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GPSC (Gujarat)Stage 2: Main Examination
GPSC Mains: English Language (qualifying)
About this paper
English Language is Paper II of the GPSC Main Examination. Like the Gujarati paper, it is qualifying: a candidate must get at least 25% of its marks, and the marks do not count towards the merit list.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Stage | Main Examination (written), Paper II |
| Marks | 300 |
| Duration | 3 hours |
| Type | Descriptive; the grammar part is multiple choice on an OMR sheet |
| Medium | English only |
| Status | Qualifying: minimum 25% (75 of 300); not counted for merit |
- Qualifying only. The scheme calls it "Qualifying only with minimum 25% marks". The advertisement adds that getting at least 25% in each of the two language papers is compulsory, and a candidate who does not is not considered for the rest of the process.
- Not in the merit total. Final selection is on 1,400 marks: Papers III to VII (1,250) and the Personality Test (150).
- Standard. The advertisement says the paper is of the standard of the English subject (lower level) of the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board.
- Negative marking. Only in grammar, vocabulary and usage: 30 multiple-choice questions on an OMR sheet; 0.6 marks are deducted for a wrong answer, multiple answers, or no option encoded.
- Language. The scheme's note says the Gujarati and English papers "shall be in respective language only".
Official syllabus
The Commission's table for Paper 2, English (Main Examination), descriptive, 300 marks, 3 hours, medium English:
| Sr. No. | Type of question | Marks allotted |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ESSAY (About 500 words): Choose any one topic from a list of five. | 80 |
| 2 | PRECIS WRITING: A precis in about one-third of its length. | 70 |
| 3 | READING COMPREHENSION: A reading passage to be given followed by short answer type questions. | 70 |
| 4 | TRANSLATION: Translation of a short passage (of about 150 words) from Gujarati to English. | 20 |
| 5 | ENGLISH GRAMMAR, VOCABULARY AND USAGE. | 60 |
Note: Total 30 multiple choice questions will be asked. In case of wrong answer, multiple answers for the same question and not encoding any option in OMR Answer Sheet, 0.6 (six tenths) marks will be deducted.
Subject-wise breakdown
- Essay: one topic of five, about 500 words (80 marks).
- Precis Writing: a passage reduced to about one-third of its length (70 marks).
- Reading Comprehension: a passage with short-answer questions (70 marks).
- Translation from Gujarati into English: a passage of about 150 words (20 marks).
- Grammar, Vocabulary and Usage: 30 multiple-choice questions (60 marks).
How this paper connects
- Its partner is the Gujarati Language paper, where translation runs from English into Gujarati.
- A candidate who chooses English for the Essay and General Studies papers uses the same writing skills there, at greater length and for merit.
Source: Gujarat Public Service Commission, Syllabus of Main Examination, Advertisement No. 05/2026-27, PDF; and Detailed Advertisement No. 05/2026-27, PDF. Last checked 11 November 2026.