MPSC Group C Syllabus & Exam Pattern — 2026
Last updated: July 2026 · Reading time: ~10 minutes
The MPSC Group C Combined examination recruits Tax Assistant, Clerk-Typist (Mantralaya and subordinate offices) and Industry Inspector posts under the Government of Maharashtra. All posts share a single objective preliminary paper; the mains and skill tests are post-specific. This guide sets out the complete prelims and mains syllabus, the subject-wise weightage, negative marking and recent cut-off trends. For how Group C compares with Group B, PSI and the Gazetted services, see the full MPSC Exam Pattern guide.
1. MPSC Group C prelims pattern
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Number of questions | 100 |
| Total marks | 100 (1 mark each) |
| Duration | 1 hour (60 minutes) |
| Mode | Offline OMR (objective, multiple choice) |
| Medium | Marathi & English |
| Negative marking | 1/4th (0.25 mark per wrong answer) |
| Nature | Screening — decides who advances to Mains |
Because every question is worth exactly one mark, disciplined attempting matters. See our MPSC Negative Marking guide for the exact guessing strategy that protects your score.
2. Subject-wise weightage (indicative)
The 100 questions are distributed across nine areas at roughly ten questions each. The precise split moves a little year to year, so treat this as a planning guide and always confirm against the latest official syllabus PDF on mpsc.gov.in.
| Subject | Approx. questions | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Marathi (grammar & comprehension) | ~10 | High — scoring |
| English (grammar & comprehension) | ~10 | High — scoring |
| General Knowledge & Current Affairs | ~12–15 | High |
| Mathematics & Reasoning (aptitude) | ~12–15 | High — scoring |
| Indian Polity & Constitution | ~10 | High — scoring |
| History (esp. Maharashtra) | ~10 | Medium |
| Geography (esp. Maharashtra) | ~10 | Medium |
| Economics | ~8 | Medium |
| General Science | ~10 | Medium |
The four scoring blocks — Marathi, English, Aptitude/Reasoning and Polity — together carry close to 45 marks and are almost entirely memory- or logic-based. A Group C aspirant who locks these down reliably starts every paper near the cut-off before touching the current-affairs and science questions.
3. Detailed prelims syllabus by subject
3.1 Marathi
Grammar (व्याकरण): samas, sandhi, alankar, vibhakti, prayog, kaal, shabd-siddhi, vachya; vocabulary — synonyms (samanarthi), antonyms (virudhdharthi), idioms (mhani & wakprachar); comprehension passage with inference questions.
3.2 English
Grammar — tenses, articles, prepositions, active/passive voice, direct/indirect speech, subject-verb agreement; vocabulary — synonyms, antonyms, one-word substitutions, idioms & phrases; error spotting; a reading-comprehension passage.
3.3 General Knowledge & Current Affairs
National and Maharashtra current affairs of the last 8–12 months — government schemes, appointments, awards, sports, summits and important days; static GK — books & authors, important organisations, and general awareness. This section moves most, so keep a rolling notebook.
3.4 Mathematics & Reasoning
Arithmetic — percentage, profit & loss, ratio & proportion, average, time & work, time-speed-distance, simple & compound interest, number system; reasoning — series, coding-decoding, blood relations, direction sense, syllogism, seating arrangement, clocks & calendars, Venn diagrams. All at roughly Class X level.
3.5 Indian Polity & Constitution
Preamble, Fundamental Rights & Duties, DPSPs, Union & State executive, Parliament and the Maharashtra legislature, judiciary, Panchayati Raj (73rd/74th amendments), constitutional bodies and key amendments. Our Indian Polity for MPSC guide covers this section in full.
3.6 History (with emphasis on Maharashtra)
Modern India and the freedom struggle, the Maratha empire and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the social-reform movement in Maharashtra, and the 1960 formation of the state. See the Maharashtra History guide.
3.7 Geography (with emphasis on Maharashtra)
Physical divisions, rivers, climate, soils, agriculture, minerals and the power sector of Maharashtra, plus basic Indian and physical geography. Use the Maharashtra Geography guide and the interactive Maharashtra map.
3.8 Economics
Basics of the Indian and Maharashtra economy, government schemes, banking and the RBI, budget and fiscal terms, poverty and employment, and agriculture & industry in Maharashtra.
3.9 General Science
Class 8–10 level physics, chemistry and biology — human physiology, diseases, everyday chemistry, basic physics concepts, plus applied and current science (space, health, technology).
4. MPSC Group C mains pattern
- Candidates who clear the prelims are called for the mains for their chosen post.
- Two papers of 100 marks each.
- Paper I (common): Marathi, English and General Knowledge.
- Paper II (post-specific): subject content relevant to Tax Assistant / Clerk-Typist / Industry Inspector.
- Negative marking of 1/4th applies to the mains objective papers as well.
- Skill test: Clerk-Typist candidates clear a typing test (Marathi 30 wpm, English 40 wpm).
5. Cut-off trends (General category, indicative)
Group C prelims cut-offs for the General (Open) category have recently ranged from about 55 to 65 out of 100, varying with paper difficulty, the post and the number of vacancies. Reserved-category cut-offs run 5–15 marks lower. The official cut-off is published on mpsc.gov.in after each result.
6. How to prepare — the efficient path
- Lock the four scoring blocks (Marathi, English, Aptitude, Polity) first — they are the most reliable marks.
- Solve the last 5–7 years of Group C previous-year papers to learn the exact question style and repeat topics.
- Take timed mock tests under real negative-marking conditions.
- Maintain a one-page current-affairs notebook for the fast-moving GK section.
- Follow the MPSC Preparation Strategy guide for a week-by-week plan.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MPSC Group C prelims exam pattern?
The MPSC Group C Combined preliminary exam has 100 objective questions for 100 marks, to be completed in 1 hour (60 minutes). There is 1/4th negative marking — 0.25 marks deducted for every wrong answer. It is a single common paper for all Group C posts.
What is the subject-wise weightage in MPSC Group C prelims?
The 100 questions are spread roughly evenly across nine areas: Marathi, English, General Knowledge / Current Affairs, Mathematics & Reasoning, Indian Polity, History (with emphasis on Maharashtra), Geography (with emphasis on Maharashtra), Economics and General Science — approximately 10 questions per subject, though the exact split varies slightly year to year.
Is there negative marking in MPSC Group C?
Yes, 1/4th (0.25) marks are deducted for each wrong answer. There is no penalty for unanswered questions. See our dedicated MPSC Negative Marking guide for the full strategy.
What posts are recruited through MPSC Group C?
MPSC Group C Combined recruits Tax Assistant, Clerk-Typist (Mantralaya and subordinate offices), Industry Inspector and similar Group C cadre posts. The prelims is common; the mains and skill/typing tests are post-specific.
What is the MPSC Group C mains pattern?
The Group C mains consists of two papers of 100 marks each. Paper I is common (Marathi, English and General Knowledge), and Paper II is post-specific. Clerk-Typist candidates additionally clear a typing skill test (Marathi 30 wpm, English 40 wpm).
Next steps
- Attempt the most recent Group C prelims paper to set a baseline.
- Preparing for Talathi (तलाठी) / Talithi exam? Read the dedicated MPSC Talathi Exam guide.
- Read the MPSC Negative Marking guide to stop losing marks to guessing.
- Compare all exams in the MPSC Exam Pattern guide.
- For search-focused pages, see Group C Exam Pattern 2026 and Subject Wise Weightage.