Rajasthan Administrative Services (RAS) Preparation Guide

The RAS, or Rajasthan Administrative Services, exam is a state-level civil services exam. It is conducted by RPSC, i.e., Rajasthan Public Service Commission and is also known as Rajasthan State and Subordinate Services Combined Competitive Exam. RAS is the highest state service in Rajasthan, and hence one of the most sought after jobs. If you would also like to join RAS, then the RAS exam is the way for you. It is conducted to fill Group A and B vacancies in Rajasthan.

RAS Exam 2020 Date:

In view of the corona pandemic, all the dates given below are tentative as of now. Following are some important events and tentative dates of RAS 2020:

RAS Exam 2020 Eligibility Criteria:

Eligibility criteria for RPSC RAS exam is:

Educational Qualifications: 

Graduate in any discipline from a recognised university

Age:

Candidates should be minimum 21 years and maximum 40 years in age as on January 1, 2020. For non-gazetted employees, the minimum age limit is 25 years and the maximum age limit is 45 years as on January 1, 2020.

Age relaxations are as given below:

RAS 2020 Total Vacancy:

RAS 2020 Category-wise Vacancy details are mentioned in the table given below-

Application Process for RAS exam 2020:

To apply online, you have to first register on the official RPSC website if you are a first time applicant, and then fill the application form. Following are the detailed steps:

1. Visit the official website of RPSC, https://rpsc.rajasthan.gov.in/
2. Click on the Registration link if you are a new user
3. Fill required details
4. Select a password
5. Submit the RAS registration form
6. Save registration number/ user ID for future reference
7. Login with user ID and password
8. Fill the application form
9. Upload all the required documents, including your photo and signature
10. Pay RPSC RAS application fee. The fee is Rs. 250 for general categories, Rs. 150 for OBC and Rs. 50 for SC/ST.

Admit Card for RAS exam 2020:

RPSC issues separate admit cards for all three stages of its RAS exam. The prelims admit card is published ten days before the exam. The mains admit card is published fifteen days before the exam. Following the are steps to download your admit cards from the website:

1.  Visit rpsc.rajasthan.gov.in/
2. Click on the Exam Dashboard under Candidates Information
3. Go to Rajasthan State & Subordinate Services Exam table
4. Click on the download admit card link
5. Log in with your credentials in the new window
6. Download your RAS admit card

RAS Salary Structure:

The RPSC salary varies as per the service category. Following table shows more details about pay scales in various services:

Selection Process in RAS Exam:

The RPSC RAS selection process includes three stages:

1. Preliminary exam: This is an objective-type screening test. The duration allotted is 3 hours. Total marks are 200 marks. 
2. Main exam: This is a descriptive and analytical written test. This exam contains four papers, each of 200 marks. The duration for each paper is three hours.
3. Personality/ viva-voce exam: Candidates qualifying the Main exam move on to a personality test-cum-interview. The marks allotted for this is 100 marks.  

RAS Exam 2020 Syllabus:

The RAS exam syllabus is provided in Annexure I below.

RAS Exam 2020 Pattern:

RPSC RAS Preliminary Exam Pattern

The RPSC RAS Preliminary exam contains objective-type MCQs totalling 200 marks. This is a screening test, and the score does not bear upon the final merit list. 

The standard of questions asked in the RAS Pre exam is of graduation level, and are from general knowledge and general science. 

RPSC RAS Main Exam Pattern 

The Main exam of RPSC RAS consists of four written tests, of 200 marks each. Every test has a time duration of three hours.

RPSC RAS Interview Pattern:

Candidates shortlisted on the basis of their Main exam score need to appear for the interview round. Total marks allotted to the interview is 100 marks. In this round, candidates are evaluated on the basis of their character, personality, physical fitness and knowledge of Rajasthani culture.

RAS Exam Cut Off:

RAS cut off for prelims 2017 is as given below:

RAS cut off for mains 2017 is as given below:

Annexure I

The RPSC syllabus for the RAS exam is as follows:

History, Art, Culture, Literature, Tradition & Heritage of Rajasthan

1. Major Landmarks in the History of Rajasthan, Major Dynasties, their Administrative and Revenue System. Socio-cultural Issues.
2. Freedom Movement, Political Awakening and Integration
3. Salient features of Architecture –Forts and Monuments
4. Arts, Painting and Handicrafts.
5. Important Works of Rajasthani literature. Local Dialects
6. Fairs, Festivals, Folk Music and Folk Dances.
7. Rajasthani Culture, Traditions and Heritage.
8. Religious Movements, Saints& Lok devtas of Rajasthan.
9. Important Tourist Places.
10. Leading Personalities of Rajasthan.

Indian History Ancient & Medieval Period

1. Salient features and Major Landmarks of Ancient and Medieval India.
2. Art, Culture, Literature and Architecture.
3. Major Dynasties, Their Administrative System. Socio-Economic Conditions, Prominent Movements.

