HCS Prelims 2026: Download Question Paper & Answer Key PDF
The set-wise question paper and unofficial answer keys of Haryana PCS Prelims Exam 2026, conducted on 26 April 2026, are out now. There are 102 vacancies in the 2026 cycle.
Key Highlights:
Exam Date: April 26, 2026 (conducted successfully across Haryana)
Total Vacancies: 102 posts (Group A and Group B administrative roles)
Paper 1 (GS): 100 marks, 2 hours, 10 AM to 12 PM
Paper 2 (CSAT): 100 marks, 2 hours, 3 PM to 5 PM, qualifying only (min. 33 marks)
Negative Marking: -0.25 per wrong answer in Paper 1
OMR Sheet: 5 circles per question (A, B, C, D, and E; where E means "skip")
Prelims Marks in Final Merit? No. Only Mains + Interview marks count.
Mains Exam: June 27-29, 2026
Official Answer Key: Not yet released. Expected by the end of April or early May 2026.
The Haryana Civil Services (HCS) Preliminary Examination is a state-level screening test conducted by the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC). It selects candidates for Group A and Group B administrative posts in the Haryana government, including SDM, DSP, and BDPO.
The 2026 cycle has 102 vacancies. The exam runs in three stages: Prelims, Mains, and Personality Test (Interview). Prelims is a filter. It does not add marks to your final rank.
Detail | Information |
Conducting Body | Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) |
Exam | HCS (Ex. Br.) and Other Allied Services Prelims 2026 |
Exam Date | April 26, 2026 |
Total Vacancies | 102 |
Mains Dates | June 27-29, 2026 |
Official Website | hpsc.gov.in |
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Download Question Paper sets and unofficial answer keys prepared by PadhAI experts.
HCS Prelims: Question Papers & Answer Keys (PDF)
HCS Question Paper and Answer Keys | Download Link |
General Studies - Set A | |
General Studies - Set D (English) | |
General Studies - Set D (Hindi) | |
Unofficial Answer Key: General Studies - Set A | |
Unofficial Answer Key: General Studies - Set D |
As of April 2026, the official provisional answer key has not been released by HPSC. Unofficial answer keys are available, but treat them as estimates only.
Table: Key facts about HCS Prelims
Milestone | Status / Date |
Prelims Exam | April 26, 2026 |
Official Provisional Key | Expected: end of April or early May 2026 |
Objection Window | Opens after official key releases |
Final Answer Key | After all objections are reviewed |
Prelims Result | After final key is published |
How to download the official answer key when it releases:
Go to hpsc.gov.in
Click "Answer Key" in the notification centre
Find "HCS (Ex. Br.) and Other Allied Services Preliminary Examination 2026, Master Answer Key, Paper 1 and Paper 2"
Download the PDF for your set (A, B, C, or D)
Calculate your score using the formula in the next section
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Two papers were held on the same day. Paper 1 ran in the morning, Paper 2 in the afternoon.
Table: Details of HCS Prelims Exam 2026
Paper | Subject | Marks | Duration | Nature |
Paper 1 | General Studies | 100 | 2 Hours | Merit-based (counts for shortlisting) |
Paper 2 | CSAT | 100 | 2 Hours | Qualifying (min. 33 marks needed) |
Note: You need to clear CSAT (Paper 2) to stay in the race, but only your GS (Paper 1) score decides whether you get shortlisted for Mains. CSAT marks are not added to your merit score.
The overall difficulty of the HCS Prelims 2026 GS Paper was moderate to difficult, based on candidate feedback from centres across Haryana.
Questions were concept-based. Many used statement formats requiring elimination, not direct recall. The paper covered both static topics and current affairs from the past 12 months.
Table: Analysis of HCS prelims questions
Subject | Approx. Questions | Difficulty | Good Attempts |
Haryana GK | 18-20 | Easy to Moderate | 15-18 |
Geography and Environment | 12-14 | Moderate | 9-11 |
History and Culture | 10-12 | Easy to Moderate | 8-10 |
Polity | 10-12 | Moderate to Difficult | 7-9 |
Economy | 8-10 | Moderate | 6-8 |
Science and Technology | 8-10 | Easy | 7-9 |
International Relations | 6-8 | Moderate | 4-6 |
Note: Haryana GK alone made up roughly 20% of the total paper. Candidates who prepared state-specific schemes, GI tags, and folk traditions scored the most here.
