RAS Prelims: General Knowledge and General Science
About this paper
General Knowledge and General Science is the only paper of the Rajasthan State and Subordinate Services Combined Competitive (Preliminary) Examination, conducted by the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC). It is a screening test for the Main Examination: the marks of candidates who qualify are not counted for the final order of merit.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Marks | 200 |
| Duration | 3 hours |
| Questions | 150 multiple choice (objective type), carrying equal marks |
| Negative marking | 1/3 mark deducted for each wrong answer |
| Standard | Bachelor’s Degree Level |
- Candidates admitted to the Main Examination: 15 times the total approximate number of vacancies, plus all candidates who secure the same marks as fixed by the Commission for the lower range (advertisement of 27 May 2026).
- Answer sheet (advertisement of 27 May 2026): each question has five options. A candidate who does not wish to attempt a question must darken the fifth option; if none of the five is darkened, 1/3 of the question’s marks is deducted. A candidate who leaves all five circles blank in more than 10% of the questions is disqualified. Ten extra minutes are given to check the answer sheet.
Official syllabus
RPSC’s syllabus (dated 9 January 2026) has eleven headings. Each sub-page below quotes its part of the official text word for word.
- History, Art, Culture, Literature, Tradition & Heritage of Rajasthan
- Indian History
- Ancient & Medieval Period
- Modern Period (from early 19th century to 2000)
- Geography of World and India
- World Geography
- Geography of India
- Geography of Rajasthan
- Indian Constitution, Political System & Governance
- Political and Administrative System of Rajasthan
- Economic Concepts and Indian Economy
- Economy of Rajasthan
- Science & Technology
- Reasoning & Mental Ability
- Reasoning (Deductive, Inductive, Abductive)
- Mental Ability
- Basic Numeracy
- Current Affairs & Issues (with special reference to Rajasthan)
About half the headings are about Rajasthan itself, and Rajasthan also appears inside the science and current affairs headings.
Subject-wise breakdown
The first heading, on Rajasthan’s history and culture, is split into seven pages; the others have one page each (two for Indian history and two for world and Indian geography).
- Rajasthan: History from Prehistory to Integration: prehistoric sites, sources, dynasties, medieval administration and revenue, 1857, peasant and tribal movements, Praja Mandals, integration (1948-1956).
- Rajasthan: Architecture, Paintings and Handicrafts: temples, forts, palaces, monuments, stepwells and lakes, schools of painting, folk painting and crafts.
- Rajasthan: Folk Dance, Drama and Music: folk dances, folk theatre, classical and folk music, musical instruments.
- Rajasthan: Language and Literature: dialects of Rajasthani, Dingal and Pingal, literary forms, major works, folk literature.
- Rajasthan: Religious Life, Saints, Sects and Folk Deities: religious communities, saints and sects, folk deities and goddesses, religious practices.
- Rajasthan: Fairs, Festivals, Customs, Attire and Ornaments: fairs, festivals, social customs, dress and jewellery.
- Rajasthan: Leading Personalities: rulers, freedom fighters, saints, writers, artists and public figures.
- Indian History: Ancient and Medieval Period: Indus and Vedic age to the Mughals, Marathas, Bhakti and Sufi movements.
- Indian History: Modern Period: British expansion, 1857, the national movement and nation building up to 2000.
- World Geography: landforms, rivers and lakes, vegetation, agriculture, industry, transport, environmental issues.
- Geography of India: physiography, climate, rivers, irrigation, crops, minerals, industrial regions.
- Geography of Rajasthan: all thirteen official topics, from physiography to tourism, with Census 2011 figures.
- Indian Constitution, Political System and Governance: Constitution, Union government, federalism, local government, named commissions, governance.
- Political and Administrative System of Rajasthan: Governor, Chief Minister, assembly, High Court, state and district administration, state commissions, Panchayati Raj.
- Economic Concepts and Indian Economy: growth and development, policy and budget, fiscal federalism, agriculture, industry, services, employment.
- Economy of Rajasthan: state economy and budget, sectors, infrastructure, rural development, education and health, welfare schemes.
- Science and Technology: everyday science, ICT, defence and space, biotechnology, health, environment, agriculture with reference to Rajasthan.
- Reasoning, Mental Ability and Basic Numeracy: statement-based reasoning, mental ability and basic numeracy.
- Current Affairs and Issues: news with special reference to Rajasthan, and the Rajasthan Public Examination Act, 2022.
How this paper connects
Most Prelims headings return in the Main Examination in descriptive form: Rajasthan’s history, culture and economy and Indian history and economy in Paper I; science, world, Indian and Rajasthan geography in Paper II; polity, governance, administration and current affairs in Paper III. The interview also awards marks for knowledge of Rajasthani culture. Reading each subject once for both stages saves time.
Source: RPSC, Rajasthan State and Subordinate Services Combined Competitive (Preliminary) Examination, Scheme & Syllabus of Examination, dated 9 January 2026, PDF; RPSC Advertisement No. 02/Exam/RAS&RTS/RPSC/EP-I/2026-27, dated 27 May 2026. Last checked 11 November 2026.