In this guide
Every MPPSC cycle has its share of painful stories: candidates who scored well in GS Paper I but were eliminated because they fell short in Paper II. Because the paper is "only qualifying", it is easy to ignore until too late. The smart approach is the opposite — secure Paper II early, then give your energy to GS.
What Paper II is
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Name | General Aptitude Test (often called CSAT) |
| Questions | 100 |
| Time | 2 hours |
| Nature | Qualifying — marks do not count in the Prelims merit |
| Minimum | A minimum percentage (reported as 40% for general category and 30% for reserved categories) |
| Marking | Reported from 2026: 3 marks per question and negative marking of 1 mark |
What it tests
| Section | Content |
|---|---|
| Comprehension | Passages in English and Hindi — understanding and inference |
| Interpersonal and communication skills | Situational questions |
| Logical reasoning and analytical ability | Syllogisms, statements, blood relations, directions, series, coding |
| Decision-making and problem-solving | Administrative situations |
| General mental ability | Puzzles, patterns |
| Basic numeracy | Class 10 level — percentages, ratios, averages, interest, time and work, speed and distance |
| Data interpretation | Tables, graphs, charts |
The Hindi comprehension component is an advantage for most MP candidates — but only if they read carefully.
Step 1: Diagnose
Take a full previous-year Paper II under exam conditions — in your first month.
| Your score | Level | Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortably above the minimum | Safe | One practice paper every two weeks |
| Close to the minimum | Borderline | 3–4 hours a week of practice |
| Below the minimum | At risk | 6–8 hours a week until safe |
Step 2: Prepare by section
Comprehension (Hindi and English). Read the questions first; answer only from the passage; beware of extreme options ("always", "never"). Read a Hindi and an English editorial daily to build speed.
Reasoning. Practise standard types with diagrams — Venn diagrams for syllogisms, family trees for blood relations, sketches for directions and seating.
Numeracy. Percentages are the foundation of most other topics. Learn fraction–percentage equivalents; practise twenty questions a day.
Data interpretation. Read units and headings carefully; distinguish absolute from percentage change.
Decision-making. The best option is usually legal, ethical, practical and people-centred — for example, verifying a complaint and then acting within rules, rather than ignoring it or punishing without inquiry.
A worked comprehension example
Suppose a passage argues that rainwater harvesting in Malwa's villages has raised groundwater levels, but only where gram sabhas maintained the structures. A question asks which statement is "best supported by the passage". The options might include:
- (a) rainwater harvesting always raises groundwater;
- (b) community maintenance matters for the success of rainwater harvesting;
- (c) the government should stop funding rainwater harvesting;
- (d) Malwa has the highest groundwater levels in MP.
Option (a) is too absolute ("always"). Option (c) goes beyond the passage. Option (d) introduces a fact the passage never states. Only (b) follows directly from what was written. This habit — rejecting options that are extreme, outside the passage, or true but irrelevant — solves a large share of comprehension questions in both Hindi and English.
A worked numeracy example
A scheme's beneficiaries rose from 40,000 to 50,000. What is the percentage increase? The increase is 10,000, and 10,000 ÷ 40,000 = 25%. Many candidates wrongly divide by 50,000 and get 20%. Always divide the change by the original value. Small traps like this recur across percentage, profit-and-loss and data interpretation questions, so practise until the correct method is automatic.
Step 3: Attempt strategy
- Start with your strongest sections — often comprehension.
- Skip long calculations in the first round.
- If negative marking applies, avoid blind guesses.
- Aim for a safe score, not a maximum.
A note for humanities students
The maths in Paper II is class 10 level, and the same topic types repeat. Thirty minutes a day for eight weeks — starting with percentages and ratios — is enough for most candidates to become comfortable. Meanwhile, your reading skills are a strength: use them in comprehension.
A weekly plan for borderline candidates
| Day | Practice |
|---|---|
| Mon | Comprehension — 3 English and 2 Hindi passages |
| Tue | Numeracy — 25 questions |
| Wed | Reasoning — 30 questions |
| Thu | Data interpretation — 3 sets |
| Fri | Decision-making and mixed practice |
| Sat | Full Paper II, timed |
| Sun | Analyse mistakes; revise weak areas |
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Ignoring Paper II until the last month | Diagnose early |
| Over-attempting with negative marking | Accuracy first |
| Getting stuck on one question | Move on; return later |
| Skimming Hindi passages | Read carefully — they are easy marks |
| No timed practice | Full papers under exam conditions |
Take a recent MPPSC Paper II this week. Your score will tell you exactly how much time it needs in your plan.
A note on dates and numbers. Exam patterns, vacancies and schedules change from year to year. Always confirm the current details in the latest notification on the Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission website .
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