Short answer: solve one recent previous-year paper (PYQ) first, because it is the only source written by RPSC itself and it teaches you the real question style. After that, use full-length mock tests to practise timing and to test yourself on questions you have not seen. In the last week, go back to previous-year papers for revision. You need both. They measure different things.
What each one tells you
| Previous-year papers | Full-length mock tests | |
|---|---|---|
| Who wrote the questions | RPSC | A test-series team |
| Best for | Learning the style, difficulty and topic spread | Testing yourself on fresh questions under time pressure |
| Weak point | You may remember answers; only a few papers exist | Quality depends on the setter |
| Score meaning | Inflated if you have seen the paper before | A fair check of your current level, if the paper is close to RPSC style |
Why previous-year papers come first
- They show the real style. Recent RAS papers moved from direct one-liners to multi-statement, "only A / only B / both" and match-the-list questions. You only know how hard that is once you have done a real paper.
- They show the real weightage. In 2021, 2023 and 2024 about a third of the paper was Rajasthan-specific, and reasoning, maths and current affairs carried exactly 20 questions each. Our analysis of all three papers has the subject-wise counts.
- Topics repeat with a new angle. Vijayanagara, the SHRC, RPSC, compound interest, blood relations and coding-decoding appeared in more than one recent paper, often as one statement inside a longer question.
Why you still need mock tests
- Fresh questions. Once you have solved a PYQ, a re-attempt measures memory, not readiness.
- Timing and stamina. A full 150-question paper in 3 hours, with OMR filling, is a skill. Most candidates need a few rehearsals to stop losing the last 20–30 questions to time pressure.
- Weak-area detection. A good mock gives subject-wise analysis right away, so you can revise the right topics in the week that follows. See how to analyse your mock score.
Judge a mock by how close it is to RPSC style, not by how hard it is. A paper that is much harder or easier than recent RPSC papers trains the wrong instincts.
A simple order for the remaining weeks
- Now: solve the 2024 paper (held in February 2025) in exam conditions. Compare your subject-wise result with the weightage table.
- Next 2–3 weeks: one full-length mock test every five to six days, with analysis and targeted revision in between. Start with our two free full-length mock tests.
- Final week: revise the 2023 and 2021 papers question by question. Use them to read explanations and refresh facts rather than as a scored test.
- Throughout: keep an error log from both sources. In the last two days, read only the log and your short notes.
Where the 2026 syllabus differs from the one the old papers were set on, such as modern history now running to 2000 or newly named topics like the Indian knowledge system, rely on the 2026 syllabus comparison rather than on past papers alone.