HPPSC Recruitment Source: Official / HPPSC HimachalPradesh

HPPSC HAS / HPAS Combined Exam 2026

Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission

The Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (HPPSC) conducts the Himachal Pradesh Administrative Services (HPAS) Combined Competitive Examination — commonly called HAS — to recruit officers for HP Administrative Service, HP Police Service, Tehsildar, Block Development Officer and allied Class-I/II posts. The 2026 cycle notification is expected in April 2026 with Prelims in June, Mains in September–October and interviews in December 2026 – January 2027.

Total Vacancies

85

Department

Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission

Age Limit

21-35 years

Qualification

Graduation (any discipline)

The application window has closed. Monitor the department’s official website for the next recruitment cycle.

Latest HPPSC Updates

Last updated: 5 June 2026

!

HPPSC HAS 2026 notification expected April 2026 — prelims tentatively June 2026. Track hppsc.hp.gov.in for apply link →

Official Note

HPPSC HAS (HPAS) 2026 — HP Administrative Service, Police Service, Tehsildar & allied posts. Prelims (Jun) → Mains (Sep–Oct) → Interview.

Syllabus & Exam Pattern Admit Card Result

2026 Highlights

Feature Details
Recruiting Body Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (HPPSC)
Exam Name HPAS Combined Competitive Examination (HAS)
Total Vacancies 85 (expected)
Services HP Administrative Service, HP Police Service, Tehsildar, BDO & allied posts
Notification Expected April 2026
Application Window April – May 2026 (tentative)
Prelims Exam June 2026 (tentative)
Mains Exam September – October 2026 (tentative)
Interview December 2026 – January 2027 (tentative)
Qualification Bachelor's degree from a recognised university
Age Limit 21 – 35 years (as on 01.01.2026; +5 years for SC/ST/OBC/PwD of HP)
Nationality Indian citizen; knowledge of HP customs & dialects desirable
Application Fee ₹400 (General) · ₹100 (SC/ST/OBC of HP) · Exempt for HP female, blind, ex-servicemen
Pay Scale ₹44,900 – ₹1,42,400 (7th CPC, post-wise)
Help Desk 0177-2624313 · hppsc_shimla@msn.com
Official Website hppsc.hp.gov.in/hppsc

Post-wise Vacancies

Post Vacancies Department
Himachal Pradesh Administrative Service (HPAS) 30 General Administration Department
Himachal Pradesh Police Service (Deputy SP cadre) 12 Home Department — Police
Tehsildar / Naib Tehsildar 18 Revenue Department
Block Development Officer (BDO) 10 Rural Development & Panchayati Raj
Allied Class-I & Class-II Services 15 Various HP government departments

Important Dates

Application Start
1 April 2026
Last Date to Apply
31 May 2026
Exam Date
15 June 2026
Age Cut-off Date
1 January 2026

HPPSC HAS 2026 — Tentative Exam Calendar

Expected milestones for the HPAS Combined Competitive Examination 2026 cycle. Confirm all dates from the official notification on hppsc.hp.gov.in.

  • Source: hppsc.hp.gov.in — dates are tentative until official notification is published.
  • Prelims and Mains admit cards are released separately on the official portal.
  • Negative marking: ⅓ mark deducted per wrong answer in Prelims.
Department Exam Name Exam Date
HAS 2026 ★ Notification Release April 2026
HAS 2026 ★ Online Application April – May 2026
HAS 2026 ★ Preliminary Examination June 2026
HAS 2026 ★ Prelims Result July – August 2026 (expected)
HAS 2026 ★ Mains Application After Prelims result
HAS 2026 ★ Main Examination September – October 2026
HAS 2026 ★ Mains Result November – December 2026 (expected)
HAS 2026 ★ Personality Test / Interview December 2026 – January 2027
HAS 2026 ★ Final Merit List February – March 2027 (expected)

