The Himachal Pradesh Rajya Chayan Aayog (HPRCA), Hamirpur has released a fresh notification for the recruitment of 312 Assistant Staff Nurse posts (Post Code 26044) under the Director, Medical Education & Research, Himachal Pradesh. Candidates preparing for this recruitment need a clear picture of the HPRCA Assistant Staff Nurse Syllabus 2026 and Exam Pattern together, since the written test is the only screening stage before document verification. This article covers the complete syllabus, subject-wise exam pattern, marking scheme, selection process, and preparation tips based on the official recruitment notification.
HPRCA Assistant Staff Nurse Syllabus 2026 - Overview
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Conducting Body | Himachal Pradesh Rajya Chayan Aayog (HPRCA), Hamirpur |
| Post Name | Assistant Staff Nurse (Allopathy) |
| Post Code | 26044 |
| Number of Vacancies | 312 posts |
| Department | Directorate of Medical Education & Research, Himachal Pradesh |
| Selection Stages | Computer Based Test (CBT) / Written Screening Test, followed by Document Verification |
| Total Questions | 120 (Objective type / MCQ) |
| Total Marks | 120 |
| Exam Duration | 1 Hour 30 Minutes (90 minutes) |
| Negative Marking | Not confirmed for this cycle in the sources reviewed - check the official Advt/notification PDF (see note below) |
| Mode of Exam | Online, Computer Based Test (CBT) |
| Application Window | 30 July 2026 to 29 August 2026 |
| Official Website | hprca.hp.gov.in |
Note: An earlier Assistant Staff Nurse cycle (Post Code 25026) was conducted by HPRCA with its CBT held on 4 and 5 May 2026, and reports from that cycle's answer key process mentioned a deduction of 0.25 mark per wrong answer. This has not been separately confirmed for the current 312-post (Post Code 26044) cycle notified on 23 July 2026. Candidates should verify the exact negative marking clause against the official Advt PDF once it is fully available, and this article will be updated once confirmed.
HPRCA Assistant Staff Nurse Selection Process 2026
The HPRCA Assistant Staff Nurse recruitment follows a two-stage selection process. There is no interview stage for this post.
- Stage 1 - Computer Based Test (CBT) / Written Screening Test: A 120-mark objective-type test covering the essential nursing qualification syllabus along with General Knowledge, Current Affairs, Everyday Science, Logical Reasoning, Social Science, and General English & Hindi of Matric standard.
- Stage 2 - Document Verification (DV): Candidates who qualify the written test are called for verification of original educational certificates, category certificates, Himachali Bonafide proof, and HPNRC registration.
Final merit is prepared on the basis of marks scored in the written test; document verification is qualifying in nature and does not carry separate marks.
HPRCA Assistant Staff Nurse Exam Pattern 2026
CBT / Written Screening Test Pattern
| Subject Area | Approx. Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing subjects (up to the level of the prescribed essential qualification - GNM / B.Sc Nursing) | - | - |
| General Knowledge, Current Affairs & Everyday Science | - | - |
| Logical Reasoning | - | - |
| Social Science | - | - |
| General English & General Hindi (Matric standard) | - | - |
| Total | 120 | 120 |
Test-prep sources tracking the previous Assistant Staff Nurse cycle reported an approximate split of 85 questions from Nursing subjects and 35 questions from General Knowledge & Aptitude. This split is not stated in the official notification content reviewed for the current cycle, so treat it as an indicative pattern from the earlier cycle rather than a confirmed figure - verify against the current Advt PDF once released.
Marking Scheme: 1 mark is awarded per correct answer. Whether negative marking applies for wrong answers in this cycle is not confirmed in the sources reviewed - see the note in the overview section above.
HPRCA Assistant Staff Nurse Syllabus 2026
The syllabus has two broad parts: the technical Nursing component tied to the GNM/B.Sc Nursing curriculum, and a General Knowledge & Aptitude component common to most HPRCA recruitment exams.
1. Nursing Subjects (Essential Qualification Level)
The notification states that this section covers topics "up to the level of the prescribed essential qualification" (GNM or B.Sc Nursing), without listing individual topic-wise weightage. Based on the standard GNM/B.Sc Nursing curriculum that HPRCA nursing exams have drawn from in earlier cycles, candidates can expect questions from areas such as:
- Fundamentals of Nursing
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Microbiology (sterilization methods, disinfectants and antiseptics, culture media, staining techniques)
- Medical-Surgical Nursing
- Community Health Nursing
- Obstetrical and Gynaecological Nursing (Midwifery)
- Paediatric Nursing (Child Health Nursing)
- Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing
- Pharmacology
- Nutrition and Dietetics
- First Aid and Emergency Nursing
This list reflects the common subject areas of the GNM/B.Sc Nursing syllabus rather than an official topic-wise weightage table, since no such breakdown was found in the notification content reviewed. Candidates should cross-check this against their own GNM/B.Sc Nursing coursework and the official Advt PDF.
2. General Knowledge, Current Affairs & Everyday Science
- General Knowledge of Himachal Pradesh (history, geography, culture, government schemes)
- National and international current affairs
- Everyday Science (basic physics, chemistry, biology concepts)
3. Logical Reasoning
- Verbal and non-verbal reasoning
- Analogies, series, coding-decoding
- Basic numerical and analytical ability
4. Social Science
- History, civics, geography, and economics topics of Matric standard
5. General English & General Hindi (Matric Standard)
- Grammar and usage
- Vocabulary
- Comprehension
- Basic translation and sentence correction (Hindi and English)
The official notification does not provide a topic-wise weightage or frequency breakdown for any of the above sections. If and when HPRCA releases a separate detailed syllabus PDF for Post Code 26044, this section will be updated with exact topic-wise weightage.
How to Prepare for HPRCA Assistant Staff Nurse Exam 2026
- Start with your nursing coursework: Since the technical section is drawn from the GNM/B.Sc Nursing syllabus, revise your own course notes and standard nursing textbooks first rather than generic guides.
- Build a subject-wise timetable: With no confirmed subject-wise weightage available yet, split study time roughly in proportion to the number of subjects rather than betting heavily on one section.
- Practice previous year question papers: Solve HPRCA's earlier Assistant Staff Nurse and similar nursing-exam papers to get used to question difficulty and framing.
- Take timed mock tests: With 120 questions in 90 minutes, speed and accuracy both matter - simulate the exact duration while practicing.
- Cover Himachal Pradesh GK separately: This is a state-specific section that generic national GK material won't fully cover.
- Revise microbiology and infection-control topics closely: These have appeared with notable frequency in past HPRCA nursing question sets.