Rajasthan CET Graduate Level Exam Pattern 2026 Guide

The Rajasthan CET Graduate Level exam pattern is set by the Rajasthan Staff Selection Board (RSSB) in the CET (Graduate Level) 2026 advertisement. The exam is a single offline OMR-based paper of 150 multiple-choice questions for 300 marks, to be finished in 3 hours. It decides only whether you become eligible for the main exams of the posts it covers.

The pattern looks simple, but two rules change how you should attempt it: one-third negative marking and the compulsory option E for questions you skip. This page explains both, how normalisation works when the exam runs in several shifts, and what the numbers mean for your time and guessing strategy.

Table of Contents

Pattern at a Glance

Key Changes to Know

• Longer score validity: A CET score is now valid for three years from the result date. CET (Graduate Level) 2024 scores were valid for one year and expired on 11 February 2026.

• Revised exam window: The exam has moved from 1 to 3 December 2026 to a proposed 16 to 18 January 2027, in five shifts.

• Same marking rules: The paper size, one-third negative marking and the option E rule are unchanged in the 2026 advertisement.

• Wider syllabus list: The 2026 syllabus lists public health, cyber security, e-services and artificial intelligence, so check your topic list against it.

CET Paper Pattern

• Single paper: There are no separate sections or sectional time limits. All 150 questions sit in one paper.

• Equal marks: All questions carry equal marks, so each question is worth 2 marks.

• Mode: The paper is offline on an OMR sheet, and answers are marked with a blue ball point pen.

• No fixed subject split: RSSB does not publish how many questions come from each subject.

Marking Scheme and Negative Marking

For every wrong answer, one-third of the marks of that question is deducted. With 2 marks per question, a correct answer earns 2 marks and a wrong answer costs about 0.67 marks.

The result notice for CET (Graduate Level) 2024 shows how RSSB computes the score. A candidate's marks are the right answers multiplied by a key factor, minus a deduction for questions where no option was filled. The key factor adjusts for any questions deleted after the final answer key.

The Option E Rule

Every question has five options, A, B, C, D and E. Options A to D are the answer choices, and E means you are not attempting the question.

• Darken E for every skip: If you do not want to answer a question, you must darken bubble E.

• Blank costs marks: If none of the five bubbles is darkened, one-third of the question's marks is deducted, the same as a wrong answer.

• Over 10 percent blank means out: If more than 10 percent of the questions, that is more than 15 of 150, have no bubble filled, you are disqualified.

• Extra 10 minutes: You get 10 minutes beyond the scheduled time to darken E for all unanswered questions.

Worked Example

Suppose a candidate answers 110 questions correctly, gets 25 wrong, marks option E for 13 and leaves 2 questions with no bubble filled.

The raw score is then normalised against the candidate's shift if the exam runs in several shifts. Two blanks fall well within the 10 percent limit, but they still cost marks that marking E would have saved. The 25 wrong answers cost more than 8 correct answers would earn, which is why accuracy matters as much as attempts.

Normalisation Across Shifts

When an RSSB exam runs in more than one shift, the board normalises scores. CET (Graduate Level) 2024 was held in four shifts on 27 and 28 September 2024, and the result notice published the scaling formula.

Each candidate's scaled score equals the mean of combined scores plus the candidate's distance from the shift mean, measured in shift standard deviations and multiplied by the combined standard deviation. For 2024 the combined mean was about 139.72 and the combined standard deviation about 34.77. See the RSSB CET Graduate Level 2024 result notice for the full formula.

The 2026 exam is proposed for five shifts across 16 to 18 January 2027, so normalisation is expected to apply again. Your shift does not decide your score; your position within your shift does.

What the Pattern Means for You

• Cost of a guess: A wrong answer costs one-third of what a right answer earns. A blind guess among four options does not pay on average, but a guess between two options does.

• Qualifying target: 40 percent of 300 is 120 marks, which is 60 correct answers with no wrong ones. Every wrong answer pushes the number of correct answers you need higher.

• Breadth over depth: With no sectional cut-off but 14 syllabus areas, gaps in a full area cost more than weak depth in one topic.

• Fill every bubble: Plan to mark E as you go, so the extra 10 minutes is only a safety check.

After the CET

The CET has no interview, skill or physical test of its own. After it, each covered post, such as Patwari, Village Development Officer, Junior Accountant or Deputy Jailor, has its own recruitment process with a written exam, interview or both, as set by its service rules. Final selection is category-wise on merit in that separate exam. You need a score of at least 40 percent (with relaxation of up to 5 percent for SC and ST candidates) to be eligible for those main exams, as explained in the Rajasthan CET Graduate Level eligibility guide.

Common Exam-day Mistakes

• Filling bubbles at the end: Leaving all bubbles for the last few minutes risks blanks. Darken each answer, or E, as you go.

• Using the wrong pen: Answers must be marked with a blue ball point pen, as the advertisement instructs.

• Spending too long on one question: With 150 questions in 180 minutes, you have about 72 seconds per question. Move on and come back.

• Guessing to reach a number: Chasing a fixed attempt count leads to blind guesses that cost marks. Attempt what you can answer with reasonable confidence.

• Carrying banned items: Mobile phones and other devices are not allowed and can lead to action under the unfair means rules.

Time Management and Exam-day Strategy

1. First pass, 75 to 80 minutes: Answer every question you are sure of, mark E for those you know you cannot solve, and flag the rest.

2. Second pass, 60 minutes: Return to flagged mathematics, reasoning and two-option questions.

3. Third pass, 20 to 30 minutes: Make final calls on the remaining flagged questions and leave E where you are unsure.

4. Final check: Use the last minutes and the extra 10 minutes to make sure every question has exactly one bubble darkened.

Older pages may still show the December 2026 dates, so follow the latest notice on the official RSSB website.