RPSC Sub Inspector Previous Year Papers 2026: Pattern Analysis & Practice
- Re-exam date: 20 September 2026
- Why PYP matters: RPSC SI pattern has remained consistent across cycles — what appeared before, will appear again
- Key differentiator: Rajasthan GK depth is what separates toppers from average scorers
By RojgarDekho Team | Updated: May 2026
The RPSC Sub Inspector has been conducted in multiple cycles — 2014, 2016, 2018 (Rajasthan Police SI), and the 2021 batch (currently scheduled for re-exam on Sep 20, 2026). Across these cycles, the pattern has been remarkably consistent: Rajasthan GK dominates, Hindi grammar follows a predictable set of topics, and reasoning uses standard formats.
This article gives you a pattern analysis based on the known exam structure and representative practice questions modeled on the RPSC SI exam style.
Pattern Insight From Previous RPSC Police Exams
| Topic Area | Typical Questions | Difficulty | What Repeats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rajasthan History | 12–15 questions | Medium-High | Haldighati, Khanwa, integration of states, Rajput period battles |
| Rajasthan Geography | 10–12 questions | Medium | Rivers, districts, Thar, borders with Pakistan |
| Rajasthan Art & Culture | 8–10 questions | Medium | Folk dances (Ghoomar, Kalbelia), festivals, crafts |
| Rajasthan Economy & Schemes | 6–8 questions | Easy-Medium | Agriculture, government schemes, industries |
| Indian Polity | 10–12 questions | Medium | Constitution, Parliament, fundamental rights |
| General Hindi | 15–20 questions | Easy-Medium | Synonyms, antonyms, idioms, grammar |
| Reasoning | 15–20 questions | Easy-Medium | Series, analogy, direction, blood relations |
| Current Affairs | 10–12 questions | Variable | National events, Rajasthan government news |
In RPSC SI exams, Rajasthan GK typically accounts for 35–45% of the total question paper. Candidates from Rajasthan who know their state deeply have a natural edge. If you're not from Rajasthan, this is your biggest study investment.
Practice Questions — Rajasthan History
Q1. The Battle of Haldighati (1576) was fought between:
(a) Akbar and Rana Pratap (b) Akbar and Man Singh (c) Man Singh and Rana Pratap (d) Babur and Rana Sanga
Answer: (a) — Mughal forces led by Man Singh (representing Akbar) vs. Maharana Pratap. Technically (c) is also partly correct but (a) is the standard answer as it's between Akbar's forces and Rana Pratap.
Q2. Kalibangan, an Indus Valley site in Rajasthan, is located in which district?
(a) Bikaner (b) Hanumangarh (c) Jaisalmer (d) Sri Ganganagar
Answer: (b) Hanumangarh — on the banks of the Ghaggar river
Q3. The Praja Mandal movement in Rajasthan was primarily a movement for:
(a) Farmers' rights (b) Representative government in princely states (c) Land reforms (d) Women's franchise
Answer: (b) Representative government in princely states
Q4. Which ruler of Mewar built the Kumbhalgarh Fort?
(a) Maharana Pratap (b) Rana Kumbha (c) Rana Sanga (d) Rana Ratan Singh
Answer: (b) Rana Kumbha (15th century) — it has the world's second-longest wall after the Great Wall of China
Practice Questions — Rajasthan Geography
Q5. Which river forms the natural boundary between Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh?
(a) Luni (b) Banas (c) Chambal (d) Ghaggar
Answer: (c) Chambal
Q6. The Indira Gandhi Canal (formerly Rajasthan Canal) originates from:
(a) Bhakra Dam (b) Harike Barrage (c) Jawaharlal Nehru Sagar (d) Rana Pratap Sagar
Answer: (b) Harike Barrage — on the confluence of Sutlej and Beas rivers in Punjab
Q7. Rajasthan shares its border with how many other Indian states?
(a) 4 (b) 5 (c) 6 (d) 7
Answer: (b) 5 — Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab (and international border with Pakistan)
Practice Questions — Rajasthan Art & Culture
Q8. Which folk dance of Rajasthan was recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage?
(a) Ghoomar (b) Kalbelia (c) Bhavai (d) Terah Taali
Answer: (b) Kalbelia (2010 UNESCO recognition)
Q9. Blue pottery of Rajasthan is primarily associated with which city?
(a) Udaipur (b) Jodhpur (c) Jaipur (d) Ajmer
Answer: (c) Jaipur
Practice Questions — Indian Polity (Police Context)
Q10. Under which Article of the Indian Constitution can the President declare a National Emergency?
