DSSSB Exam Pattern Explained – Tier System, Skill Test Overview & Complete Selection Process (2026)

The Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board (DSSSB) is the central recruitment authority for all Group B and Group C non-gazetted posts in the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi — covering teaching posts, technical positions, clerical roles, and paramedical staff across Delhi government departments, MCD schools, hospitals, and autonomous bodies.

For lakhs of aspirants across Delhi, UP, Haryana, and Rajasthan, a DSSSB selection is one of the most accessible and well-paying government job opportunities available — with a clearly defined exam pattern, transparent merit rules, and posts ranging from Primary Teacher (PRT) and TGT to Junior Engineer, Patwari, Pharmacist, and Laboratory Technician.

What makes DSSSB different from SSC and RRB is its flexible tier system — some posts require a single-stage exam, some require two tiers, and some include a Skill Test. Understanding exactly which tier applies to which post before you start preparing is the difference between a focused strategy and wasted effort.

What Is DSSSB?

DSSSB was established under the Government of NCT Delhi and recruits for vacancies in:

• Delhi government departments (Finance, Revenue, Education, Health, PWD, Transport, etc.)

• MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) — primary and secondary schools

• Delhi government hospitals and dispensaries — paramedical and nursing posts

• Delhi Jal Board, DTTDC, DSIIDC and other autonomous bodies under GNCT Delhi

• Delhi Police (civilian posts) — not armed police, which is through SSC CPO

DSSSB recruitment is notified post-wise — each notification contains specific posts with their own exam pattern, tier structure, and eligibility conditions. The official website is dsssb.delhi.gov.in.

DSSSB Exam Structure – Three Types of Pattern

DSSSB does not apply one universal exam pattern to all posts. Every post falls into one of three pattern types:

The specific pattern for every post is mentioned in the official DSSSB vacancy notification. Always verify the pattern from the official notification before preparing.

DSSSB One Tier Exam Pattern – Single Paper Structure

The One Tier exam is a single Computer Based Test (CBT) of 200 marks used for Group C posts that do not require specialised skill testing.

One Tier Exam Pattern

Key exam rules:

• Duration: 120 minutes (2 hours).

• Mode: Computer Based Test (CBT) — online.

• Negative marking: 0.25 marks (one-quarter mark) per wrong answer.

• Medium: English and Hindi — bilingual for all sections except language-specific papers.

• The Subject Specific section (100 marks) carries half the total marks — making it the most important preparation area for every DSSSB post.

Posts That Follow One Tier Pattern

• Junior Secretariat Assistant (JSA) — with Typing Skill Test

• Patwari

• Pharmacist

• Lab Technician

• Junior Engineer (JE) — Civil, Electrical, Mechanical

• Lower Division Clerk (LDC) — with Typing Skill Test

• Store Keeper

• Stenographer — with Stenography Skill Test

• Statistical Assistant

• Various MCD posts (Primary Teacher, Nursery Teacher, Special Education Teacher)

DSSSB Two Tier Exam Pattern

The Two Tier pattern applies to higher-level posts — primarily teaching posts at TGT and PGT level, and senior administrative posts. Tier 1 is a screening exam; Tier 2 is merit-forming.

Tier 1 – Screening Exam Pattern

Tier 1 rules:

• Duration: 80 minutes.

• Negative marking: 0.25 marks per wrong answer.

• Purpose: Qualifying/shortlisting — Tier 1 marks may or may not be counted in final merit depending on the specific notification.

• Candidates shortlisted from Tier 1 (typically 5–10 times the vacancies) proceed to Tier 2.

Tier 2 – Main Exam Pattern

Tier 2 rules:

• Duration: 120 minutes.

• Negative marking: 0.25 marks per wrong answer.

• Merit-forming: Tier 2 marks (or combined Tier 1 + Tier 2 marks as per notification) form the final merit list.

• The entire 200-mark paper is subject-specific — Tier 2 tests deep subject knowledge relevant to the post.

Posts That Follow Two Tier Pattern

• TGT (Trained Graduate Teacher) — all subjects (English, Hindi, Maths, Science, Social Studies, etc.)

