BSTC exam pattern · How the paper is built
The BSTC exam pattern for 2026 is 200 multiple-choice questions for 600 marks in 3 hours, offline on OMR, with 3 marks per correct answer and no negative marking. It has four parts of 150 marks each. This page explains how the paper is built, how the pattern has changed since 2016 and how to turn it into a section-wise target. For the topic list, see the syllabus page.
बीएसटीसी परीक्षा पैटर्न: 200 बहुविकल्पीय प्रश्न, 600 अंक, 3 घंटे, OMR। चार भाग (मानसिक योग्यता, राजस्थान, शिक्षण अभिक्षमता, भाषा), हर सही उत्तर के 3 अंक और नेगेटिव मार्किंग नहीं।
- 200 MCQs
- 600 marks
- 3 hours, offline OMR
- 4 parts of 150 marks
BSTC exam pattern at a glance
| Feature | 2026 pattern |
|---|---|
| Mode | Offline, OMR answer sheet |
| Questions | 200 multiple-choice |
| Marks | 600 (3 per correct answer) |
| Duration | 3 hours (about 54 seconds per question) |
| Negative marking | None (reports) |
| Language | Hindi and English |
| Shifts (2026) | Two |
Quick answer
The BSTC exam pattern is 200 questions, 600 marks, four parts. This page is about the structure. The topic list is in BSTC 2026 syllabus.
How the BSTC paper is built
| Part | Name | Questions | Marks | Topics (short) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Mental Ability | 50 | 150 | Reasoning, analogy, discrimination, relationship, analysis, logical thinking |
| B | General Awareness of Rajasthan | 50 | 150 | History, polity, art and culture, economy, geography, folk life, society, tourism |
| C | Teaching Aptitude | 50 | 150 | Teaching-learning, leadership, creativity, evaluation, communication, attitude |
| D | Language Ability: English | 20 | 60 | Grammar, comprehension, vocabulary |
| D | Language Ability: Hindi or Sanskrit | 30 | 90 | Hindi for the General course; Sanskrit for the Sanskrit course |
| Total | 200 | 600 |
The part names and marks are from the official 2026 syllabus. We show only short topic hints here, because the full list is on BSTC 2026 syllabus.
Question numbers by part
In the 2018 and 2021 booklets we reviewed, the numbers ran in this order: Mental Ability Q1 to Q50, Rajasthan awareness Q51 to Q100, Teaching Aptitude Q101 to Q150, English Q151 to Q170 and Hindi or Sanskrit Q171 to Q200. A candidate who applied for both courses had to take Sanskrit in the last part in 2018. We do not have the 2026 booklet, so treat these numbers as a pattern, not as a 2026 rule.
How the BSTC pattern changed since 2016
| Year | Pattern detail | Where we read it |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 (MDSU) | 200 questions, 600 marks, 50 questions each in Mental Ability, Rajasthan GK and Teaching Aptitude | Dainik Bhaskar and our 2016 notes |
| 2017 (Kota) | Pre-BSTC, 3 hours, 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM | University of Kota notification 01/2017 |
| 2018 (GGTU) | Four sections of 50; Section C scored 3, 2, 1, 0 by preference; no negative marking | Booklet cover NKP-2018 Series A |
| 2020 and 2021 | Bilingual booklet (English and Hindi), 200 questions, 600 marks, no negative marking in 2021 | EETYTEC-20 booklet; News18 |
| 2024 (VMOU) | Single shift, 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM; carbon copy of OMR allowed | Hindustan Times, The Quint |
| 2025 (VMOU) | Two shifts (9:00 AM to 12:00 noon and 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM) | Dainik Bhaskar, Kota |
| 2026 (VMOU) | Offline, 3 hours, 200 MCQs, 600 marks, two shifts, no negative marking | Indian Express, official syllabus |
The core of 200 questions and 600 marks has not changed in the years we verified. The differences are in scoring of one part (2018), the shift system and the organiser. See BSTC kaun conduct karta hai for the organisers.
Pattern vs syllabus vs PTET
| Page | What it covers | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Pattern (this page) | How many questions, marks, time, scoring | You need it to plan time and marks |
| Syllabus | The topics inside each part | You need it to study. See BSTC 2026 syllabus |
| PTET pattern | Also 200 and 600, with General Awareness and Teaching Attitude parts | Different parts. See BSTC vs PTET |
Score targets by part (our planning table)
| Part | Questions | Safe pass (about 315) | Strong (about 411) | Top (about 480) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mental Ability | 50 | 28 | 35 | 40 |
| Rajasthan awareness | 50 | 24 | 32 | 38 |
| Teaching Aptitude | 50 | 30 | 38 | 42 |
| English (20) | 20 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| Hindi or Sanskrit (30) | 30 | 14 | 20 | 25 |
| Total correct | 200 | 105 | 137 | 160 |
| Marks (x3) | 600 | 315 | 411 | 480 |
These are not official numbers. They are examples built from the pattern: add the correct answers by part and multiply the total by 3. The General qualifying mark is 300, which equals 100 correct answers. See BSTC cut off 2026.
