DSSSB Sweeper, Chowkidar Syllabus 2026: Exam Pattern, Advt 05/2026
100 questions in 120 minutes: English, Hindi, GK and Arithmetic, 25 each, with a 0.25 penalty, then a 15-mark interview. What to study in each section.
The written test for DSSSB Sweeper and Chowkidar is 100 questions for 100 marks in 120 minutes, followed by a 15-mark interview. Posts, age and fee are on the Advertisement 05/2026 page.
100 questions, four sections, 0.25 penalty
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| English | 25 | 25 |
| Hindi | 25 | 25 |
| General Knowledge (including current affairs) | 25 | 25 |
| Arithmetic | 25 | 25 |
| Total | 100 | 100 |
- Time: 120 minutes, or 160 minutes for PwD candidates. That is 72 seconds a question.
- Negative marking: 0.25 per wrong answer.
- Qualifying marks: 50 for UR and EWS; 45 for OBC (Delhi), SC, ST, PwBD and ex-servicemen.
- If marks run across shifts, DSSSB normalises them by its 2018 formula. Invalid questions are dropped and your score is prorated.
What to study in each section
The advertisement names only the sections. At the matriculation level the post requires, expect these areas:
English. Synonyms and antonyms, fill in the blanks with prepositions and articles, tense, spelling errors, one-word substitution, common idioms, and a short passage.
Hindi. पर्यायवाची और विलोम शब्द, संधि, समास, लिंग और वचन, मुहावरे और लोकोक्तियाँ, वर्तनी की शुद्धि, वाक्य शुद्धि, अनेक शब्दों के लिए एक शब्द.
General Knowledge. Delhi basics (districts, Lieutenant Governor, Chief Minister, courts, landmarks), Indian polity and the courts, history and geography of India, national symbols, days and awards, sports, and current affairs from the last six months.
Arithmetic. Number system, simplification and BODMAS, LCM and HCF, percentage, profit and loss, ratio and proportion, average, simple interest, time and work, time and distance, and basic area and perimeter.
How the 115 marks add up
Final merit is written marks plus interview marks, out of 115. The interview is taken by the office of the Principal District and Sessions Judge (HQs), and there is no minimum mark in it. So a candidate with a high written score cannot be failed out at the interview, but the interview's 15 marks can still reorder a close list.
Up to 10 times the vacancies are called. For 10 Sweeper posts that is about 100 people. For 15 Chowkidar posts it is about 150. Everyone tied at the last shortlisted written score is also called.
On equal final marks, the older candidate ranks higher. If the birth dates are the same too, alphabetical order of first name in English decides.
A scoring plan
Hindi and English give the quickest marks for most Delhi candidates, because each question takes seconds. Aim for at least 20 of 25 in Hindi.
Arithmetic at this level rewards practice, not shortcuts. Ten timed sets on percentage, average and profit and loss cover a large share of it.
With a 0.25 penalty and four options, even a blind guess gains a little on average. Once you can strike out one option, a guess is clearly worth it.
Try the 0.25 penalty in the practice set.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Advertisement 05/2026 lists only the four sections and their marks. The topics below are what a matriculation-level paper usually covers in each section.
It is bilingual, Hindi and English, except the English and Hindi language sections, which are set in their own language.
Keshav founded StudentUpdate.in and edits every recruitment notice, syllabus page and practice set the site publishes. Each notice is read from the issuing body's PDF or portal before it goes live; dates, fees, vacancy tables and eligibility rules are copied from that document, not from other websites.