Comprehensive guide to the HCS Subject List covering Prelims, Mains, Optionals and Interview, syllabus details, and tips for choosing the right optional subject
theIAShub | 10 Nov, 2025 | 1877 | 0 |
The HCS (Haryana Civil Services) exam consists of three stages: Preliminary (screening), Main Written, and Personality Test (Interview). In Prelims there are two objective papers: General Studies and CSAT. It is qualifying in nature and candidates need to clear a cutoff for HCS Mains. The HCS Mains exam is descriptive in nature with four papers English, Hindi, General Studies, and one Optional subject. The final stage is a 75-mark interview.
The table below summarises the exam structure, and each stage is detailed in the sections that follow.
|
Stage |
Examination | Papers/Subjects |
Total Marks |
| Preliminary Exam | Screening objective type | Paper I: General Studies (100); Paper II: CSAT (100) |
200 |
| Main Written | Descriptive subjective type | Paper I: English (100); Paper II: Hindi (100); Paper III: General Studies (200); Paper IV: Optional Subject (200) |
600 |
| Personality Test | Interview Viva-voce | Assessment of personality, communication, ethics, etc. | 75 |
The HCS Subject List 2026 for Prelims provides for the subjects and topics included in the preliminary examination. It helps candidates comprehend the paper structure, key areas, and focus topics for effective preparation.
|
Paper |
Key Topics Covered |
| General Studies (GS) | – History (Ancient, Medieval, Modern, Freedom Movement)
– Indian and World Geography – Indian Polity and Economy – General Science – Current Events of National and State Importance – Haryana-specific Topics (Economy, Society, Culture, Language) – Environmental Issues and Technology – Basic Reasoning and Analytical Skills |
| CSAT (Paper II) | – Reading Comprehension
– Interpersonal and Communication Skills – Logical Reasoning and Analytical Ability – Decision-Making and Problem-Solving – Basic Numeracy (Class X level) – Data Interpretation (Charts, Tables, Graphs) |
The Mains exam has four descriptive subjective type papers (each 3 hours) totaling 600 marks. Three papers are compulsory and one is optional paper:
|
Paper |
Subject |
Marks |
| Paper I | English (including English Essay) | 100 |
| Paper II | Hindi (including Hindi Essay, in Devanagari) | 100 |
| Paper III | General Studies | 200 |
| Paper IV | One Optional Subject | 200 |
All papers are of three hours duration. Candidates can answer in either English or Hindi (except language papers). Below is a breakdown of the compulsory papers’ content:
|
Paper |
Medium / Type |
Main Areas Covered |
| Paper I: English & Essay | English | – Comprehension passages
– Précis writing – Vocabulary and grammar – Composition and usage – Essay writing on a given topic |
| Paper II: Hindi & Essay | Hindi (Devanagari script) | – Translation (English to Hindi)
– Letter or précis writing – Explanation of prose/poetry passages – Composition (idioms, error correction) – Essay writing in Hindi |
| Paper III: General Studies (200 Marks) | English or Hindi | Part I: Modern Indian history & culture, geography of India, polity & Constitution, national issues (social welfare, health, internal security, environment).
Part II: India’s foreign relations, economy (planning, trade, IMF/World Bank), science & technology, international affairs, data interpretation (graphs/tables). |
These General Studies topics of HCS Mains build on the Prelims GS syllabus. But it requires deeper, essay-style answers. Overall, the HCS Mains tests knowledge of governance-related subjects and the ability to write structured answers.