(a) Article 352 (b) Article 356 (c) Article 360 (d) Article 365
Answer: (a) Article 352 (National Emergency), Article 356 (President's Rule in states), Article 360 (Financial Emergency)
Q11. The Right to Information Act (RTI) was enacted in:
(a) 2003 (b) 2004 (c) 2005 (d) 2006
Answer: (c) 2005
Practice Questions — General Hindi
Q12. 'घी के दिये जलाना' मुहावरे का अर्थ है:
(a) व्यर्थ खर्च करना (b) खुशी मनाना (c) धर्म के काम करना (d) प्रयास करना
उत्तर: (b) खुशी मनाना
Q13. 'विशेषण' का उदाहरण है:
(a) धीरे-धीरे (b) लम्बा (c) चलना (d) यहाँ
उत्तर: (b) लम्बा — विशेषण संज्ञा की विशेषता बताता है
What No Other Site Tells You About RPSC SI Preparation
Here's the part worth saving:
RPSC SI questions on Rajasthan art are more specific than you expect. It's not just "which festival is celebrated in Rajasthan" — it's "which district is famous for Phad painting" (Shahpura, Bhilwara). The questions go to sub-district and artisan-community level. If you're studying Rajasthan art & culture, go deep on: which craft belongs to which district, which folk saint belongs to which community, which dance is performed by which tribe.
Current affairs has a 3-6 month window. RPSC SI typically uses current affairs from roughly 6 months before the exam. For the September 2026 re-exam, that means March–August 2026 events matter most. September 2025 events? Less important. Focus on Rajasthan state government events first, then national.
The re-exam has a motivated candidate pool. Everyone writing this re-exam has already been preparing since 2021. The general knowledge floor is higher than a fresh exam. Don't assume a 70% score will be comfortable — target 80%+ to be safe in merit ranking.
Practice Questions — Rajasthan Economy and Government Schemes
This is the most underestimated section — candidates study history and geography but skip economy and schemes, losing 8–12 marks.
- The Indira Gandhi Canal (Rajasthan Canal) originates from which barrage? — (a) Bhakra Dam (b) Harike Barrage (c) Kota Barrage (d) Rana Pratap Sagar Dam [Ans: b — Harike Barrage, Punjab; also called Rajasthan Canal; 9,060 km network]
- Rajasthan's 'Mukhyamantri Chiranjeevi Swasthya Bima Yojana' provides health insurance up to — (a) ₹5 lakh (b) ₹10 lakh (c) ₹25 lakh (d) ₹15 lakh [Ans: c — ₹25 lakh per family per year; check latest figure in notification]
- Which district of Rajasthan has the highest fluoride content in groundwater? — (a) Jodhpur (b) Nagaur (c) Barmer (d) Bikaner [Ans: b — Nagaur is known for high fluoride content causing fluorosis]
- The 'Rajasthan Investment Promotion Scheme' (RIPS) is administered by which body? — (a) RSEB (b) RIICO (c) RAJSICO (d) RFC [Ans: b — RIICO (Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment Corporation)]
Practice Questions — Indian Polity (Police-Relevant)
- Under which article does the President of India have the power to proclaim National Emergency? — (a) Article 352 (b) Article 356 (c) Article 360 (d) Article 365 [Ans: a — Art. 352 = National Emergency; Art. 356 = State Emergency (President's Rule); Art. 360 = Financial Emergency]
- Which fundamental right is available only to Indian citizens and not to foreigners? — (a) Right to Life (Art. 21) (b) Right against Exploitation (Art. 23–24) (c) Freedom of Religion (Art. 25) (d) Cultural and Educational Rights (Art. 29–30) [Ans: d — Art. 29–30 available to citizens only; Art. 21 and 23–24 available to all persons]
- The CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) is governed by which Act? — (a) CRP Act 1949 (b) CRPF Act 1949 (c) Central Police Act 1861 (d) Police Forces (Restriction of Rights) Act 1966 [Ans: b]
- First Information Report (FIR) is registered under which section of CrPC? — (a) Section 154 (b) Section 156 (c) Section 161 (d) Section 164 [Ans: a — Sec 154 CrPC requires police to register FIR for cognizable offences; Sec 156 = power to investigate; Sec 161 = examination of witnesses; Sec 164 = confession to Magistrate]
Rajasthan Art and Culture — High-Frequency Topics
- Which dance form of Rajasthan is inscribed on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage? — (a) Ghoomar (b) Kalbelia (c) Terah Taali (d) Bhavai [Ans: b — Kalbelia dance (snake charmers' community) was inscribed in UNESCO ICH in 2010]