Modern Period

1. Modern Indian history (from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present)-significant events, personalities and issues.
2. The Freedom Struggle & Indian National Movement-its various stages and important contributors and contributions from different parts of the country.
3. Social and Religious Reform movements in the 19th and 20th century.
4. Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country

Geography of World and India World Geography

1. Broad Physical features.
2. Environmental and Ecological Issues.
3. Wildlife and Biodiversity.
4. International Waterways.
5. Major Industrial Regions.

Geography of India

1. Broad physical features and Major physiographic divisions.
2. Agriculture and Agro-based Activities.
3. Minerals –Iron, Manganese, Coal, Oil & Gas, Atomic minerals.
4. Major Industries and Industrial development.
5. Transportation–major transport corridors.
6. Natural Resources.
7. Environmental Problems and Ecological Issues.

Geography of Rajasthan

1. Broad physical features and Major physiographic divisions.
2. Natural Resource of Rajasthan
3. Climate, Natural Vegetation, Forests, Wildlife and Bio-diversity
4. Major irrigation projects.
5. Mines and Minerals.
6. Population.
7. Major Industries and Potential for Industrial Development.

Indian Constitution, Political System & Governance

1. Constitutional Development & Indian Constitution
2. Government of India Acts: 1919 and 1935, Constituent Assembly,
3. Nature of Indian Constitution; Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles of State, Fundamental Duties, Federal Structure, Constitutional Amendments, Emergency Provisions,
4. Public Interest Litigation (P.I.L.) and Judicial Review.

Indian Political System and Governance:

1. Nature of Indian State, Democracy in India, Reorganization of States, Coalition Governments, Political Parties, National Integration.
2. Union and State Executive; Union and State Legislative, Judiciary.
3. President, Parliament, Supreme Court, Election Commission, Comptroller and Auditor General, Planning Commission, National Development Council, Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), Central Information Commission, Lokpal, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
4. Local Self Government & Panchayati Raj.

Public Policy & Rights

1. National Public Policy as a welfare state.
2. Various Legal Rights and Citizen Charter.

Political and Administrative System of Rajasthan

1. Governor, Chief Minister, State Assembly, High Court, Rajasthan Public Service Commission, District Administration, State Human Rights Commission, Lokayukta, State Election Commission, State Information Commission.
2. Public Policy, Legal Rights and Citizen Charter.

Economic Concepts and Indian Economy

1. Basic Concepts of Economics
2. Basic Knowledge of Budgeting, Banking, Public Finance, National Income, Growth and Development
3. Accounting-Concept, Tools and Uses in Administration
4. Stock Exchange and Share Market
5. Fiscal and Monetary Policies
6. Subsidies, Public Distribution System
7. E-Commerce
8. Inflation-Concept, Impact and Control Mechanism

Economic Development & Planning: -

1. 5 Year Plans -Objectives, Strategies and Achievements.
2. Major Sectors of Economy-Agriculture, Industry, Service and Trade-Current Status, Issues & initiatives.
3. Major Economic Problems and Government Initiatives. Economic Reforms and Liberalization. Human Resource and Economic Development:-
4. Human Development Index

Poverty and Unemployment:

1. Concept, Types, Causes, Remedies and Current Flagship Schemes. Social Justice and Empowerment:-Provisions for Weaker Sections.

Economy of Rajasthan

1. Macro overview of Economy.
2. Major Agricultural, Industrial and Service Sector Issues.
3. Growth, Development and Planning.
4. Infrastructure & Resources.
5. Major Development Projects.
6. Programmes and Schemes-Government Welfare Schemes for SC/ST/Backward Class/Minorities/Disabled Persons, Destitute, Women, Children, Old Age People, Farmers & Labourers

Science & Technology

1. Basics of Everyday Science.
2. Electronics, Computers, Information and Communication Technology.
3. Space Technology including Satellites.
4. Defence Technology.
5. Nanotechnology.
6. Human body, Food and Nutrition, Health care.
7. Environmental and Ecological Changes and its Impacts.
8. Biodiversity, Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering.
9. Agriculture, Horticulture, Forestry and Animal Husbandry with special reference to Rajasthan. Development of Science and Technology in Rajasthan. Reasoning & Mental Ability, Logical
10. Reasoning (Deductive, Inductive, Abductive):
11. Statement and Assumptions, Statement and Argument, Statements and Conclusion, Courses of Action.

Analytical Reasoning, Mental Ability

1. Number series, Letter series, Odd man out, Coding-Decoding, Problems relating to Relations, Shapes and their sub-sections.
2. Basic Numeracy
3. Elementary knowledge of Mathematical and Statistical Analysis.
4. Number System, Order of Magnitude, Ratio and Proportion, Percentage, Simple and Compound Interest, Data Analysis (Tables, Bar diagram, Line graph, Pie-chart).

Current Affairs

1. Major Current Events and Issues of State (Rajasthan), National and International Importance
2. Persons and Places in recent news
3. Games and Sports related Activities

Hope this Rajasthan Administrative Services Preparation Guide was helpful for you.

Best of Luck!