The RSSB LDC / Junior Assistant exam has been conducted in multiple cycles — 2013, 2016, 2018, and the current 2024–26 cycle for 10,644 vacancies. Across cycles, the exam pattern has been remarkably consistent: Paper I (GK, Science, Maths) and Paper II (Hindi, English), each with 150 MCQs, 100 marks, 3 hours, and 1/3 negative marking.
RSSB does not release official previous year papers publicly. This article gives you a thorough topic-wise analysis of what each paper consistently covers, representative practice questions modeled on the RSSB LDC pattern, and a strategy for the 1/3 negative marking rule.
| Exam Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Conducting Body | RSSB — Rajasthan Staff Selection Board |
| Papers | 2 Papers (Paper I + Paper II) |
| Questions per Paper | 150 MCQs |
| Marks per Paper | 100 marks (each question = 2/3 mark) |
| Duration per Paper | 3 Hours |
| Negative Marking | 1/3 mark deducted per wrong answer |
| Paper I | General Knowledge + Everyday Science + Mathematics |
| Paper II | General Hindi + General English |
| Typing Test (after written) | Qualifying — Hindi 25 WPM OR English 30 WPM |
| Merit | Paper I + Paper II combined marks |
Paper I — Topic-Wise Analysis
General Knowledge & Current Affairs (~50 questions)
Rajasthan GK is the dominant sub-section — typically 20–25 questions out of 50 GK questions. Candidates from outside Rajasthan or those who underinvest in Rajasthan GK consistently lose marks here.
| GK Topic | Expected Qs | Key Repeating Areas |
|---|---|---|
| Rajasthan History & Culture | 8–10 | Rajput era (Haldighati, Khanwa, Ranthambore), integration of states, folk arts, fairs (Pushkar, Nagaur, Beneshwar) |
| Rajasthan Geography | 6–8 | Districts (33), rivers (Luni, Chambal, Banas, Ghaggar), lakes (Sambhar, Jaisamand, Pichola), Thar desert, terrain |
| Rajasthan Art, Festivals & Crafts | 4–5 | Dances (Ghoomar, Kalbeliya, Chari), folk music (Maand, Manganiyar), miniature paintings (Bundi, Mewar schools), crafts |
| Rajasthan Govt Schemes & Current Affairs | 3–4 | State schemes, CM, Governor, recent government decisions, Rajasthan-specific news |
| Indian History (Modern focus) | 5–6 | 1857 revolt, freedom movement (Gandhi, Nehru, Bose), independence and partition |
| Indian Polity & Constitution | 4–5 | Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles, Parliament structure, judiciary, Panchayati Raj |
| Indian Geography | 3–4 | Rivers, mountains, climate zones, agriculture, minerals, National Parks |
| Indian Economy | 2–3 | GDP, RBI, banking, inflation, five-year plans (historical), budget basics |
| National Current Affairs | 3–4 | Last 6 months — national events, awards, sports, science |
Practice Questions — GK
Q1. The Battle of Haldighati (1576) was fought between Maharana Pratap and —
(a) Akbar directly (b) Man Singh leading Mughal forces (c) Aurangzeb (d) Shahjahan
Ans: (b) — Haldighati 1576: Maharana Pratap vs Man Singh of Amber commanding Mughal army on behalf of Akbar
Q2. Sambhar Lake in Rajasthan is India's —
(a) Largest freshwater lake (b) Largest inland saltwater lake (c) Deepest lake (d) Highest altitude lake
Ans: (b) — Sambhar is India's largest inland saltwater lake; major salt production centre
Q3. The folk dance 'Kalbeliya' of Rajasthan is associated with which community?
(a) Bhil tribe (b) Kalbelia (snake charmer) community (c) Meena tribe (d) Rajput community
Ans: (b) — Kalbeliya dance is performed by the Kalbelia community; UNESCO intangible cultural heritage
Q4. Rajasthan has how many districts (as per latest reorganization)?
(a) 33 (b) 41 (c) 50 (d) 36
Ans: (c) — After 2023 reorganization, Rajasthan has 50 districts (previously 33). Verify with the latest notification for exam year.
Q5. 'Panchayati Raj' system was first implemented in India in which state?