Preparation Tips Using the Exam Calendar

  • Prioritise Himachal Pradesh GK — 12 districts, princely states merger, rivers (Beas, Ravi, Satluj), passes, national parks and current HP schemes.
  • Prelims Aptitude mirrors UPSC CSAT — practise comprehension, logical reasoning and Class X numeracy daily.
  • Mains Essay: prepare 2-essay outlines on HP tourism, hydropower, tribal policy, disaster management and rural governance.
  • Choose an optional subject from graduation background — HPPSC offers 31 subjects; Public Administration and Geography are popular.
  • Qualifying English & Hindi papers are mandatory — practise précis, translation and composition before Mains.
  • For the interview, study HP dialects, customs, culture and recent state government initiatives (Him Ganga, Sahara Yojana, etc.).

Exam Pattern 2026

HPPSC HAS follows a three-tier UPSC-style pattern. Prelims has two objective papers (400 marks, screening only). Mains has nine papers — English and Hindi are qualifying; Essay, GS I–III and two Optional papers count toward merit (900 marks). Interview carries 150 marks. Final merit = Mains + Interview (1050 marks).

  • Prelims: 2 hours per paper; 100 MCQs per paper, 2 marks each
  • Negative marking: ⅓ mark deducted for every wrong answer
  • Prelims marks are not counted in final merit — screening stage only
  • Mains English & Hindi: 100 marks each, qualifying only
  • Mains merit papers: Essay (100) + GS I–III (200 each) + Optional I & II (100 each) = 900 marks
  • Interview: 150 marks — HP current affairs, culture, dialects and administrative aptitude
  • Final merit = Mains written (900) + Viva-voce (150) = 1050 marks

Preliminary Examination (Screening Test)

Subject Questions Marks
Paper I — General Studies 100 200
Paper II — Aptitude Test 100 200
Prelims Total 200 400

Mains Examination (Compulsory Papers)

Six compulsory papers for all candidates — each 200 marks, 3 hours. Papers I and II are descriptive; Papers III–VI are objective (MCQs).

Paper Subject Format Marks
Paper I English Descriptive (qualifying) 100
Paper II Hindi (Devanagari) Descriptive (qualifying) 100
Paper III Essay Descriptive (2 × ~900 words) 100
Paper IV General Studies I Descriptive 200
Paper V General Studies II Descriptive 200
Paper VI General Studies III Descriptive 200
Paper VII Optional Subject — Paper I Descriptive 100
Paper VIII Optional Subject — Paper II Descriptive 100
Viva-voce Personality Test / Interview Oral 150

Service Groups & Optional Subjects

Himachal Pradesh Administrative Service (HPAS)

Senior administrative posts — district-level governance, revenue and development administration across 12 HP districts

Himachal Pradesh Police Service

Gazetted police officers (Deputy Superintendent cadre) in HP Police

Tehsildar / Revenue Service

Revenue administration, land records and tehsil-level executive magistracy

Allied Services

BDO, State Accounts Service, Forest Service (where notified) and other Class-I/II departmental posts

Subject-Wise Syllabus

Prelims — General Studies (Paper I) (200 Marks)

  • Current affairs of national and international importance
  • Indian history, culture and civics
  • Physical, social and economic geography of India and the world
  • Socio-economic, political and cultural conditions of Himachal Pradesh
  • Indian polity and governance — Constitution, Panchayati Raj, public policy
  • General science and environmental knowledge

Prelims — Aptitude Test (Paper II) (200 Marks)

  • Basic numeracy — Class X level mathematics
  • English language — comprehension and composition
  • Logical and verbal reasoning
  • Communication skills and general mental ability
  • Data interpretation and elementary problem-solving

Mains — English (Qualifying) (100 Marks)

  • Comprehension of unseen passages — 20 marks
  • Usage and vocabulary — 20 marks
  • Composition, letter, application, note and report writing — 20 marks
  • Precis writing — 20 marks
  • English grammar — 20 marks

Mains — Hindi (Qualifying, Devanagari) (100 Marks)

  • Translation — English to Hindi and Hindi to English
  • Explanation of passages in Hindi
  • Composition writing, idioms and corrections
  • Must qualify to have other Mains papers evaluated