The GS Paper drew from NCERT-level concepts, Haryana-specific current events, and environment and international relations topics.
Haryana GK (Highest Weightage)
Gugga Naumi and Kapil Mochan fairs
GI-tagged products: Basmati Rice, Phulkari
Haryana Budget 2025-26 figures
Loor dance of Haryana
State government schemes
Geography and Environment
Drainage patterns: centripetal, dendritic
Landforms: lapies, seif dunes, horn
Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve
Mizoram Molassis Basin
Polity
Panchayati Raj system
President's Rule in Haryana
Basic Structure Doctrine
Legislative Council composition
Economy
GDP vs GNP distinction
Fiscal deficit
Haryana state economy data
Industrial sector classifications
Science and Technology
Sound frequency
Dental caries: cause and chemistry
Basic chemical formulas
NCERT Class 9-10 biology concepts
International Relations and Environment
Paris Agreement targets
Kyoto Protocol
Net Zero commitments
Key international organisations
Formula: Score = (Correct Answers x 1) minus (Wrong Answers x 0.25)
Example: 65 correct answers and 18 wrong answers.
Score = 65 minus (18 x 0.25) = 65 minus 4.5 = 60.5 marks
Questions where you darkened E: zero marks, zero penalty, not counted as wrong
Questions where you left all circles blank: -0.25 each, counted as wrong
Calculate Paper 1 (GS) and Paper 2 (CSAT) scores separately
Your Paper 1 score decides Mains shortlisting. Your Paper 2 score only needs to cross 33 marks.
The expected cut-off is between 68 and 75 marks for the General category, based on previous trends and the moderate-to-difficult difficulty rating of this paper.
Category | 2026 Expected (Out of 100) | 2021 | 2019 |
General (Unreserved) | 70 – 75 | 68.50 | 130.31 |
BCB (Haryana) | 66 – 71 | 66.50 | 129.34 |
BCA (Haryana) | 60 – 65 | 58.75 | 115.16 |
EWS (Haryana) | 65 – 70 | 60.25 | — |
SC (Haryana) | 55 – 60 | 54.50 | 105.15 |
ESM – General | — | — | 104.82 |
ESM – BCA | — | — | 87.62 |
ESM – SC | — | — | 72.04 |
Note: HPSC releases the final category-wise cut-off alongside the Prelims result on hpsc.gov.in. Do not wait for the result before starting Mains preparation. The June 27-29 Mains date is 60 days away.
Do Your Prelims Marks Count in Your Final Rank?
No. Your Haryana PCS Prelims GS score is used only for shortlisting. It does not appear in your final merit list.
This is one of the most misunderstood rules in the HCS exam. Once you clear Prelims, your rank at the very end of the selection process is calculated purely from your Mains Written Examination score and your Personality Test score.
A candidate who scores 90 in Prelims GS but does not prepare for Mains holds zero advantage over a candidate who scored 62 in Prelims but prepared hard for Mains.
Pass Prelims, then shift your full attention to Mains preparation immediately.
5 OMR Rules That Can Cost You Marks If You Miss Them
The Haryana PCS Prelims OMR sheet has 5 answer circles per question, not 4. This is where many candidates lose marks unnecessarily.
Most competitive exams use 4 options (A, B, C, D). The HCS Prelims OMR has an extra circle: E, which means "I choose not to attempt this question."
What You Did on the OMR | Result | Marks Impact |
Darkened the correct option (A/B/C/D) | Right answer | +1 mark |
Darkened a wrong option (A/B/C/D) | Wrong answer | -0.25 marks |
Darkened E | Skipped (no attempt) | 0 marks, 0 penalty |
Left all 5 circles blank | Treated as wrong | -0.25 marks deducted |
Note: Leaving a circle blank is not the same as skipping. If you left 20 questions completely blank (no circle darkened), you lost 5 marks without answering anything. Darkening E for unknowns costs nothing.
Rule 2: The 10% Minimum Attempt Rule
If you leave more than 10% of questions completely blank (no circle darkened, including E), HPSC will disqualify your paper. Darkening E is the safe way to skip - it counts as 'attempted with intent to skip' and protects you from this rule.
Can You Challenge the Answer Key?
Yes. Candidates can object to the provisional answer key for a certain amount of time after it is made public. Here's how the objection process works:
HPSC posts the provisional key on hpsc.gov.in.
