HPRCA Copy Holder Exam Syllabus PDF 2026 – Complete Subject Wise Details

Syllabus for the Exam of Copy Holder to be conducted by HPRCA

A. SUBJECTS AS PER ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATION

I. SOCIAL SCIENCE

1. HISTORY

i. Indian History

(a) Ancient Indian History

The earliest Societies-Hunting & gathering as a way of life, its implications; introduction to stone tools and their use; Prehistory and Human Civilization: Paleolithic Age, Mesolithic Age and Neolithic Age; The Copper age, The Bronze Age and The Iron Age; The Indus Valley Civilization: Principal archaeological sites, urban planning, external and internal trade, artistic achievements, industries and crafts, social stratification. Pre-Vedic and Vedic Culture; Religious Movements; Mauryan Empire; The Shakas, The Kushanas, The Satavahanas; Sangam Age : - The Cholas, The Pandya, The Cheras; The Guptas Age; The Post-Guptas Age : The Harshavardhana.

(b) Medieval India

Turkish invasion in India: -Muhammad bin Qasim, Mahmud of Ghazni, and Muhammad Ghori; The Delhi Sultanate : - The Mamluk (Slave), Khilji, Tughlaq, Sayyad, and Lodi dynasties; Religious Movements: -Sufi movement, Chishti order; The Bhakti Movement: - Shankara, Ramanujacharya, Madhvacharya, Namdev, Gnyaneshwar, Kabir, Guru Nanak, Ravidas, Tulsidas, Surdas, Mirabai and Chaitanya; Mughal Empire; Maratha Empire; Rise of Sikh Empire.

(c) Modern India

Arrival of European Companies in India; Governor Generals of Bengal; Viceroys of India; Provincial Autonomous States of India and their conflicts with European trading companies; Economic impact of British rule in India; Land settlement during British rule; Revolt of 1857; Social and Religious Reform Movements; National Freedom Movement : - Indian National Congress, Partition of Bengal, Swadeshi and Swaraj, Muslim League, Partition in Congress, Lucknow Pact, Home Rule League, Champaran Movement, Montague August Declaration, Kheda Satyagraha, Ahmadabad Satyagraha, Rowlett Act, Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, The Khilafat Movement, Non-Cooperation Movement, Swaraj party, Simon Commission, Nehru Report, Zinna Formula, Bardoli Satyagraha, Congress Lahore Session, Dandi March and eleven Demands of Gandhiji, Civil Disobedience Movement, Round-table Conferences, Gandhi-Irvin Pact, Communal Award, Poona Pact, Revolutionary Nationalist Movements of Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad, and Subhas Chandra Bose etc., Provincial elections in British India, August Proposal, Demand for a Separate Pakistan, Kripps Mission, Quit India Movement, C. Rajgopalachari Formula, Wavell Plan, Shimla Conference, Cabinet Mission, Mountbatten Plan; Constitutional Development in India: - Regulating Act 1773, Pitt's India Act 1784, Charter Act of 1793, Charter Act of 1813, Charter Act of 1833, Charter Act of 1853, Government of India Act 1858, Indian Councils Act 1861, Indian Councils Act 1892, Indian Councils Act, 1909 –Morley-Minto Reforms, Government of India Act 1935, Cripps Mission – 1942, Cabinet Mission – 1946, Indian Independence Act – 1947.

ii. European History

French Revolution, Industrial Revolution, Unification of Germany, Unification of Italy, First-World War, League of Nations, Russian revolution and Socialism, Fascism in Italy, Nazism in Germany, Second-world War, United Nations Organization.

2. GEOGRAPHY

India – Size and Location, India & the world, India’s neighbors,; Physical Features of India: majors Physiographic divisions- Himalayan, mountains, northern plains, peninsular plateau Indian desert, coastal plains, Islands; Drainage: concept, drainage system in India, The Himalayan Rivers- Ganga & Brahmaputra River system, the Peninsular Rivers- Narmada Basin, Tapti Basin, Godavari Basin, Mahanadi basin, Krishna basin, Kaveri basin; Climate: Concept, Climatic Controls, Factors influencing India’s climate – Latitude, Altitude, Pressure and Winds (excluding Jet Streams and Western Cyclonic Disturbances and related figures),The Seasons – Cold Weather Season, Hot Weather Season, advancing Monsoon, Retreating/Post Monsoons, Distribution of Rainfall, Monsoon as a Unifying Bond; Natural Vegetation - Types of Vegetation – Tropical Evergreen Forests, Tropical Deciduous Forests, Thorn Forests and Shrubs, Mountain Forests, Mangrove Forests, and Wildlife; PopulationPopulation Size and Distribution – India’s Population Size and Distribution by Numbers, India’s Population Distribution by Density, Population Growth and Processes of Population Change. India's physical environment, resources, and economy: Resources and Development, Forest and Wildlife Resources, Water Resources, Agriculture, Minerals and Energy Resources, Manufacturing Industries, Lifelines of the National Economy, multipurpose river projects Universe and Solar System; Lithosphere and Rocks; Rocks and their types; Volcano; Earthquake; Landforms (Mountains, Plateaus, and Plains); Agriculture and Food Crops; cropping pattern; Forests and Types of Forests; Minerals; Sources of Power/Energy; Industries and Occupations; Transport and Communication; rain water harvesting; land use pattern in India; land degradation and conservation measures; Types of farming: primitive, subsistence, intensive subsistence, commercial.