HCS Candidates must select one Optional subject at application time from the list of 29 provided disciplines. This chosen subject accounts for Paper IV of Mains (200 marks). Once selected, the optional cannot be changed. Below is the full list of HCS Mains Optional subjects:
|
Humanities Subjects |
Science & Technical Subjects |
| Anthropology | Agriculture |
| Commerce & Accountancy | Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science |
| Economics | Botany |
| English Literature | Chemistry |
| Geography | Civil Engineering |
| Hindi Literature (Devanagari) | Electrical Engineering |
| Indian History | Geology |
| Law | Mathematics |
| Management | Mechanical Engineering |
| Philosophy | Medical Science |
| Political Science & International Relations | Physics |
| Psychology | Statistics |
| Public Administration | Zoology |
| Punjabi Literature | |
| Sanskrit Literature | |
| Sociology |
All options follow the UPSC syllabus model. For example, Agriculture covers agronomy, soil science, horticulture, etc., while History covers ancient, medieval, and modern India.
A well-chosen and sorted set of books helps cover the full HCS Subject List for both Prelims and Mains exam. The list below is standard reference used by successful candidates. Focus on building clear concepts before moving to advanced materials.
The HCS Prelims Book List provides the essential resources needed to build strong fundamentals for the Haryana Civil Services Exam. These books cover General Studies, CSAT, and Haryana-specific topics comprehensively.
|
Subject |
Recommended Books |
| History | History of Modern India by Bipan Chandra Ancient India by R.S. Sharma Medieval India by Satish Chandra |
| Geography | Certificate Physical and Human Geography by G.C. Leong NCERT Geography (Class 6–12) |
| Polity | Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth |
| Economy | Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh NCERT Macroeconomics (Class 11–12) |
| General Science | NCERT Science (Class 6–10) Lucent’s General Science |
| Current Affairs | The Hindu or Indian Express PRS India and PIB updates |
| CSAT (Paper II) | CSAT Manual by TMH Analytical Reasoning by M.K. Pandey |
The HCS Mains Book List includes standard references and state-focused materials to help candidates master all four papers. These books strengthen conceptual clarity and improve answer-writing for the written examination.
|
Paper |
Books & Resources |
| English Paper | Wren & Martin Grammar Essays for Civil Services by Pulkit Khare |
| Hindi Paper | Haryana Hindi Sahitya by local authors Hindi Vyakaran by Vasudev Nandan Shukla |
| General Studies Paper | General Studies Manual by Arihant India Year Book NCERTs (Class 6–12) |
| Optional Subject | Depends on chosen optional (see below) |
The Optional Subject Book List helps candidates choose the right resources for their selected discipline in the HCS Mains exam. These books provide in-depth coverage and support analytical, well-structured answers.
|
Optional Subject |
Standard Books |
| History | India’s Struggle for Independence by Bipan Chandra World History by Norman Lowe |
| Geography | Physical Geography by Savindra Singh Human Geography by Majid Husain |
| Public Administration | Public Administration by Laxmikant New Horizons of Public Administration by Mohit Bhattacharya |
| Political Science | An Introduction to Political Theory by O.P. Gauba Politics in India by Rajni Kothari |
| Sociology | Sociology – Themes and Perspectives by Haralambos and Holborn Indian Sociological Thought by B.K. Nagla |
| Agriculture | Agricultural Science by A.K. Vyas Principles of Agronomy by Reddy and Reddy |
Selecting the optional subject is a critical decision.
In summary, pick an optional that you enjoy and understand well, that builds on your strengths or education, and for which quality study resources exist. Subjects like History, Public Administration, Geography or one of the literature options are often chosen for overlap with GS and wide availability of notes. Tailor your choice to your profile: a science graduate might favor Zoology or Chemistry, a humanities student might choose History or Polity, and so on.
The HCS Subject List for optional subjects includes 29 disciplines such as History, Geography, Public Administration, Political Science, Agriculture, and various science and literature subjects. Candidates must choose one for the Mains exam.
Yes, the HCS Subject List for the Mains exam includes two compulsory language papers: English and Hindi (in Devanagari script). These papers test comprehension, essay writing, translation, and grammar.
To choose the right optional from the HCS Subject List, consider your academic background, interest, overlap with General Studies, scoring trends, and availability of study material or coaching.
The core HCS Subject List for Prelims, Mains, and optional subjects remains largely the same each year. However, candidates should check the latest HPSC notification for any updates in exam pattern or syllabus.
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