MPPSC AE Exam Pattern: Marks, Duration and Marking Scheme

The MPPSC AE exam pattern has a written objective test followed by an interview. The written paper combines General Knowledge with a paper in your engineering branch, and the combined score decides who is called for the interview.

The figures below are reported by secondary sources for the latest State Engineering Service cycle (advertised 30 December 2025, written exam on 22 March 2026). Sources differ on some details, especially negative marking, so treat the numbers as tentative and verify them in the advertisement on the MPPSC website.

Table of Contents

Pattern at a glance

Written exam structure

Both parts work out to 3 marks per question. The two parts are attempted in a single 3-hour sitting, so you decide how to split your time.

Marking scheme and negative marking

Each correct answer carries 3 marks. One source reports a deduction of 1 mark for each wrong answer, while another page states there is no negative marking. This conflict could not be resolved from an official document. Check the instructions in the advertisement and on your admit card, and until then practise as if wrong answers are penalised.

What the pattern means for you

• Branch paper decides your rank: Part B holds 300 of 450 marks, so two thirds of your effort should go to core engineering subjects.

• GK is a scoring opportunity: 150 marks from 50 questions can lift your total if you cover Madhya Pradesh topics well.

• Pace matters: 150 questions in 180 minutes leaves about 72 seconds per question on average.

• Guessing has a cost: if negative marking applies, a wrong answer can cost you a third of the marks a correct answer earns.

Interview and final merit

The interview is a 50-mark personality test for shortlisted candidates. Final merit is reported as the written score out of 450 plus the interview score out of 50, for a total of 500. Document verification and a medical examination are reported before appointment. The shortlisting ratio is not verified here.

Time management

1. Attempt the Part A GK questions you know well first. They take less time per question.

2. Move to Part B and solve concept questions before long numericals.

3. Leave 10 to 15 minutes to revisit marked questions and check OMR bubbling.

Older pages and earlier advertisements may show different patterns, so follow the current notification. For timed practice in the 150-question format, you can attempt MPPSC AE online tests on Testkart and compare your section-wise timing across attempts.