3. POLITICAL SCIENCE

What is Democracy? Why Democracy? : feature & broader meaning; Constitutional Design: democratic constitution in South Africa ; guiding values of the Indian Constitution & its need; Electoral Politics: our system of election, what makes elections in India democratic; Working of Institutions: how major policy decision taken, Parliament, Political executive, the Judiciary ; Democratic Rights: life without rights, rights in a democracy, rights in Indian Constitution, expanding scope of rights. Constituent assembly; Preamble of Indian Constitution; Fundamental Rights and Duties; Directive Principles of state policy; Parliament and its two houses; Prime Minister and Council of Ministers; Judiciary at National Level, State and local level; President, Appointment and Powers; Vice-President Appointment and Powers; State Legislative Assemblies; Chief Minister; Chief Minister, Council of Ministers and Powers; Governor, Appointment and Powers; Citizenship; Centre state relations; Emergency provisions; Major Constitutional Amendments. (From 1951 onwards); Budget; Election commission of India; Local self-governments:- Panchayats and Municipalities; Political parties ; Finance Commission; Comptroller and Auditor General of India; Attorney General of India; Anti- defection Law; Official language; Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI); Caste; Patriarchy; Planned Economy; Social Movements. Democratic Politics: Power Sharing-Belgium & Sri Lanka, majoritarianism in Sri Lanka, Accommodation in Belgium, why power sharing is desirable, forms of power sharing , Federalism- what is federalism, what makes India a Federal country, how is federalism practiced, decentralization in India , Gender, Religion and Caste: gender & politics- , Political Parties, Outcomes of Democracy.

II. MATHEMATICS

Number Systems / Knowing Our Numbers / Real Numbers: Place value, face value; Indian & International numeration systems; Reading, writing, comparing large numbers; Representation on number line; Estimation and rounding of numbers; Natural numbers, whole numbers, integers: definitions and properties; Prime and composite numbers; factors and multiples; Divisibility tests (2,3,4,5,6,8,9,10,11); HCF and LCM (prime factorization, division method) ; Rational numbers: representation, operations, decimal expansion; Irrational numbers (V2, V3, etc.); classification of real numbers; Laws of exponents (integral & fractional); Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic; Converting between fractions, decimals, and percentages; Squares and square roots and their properties; Finding cubes, cube roots and related concepts

Whole Numbers, Integers, and Number Operations: Operations on whole numbers and integers ; Properties: commutative, associative, distributive; Rules of signs for integers; absolute value; Patterns in whole numbers; Word problems on integers and operations. 

Fractions, Decimals, and Percentages: Types of fractions and simplification; Equivalent fractions; conversion between forms; Operations on fractions and decimals; Percentage: percent as fraction/decimal, increase/decrease; Applications: discount, profit & loss, simple interest (intro).

Basic Algebra - Expressions, Factors, and Identities: Variables, constants, terms, coefficients, expressions; Writing expressions from statements ; Simplifying expressions; Algebraic identities and applications; Factorisation methods (common factor, grouping, identities)

Arithmetic Progression (AP): Definition and common difference; nth term and sum of n terms formulae; Word problems on sequences.

Ratio, Proportion, and Variation: Ratio and proportion basics; Continued, direct, and inverse proportion; Percentage conversions and mixture problems.

Basic Geometry: Points, Lines, and Angles : Point, line, ray, segment, plane, intersection; Types of angles and their measures ; Adjacent, vertically opposite, linear pair angles ; Parallel lines and transversal: angle relationships and properties ; Intersecting and non intersecting lines ; Line parallel to same line; Euclid's definition, axioms and postulates. 

Triangles - Congruence, Similarity, and Properties :Types of triangles by sides and angles; Similar figure, similarity of triangles, criteria for similarities of triangles; Congruence criteria: SSS, SAS, ASA, AAS, RHS; Properties of isosceles and equilateral triangles; Triangle inequality theorem ; Similarity criteria: AA, SSS, SAS ; Areas of similar triangles; Pythagoras theorem and its converse ; Medians, altitudes, bisectors, perpendiculars.

Measurement (Area and Perimeter of Plane Figures): Perimeter and area of square, rectangle, parallelogram, triangle, trapezium ; Area of a triangle by base-height and Heron's formula; Area of rhombus or kite (diagonals method); Area of polygons (regular and irregular) by decomposition ; Area of combined plane figures (including circle sectors/segments).

Surface Areas and Volumes (Solids): Concept of surface area and volume ; Cube, cuboid: formulas and applications ; Cylinder, cone, sphere, hemisphere; Combined solids and conversion (melting/recasting).

