PSC Old Question Papers: 6 Mistakes That Can Waste Your Preparation

Last updated: September 24, 2026.

I joined Nepal’s civil service directly at officer level, on my first Lok Sewa attempt. That was nearly nine years ago. Every working day since then, I have dealt with the same laws, rules and procedures that PSC asks about in its exams. So when I look at an old question paper today, I don’t just see questions. I see what the commission expects a future officer to understand.

That’s why I believe old papers are one of the best study tools any aspirant has. But there’s one condition. An old paper only helps if it is the real one.

Quick access: You can also open these, along with PSC vacancies, syllabus and results, from the Loksewa section of our Citizen Portal.

The good news is that you no longer have to trust a PDF someone shared on social media like Facebook, Viber or WhatsApp. PSC old question papers are published free on the Public Service Commission’s own website:

• PSC Old Question Papers: https://psc.gov.np/category/question-bank

In 30 seconds: Get papers only from psc.gov.np. Match your service, group and level. Solve 2–3 papers with a timer. Check every law-based answer against the current law. That’s the whole method.

First Exam or Next Promotion? This Is for You

If a vacancy notice (bigyapan) has just come out and you don’t know where to begin, begin with old papers. This works whether you are aiming for Kharidar, Nayab Subba, Section Officer or a technical post.

And if you’re already in service and preparing for a higher post, old papers matter just as much. The higher the level, the more PSC tests how well you understand the system, not just what you remember. Old papers show you exactly how that thinking is tested.

Think of them as free coaching. They cost nothing, and they come from the same commission that will set your exam.

Before You Search: Is Your Exam Even Run by PSC?

This sounds basic, but many students waste days searching the PSC site for papers that were never there. That’s because not every government exam in Nepal is run by PSC. So check this first:

• Federal civil service (Kharidar, Nayab Subba, Section Officer, technical posts): Public Service Commission. Old papers are on psc.gov.np (links above).
• Provincial civil service and local level posts: each province’s own public service commission. Check that province’s commission website.
• School teacher exams: Teacher Service Commission (Shikshak Sewa Aayog). Check its official website.
• Nepal Rastra Bank, Nepal Police, Nepal Army: the institution itself. Check its official website.

Find Your Exact Paper in 5 Minutes (7 Simple Steps)

Once you know PSC runs your exam, finding the right paper is quick.

1. Keep your vacancy notice open. Write down three things: your service (sewa), your group (samuha) and your level (taha). For example: Nepal Administration Service, General Administration group, Nayab Subba level. “Administration” alone is not enough, because different groups get different papers.
2. Next, open the Old Questions or Question Bank page using the links above.
3. Look for your service, group and level in the list. Match all three before you open anything.
4. Check the paper number and year. Most exams have more than one paper (pratham patra, dwitiya patra). Know which one you are looking at.
5. Then open or download it. It’s free.
6. See if an answer key (uttar kunji) is attached. Some papers have one. Many don’t.
7. Finally, rename the file in a way you’ll understand later, like NayabSubba_Paper1_2080.

How I’d Use Old Papers If I Were Preparing Again Today

Getting the paper is the easy part. What you do with it decides your result.

If I were preparing again today, I would not download everything at once. Instead, I would pick two or three recent papers for my exact level and treat each one like the real exam.

Sit at a table. Set a timer for the official time. No phone, no notes. When the time is up, stop, even if you haven’t finished. It will feel uncomfortable the first time. That’s fine. That feeling of running out of time is exactly what you need to learn from, and it’s much better to feel it at home than in the exam hall.

After that, check every answer honestly. For each mistake, open the syllabus, find the topic it came from, and study that whole topic. Don’t just memorise the one correct answer. Only when that is done, move to the next paper.

By the third paper, you will start to see a pattern. PSC comes back to certain areas again and again, and you’ll know which of them are your weak spots. That’s the moment preparation stops feeling like guessing and starts feeling like a plan.