Candidates compare their answers to the key.
If an answer looks wrong, they can file an online objection with a valid reference or reasoning.
There may be a fee for each question that is challenged. HPSC reviews all objections and posts a final answer key. The final key, not the provisional one, is used to prepare the results.
Note: Objections without valid proof or those submitted after the deadline are rejected. Save your confirmation receipt after submitting. Save your confirmation receipt after submitting.
What Happens After Prelims? Your 60-Day Window for Mains
The HCS Mains Exam 2026 is from June 27 to 29, 2026. The revised pattern, effective for this 2026 cycle, has 6 papers of 100 marks each:
Paper | Subject | Marks | Duration |
Paper 1 | English (including Essay) | 100 | 3 Hours |
Paper 2 | Hindi (including Essay) | 100 | 3 Hours |
Paper 3 | General Studies I | 100 | 3 Hours |
Paper 4 | General Studies II | 100 | 3 Hours |
Paper 5 | General Studies III | 100 | 3 Hours |
Paper 6 | General Studies IV (Ethics) | 100 | 3 Hours |
Total | 600 | 18 Hours |
Interview: 75 marks.
Final merit = Mains (600) + Interview (75) = 675 marks total.
Note: There is no optional subject paper in this cycle. If you were preparing an optional subject for Mains, redirect that time to GS-III and GS-IV (Ethics), which are the two papers most candidates underestimate.
HCS Mains Exam Preparation Strategy
Daily Answer Writing: Write 2 to 3 answers every day with a time limit. Practice staying within word limits (150 to 200 words for 10-mark answers, 250 to 300 words for 15-mark answers).
Haryana specific issues: Integrate local schemes or data into every GS answer (e.g., Mera Pani Meri Viraasat for agriculture or Parivar Pehchan Patra for governance)
New Syllabus Alignment: Refer to the new Mains pattern for your preparation.
What Are the 102 Posts in HPCS Recruitment?
The 102 vacancies span Group-A and Group-B posts across Haryana government departments.
Administrative & Executive Roles
HCS (Executive Branch): Premier cadre (Group A), with roles like Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) or City Magistrate.
'A' Class Tehsildar: Administrative and revenue officers working under the Revenue Department.
'A' Class Naib Tehsildar: Junior to the Tehsildar, handling land and revenue administration tasks.
Police & Security
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP): Group B officers in the Haryana Police. This is the only post with specific physical standards (height/chest) and a lower age limit (18–27 years).
Finance & Taxation
Excise & Taxation Officer (ETO): Responsible for the collection of state taxes and excise duties.
Assistant Excise & Taxation Officer (AETO): Supports the ETO in tax administration and enforcement.
Food & Civil Supplies
District Food & Supplies Controller (DFSC): Manages the distribution of essential commodities and the Public Distribution System (PDS).
District Food & Supplies Officer (DFSO): Assists the DFSC in monitoring food supply chains.
Other Allied Services
Assistant Registrar Cooperative Societies (ARCS): Registration and functioning of cooperative societies.
Traffic Manager (TM): Within the Transport Department (Haryana Roadways) to manage operations.
Assistant Employment Officer (AEO): Works in the Employment Department to manage job exchange registrations and career counseling.
Your final posting depends on your rank in the combined merit list from Mains and Interview.
Frequently asked question (FAQs)
When was the Haryana PCS Prelims Exam 2026 conducted?
How many vacancies are there in Haryana civil services in 2026?
Is Haryana PCS conducted every year?
Is HCS easier than UPSC?
How can I download HCS Prelims Answer Key 2026?
The HCS Prelims Exam 2026 took place on April 26, 2026, and the question paper is now available for review. Official answer keys should be available soon, in April or May 2026. In the meantime, you can use unofficial answer keys made by PadhAI experts to guess your score. There are 102 open positions, which will affect the HCS cutoff. The HCS Mains Exam 2026 will take place from June 27 to June 29, 2026, so prepare for that.
Gajendra Singh Godara is an IIT Bombay graduate and a UPSC aspirant with 4 attempts, including multiple Prelims and Mains appearances. He specializes in Polity, Modern History, International Relations, and Economy. At PadhAI, Gajendra leverages his firsthand exam experience to simplify complex concepts, creating high-efficiency study materials that help aspirants save time and stay focused.
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