🏦 1. Introduction

The Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (HPPSC) conducts state-level recruitment examinations for various administrative and police services in Himachal Pradesh. One of the prestigious posts under this umbrella is Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) for the Himachal Pradesh Police.

The DSP role in Himachal Pradesh involves supervising law‐and‐order, managing district-level policing, investigations, and coordinating security operations in the state’s hilly terrain and diverse geography. The HPPSC DSP Exam 2026 will assess candidates on both substantive knowledge and physical/fitness qualifiers.

This article covers everything aspirants need: the latest exam pattern, syllabus, selection process, marks weightage, preparation tips, and official resource links — all formatted for easy website upload and SEO-friendly.

🧭 2. Selection Process

The typical selection pipeline for the DSP post via HPPSC consists of the following stages:

Preliminary Examination (Objective type) – screening phase
Main Examination (Descriptive type) – in‐depth test of knowledge
Interview / Personality Test – assessing personal qualities, intelligence, leadership
Physical Standard Test (PST) & Physical Efficiency Test (PET) – qualifying in nature
Medical Examination – final eligibility check

📌 Only candidates who qualify the physical and medical standards proceed to final merit list.

📘 3. Exam Pattern

Note: Specific published DSP pattern via HPPSC is not readily found; however, based on HPPSC state service/HPAS style and previous postings (including DSP wireless etc.) we outline a typical pattern for 2026 selection. Candidates must check the official notification when issued.

🧾 Phase I – Preliminary Examination

Paper	Subject	Marks	Duration	Negative Marking
Paper I	General Studies (Himachal + India)	~150	~2 hours	¼ or ⅓ mark for wrong answer (based on HPAS usage)
Paper II	General Aptitude / CSAT‐type	~150	~2 hours	Qualifying in nature

📜 Phase II – Main Examination

Paper	Subject	Type	Marks	Duration
Paper I	Language / Essay (Hindi & English)	Descriptive	~200	~3 hrs
Paper II	History, Culture, Geography of HP & India	Descriptive	~200	~3 hrs
Paper III	Indian Polity, Governance, Public Administration	Descriptive	~200	~3 hrs
Paper IV	Indian Economy, Science & Technology, Environment	Descriptive	~200	~3 hrs
Paper V & VI	Optional Subject I & II	Descriptive	~200 each	~3 hrs each
Total (Mains)	—	—	~1000+	—

💬 Phase III – Interview / Personality Test

Stage	Marks	Nature
Interview	~150-200	Counted for Merit

🏋️ Physical Standard Test (PST) & Physical Efficiency Test (PET)

Qualifying physical measurements and fitness standards (height, chest, weight, running, jumps) are required but marks may not be added to final merit — they ensure eligibility.

📚 4. Detailed Section-Wise Syllabus

🧠 Preliminary Exam

Paper I – General Studies

History of Himachal Pradesh & India (Ancient, Medieval, Modern)
Geography of Himachal Pradesh and India (Physical, Economic, Social)
Indian Polity & Constitution
Indian Economy & Social Development
Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity & Climate Change (General)
General Science (Basic)
Current Affairs (National, International & Himachal‐specific)

Paper II – Aptitude / CSAT

Logical Reasoning & Analytical Ability
Decision Making & Problem Solving
Basic Numeracy (Class X level) & Data Interpretation
Comprehension & English/Hindi language skills
Interpersonal & Communication Skills

📘 Main Examination

Paper I – Language & Essay

Essay writing on social, economic, administrative issues
Grammar, vocabulary, translation (Hindi ↔ English)
Comprehension, précis writing

Paper II – History, Culture & Geography

Ancient, Medieval & Modern Indian History
History of Himachal Pradesh – heritage, culture, traditions
Physical and Human Geography of India & Himachal Pradesh
Socio‐economic development of Himachal

Paper III – Polity, Governance & Administration

Constitution of India, governance frameworks
Public administration, civil services in India
Himachal Pradesh state government structure, local bodies
Rights, duties, and accountability of citizens

Paper IV – Economy, Science & Environment

Indian economy, planning, budgeting, fiscal policy
Science & Technology developments in India
Environment, climate change, disaster management
Himachal Pradesh special issues (mountain economy, tourism, hydro)

Papers V & VI – Optional Subjects

Choose from subjects like:

Law, Public Administration, Sociology, History, Geography, Economics, etc.
Two papers of the chosen optional subject covering theory and applied aspects

✅ 5. Final Selection & Marks Weightage

Stage	Marks	Nature
Preliminary Exam	~300	Qualifying
Mains Exam	~1000+	Counted for Merit
Interview	~150-200	Counted for Merit
Physical Test / Medical	Qualifying	Not in Merit
Total	~1150-1200	Final Merit Based on Mains + Interview

Candidates must clear all qualifying stages (physical, medical) and then their ranking is decided by their mains plus interview marks combined.

💡 6. Practical Preparation Tips

🗂️ Know the state‐specific syllabus: Himachal’s geography, culture, heritage, economy deserve special attention.
📘 Use standard texts: NCERTs for basics; specialized books for Himachal topics and optional subjects.
📨 Stay updated with current affairs: Focus on Himachal Pradesh local issues, national policies, environment, technology.
🧮 Practice previous years’ papers for HPPSC/HPAS to understand pattern and difficulty.
✍️ Answer‐writing practice: For mains descriptive papers, work on clarity, structure, relevance & Himachal examples.
🏃 Physical fitness matters: Even though physical tests may be qualifying only, start training early (running, endurance, jumps) especially given terrain in Himachal.
📆 Revision and mocks: Regular revision of syllabus topics; take full‐length mocks for time management and accuracy.
🎯 Optional subject strategy: Choose an optional subject you are comfortable with and that overlaps with General Studies topics when possible.

🔗 7. Useful Resource Links

HPPSC Official Website: https://hppsc.hp.gov.in

HPPSC Notification 2019 For 396 ...

👮‍♂️ HPPSC DSP Exam 2026 | Latest Exam Pattern, Syllabus, and Preparation Guide