JSSC Grade A Nurse Exam Pattern: Marks, Timing and Negative Marking

The JSSC Grade A Nurse exam pattern is short and simple: one computer-based paper on nursing-related subjects, 120 questions, 480 marks and 2 hours. There is no separate screening round and no interview in the process reported for 2022, so this single paper decides who moves to document verification.

The figures here follow the 2022 Grade A Nurse cycle, the latest full cycle we could confirm through published reports. A fresh notification can change them, so always compare with the official advertisement. This page explains the structure, the marking rules and what they mean for how you attempt the paper.

Table of Contents

Pattern at a glance

Paper I in detail

All questions are multiple choice and carry equal marks. The paper was reported as available in English and Hindi, so you can choose the language you read fastest. The subject areas tested are listed on the syllabus page. No sectional time limit or sectional cut-off was reported, which means you may move freely between questions.

Marking scheme and negative marking

• Correct answer: 4 marks.

• Wrong answer: 1 mark deducted.

• Unanswered question: the sources we reviewed mention deduction only for wrong answers. Confirm in the notification whether blanks carry any penalty.

The maximum score is 480 marks. One wrong answer therefore cancels a quarter of a correct one, which is a light penalty compared with many other recruitment papers.

What the pattern means for you

• Each question is worth about one minute: 120 questions in 120 minutes leaves little spare time, so decide quickly and move on.

• Educated guesses are reasonable: if you can remove one or two options, the expected gain is positive. Blind guessing is a weak habit, even with the lighter penalty.

• Breadth beats depth: with no sectional split, a weak area can be offset by strong ones, but only if you have studied every area at least once.

• Accuracy has a visible price: twenty careless errors cost 20 marks plus the 80 marks you did not earn on those questions.

How merit works

Candidates are ranked on the marks scored in the written test. Each category has a minimum qualifying percentage, covered on the cut-off page. Those who qualify and appear on the merit list go to document verification, and the final list is prepared against category-wise vacancies.

A worked example shows how the scoring adds up. Suppose a candidate attempts 100 questions, gets 80 right and 20 wrong. The score is 80 x 4 = 320, minus 20 x 1 = 20, which gives 300 out of 480.

Time management in the exam

1. First 5 minutes: skim the paper and note which areas look comfortable.

2. Pass one (about 70 minutes): answer every question you can solve in under a minute.

3. Pass two (about 35 minutes): return to marked questions and eliminate options.

4. Last 10 minutes: review flagged answers and submit before the timer ends.

Practise this routine in full-length papers. You can attempt JSSC Grade A Nurse mock tests on Testkart to build the habit in the same 120-question, 2-hour format.

Check the pattern against the notification

Older web pages and coaching guides may still show details from earlier cycles, including different post names. Follow the advertisement for Nurse Grade A on the JSSC official website, and read the exam rules in the candidate instructions before the test date.