(a) Maharashtra (b) Rajasthan (c) Uttar Pradesh (d) Gujarat
Ans: (b) — Rajasthan implemented Panchayati Raj first on 2 October 1959 at Nagaur, inaugurated by PM Nehru
Everyday Science (~40 questions)
| Science Topic | Expected Qs | Key Repeating Areas |
|---|---|---|
| Biology — Human Body & Health | 8–10 | Digestive system, circulatory system, respiratory system, diseases (communicable vs non-communicable), vitamins/deficiencies |
| Biology — Plants & Ecology | 4–5 | Photosynthesis, food chains, ecosystems, pollination, plant reproduction |
| Physics — Everyday phenomena | 6–8 | Force, Newton's laws, pressure, work-energy, heat, light (reflection, lenses), sound, electricity basics |
| Chemistry — Materials & reactions | 5–6 | Acids/bases (pH, indicators), metals/non-metals, chemical changes vs physical changes, common compounds (NaCl, H₂O₂, CaCO₃) |
| Computer Knowledge | 5–6 | Hardware vs software, MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Internet basics, email, shortcut keys, binary basics |
| Environment & Ecology | 4–5 | Greenhouse effect, ozone layer, pollution types, water conservation, biodiversity, national parks of Rajasthan |
Practice Questions — Everyday Science
Q1. Which vitamin is produced by the human body when exposed to sunlight?
(a) Vitamin A (b) Vitamin B12 (c) Vitamin C (d) Vitamin D
Ans: (d) — Vitamin D is synthesized in skin when exposed to UV-B radiation from sunlight; deficiency causes rickets
Q2. The pH of pure water at room temperature is —
(a) 0 (b) 7 (c) 14 (d) 5.5
Ans: (b) — pH 7 = neutral; below 7 = acidic; above 7 = basic/alkaline
Q3. Which shortcut key is used to save a document in MS Word?
(a) Ctrl + P (b) Ctrl + S (c) Ctrl + D (d) Alt + S
Ans: (b) — Ctrl+S saves; Ctrl+P prints; Ctrl+A selects all; Ctrl+Z undoes
Q4. The Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan is known for which animal?
(a) Asiatic Lion (b) One-horned Rhinoceros (c) Bengal Tiger (d) Snow Leopard
Ans: (c) — Ranthambore is a Project Tiger reserve; famous for Bengal Tiger sightings
Q5. 'Ozone' layer is found in which layer of the atmosphere?
(a) Troposphere (b) Stratosphere (c) Mesosphere (d) Thermosphere
Ans: (b) — Ozone layer is in the stratosphere (15–35 km altitude); filters UV-B and UV-C radiation
Mathematics (~60 questions)
| Maths Topic | Expected Qs | What to Focus On |
|---|---|---|
| Percentage | 5–6 | Percentage increase/decrease, successive percentages, profit-loss as % of CP/SP |
| Profit & Loss | 4–5 | CP, SP, MP, discount, successive discounts, profit on cost/selling price |
| Simple & Compound Interest | 4–5 | SI formula, CI formula, difference between SI and CI, half-yearly compounding |
| Ratio & Proportion | 4–5 | Direct/inverse proportion, compound ratio, partnership problems |
| Time, Work & Wages | 4–5 | Work done in n days, pipe and cistern, wages proportional to work |
| Speed, Distance & Time | 4–5 | Relative speed, trains, boats upstream/downstream |
| Number System & HCF/LCM | 4–5 | Divisibility rules, HCF/LCM word problems, factors |
| Average | 3–4 | Weighted average, average of consecutive numbers, replacing-term problems |
| Algebra — equations | 4–5 | Linear equations in 1 & 2 variables, quadratic basics, factorisation |
| Geometry & Mensuration | 5–6 | Triangle properties, Pythagoras, area/perimeter of standard shapes, volume (cube, cylinder, cone) |
| Statistics | 3–4 | Mean, median, mode; bar graph and pie chart reading |
Practice Questions — Mathematics
Q1. A shopkeeper marks his goods 40% above cost price and gives 25% discount. His profit % is —
(a) 5% (b) 8% (c) 15% (d) 10%
Ans: (a) — Let CP=100; MP=140; SP=140×0.75=105; Profit=5%
Q2. Simple Interest on ₹8,000 at 12% per annum for 2.5 years is —
(a) ₹2,200 (b) ₹2,400 (c) ₹2,600 (d) ₹3,000
Ans: (b) — SI = PRT/100 = 8000×12×2.5/100 = ₹2,400
Q3. A can do a work in 12 days, B in 18 days. Working together, they finish in —
