Back to APSC Combined Competitive Examination (CCE 2026)
NOTE
APSC CCE Preliminary & Mains Exam: Detailed Syllabus, Books & Scoring Strategy
Added on 29 Oct 2026
APSC Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) Complete Preparation Manual
The Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) conducts the Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) to recruit officers into the Assam Civil Service (ACS), Assam Police Service (APS), Superintendent of Taxes, District Transport Officer (DTO), and Block Development Officer (BDO) cadres.
1. Structure of the Examination
The APSC CCE follows the UPSC Civil Services model, comprised of three successive stages:
- Preliminary Examination (Objective Type): Screening test (Total: 400 Marks).
- Main Examination (Written Essay & GS Papers): Merit-ranking written examination (Total: 1500 Marks).
- Interview / Personality Test: Oral viva-voce in Guwahati (Total: 180 Marks).
2. Preliminary Examination Pattern
| Paper | Subject | Number of Questions | Marks | Duration | Qualifying Rules |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I | General Studies I (Indian & Assam Affairs) | 100 Questions | 200 Marks | 2 Hours | Counted for Prelims Merit Cut-off |
| Paper II | General Studies II (CSAT / Aptitude) | 80 Questions | 200 Marks | 2 Hours | Qualifying Only (Min. 33% = 66 Marks) |
Important: There is a negative marking of 0.25 marks per wrong question in both papers.
3. Subject-Wise Syllabus Breakdown for Paper I
A. Core Indian GS Component (65-70%)
- Indian Polity & Constitution: Preamble, Fundamental Rights & Duties, Directive Principles, Parliamentary system, Centre-State Relations, 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments, and Statutory Bodies.
- Indian Economy: Fiscal policy, RBI Monetary Policy, Union Budget highlights, GST, poverty alleviation schemes, and census indicators.
- Modern Indian History & Freedom Struggle: British colonial policies, 1857 Revolt, Indian National Congress sessions, Non-Cooperation, Civil Disobedience, and Partition.
B. Assam-Specific Component (30-35% of Total Marks)
Under the revised APSC rules, at least 30 to 35 questions must examine Assam directly:
- Ancient Kamarupa kings and medieval Ahom administrative hierarchies.
- 1857 revolt in Assam: Role of Maniram Dewan and Piyoli Baruah.
- Peasant Uprisings (Patharughat Ran in 1894, Phulaguri Dhewa in 1861).
- Assam's biodiversity, tribal demographic composition, and Autonomous District Councils (6th Schedule).
4. Essential Booklist for APSC Aspirants
- Indian Polity: Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth (7th Edition)
- Indian Economy: Indian Economy by Nitin Singhania / Ramesh Singh
- Indian History: A Brief History of Modern India by Rajiv Ahir (Spectrum Publications)
- Assam Section: Assam General Knowledge by Sailen Baruah and A Comprehensive History of Assam by P.N. Dutta
PDF file not available for download