Haryana CET (Common Eligibility Test, conducted by the Haryana Staff Selection Commission) is the first step to direct recruitment for the Group C posts covered by the state’s CET policy. It is one OMR-based objective paper, and its marks decide who is called to the second stage for advertised posts. Here’s the shape of it and the topics tested, taken from CET Advt. No. 01/2025 and the CET policy printed with it, with a link to the advertisement for the exact marks and timing.
Common Eligibility Test (CET)
One bilingual (English and Hindi) objective paper answered offline on an OMR sheet. There is no negative marking for a wrong answer, but every question has a fifth option, E, for “not attempted”: if you do not want to answer a question you must fill that bubble, and a question left with no bubble filled costs one mark. To qualify you need at least 50% (General category) or 40% (reserved categories), and marks across shifts are normalised.
Your CET score
CET marks are valid for three years from the date the result is declared. There is no limit on attempts: you can sit again to improve your score, and an improved score gets a fresh three-year validity. For shortlisting, your highest score across all CET attempts counts, in the category you claim in the current application.
Second stage (CET Phase-II)
For each later post-wise advertisement, the Commission calls CET-qualified applicants in order of CET marks. For Group C posts other than police service and teaching posts, up to 10 times the number of advertised posts sit a written and/or skill examination, and final selection is made on its marks. For police service posts, a Physical Measurement Test and a Physical Screening Test, both qualifying, come before the written test. Each Phase-II advertisement sets its own pattern and syllabus.
General Awareness
Your awareness of the environment and its relevance to society, current events, and matters of everyday observation, including questions on India and its neighbouring countries: history, Indian polity and Constitution, art and culture, geography, economics, general policy, national and international organisations and institutions, environment, globalisation, climate, events and general science.
Reasoning
Verbal and non-verbal questions: semantic, symbolic, number and figural analogies, symbolic operations, trends, space orientation, semantic, number and figural classification, observation, relationships, concepts, Venn diagrams, drawing inferences, punched-hole pattern folding and unfolding, semantic and figural series, figural pattern folding and completion, number series, embedded figures, critical thinking, problem solving, emotional intelligence, arithmetical number series, arithmetical reasoning, word building, social intelligence, and coding and decoding.
Quantitative Ability
Number system, including simplification, decimals, fractions and relationships between numbers; LCM and HCF, ratio and proportion, percentage, roots, average, profit and loss, discount, simple and compound interest, mensuration, partnership, mixture and alligation, time and work, time and distance, tables and graphs, trigonometry, basic algebra and geometry.
English Language
Spot the error, fill in the blanks, synonyms and homonyms, antonyms, spellings and misspelt words, idioms and phrases, one-word substitution, improvement of sentences, active and passive voice, direct and indirect narration, shuffling of sentence parts and of sentences in a passage, tenses, cloze passage and comprehension passage.
Hindi Language
Letters, vowels, consonants, ayogvah and foreign sounds; words, pad and padbandh; nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs and adverbs; vikari and avikari words, postpositions, conjunctions, interjections and nipat; number, gender, case (karak) and tense; sandhi, prefixes, suffixes and samas; synonyms, antonyms, words with several meanings, words with one meaning, word pairs, and tatsam and tadbhav words; alankar; idioms and proverbs; sentences, sentence correction and spelling; punctuation; and one word for many words.
Computer Knowledge
Computer basics: organisation of a computer, the CPU, input/output devices, computer memory and its organisation, back-up devices, ports, Windows Explorer, keyboard shortcuts, the Windows operating system and the basics of MS Word, MS Excel and PowerPoint; and working with the internet and e-mail: browsing and searching, downloading and uploading, and managing an e-mail account.
General Knowledge of Haryana
The history, literature, geography, economy, civics, polity, environment, art, culture, customs, norms, society, current affairs and events of Haryana. Under the CET policy this part carries 25% of the weightage, and the six subjects above together carry the other 75%.
Questions are of Senior Secondary (10+2) level, except Hindi and English, which are of Matric level. The CET policy sets the 75/25 weightage, but the advertisement prints no question count for each subject, and marks and timing are set by each CET advertisement and can change. Treat the subjects above as the shape to study toward, and check HSSC CET Advt. No. 01/2025.
The CET has no vacancies of its own and does not by itself lead to a job. Qualifying it lets you apply against the Commission’s later post-wise advertisements for Group C posts covered by the CET policy, including posts in the police service, prisons and home guards; teaching posts and Ex-Agniveer posts are outside the policy. Reservation is given only to bona fide residents of Haryana.
Free topic-wise lessons and practice for the subjects above, sectional tests by subject, a Mistake Notebook that tracks your weak topics automatically, and dated current-affairs capsules.
Pariksha Saathi