(a) 6.2 days (b) 7.2 days (c) 8 days (d) 9 days
Ans: (b) — Combined rate = 1/12+1/18 = 3/36+2/36 = 5/36; Time = 36/5 = 7.2 days
Q4. A train 200m long passes a pole in 10 seconds. Its speed in km/h is —
(a) 60 km/h (b) 72 km/h (c) 80 km/h (d) 90 km/h
Ans: (b) — Speed = 200/10 = 20 m/s = 20×18/5 = 72 km/h
Q5. The average of 5 consecutive odd numbers is 31. The largest is —
(a) 33 (b) 35 (c) 37 (d) 39
Ans: (b) — Consecutive odd: 27,29,31,33,35; average=31; largest=35
Q6. If a circle has circumference 44 cm, its area is (π = 22/7) —
(a) 154 sq cm (b) 144 sq cm (c) 132 sq cm (d) 176 sq cm
Ans: (a) — C=2πr; 44=2×(22/7)×r; r=7 cm; Area=πr²=(22/7)×49=154 sq cm
Paper II — Topic-Wise Analysis
General Hindi (~75 questions)
| Hindi Topic | Expected Qs | Key Areas |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension (Anuchhed) | 10–15 | Passage-based questions; literal + inferential; read carefully |
| Sandhi (vowel, consonant, visarga) | 6–8 | Identify type + form; Deergh, Guna, Vriddhi, Yan, Ayadi most tested |
| Samas (compound words) | 5–6 | Match example to type: Tatpurush, Dvandva, Bahuvrihi, Karmadharaya, Avyayibhav |
| Paryayavaachi (Synonyms) | 5–6 | Word families: Jal, Surya, Nayan, Agni, Prem, Stri, Raat, Vriksha |
| Vilomavaachi (Antonyms) | 4–5 | Standard antonym pairs from Lucent Hindi grammar |
| Muhavare & Lokoktiyan | 4–5 | Match muhavara to correct meaning |
| Alankar (Figures of speech) | 3–4 | Upama, Rupak, Anupras, Yamak, Shlesh |
| Ras & Chhand | 2–3 | 9 main Ras (Shringaar, Veer, Karuna, Hasya, etc.); Doha, Sortha, Chaupai |
| Vakya Shuddhi (Error correction) | 4–5 | Correct the grammatically wrong sentence; verb-subject agreement |
| Vilom, Anekarthi Shabd | 3–4 | Words with multiple meanings; context-based choice |
Practice Questions — Hindi
Q1. 'नीलकमल' में कौन-सा समास है?
(a) तत्पुरुष (b) द्वंद्व (c) कर्मधारय (d) बहुव्रीहि
उत्तर: (c) — नीलकमल = नीला है जो कमल (विशेषण + विशेष्य = कर्मधारय समास)
Q2. 'सूर्य' का पर्यायवाची नहीं है —
(a) दिनकर (b) भास्कर (c) रजनीश (d) आदित्य
उत्तर: (c) — रजनीश = चंद्रमा; दिनकर, भास्कर, आदित्य = सूर्य के पर्यायवाची
Q3. 'गागर में सागर' मुहावरे का अर्थ है —
(a) छोटी जगह में बड़ी बात कहना (b) बड़े में छोटा रखना (c) पानी की कमी (d) व्यर्थ प्रयास
उत्तर: (a) — गागर में सागर = थोड़े शब्दों में बड़ी बात कहना
Q4. 'देव + इंद्र' की संधि है —
(a) देवेंद्र (गुण संधि) (b) देवींद्र (c) देवाइंद्र (d) देविंद्र
उत्तर: (a) — अ + इ = ए (गुण संधि) → देवेंद्र
Q5. 'वह दौड़ता-दौड़ता आया' — इस वाक्य में 'दौड़ता-दौड़ता' है —
(a) क्रिया विशेषण (b) संज्ञा (c) सर्वनाम (d) विशेषण
उत्तर: (a) — 'दौड़ता-दौड़ता' क्रिया की विशेषता बताता है → क्रिया विशेषण
General English (~75 questions)
| English Topic | Expected Qs | Key Areas |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 10–15 | Unseen passage — direct questions + vocabulary in context + inference |
| Tenses (all 12 forms) | 6–8 | Identify tense; fill in the blank; convert from one tense to another |
| Articles (a, an, the) | 4–5 | Fill-in-blank; rules for zero article (plural general nouns, countries, languages) |
| Prepositions | 4–5 | Time/place/manner prepositions; idioms with prepositions (in time, on time, at the end) |
| Active / Passive Voice | 4–5 | Convert; identify; tense changes when converting |
| Direct / Indirect Speech (Narration) | 4–5 | Change tense and pronoun when converting; reporting verb changes |
| Synonyms / Antonyms | 5–6 | Vocabulary from comprehension + standalone questions |
| One-Word Substitution | 3–4 | Common OWS: omnivore, omniscient, altruism, bibliography, autobiography |
| Error Spotting / Sentence Correction | 5–6 | Subject-verb agreement, article use, preposition errors, tense consistency |
| Idioms & Phrases | 3–4 | Common English idioms and their meanings |
Practice Questions — English
Q1. Fill in the blank: "She has been working here _____ five years."