- The 'Kesariya Balam' song belongs to which folk music tradition of Rajasthan? — (a) Maand (b) Languriya (c) Panihari (d) Dha [Ans: a — Maand style; famous singer Gavri Devi performed it]
- The 'Phad' painting tradition is associated with which deity's story? — (a) Shrinathji (b) Pabuji or Devnarayan (c) Ramdevji (d) Tejaji [Ans: b — Phad is a scroll painting narrating the story of Pabuji or Devnarayan; Bhopas (priests) carry and narrate from the phad]
- Which handicraft of Rajasthan is Jaipur famous for internationally? — (a) Blue Pottery (b) Bidri Work (c) Pithora Paintings (d) Warli Art [Ans: a — Jaipur Blue Pottery is GI-tagged; uses quartz (not clay) — unique to Jaipur]
30-Day Intensive Revision Plan — RPSC SI Re-Exam 2026
| Days | Focus | Daily Target |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1–6 | Rajasthan History (Paper II) — complete revision | 50 Rajasthan GK MCQs |
| Days 7–12 | Rajasthan Geography + Art/Culture | 50 Rajasthan GK MCQs |
| Days 13–18 | Paper I — GK India + Reasoning + Hindi | Full Paper I mock (100Q) |
| Days 19–24 | Full mock tests (both papers) + analysis | Both papers mock daily |
| Days 25–30 | Weak topics only + current affairs (last 3 months) | Targeted revision 3 hrs/day |
Q: What is the RPSC SI cut-off for general category based on previous exams?
RPSC SI does not release official cut-offs separately for each paper — the final merit list is based on combined marks. Based on previous Rajasthan Police SI selections, general category candidates typically needed 260–290 out of 400 total marks (Paper I + Paper II combined) to secure a posting. The 2026 re-exam may see a slightly different cut-off depending on competition level among the 857-post batch.
Q: How many mock tests are enough for RPSC SI preparation?
Minimum 20 full mock tests (both Paper I and Paper II under timed conditions) before the exam date. Analyze every mock: identify wrong answers, categorize errors (careless mistake vs knowledge gap vs trap question), and revisit only the wrong ones. Quality of analysis matters more than quantity of mocks attempted.
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Q: Are RPSC SI Paper I and Paper II held on the same day?
RPSC SI Paper I and Paper II are typically held on separate sessions on the same day or on different days — this varies by notification and logistics. The 2026 re-exam schedule will specify the timing. Prepare to attempt both papers in one day if scheduled together — stamina matters. During preparation, practice one complete paper (100 questions, 2 hours) in a single sitting to build exam-day endurance. Do not practice only in short 30–60 minute chunks.
Q: How many questions come from Rajasthan current affairs in RPSC SI Paper II?
Rajasthan-specific current affairs typically account for 20–30 marks in Paper II. This includes state budget highlights, new government schemes, sports achievements by Rajasthan players, and appointments of key officials (DGP, Chief Secretary). National current affairs that specifically affect Rajasthan (water disputes, border schemes) also appear. Cover at least 12 months of Rajasthan current affairs before the exam.
FAQ — RPSC SI PYP 2026
Q: Are official RPSC SI previous year papers available?
RPSC does not officially publish previous year question papers. However, papers from past cycles (2014, 2016, 2018 Rajasthan Police SI) are available from various coaching centers and candidates who appeared. The practice questions above reflect the documented exam style.
Q: Is the 2026 re-exam harder than the original?
The syllabus and format are the same. But the candidate pool is more experienced — everyone has had 3+ years of additional preparation. Set your target score higher than the expected cut-off.
Q: How many questions to attempt for a safe score?
Target: Attempt all questions with strong probability, skip only if genuinely unsure. With negative marking (typically ⅓), you need 75%+ accuracy to profit from guessing.
Q: What percentage of questions are Rajasthan-specific?
Typically 35–45% of the total paper has Rajasthan-specific content. This is your make-or-break section.
Q: Can I prepare for RPSC SI alongside BPSSC/UPSSSC?
Partially. General Hindi, Reasoning, and Indian Polity overlap. But Rajasthan GK requires dedicated, state-specific preparation that won't help for Bihar or UP exams. Separate your Rajasthan GK time completely.