RPSC RAS Exam Pattern 2026: Prelims and Mains Structure, Marks, Latest Changes Explained

Check RPSC RAS Exam Pattern 2026 including Prelims, Mains, and Interview. Know marks distribution, paper structure, and latest changes in detail.

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The Rajasthan Public Service Commission has introduced a refined and more structured RPSC RAS Exam Pattern 2026 to align the examination with modern administrative requirements. While the overall structure remains the same, key changes in Prelims and Mains focus on analytical ability, governance awareness, and answer-writing skills.

This article provides a complete guide covering the RAS 2026 exam pattern, marks distribution, paper structure, and latest changes to help aspirants prepare strategically.

RPSC RAS Notification 2026

RPSC RAS Exam Pattern 2026 – Overview

The RAS exam continues to follow a three-stage selection process:

Stage	Nature	Marks
Prelims	Objective (Screening Test)	200
Mains	Descriptive (4 Papers)	800
Interview	Personality Test	100

Final Merit = Mains + Interview (900 Marks)
Prelims marks are not counted in final ranking

RPSC Exam Pattern 2026

The RAS Exam Pattern 2026 consists of three stages:

RAS Preliminary Examination – 1 Paper – Objective Type (MCQs) – 200 Marks
RAS Mains Examination – 4 Papers – Descriptive – 800 Marks Total
RAS Interview marks – 100 Marks

In the Latest RPSC RAS Exam Pattern, the questions based on mathematics have been removed from RAS Mains Examinations. This change was introduced in 2018, and as per the new pattern, the upcoming RAS Mains will be held. The first stage of the RPSC RAS examination is the Preliminary Examination. The RAS Prelims Exam 2026 will be a screening test to shortlist candidates for the RPSC RAS Mains exam.

RPSC Prelims Exam Pattern 2026

RAS Prelims is the first stage of the exam. If a candidate qualifies for the prelims, then he is eligible for the next stage. There will be a 200-mark of 150 multiple-choice questions in the RPSC RAS Prelims Exam. Admit cards for the RPSC Mains Exam will be given to students who pass the preliminary examination. Hence, the marks earned in the prelims exam will not be included in the merit list.

RPSC Pre Exam Pattern
Name of Exam	Rajasthan State and Subordinate Services Combined Competitive (Preliminary) Exam/ RAS Preliminary Exam
Paper	It has one paper of 150 marks, 3 hours, and a total of 200 marks
Subject in Exam	General Knowledge, General Science, Reasoning and Mental Ability and Current Affairs
Nature of Question	The question asked in the prelim exam is objective in nature.
RAS negative marking	Every incorrect answer results in the deduction of 1/3rd mark.
Qualification	The candidate for sitting in this exam must have a Bachelor’s degree from a recognised University/college.
Age of the Candidate	To sit for this exam the candidate must have age 21 years or more but not more than 40 years

RPSC Mains Exam Pattern 2026

The candidates who clear the Preliminary Exam become eligible to appear for the main examination. The number of candidates selected for the mains exam will be 15 times the number of total vacancies.

The Mains Examination will be descriptive.
In the Mains examination, there are 4 papers, and all papers are mandatory to be attempted by the candidates.
The difficulty level of General Studies Papers will be at the graduation level.
However, the level of difficulty in general English and general Hindi will be higher at the secondary level.
The marks obtained by the candidates in the Mains Exam will be counted in preparing the merit list.

RPSC RAS Mains Paper
Number of Papers	Paper-1: General Studies-I Paper-2: General Studies-II Paper-3: General Studies-III Paper-4: General Hindi and General English
Time for Each Paper	3 hours
Questions Nature	The paper is of the descriptive type consisting of Short questions, Medium questions and Long questions.
Marks of Each Paper	200 marks each
Optional Paper	There is no optional paper in the RAS Mains Exam.

New RPSC RAS Exam Pattern PDF

Latest Changes in RAS Mains 2026

1. Removal of 2-Mark Questions

Earlier: 2, 5, 10 marks
Now: Only 5 & 10 mark questions

Promotes deep understanding instead of rote learning

2. Unit-Wise Syllabus Introduced

Clearly divided into structured units
Reduces ambiguity and overlapping topics

3. Increased Focus on Law & Management

Administrative law
Governance and ethics
Management concepts

Aligns with real-life administrative roles

4. Hindi & English Paper Redesigned

Part	Section	Marks
Part A	Hindi	90
Part B	English	70
Part C	Essay	40

Essay Section Highlights

6 topics provided
~600 words
Language choice: Hindi or English

Tests expression, clarity, and argument-building ability

5. Defined Word Limits

Question Type	Word Limit
Short Answer	~50 words
Long Answer	~150 words

Encourages precision and structured writing

RPSC RAS Interview 2026

Only those candidates who cleared the RPSC RAS Main Examination will be contacted for an interview. There are 100 total marks available for the RPSC RAS interview and personality test. The marks earned in the Main Exam and Interview phase will be used to determine the final merit list. The commission has not discussed a set syllabus for the personality test and personal interview stage. The candidates will be evaluated at this level for their communication abilities, physical attributes, subject-matter expertise, and special Rajasthani cultural understanding.

Candidates who clear Mains are called for the Personality Test.