• PGT (Post Graduate Teacher) — all subjects

• Assistant Teacher Nursery (ATN)

• Various Group B posts with specific subject expertise requirements

Critical distinction: For TGT and PGT posts, Tier 2 questions are entirely from the subject syllabus — a TGT Maths candidate will face 200 questions on Mathematics education content in Tier 2. Subject mastery is non-negotiable.

Subject Specific Syllabus – Post-wise Overview

The Subject Specific section is where most candidates win or lose the DSSSB exam. Here is the syllabus framework for the most common DSSSB posts:

Primary Teacher / Nursery Teacher (PRT / NTT)

Subject Specific topics (100 marks in One Tier / 200 marks in Tier 2):

• Child Development & Pedagogy: Developmental stages, learning theories (Piaget, Vygotsky, Bloom’s Taxonomy), inclusive education, assessment methods.

• Mathematics Pedagogy: Teaching methods for arithmetic, problem-solving approaches at primary level.

• Language Development: First and second language acquisition, teaching reading and writing, grammar at primary level.

• Environmental Studies Pedagogy: Concept-based learning, experiential learning, integration with daily life.

• Curriculum and School Organisation: CCE, NEP 2020 (National Education Policy), Right to Education Act 2009 — key provisions.

TGT (Trained Graduate Teacher) – Subject-wise

Each TGT post has its own Tier 2 subject paper. Syllabus is graduation-level subject content + pedagogy:

Junior Engineer (JE) – Civil / Electrical / Mechanical

Subject Specific section (100 marks) covers:

• JE Civil: Structural engineering, building materials, concrete design, surveying, hydraulics, soil mechanics, transportation engineering.

• JE Electrical: Electrical circuits, machines (DC and AC), power systems, control systems, electrical measurements.

• JE Mechanical: Thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, manufacturing processes, machine design, industrial engineering, heat transfer.

All topics are Diploma/Degree level engineering content.

Pharmacist

Subject Specific section covers:

• Pharmaceutics (dosage forms, manufacturing)

• Pharmacology (drug action, pharmacokinetics)

• Pharmaceutical Chemistry (organic, inorganic, analytical)

• Pharmacognosy (natural drugs)

• Hospital and Community Pharmacy practice

• Pharmacy law and ethics

Lab Technician

Subject Specific section covers:

• Haematology (blood tests, CBC)

• Clinical Biochemistry (liver function, kidney function tests)

• Microbiology (culture techniques, staining methods, infection control)

• Histopathology (tissue processing, staining)

• Clinical Pathology (urine analysis, stool examination)

• Blood Banking (blood grouping, cross-matching)

Patwari

Subject Specific section covers:

• Revenue laws of Delhi (Delhi Land Reforms Act, Delhi Land Holdings Act)

• Land records maintenance (Khatauni, Khasra, mutation)

• Survey and settlement operations

• Computer basics for land record digitisation

• Basic accounting and measurement units

General Awareness Syllabus (20 Questions, 20 Marks)

This section is common across all DSSSB posts — One Tier and Tier 1 both:

• History: Ancient, Medieval, and Modern India — key events, rulers, movements, freedom struggle.

• Geography: Physical geography of India, states and capitals, major rivers, mountains, climate zones; basic world geography.

• Polity: Indian Constitution — Preamble, Fundamental Rights and Duties, Directive Principles, important articles, Parliament, judiciary, local government.

• Economy: GDP, inflation, Five Year Plans, government schemes (PM Kisan, MNREGA, Ayushman Bharat, etc.), budget highlights, RBI functions.

• Current Affairs: Last 6–8 months — national events, sports, awards (Bharat Ratna, Padma Awards, Nobel Prize), government launches, summits.

• Science & Technology: ISRO missions, defence developments, major Indian discoveries, tech in governance (Aadhaar, DigiLocker, etc.)

• Delhi-specific GK: Delhi government schemes, Delhi history, Delhi geography, Delhi administrative structure — DSSSB frequently includes Delhi-specific questions that other exam guides miss entirely.