(a) for (b) since (c) from (d) during
Ans: (a) — "for" with duration (five years); "since" with a point in time (2020)
Q2. Convert to Passive: "The manager signed the documents."
(a) The documents were signed by the manager. (b) The documents are signed by the manager. (c) The documents have been signed by the manager. (d) The documents signed by the manager.
Ans: (a) — Simple Past Active → Simple Past Passive: was/were + V3
Q3. Choose the correct article: "He is _____ honest man."
(a) a (b) an (c) the (d) No article
Ans: (b) — "honest" starts with a vowel sound (/ɒn/); so 'an' is correct before vowel sounds
Q4. Change to Indirect Speech: He said, "I am going to the market."
(a) He said that he is going to the market. (b) He said that he was going to the market. (c) He told that he was going to market. (d) He said that he will go to the market.
Ans: (b) — Present Continuous → Past Continuous in indirect speech; "I" → "he"; "am going" → "was going"
Q5. Spot the error: "The committee have decided to postpone their meeting."
(a) The committee (b) have decided (c) to postpone (d) their meeting
Ans: (b) — "committee" is a collective noun treated as singular in formal British English → "has decided"; also "their" should be "its"
Negative Marking Strategy
| Confidence Level | Action | Expected Value per Question |
|---|---|---|
| Certain (4/4 confident) | Attempt | +2/3 mark (guaranteed) |
| Can eliminate 2 options (50-50) | Attempt | +1/6 mark expected (positive — attempt) |
| Can eliminate 1 option (1 in 3 chance) | Borderline — attempt if time allows | +0 to +1/9 (marginal) |
| Cannot eliminate any option | Skip | −1/12 expected value (negative — skip) |
Typing Test — Strategy & Preparation
| Typing Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Start practicing NOW | Typing 25/30 WPM requires muscle memory — 6–8 weeks of daily practice minimum |
| Hindi typing layout | Learn Krutidev 010 layout OR Mangal (Unicode); most RSSB exams use Krutidev or Mangal on Windows |
| Use free online tools | typetest.io, 10fastfingers.com, inscript.me for Hindi typing practice |
| Accuracy over speed | At 25 WPM with 85% accuracy, errors deduct from your net speed — practice clean typing first |
| Timed mock sessions | Once you hit 20 WPM, start 5-minute timed sessions daily — simulate exam conditions |
| Common mistakes | Matras (ा, ि, ी, ु, ू) and conjuncts (क्ष, त्र, ज्ञ) in Hindi take most time — drill these specifically |
3-Month Preparation Schedule
| Month | Written Focus | Typing Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Month 1 | Rajasthan GK complete (history, geography, culture); Basic Maths (percentage, profit-loss, SI/CI) | Start Hindi/English keyboard layout; target 10 WPM by end of month |
| Month 2 | Science (Biology + Physics + Chemistry + Computer); Hindi grammar (Sandhi, Samas, Synonyms); English grammar (Tenses, Voice) | Target 20 WPM; start timed 5-minute sessions |
| Month 3 | Advanced Maths (algebra, geometry, mensuration); Full mock tests (Paper I + Paper II); Current affairs revision | Target 28+ WPM Hindi / 33+ WPM English; mock typing tests under exam conditions |