6 Mistakes That Make Old Papers Useless

Even with the right papers and the right method, a few habits can undo your hard work. Watch out for these.

1. Learning old answers after the law has changed

This is the one that quietly costs marks. Many PSC questions are built on laws and rules, and in nearly nine years of service, I have seen how often these change. Acts are amended, regulations are replaced, procedures are updated.

As a result, an answer that was correct in an older paper can be wrong today. Worse, you’ll write it with full confidence, because you “learned it from the official paper.” So whenever an old question touches a law, a rule or a procedure, check the answer against the current version before you learn it.

If you’re already in service, be extra careful here. Don’t assume you know the answer just because you handle that work at the office. In the exam, PSC marks what the current law and rules say.

2. Treating old papers as the syllabus

Old papers show you how PSC asks. The syllabus tells you what it can ask. You need both, side by side.

3. Waiting for questions to repeat

Topics come back. Exact questions rarely do. That’s why understanding the idea behind each question matters more than remembering its answer.

4. Solving another group’s paper by mistake

Two papers can both say “administration” and still be for different groups. Check your samuha before you start, not after.

5. Trusting forwarded PDFs

Retyped copies can have a wrong year, a missing option or a changed question. If it didn’t come from psc.gov.np, don’t build your preparation on it.

6. Collecting instead of solving

A phone full of downloaded PDFs and saved screenshots feels like progress. In reality, five papers solved properly will take you further.

Living Abroad? You Can Start Today

If you’re outside Nepal and planning to come back for Lok Sewa, you don’t have to wait. The papers are open online from anywhere. Vacancy notices are posted on the same website, so check it regularly for application dates and requirements.

Save This Checklist

Screenshot this, or send it to the friend you’re preparing with:

• I know my service, group and level
• My papers are from psc.gov.np, not forwarded PDFs
• I solve each paper with a timer, no notes
• I study the full syllabus topic behind every mistake
• I check law-based answers against the current law

One Paper This Week. That’s Your Start.

You don’t need a phone full of PDFs or a secret shortcut. You need the real papers, a timer, and the honesty to check your own mistakes.

I once sat exactly where you are now, and so did every officer I work with today: holding an old paper, unsure where to start. And whether it’s your first exam or your next step up, that feeling never fully goes away. The ones who made it didn’t have a secret. They practised with real papers, checked their mistakes and kept going. So pick one paper this week, and begin.

If you want to know how I prepared, I’ve written about it here: how I prepared for my first Lok Sewa attempt. And when you move from objective questions to written ones, this will help: writing high-scoring answers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are PSC old question papers free? Yes. Papers on the official PSC website are free to view and download.

Can I find Kharidar, Nayab Subba or Section Officer old question papers? Check the Old Questions and Question Bank pages for your service and group. Availability differs by level and year, and not every paper has been uploaded.

Do PSC old question papers come with answers? Some do, many don’t. Where there is no answer key, check your answers against current laws and standard textbooks.

Where can I find teacher exam old papers? School teacher exams are run by the Teacher Service Commission, not PSC. Check the Teacher Service Commission’s official website.

Are answers in old papers still correct today? Not always. If a law or procedure has been amended since the exam, the old answer may now be wrong.

FAQ Block

Q: Are PSC old question papers free?

A: Yes. Papers on the official PSC website, psc.gov.np, are free to view and download.

Q: Can I find Kharidar, Nayab Subba or Section Officer old question papers?

A: Check the Old Questions and Question Bank sections on psc.gov.np for your service and group. Availability differs by level and year.

Q: Do PSC old question papers come with answers?

A: Some do, many don’t. Where there is no answer key, check answers against current laws and standard textbooks.

Q: Where can I find teacher exam old papers?

A: School teacher exams are run by the Teacher Service Commission, not PSC, so check the Teacher Service Commission’s official website.

Q: Are answers in old papers still correct today?

A: Not always. If a law or procedure has been amended since the exam, the old answer may be outdated.