General Intelligence & Reasoning Syllabus (20 Questions, 20 Marks)

• Number series, letter series, alpha-numeric series

• Analogy (verbal and non-verbal)

• Classification and odd one out

• Coding and decoding

• Blood relations

• Direction sense

• Mathematical operations

• Venn diagrams and set-based reasoning

• Syllogism

• Statement and assumption / conclusion

• Non-verbal: Mirror image, paper folding, figure completion, embedded figures

• Calendar and clock problems

• Ranking and seating arrangement

• Data sufficiency

Arithmetical & Numerical Ability Syllabus (20 Questions, 20 Marks)

• Number System (LCM, HCF, divisibility, surds, indices)

• Simplification and BODMAS

• Percentage

• Ratio and Proportion

• Average

• Profit, Loss and Discount

• Simple Interest and Compound Interest

• Time and Work, Pipes and Cisterns

• Time, Speed and Distance

• Algebra (linear and quadratic equations, identities)

• Basic Geometry (triangles, quadrilaterals, circles)

• Mensuration (area, perimeter — 2D; volume, surface area — 3D)

• Data Interpretation (tables, bar charts, pie charts)

• Probability (basic)

English Language & Comprehension (20 Questions, 20 Marks)

• Reading Comprehension (one passage with 4–5 questions)

• Error Spotting

• Sentence Improvement

• Fill in the Blanks (appropriate word)

• Synonyms and Antonyms

• Idioms and Phrases

• One Word Substitution

• Spelling Correction

• Active and Passive Voice

• Direct and Indirect Speech

• Para Jumbles (Sentence Rearrangement)

• Cloze Test

Hindi Language & Comprehension (20 Questions, 20 Marks)

• गद्यांश पठन बोध (Reading Comprehension)

• संधि और समास (Sandhi and Samas)

• मुहावरे और लोकोक्तियाँ (Idioms and Proverbs)

• शब्द विचार — पर्यायवाची, विलोम, अनेकार्थी (Synonyms, Antonyms, Multiple Meanings)

• वाक्य शुद्धि (Sentence Correction)

• रिक्त स्थान पूर्ति (Fill in the Blanks)

• वर्तनी शुद्धि (Spelling Correction)

• काल (Tense), वचन (Number), लिंग (Gender)

• अलंकार (Figures of Speech — basic)

• हिन्दी साहित्य सामान्य ज्ञान (for teaching posts)

Skill Test in DSSSB – Types and Standards

For posts requiring practical skills, a Skill Test is conducted after the written exam. Skill Test is qualifying in nature — marks are not added to the merit list.

Typing Skill Test

Used for: Junior Secretariat Assistant (JSA), Lower Division Clerk (LDC), Tax Assistant, and similar clerical posts.

Typing tests are conducted on a computer using standard QWERTY keyboard for English and Kruti Dev or Mangal (Unicode) font for Hindi. Candidates must practice on the same keyboard type and font they will use in the actual test — physical keyboard type and font preference are specified in the admit card.

Stenography Skill Test

Used for: Stenographer (Grade C and Grade D) posts.

The test involves a dictation passage read at the specified speed. The candidate takes shorthand notes and then transcribes them on a computer within the allotted time. Accuracy and speed both matter — every uncorrected error reduces your effective transcription score.

Computer Proficiency Test (CPT)

Used for: Some technical and administrative posts requiring proven computer skills.

Tasks typically include:

• Document creation and formatting in MS Word.

• Spreadsheet creation with formulas in MS Excel.

• Presentation creation in MS PowerPoint.

• Data entry tasks at a specified minimum speed.

Passing CPT requires practical familiarity with MS Office — not theoretical knowledge. Practice daily on actual software.

DSSSB Final Merit List – How Your Rank Is Decided

After all stages are complete, DSSSB prepares the final merit list using the following formula:

For One Tier Posts (without Skill Test):
Final merit = Total marks in One Tier Written Exam (out of 200)

For One Tier Posts (with Skill Test):
Final merit = Total marks in One Tier Written Exam
Skill Test is qualifying — pass or fail, does not add marks

For Two Tier Posts:
Final merit = Tier 1 marks + Tier 2 marks (combined, as per the specific notification’s weightage formula)

In case of a tie in marks, DSSSB uses the following tiebreaker sequence:

1. Candidate with fewer wrong answers (fewer negative marks incurred) is ranked higher.

2. If still tied — older candidate (by date of birth) is ranked higher.

DSSSB 2026 – Recent Recruitment Activity

DSSSB has been actively notifying vacancies in 2025-26 across teaching and non-teaching posts. Key active or recent recruitments include:

• DSSSB TGT (All Subjects): Vacancies for MCD and GNCT Delhi schools.