Mains — Essay (Paper III) (100 Marks)

  • Two essays (~900 words each) from given choices
  • Themes: societal, political, economic, cultural and historical issues
  • HP-specific: tribal policies, rural administration, tourism, ecology, disaster management
  • National issues: Constitution, governance, globalization, sustainable development

Mains — General Studies I (200 Marks)

  • Historical understanding of India and Himachal Pradesh
  • Indian society, laws and rights; Gandhian thought
  • Geographical knowledge of HP and India — Himalayas, rivers, climate
  • Disaster management and tribal conditions in HP

Mains — General Studies II (200 Marks)

  • Indian Constitution, Parliament and governance policies
  • Administration of regional and rural Himachal Pradesh
  • India's relations with neighbouring countries
  • Crime, law and order issues in Himachal Pradesh

Mains — General Studies III (200 Marks)

  • Indian economy, demography, poverty and unemployment
  • Monetary policy, GDP, foreign trade and technology
  • Tourism, IT and biotech industry in HP; hydropower and horticulture
  • Ecology, climate change and sustainable development

Mains — Optional Subject (Papers VII & VIII) (200 Marks)

  • Choose one optional from 31 subjects (e.g. History, Geography, Public Administration, Political Science, Sociology, Law, Mathematics)
  • Two descriptive papers — 100 marks each at degree level
  • Popular choices: Public Administration, History, Geography, Political Science
  • Optional marks count toward Mains merit and final ranking

Personality Test / Interview (150 Marks)

  • HP current affairs — schemes, governance, socio-economic conditions
  • Regional customs, culture and dialects of Himachal Pradesh
  • National and international current events
  • Leadership, communication skills, mental agility and critical understanding

Selection Process

  1. Preliminary Examination — Paper I (General Studies) + Paper II (Aptitude Test), 200 marks each, 400 total (screening)
  2. Main Examination — English & Hindi (qualifying) + Essay + GS I–III + Optional I & II (900 merit marks)
  3. Personality Test / Viva-voce — 150 marks
  4. Document Verification, Medical & Character Verification
  5. Service allocation — HPAS, Police Service, Tehsildar, BDO & allied posts as per merit

How to Apply Online for HPPSC HAS 2026

HPPSC accepts online applications only through hppsc.hp.gov.in. Prelims and Mains require separate applications and fee payments when each stage notification opens.

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Visit hppsc.hp.gov.in/hppsc and click 'Apply Now' on the HAS notification.
  2. Click 'New User Sign Up' and create an account with email and mobile number.
  3. Log in and fill personal, educational, category and address details.
  4. Upload scanned photograph and signature in the prescribed format.
  5. Pay the category-wise application fee (₹400 General / ₹100 reserved of HP).
  6. Submit the form and download the confirmation page for admit card download.

HPPSC HAS Eligibility Criteria 2026

Detail Information
Nationality Indian citizen
Education Bachelor's degree from a university recognised by the Government of India
Final Year Students Eligible if degree is obtained before Mains document verification
Age (General) 21 – 35 years as on 01 January 2026
Age Relaxation +5 years for SC/ST/OBC/PwD and freedom-fighter descendants of HP
Desirable Knowledge of customs, culture and dialects of Himachal Pradesh

Application Fee

Category Fee
General / Other States ₹400
SC / ST / OBC / UR-BPL of HP ₹100
Ex-Servicemen of HP (normal tenure) Exempt
Female / Blind / Visually Impaired of HP Exempt

Previous Year Indicative Cut Off

Figures are indicative based on prior JCCE results. Actual cutoff varies.

Category Cutoff Marks Out of %
General / UR 210 400 52.5%
OBC (HP) 192 400 48.0%
SC (HP) 170 400 42.5%
ST (HP) 158 400 39.5%

Exam Centres

Major cities / districts where JCCE is typically conducted.

