MPPSC Process of Preliminary Exam

• This competitive examination conducted by the commission generally consists of three levels sequentially-
  1. Preliminary Examination – Objective Nature
  2. Main Exam – Descriptive Nature
  3. Interview – Oral
• In the year 2024, the MPPSC Significant changes were made in the nature and syllabus of the Preliminary Examination and Mains Examination, Which will be applicable from the state service exam year 2024.

• First of all, the release related to these examinations is issued by the commission, after that the process of filling the online application form starts. Detailed information related to the process of filling the form ‘How to apply online’ under ‘Notification’? is given in the title.
• A detailed description of various aspects related to the examination is given in the release. Therefore, it is beneficial to study it before filling the form.
• After the completion of the form filling process, the preliminary examination is usually conducted after 1 to 2 months.
• This preliminary examination is conducted on the same day at different centers of the state as decided by the commission.
• The nature of this preliminary examination conducted by the commission is objective (Multiple Choice) in which one has to choose the correct option out of four possible options (a, b, c and d) given for each question.
• The selected options related to the question are filled in an OMR sheet given by the commission. It is to be filled with black ball point pen.
• There is no provision of any kind of negative marking for wrong answers in this examination conducted by MPPSC.
• If the candidate gives more than one answer to a question, then that answer will be treated as wrong.
• The question paper is given in two languages (Hindi and English), candidates can answer the questions in any of these two languages depending on their ease.
• The nature of this preliminary examination was changed by the commission in the year 2012, according to which the question paper of ‘General Aptitude Test’. It was adopted instead of the optional subject (objective) asked in the second paper.
• At present, in this preliminary examination of the Commission, two compulsory papers (‘General Studies’ and ‘General Aptitude Test’, respectively) are asked, the examination of which is completed on the same day in two different shifts in two hours duration.
  • The question paper of ‘General Aptitude Test’ is also known as ‘CSAT’ (Civil Service Aptitude Test).
• The first paper of ‘General Studies’ has the total number of questions is 100 and the maximum marks are 200.
• The second paper of ‘General Aptitude Test’ has a total number of questions is 100 and the maximum marks are 200.
• From the year 2017 onwards for ‘Madhya Pradesh State Service Examination’ and ‘Madhya Pradesh State Forest Service Examination’, the same (Common) Preliminary Examination is conducted while the Mains Examination will be conducted separately as before.
• This Preliminary Examination for ‘Madhya Pradesh State Service Examination’ is of 200 marks and the marks obtained in the question paper of ‘General Aptitude Test’ is not added to the cut-off determination, whereas for ‘Madhya Pradesh State Forest Service Examination’ this exam is of total 400 marks as the marks obtained in the question paper of ‘General Aptitude Test’ are added to the cut-off determination.
• From the year 2015, the Commission has made a question paper of ‘General Aptitude Test’ of qualified nature. That is, only the candidates who obtain the qualifying marks prescribed by the Commission in this paper and the cut-off level prescribed in the General Studies paper will be declared successful for the Mains examination.
• Generally 75-80% marks are required to pass the preliminary exam, but sometimes this percentage can be less depending on the difficulty level of the questions.
• The preliminary exam is qualifying in nature. The marks obtained in this are not added with the marks of the Mains exam or interview.

NOTE: The number of shortlisted candidates for the main examination will be a maximum of 20 times the total number of vacant posts, category wise. Candidates obtaining equal marks category wise will also be declared qualified for the main examination. Only those candidates who have been declared qualified in the Preliminary Examination under the relevant advertisement by the Commission will be eligible for admission to the Main Examination. To be eligible for the main examination, it will be mandatory for unreserved category candidates to obtain minimum 40% marks in each question paper of the preliminary examination. Similarly, it will be mandatory for the candidates of unreserved female category to obtain minimum 40% marks in each question paper of the preliminary examination. The minimum qualifying marks for candidates belonging to Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe/Other Backward Class, Economically Weaker Section and Disabled category will be 30%.