Statistics - Data Handling : Data collection and representation ; Frequency distribution (grouped and ungrouped); Graphical representation: bar graph, histogram, frequency polygon; Mean, median, mode (discrete & grouped data) ; Cumulative frequency and quartiles ; Interpretation of data .

Probability : Experimental and theoretical probability; Probability as ratio of favourable to total outcomes ; Simple problems on coins, dice, and cards ; Complementary events. 

Work & Time; Mensuration; Exponent of Power; Direct & Inverse proportion; Factorization. 

III. ENGLISH

Reading Comprehension Word Power, The Sentence, Subject And Predicates , Articles, Number, Gender, Punctuation, Comprehension, Noun, Pronoun, Verb, Finite and Non-finite Verb, Adverb, Adjective, Preposition, Conjunction, Interjection , Error Correction, Sentence Rearrangement, Vocabulary, Antonyms, Synonyms, Tenses, Subject-Verb Agreement, Idioms, Modals, Active Voice & Passive Voice, Change the narration: Direct and Indirect, Phrases and a Clauses , One word substitution, Transformation of Sentences

IV. हिन्दी भाषा

हिन्दी भाषा-व्याकरण एवं लिपि का परिचय; वर्ण विचार एवं अक्षरिक खंड, शब्द विचार

(क) परिभाषा के आधार पर (तत्सम, तद्भव, देशज, विदेशी), रचना के आधार पर, प्रयोग के आधार पर, अर्थ के आधार पर।

(ख) विकारी – संज्ञा, सर्वनाम, क्रिया, विशेषण; अविकारी – क्रिया-विशेषण, संबंध बोधक, समुच्चय बोधक, विस्मयादि बोधक; पद परिचय; शब्द शक्तियाँ; शब्द रूपांतर – लिंग, वचन, कारक, काल, वाच्य; संधि, समास, उपसर्ग, प्रत्यय; वाक्य विचार, अर्थ विचार (पर्याय, विलोम, वाक्यांश के लिए एक शब्द, समानार्थी); विराम चिह्न; शुद्धिकरण (शब्द शुद्धि, वाक्य शुद्धि); मुहावरे एवं लोकोक्तियाँ; अलंकार।

V. BASIC COMPUTER

• Computers : Introduction to computers, Types of computers ,History & evolution, Application. 
• Hardware Input/ Output devices, Processor, Ports, cables, storing devices. 
• Software Introduction to Windows, Internet explorers, MS-Word, MS Excel, Power Point, PDF maker & file management. 

VI. PROOF READING

1. Fundamentals of Proof Reading & Marking: 

•  The Proofreader’s Role: Understanding the difference between editing and proofreading.
•  Proofreader’s Marks: Learning standard symbols for correction (insertion, deletion, transposition, formatting changes). 
•  Markup Techniques: Marking hard copy vs. using digital tools (e.g., Track Changes in MS Word). 
•  Terminology: Familiarity with terms like caret, recto/verso, running head, and stet.   

2. Fundamentals of Proof Reading & Marking: 

• Punctuation: Commas, semicolons, hyphens, en/em dashes, and quotation marks. 
•  Grammar: Subject-verb agreement, noun-pronoun agreement, and sentence structure. 
•  Spelling: American vs. British variations.  
• Common Errors: Eliminating commonly confused words, typos, and syntax errors. 

3. Style Guides and Editorial Standards:  

• Style Guides: Application of industry-standard guides (e.g., Chicago Manual of Style 17th Edition, MLA 9th Edition).  
• House Style: Adhering to specific publisher guidelines. 
• Consistency Checks: Ensuring uniform usage of capitalization, headings, and formatting. 

4. Specialized Marking & Technical Skills:  

• Typesetting Errors: Detecting errors in layout, spacing, widows, and orphans. 
• Reference Checking: Verifying bibliographies, citations, and hyperlinks. 
• Accuracy Check: Reviewing data, numbers, and lists.

5. Professional Practice:  

• Proofreading Strategies: Reading backwards, reading aloud, and using checklists.  
• Workflow & Deadlines: Managing time for professional, efficient, and accurate work. 
•  Freelancing: Making online profiles and writing proposals.

6. Proofreading Techniques and Strategies: 

• Multi-step process (reading for clarity, then accuracy, then styles) 
• Reading techniques: Aloud, backwards, focusing on one error type at a time, using checklist and managing time/deadlines.

7.  Style and Consistency: 

• Using style guides--Consistency in formatting (title, content, page numbering, fonts, spacing, headings, citations, tables, paragraph, alignment-centre, left, right) Footnotes. 

8.  Tools and Formats/ Professional Practice: 

• Standard proofreading symbols/editing marks (copy enclosed), working with authors/editors, understanding context, meaning and clarity, Marking Signs and Symbols

B. GENERAL AWARENESS

• General Knowledge
• Himachal Pradesh GK
• Current Affairs
• Everyday Science
• Logical Reasoning

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