ShimlaDharamshalaMandiSolanUnaHamirpurBilaspurKulluKangraChamba

Eligibility Criteria

Qualification: Graduation (any discipline)

Category Max Age Relaxation
General / EWS 35 years No relaxation
OBC (NCL) 38 years +3 years
SC / ST 40 years +5 years
PwD 45 years +10 years
Ex-Servicemen As per notification 3 yrs after discharge

Always read the official notification PDF: relaxation rules vary by examination. Age cut-off date: 1 January 2026.

Salary & Perks

HPPSC HAS officers are appointed on the 7th Central Pay Commission matrix adopted by Himachal Pradesh. Gross emoluments include basic pay plus DA, HRA and hill-area allowances applicable in HP postings.

Group Pay Level Pay Scale In-Hand (Approx.)
All HAS Services Level 10–11 ₹44,900 – ₹1,42,400 ₹65,000 – ₹90,000 (approx.)

Previous Year Cut Off

HPPSC HAS Prelims cutoff is declared category-wise with the screening test result. Figures below are indicative based on previous cycles — official cutoffs are in the result PDF on hppsc.hp.gov.in.

WBCS Prelims Cut Off 2024

Category Cut Off
General / UR 210
OBC (HP) 192
SC (HP) 170
ST (HP) 158
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Apply Kaise Karein

  1. Open hppsc.hp.gov.in/hppsc and click 'Apply Now' on the HAS notification.
  2. Register as a new user with email, mobile and basic details.
  3. Log in and complete the application form — personal, educational and category information.
  4. Upload photograph and signature as per HPPSC specifications.
  5. Pay ₹400 (General) or ₹100 (reserved of HP) online via card/net banking/UPI.
  6. Submit and download the confirmation page — required for admit card.
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Complete HPPSC HAS / HPAS Combined Exam 2026 guide

All pages for this recruitment — linked for easy navigation.

Aksar Puche Jaane Wale Sawaal (FAQ)

What is HPPSC HAS / HPAS exam? v

The Himachal Pradesh Administrative Services Combined Competitive Examination (HAS/HPAS) is the state civil services exam conducted by HPPSC for HP Administrative Service, Police Service, Tehsildar, BDO and allied posts.

How many vacancies in HPPSC HAS 2026? v

Approximately 85 vacancies are expected across HPAS, Police Service, Tehsildar, BDO and allied Class-I/II posts. Confirm from the official notification.

What is HPPSC HAS age limit? v

21 to 35 years as on 01 January 2026 for General category. SC/ST/OBC/PwD and freedom-fighter descendants of HP get 5 years relaxation.

What is HPPSC HAS exam pattern? v

Prelims (2 papers, 400 marks, screening) → Mains (9 papers, 900 merit marks) → Interview (150 marks). Final merit = 1050 marks.

What is HPPSC HAS application fee? v

₹400 for General and other-state candidates; ₹100 for SC/ST/OBC of HP. Exempt for HP female, blind and ex-servicemen (normal tenure).

Can final-year graduates apply for HPPSC HAS? v

Yes. Candidates in the final year of graduation can apply, provided they obtain the degree before document verification for Mains.

What is the age limit for HPPSC HAS / HPAS Combined Exam 2026? v

For the General category the minimum age is 21 years and the maximum is 35 years. OBC candidates usually receive three additional years, SC/ST candidates five additional years, and PwD candidates ten additional years, subject to the official PDF. Age is reckoned from Thursday, 1 January 2026.

How do I apply for HPPSC HAS / HPAS Combined Exam 2026? v

Visit the authorised website for Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (https://hppsc.hp.gov.in/hppsc), complete online registration, fill every mandatory field, and upload photograph and signature scans within the limits stated in the PDF. The closing date was Sunday, 31 May 2026 — online applications are no longer accepted. Verify eligibility with our Age Calculator before you pay any fee.

What is the last date to apply for HPPSC HAS / HPAS Combined Exam 2026? v

The closing date was Sunday, 31 May 2026 — online applications are no longer accepted. The examination is tentatively scheduled on Monday, 15 June 2026.

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