What is the CGPSC exam and who can apply?
CGPSC is a state public service exam. Check age range, qualification, and category relaxations in the official notification before applying.
CGPSC · State PCS 2025-26
Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission
CGPSC's State Service Examination (SSE) is the gateway to Chhattisgarh's Class I and Class II posts — Deputy Collector, DSP, Naib Tehsildar, and more. It runs in three stages: Prelims (two objective papers — General Studies and an Aptitude Test, 200 marks each, qualifying only), Mains (seven descriptive papers — Language, Essay and General Studies I–V), and Interview. What sets CGPSC apart is its heavy Chhattisgarh tilt: nearly half of Paper 1 is devoted to the state's own history, geography, economy, tribes, art, festivals, and administration.
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Track CGPSC notifications for the prelims, mains, and interview stages, plus category-wise vacancy and age-relaxation updates. The 2025–26 SSE Mains was held June 6–9, 2026 (revised from May).
Age: 21-35 years (relaxations for reserved categories and certain posts)
Qualification: Bachelor degree from a recognized university
Nationality: Indian citizen
Notes: Upper age limit and relaxations vary by post and category. Knowledge of Chhattisgarh and Hindi is an asset given the state-focused syllabus.
Exam pattern
Prelims: Two objective papers — Paper I (General Studies) and Paper II (Aptitude Test), 100 questions and 200 marks each. Qualifying stage; marks do not count toward the final merit.
Mains: Seven descriptive papers — one Language paper, one Essay paper, and General Studies Papers I–V, each three hours. Mains marks count toward the final merit.
Interview: Personality Test assessing administrative aptitude and awareness. Final merit = Mains + Interview.
Preparation strategy
Chhattisgarh-specific topics — state history, geography, economy, tribes, art and festivals — are nearly half of Paper 1. Treat them as a weekly module, not a last-month add-on.
History, Geography and Polity together are roughly half of Paper 1 — build these foundations first, studying each in both a national and a Chhattisgarh layer.
Paper 2 is reasoning- and comprehension-heavy — keep a steady timed-practice habit rather than rote learning.
Move into descriptive answer-writing early; Mains is seven written papers and decides the final rank.
Starter plan
Day 1-30: Map the official syllabus, take a baseline diagnostic, and start History + Polity fundamentals alongside daily Paper 2 reasoning practice.
Day 31-60: Add the Chhattisgarh-specific modules (state history, geography, culture, tribes) and begin weekly full-length mocks for both papers.
Day 61-90: Shift to revision-heavy cycles, timed mock simulations, and early descriptive answer-writing for the Mains GS papers.
Exam execution checklist
- Keep revision fixed every week.
- Analyze every mock and maintain an error log.
- Integrate state current affairs with static notes.
Need paper-wise syllabus?
Open the detailed syllabus page for prelims and mains topic bullets.
Open detailed syllabusPYQ moat: attempt + insights
Attempt previous year papers online, then use trend-backed insight reports to prioritize revision.
Quick orientation
Notification focus
- Track CGPSC notifications for the prelims, mains, and interview stages, plus category-wise vacancy and age-relaxation updates. The 2025–26 SSE Mains was held June 6–9, 2026 (revised from May).
- Track CGPSC application windows, exam stage dates, and category-wise updates early.
Interview readiness focus
- Personality Test assessing administrative aptitude and awareness. Final merit = Mains + Interview.
- Build clarity on governance issues, ethics, and state-context awareness.
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CGPSC exam FAQs
What is the CGPSC exam pattern for prelims and mains?
CGPSC follows a stage-wise flow with prelims, mains, and interview. Use this page for a practical pattern summary and the detailed syllabus page for paper-wise scope.
How should I use CGPSC PYQs in preparation?
Use previous year papers to identify recurring topics, then prioritize revision based on weak areas and trend-backed insights.
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