• DSSSB PGT Posts: For senior secondary school teaching positions.

• DSSSB PRT / NTT: For primary and nursery level teaching in Delhi government and MCD schools.

• DSSSB Junior Engineer (Civil/Electrical): For Delhi PWD and Delhi Jal Board.

• DSSSB Pharmacist: For Delhi government hospitals and dispensaries.

• DSSSB Patwari and Lower Division Clerk: For Delhi Revenue and administrative departments.

All notifications are published on dsssb.delhi.gov.in. Subscribe to the official site for new vacancy alerts.

6-Month Preparation Strategy for DSSSB

Phase 1 (Months 1–2): Foundation

• Identify your target post — confirm whether it is One Tier or Two Tier and what the Subject Specific syllabus covers.

• Complete the Subject Specific syllabus from standard graduation-level textbooks or NCERT Class 9–12 (for teaching posts).

• Begin Current Affairs: follow a daily GK source.

• NCERT-based static GK: History, Geography, and Polity from Class 6–12 NCERT.

Phase 2 (Months 3–4): Section-wise Practice

• 20 Reasoning questions daily — alternate between verbal and non-verbal.

• 20 Maths questions daily — prioritise Percentage, SI/CI, Time & Work, and Geometry.

• English: Daily 1 reading comprehension passage + grammar exercises.

• Hindi: Daily 10 vocabulary questions + one comprehension passage.

• Subject Specific: 40 questions daily from your post’s topic areas.

Phase 3 (Months 5–6): Mock Tests and Revision

• 3 full-length section-wise tests per week.

• 2 full-length mock papers per week (timed — strict 80 or 120 minutes as applicable).

• Review every wrong answer — identify pattern weaknesses.

• For typing/steno posts: Begin daily typing practice by Month 3 — not Month 5.

FAQs

Q. What is the official website for DSSSB recruitment?
All DSSSB notifications, admit cards, results, and official information are published at dsssb.delhi.gov.in.

Q. Is there negative marking in DSSSB exams?
Yes — 0.25 marks (one-quarter mark) are deducted for every wrong answer in both One Tier and Two Tier written exams.

Q. How many marks does the Subject Specific section carry in DSSSB?
In a One Tier exam (200 marks total), the Subject Specific section carries 100 marks (50% of total). In Tier 2 (200 marks), the entire paper is subject-specific. This makes subject preparation the single highest-priority area.

Q. Is DSSSB Tier 1 marks counted in the final merit list for Two Tier posts?
It depends on the specific notification. Some DSSSB Two Tier notifications count only Tier 2 marks; others combine Tier 1 + Tier 2 in a specified ratio. Always check the official advertisement for the exact merit calculation formula.

Q. Can candidates outside Delhi apply for DSSSB posts?
Yes. DSSSB posts are open to all Indian citizens meeting the eligibility criteria — there is no domicile restriction for most posts. Some posts, however, have a preference for Delhi-resident candidates — verify from the specific notification.

Q. What is the typing speed required for DSSSB LDC/JSA posts?
35 words per minute in English or 30 words per minute in Hindi on a computer. Typing tests are qualifying — only pass or fail, no marks added.

Q. How is DSSSB different from SSC CGL for similar posts?
DSSSB recruits specifically for Delhi government positions — posts are Delhi-based with Delhi-specific allowances and posting. SSC CGL recruits for central government posts across India. Both are equivalent in pay level for similar roles, but DSSSB candidates are posted in Delhi only.

Q. Does DSSSB have an interview round?
No. Following the Government of India directive, there is no interview for any DSSSB Group B or C post. Selection is purely based on written exam marks and qualifying Skill Test performance.