Build your own mock test from the pattern
- Fix the numbers200 questions: 50 + 50 + 50 + 20 + 30.
- Set the time180 minutes in one sitting, with a printed OMR grid.
- Use real papersTake questions from old papers in old BSTC paper hub and use the official key where available.
- Score it the official wayCount the correct answers and multiply by 3. Do not deduct for wrong answers.
- ReviewList the part where you lost most marks and fix it first.
Pattern-related exam-day rules we could verify
| Year | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Entry between 11:00 AM and 12 noon for the 12:30 PM paper; candidates could take the question paper and a carbon copy of the OMR sheet home | Hindustan Times, The Quint |
| 2025 | Two shifts: 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon and 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM | Dainik Bhaskar, Kota |
| 2026 | Offline exam in two shifts; carry the printed admit card and a valid photo ID | Indian Express |
Rules can change every year. Use the instructions on your own admit card. See BSTC admit card 2026.
BSTC exam pattern FAQs
What is the BSTC exam pattern 2026?
200 multiple-choice questions for 600 marks in 3 hours, offline on an OMR sheet, in Hindi and English. Four parts of 150 marks each: Mental Ability, Rajasthan awareness, Teaching Aptitude and Language (English 60 and Hindi or Sanskrit 90). 3 marks per correct answer and no negative marking (Indian Express, official syllabus).
What is the BSTC paper pattern?
The same: 4 parts, 200 questions, 600 marks. In the 2018 and 2021 booklets we reviewed, the question numbers ran Mental Ability 1 to 50, Rajasthan 51 to 100, Teaching Aptitude 101 to 150, English 151 to 170 and Hindi or Sanskrit 171 to 200.
What is the BSTC question paper pattern, section wise?
Mental Ability 50, Rajasthan awareness 50, Teaching Aptitude 50, English 20 and Hindi or Sanskrit 30. Marks: 150, 150, 150, 60 and 90.
How is the BSTC pattern different from the syllabus?
The pattern says how many questions and marks each part has, and how they are scored. The syllabus lists the topics. For topics, read BSTC 2026 syllabus.
Has the BSTC exam pattern changed?
The structure of 200 questions and 600 marks has stayed the same in the years we checked. Details changed: the 2018 booklet scored Section C as 3, 2, 1 and 0; the exam moved to two shifts in 2025 and 2026; and the conducting body changed several times.
Is the BSTC exam online or offline?
Offline. The Indian Express reports that the 2026 exam was in offline mode with an OMR answer sheet.
In which language is the BSTC paper set?
Hindi and English. The Hindi or Sanskrit part is a separate language part, and English has 20 questions.
How many questions should I attempt in BSTC?
All of them. There is no negative marking, so a blank answer can only lose marks. See BSTC negative marking.
Is the BSTC pattern the same as PTET?
Close but not the same: PTET also has 200 questions and 600 marks, but its four parts are Mental Ability, Teaching Attitude and Aptitude, General Awareness and Language Proficiency. See BSTC vs PTET.
Last verified: 3 November 2026
Edited by Anil Kumar. Every date, number and name on this page was read in the official notice or in a news report named under “Sources” below, and key facts were matched with a second source. Where we could not confirm something we say so instead of guessing. ParinamSetu is an independent site, not a government website: see our Editorial Policy and Disclaimer.
Sources and how we checked
We name our sources so you can check them yourself. Links go only to official websites; news reports are listed by publisher, headline and date.
- VMOU Pre D.El.Ed 2026 syllabus: parts, questions and marks.
- Indian Express (2026): offline mode, three hours, 200 MCQs, 600 marks, 3 marks per correct answer, no negative marking, Hindi and English.
- Booklet covers and scans of the 2018 (NKP-2018 Series A), 2020 (EETYTEC-20 Series B) and 2021 papers, as described on our old-paper pages.
- University of Kota notification 01/2017, Dainik Bhaskar (2016), The Quint and Hindustan Times (2024), Dainik Bhaskar (2025).
- PTET 2026 notification for the comparison.
Found a mistake or a newer official notice? Tell us through the Corrections Policy page and we will check and fix it. You can also contact us.