most candidates is the OMR sheet rule. A wrong answer carries no penalty, but an unattempted question can cost one mark if you do not fill the fifth circle. This page explains that rule, the qualifying marks and how to manage the paper.

Table of Contents

• Exam pattern at a glance

• Key changes to know

• Marking scheme and the fifth-circle rule

• What the pattern means for you

• OMR sheet rules

• Qualifying marks and validity

• After the CET

• Time management

Exam pattern at a glance

Each question has four options. The subjects covered are General Awareness, Reasoning, Quantitative Ability, English, Hindi and General Knowledge of Haryana.

Key changes to know

• Only the CET counts: The advertisement says the CET score includes 100% CET marks for Group D.

• OMR-based and offline: The paper is not computer based.

• Unattempted questions can cost marks: Skipping a question without filling the fifth circle leads to a deduction.

• Older scores: An earlier Group D CET was scored out of 95 marks. For those candidates the advertisement says the marks are converted into a percentage for the combined merit list. Older pages may still show a different pattern, so follow the official advertisement.

Marking scheme and the fifth-circle rule

Each question carries one mark for a correct answer. The rules for everything else are:

• Wrong answer: No negative marking for a wrong option filled in.

• Attempted question: Fill the circle of your chosen option.

• Unattempted question: Fill the fifth circle. If you do not, one mark is deducted, which means minus one for every unattempted question left blank.

A simple example shows the effect. Suppose you answer 85 questions and get 60 right, 25 wrong, and leave 15 unattempted. If you filled the fifth circle for all 15, your score is 60. If you left those 15 circles blank, the deduction takes your score to 45. This is an illustration of the rule, not an official worked example.

What the pattern means for you

• Attempt everything you can reach: Because wrong answers carry no penalty, an informed guess never lowers your score.

• Fill the fifth circle early: If you decide to skip a question, mark the fifth circle in the same pass so you do not forget.

• Spend time evenly: With 100 questions in 105 minutes, you have a little over one minute per question.

• Watch the Haryana block: It carries the largest share in the syllabus, so it should not be left for the last minutes.

OMR sheet rules

• Ink, not pencil: A pencil should not be used to darken the circle.

• One circle per question: If more than one circle is darkened, that answer is not evaluated.

• No erasing: Smudging, scratching or erasing with an eraser, blade or whitener can lead to cancellation of the OMR sheet and of your candidature.

• Computer evaluation: OMR sheets are evaluated by software, and there is no re-evaluation of the sheet.

• Answer key: An answer key is published after the exam. Objections are allowed within a given period for a fee of Rs. 250 per objection.

Qualifying marks and validity

CET marks are valid for three years from the date the result is declared. You may re-appear to improve your marks, and the higher score is then valid for a fresh three years. Candidates with a disability who are eligible for a scribe get 20 minutes of extra time per hour, which is 35 extra minutes over the 105 minutes.

After the CET

The CET marks of qualified candidates are published on the Commission's website. When posts are advertised, you confirm your willingness online with your registration number, and the Commission recommends names to the department after document scrutiny. If more than one candidate has equal marks, the older candidate gets precedence, and then alphabetical order of the first name decides.

If the exam is held in more than one shift, the Commission may use a normalisation process that it considers suitable.

Time management

1. First pass (about 60 minutes): Answer the questions you can solve quickly, and mark the fifth circle for any you skip.

2. Second pass (about 30 minutes): Return to skipped questions, starting with the ones that need one or two steps.

3. Last 15 minutes: Check that every question has exactly one darkened circle, and make informed guesses where time is short.

The official source is the Advertisement No. 05/2026 on hssc.gov.in.