HAS examination on IAS pattern

Kuldeep Chauhan

Advertisement

Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 4

The Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission today adopted the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) examination pattern for the Himachal Administrative Service (HAS) examination from January 2017.

Presiding over the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission’s meeting here today, Chairman of the service commission KS Tomar said the draft of micro-level syllabus for the HAS examinations on the IAS pattern, which was approved by the state Cabinet last week, would come into force from January 2017.

The meeting was attended by all three members of the commission — Pradeep Chauhan, RS Negi and Man Singh, besides secretary of the commission Sanjeev Pathania, joint secretary Manoj Tomar and deputy secretary Trilok Chauhan.

He said the commission also discussed and approved sample papers of new syllabus approved by 20 experts from Himachal Pradesh University and Central University, including Prof JC Sharma, a former member of the commission. The new micro syllabus along with the sample papers have been uploaded on the website of the commission http://hp.gov.in/hppsc, he added.

Terming the switchover to new system a major milestone, Tomar said the sample papers were only meant to guide the candidates on new pattern of papers so that they prepare thoroughly to be successful in the HAS, Allied combined services examination.

He said that in preliminary examination, there would be two papers- General Studies and Aptitude Test- of 200 marks each. Minimum 33 percent qualifying marks have been fixed for Aptitude Test and the merit for qualifying preliminary examination would be prepared on basis of marks obtained in General Studies paper, he added.

Tomar said that main examination would include English and Hindi (100 marks each) which would be of qualifying nature with minimum 40 per cent qualifying marks. The mains would comprise three papers - General Studies (200 marks each), English Essay (100 marks) and Paper 1 and 2 of optional subjects (200 marks each). He said interview would be of 150 marks and that made for an aggregate of 1,050 marks.

The Chairman said the new pattern would ensure a level playing field and help candidates competing for civil services examinations as well. “Now, the performance in common general studies papers carrying 600 marks will determine the merit more and not optional subject, which will carry only 200 marks,” he said.