Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) FAQs | 09 Aug 2021

Question 1: What is 'cut-off'? How is it determined?

Answer: 'Cut-off' means the minimum prescribed (by the commission) marks by which a candidate is successful in the examination (particular). 'Cut-off' is declared after the result of preliminary examination, main examination and interview. The candidates who score the 'cut-off' or more are declared successful and the rest are unsuccessful. Under the reservation system, this cut-off is different for different categories of candidates. The cut-off in the preliminary examination will be determined by the HCS.

• The 'Cut-off' keeps changing every year. It is decided on the basis of factors like number of seats, difficulty level of question papers and number and quality of candidates.
  
  • It is natural that if the question paper will be easy or if the number and quality of candidates are high then the cut-off will increase and in adverse situations it will automatically decrease.

Question 2: Time-management becomes the biggest challenge in the exam, what should be done for that?

Answer: Go through a mock-test series before the exam and analyse how much time the questions from each section are taking. If you identify the more time consuming questions in advance then you will not waste time in the exam. With repeated practice, the speed can be increased.

Question 3: Is there any advantage in Preliminary Examination by giving a 'Mock Test'? If yes, then what?

Answer: Giving mock tests proves to be very beneficial for preliminary examinations. The first advantage of this is that you learn to control the stress in the exam.

Secondly, the ability to manage time gets better.

Third, you can experiment with different tests to see which order of the questions gives you the best results. On the basis of these experiments, you can decide your exam strategy.

The fourth advantage is that you get an idea of what your level is compared to your competitors.

Keep in mind that all these benefits are available only if you have chosen the mock test series carefully. The mock test series of 'Drishti' is one of the best in which you can attempt a lot of test tests before prelims.

Question 4: I am weak in English from the beginning. Can I crack CSAT?

Answer: Yes, you can definitely succeed. There are a limited number of questions in CSAT which are in English only. These questions are from Comprehension and Grammar based on the given paragraphs in English. The truth is that the paragraphs given in English are in very easy language and 3-4 of these questions can be corrected with ease.

Question 5: I am weak in maths from the beginning. Can I crack CSAT?

Answer: Yes, you can definitely succeed. About 15 questions are asked from Mathematics and half of them are from Reasoning. These questions are simple in nature. So with a little effort they can be solved. If possible, prepare some topics in mathematics that you understand and from which questions are often asked.

Question 6: Should all the questions be filled together on the OMR sheet or should they be filled ONE BY ONE?

Answer: It is better to take out answers of 4-5 questions and fill them on the sheet. With each question, more time is spent filling it on the OMR sheet. On the other hand, sometimes it happens that many candidates want to fill the OMR sheet at the end but due to paucity of time they are unable to fill the same.

CSAT usually consists of some questions based on a single paragraph or information. In such a situation, all those questions should be attempted together and they should also be filled on the OMR sheet.

Since the circles have to be filled with a black or blue ballpoint pen, take special care while filling them. Never use whitener.

Question 7: What are the precautions to be taken while choosing the optional subject for the main examination?

Answer: The choice of the appropriate optional subject is the decision on which the success of a candidate depends. The real basis of subject selection is how much 'scoring' that subject is in your medium?

Whether the subject is big or small, whether it helps in general studies or not, all these grounds are misleading.

If the subject is small and also helps in general studies but gets 50 marks less than the other subject, then choosing it is definitely fatal.

Don't forget that ultimately your selection is made by your marks and not by the misplaced arguments.

Question 8: What is the role of interview in this exam conducted by HPSC? How to prepare for it?

Answer: The interview is the last stage of the HCS exam. It comprises 75 marks. The HCS interviews are conducted in Panchkula at the commission’s premises.

The final merit for the HCS exam is prepared out of the total marks of 675. The candidates need to score in the HCS main written and interview.

The personality of the candidates is tested during the interview, in which oral questions are asked by the members of the commission at the designated place in the commission, to which the candidate has to answer orally.