DU Senior Assistant and Assistant Exam at a Glance
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Recruiting body | University of Delhi |
| Advertisement number | R&P/323/2026 |
| Posts | Senior Assistant (ND0601, Level 6) and Assistant (ND0401, Level 4) |
| Stage 1 | Preliminary Test, MCQ based, 100 questions, 200 marks, 2 hours 30 minutes (only for shortlisting) |
| Stage 2 (Main) | Descriptive, 200 marks, 2 hours (merit is made from this) |
| Stage 2 (Skill Test) | 100 marks, qualifying only, 50 marks needed to qualify |
| Marking | 2 marks for each question, minus 0.5 for each wrong answer in the Preliminary Test |
| Language | Bilingual (English and Hindi). You have to use the same language in all the papers |
| Extra time | 20 minutes per hour for Visually Impaired, Cerebral Palsy or similarly placed PwBD candidates |
DU Senior Assistant and Assistant Selection Process
Process is same for both the posts and it is done in two stages. Merit is only from the Main Examination, so dont take the Preliminary Test lightly and also dont think its the final thing.
| Stage | Details |
|---|---|
| 1. Preliminary Test | MCQ test only for shortlisting. It has no weightage in the final merit. |
| 2a. Examination (Main) | Descriptive paper of 200 marks. Final merit list is made on the basis of this. |
| 2b. Skill Test | 100 marks and only qualifying in nature. You need minimum 50 marks. Only those who appear in the Main Examination can sit in it. |
How many are shortlisted: for one post 30 applications are shortlisted and then 15 more for each remaining post. For example: 2 posts means 45 and 3 posts means 60. Candidates who get the same marks as the cut off are also shortlisted.
Cut off of Preliminary Test: it’s 50% of the average score of the top 5% candidates. If the top 5% is less than 2 candidates, then the average of top 2 candidates is taken. There is relaxation of 5% marks for SC/ST and 10% for PwBD in the cut off.
DU Senior Assistant and Assistant Exam Pattern
The Preliminary Test is 100 questions and each question carries 2 marks. All questions are compulsory. The section wise pattern is the same for both posts, only the name of the first section is different (General Knowledge for Senior Assistant and General Studies for Assistant).
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General Knowledge / General Studies | 20 | 40 |
| Reasoning | 20 | 40 |
| General Mathematical Ability | 20 | 40 |
| Administration of Higher Educational Institutions | 40 | 80 |
| Total | 100 | 200 |
| Test | Marks | Time | Nature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preliminary Test (MCQ) | 200 | 2 hours 30 minutes | Only shortlisting |
| Examination (Main, descriptive) | 200 | 2 hours | Merit is made from this |
| Skill Test | 100 | As decided by evaluating experts | Qualifying, minimum 50 marks |
DU Senior Assistant and Assistant Syllabus
Syllabus of the Preliminary Test is given in the table. Topics are same for both the posts.
| Section | Topics |
|---|---|
| General Knowledge / General Studies 20 questions |
General science, current events of national and international importance, History of India, Indian National Movement, Constitution of India, Indian Polity, Economy and Geography etc. |
| Reasoning 20 questions |
Reasoning, analytical abilities, decision making, data analysis and interpretation etc. |
| General Mathematical Ability 20 questions |
Mathematical calculations, statistical analysis and commercial mathematics of Secondary and Higher Secondary level. |
| Administration of Higher Educational Institutions 40 questions |
Rules and policies concerning functioning of Higher Educational Institutions in India, their nodal agencies, their financial and administrative functioning, and the Act, Statutes and Ordinances of the University of Delhi. |
Main Examination is descriptive and the topics are same for both the posts.
| Section | Topics |
|---|---|
| Educational Administration and Management | Higher education system in India, its regulatory bodies and recent developments in the field, financial administration including budget (formulation and execution of budget), application of ICT and other modern technologies in the University system. |
| Functional aspects of Rules and their application in Higher Educational Institutions | Fundamental Rules, Supplementary Rules, General Financial Rules, Procurement through GEM, Pension and Grievance handling etc. |
Skill Test is different for both the posts, so check your post below.
| Post | Skill Test Topics |
|---|---|
| Senior Assistant (ND0601) | Management of administrative units of the University, understanding of Manual of Office Procedures, knowledge of Information Technology, noting and drafting. |
| Assistant (ND0401) | Understanding of Manual of Office Procedures, noting and drafting, knowledge of computer operations, English typing at 35 wpm OR Hindi typing at 30 wpm. |
Tips for the Exam
- Administration of Higher Educational Institutions is 40 questions, so 80 marks out of 200! Start with this. You should read about UGC, AICTE, NAAC, DU Act, Statutes and Ordinances first.
- There is negitive marking of 0.5 for each wrong answer, so dont try to guess everything. If you are not sure about 2 options then leave it and move on.
- Main exam is descriptive and merit is made from it, so practice writing answers. Even 1 answer a day in 15 minutes will help a lot, because many candidates only practice MCQs.
- Learn the basics of FR, SR and GFR, and also GeM procurement, pension and grievance handling. These come under the rules part of the Main paper.
- In maths, percentage, profit and loss, average and simple statistics are enough. Level is Secondary and Higher Secondary, so dont go for very hard books.
- Read current affairs for last 6 months, mainly education related news like NEP, new UGC rules and any change in DU. Keep a small notebook for it.
- For Skill Test practice noting and drafting on paper and if you are applying for Assistant then check your typing speed also 35 wpm English or 30 wpm Hindi before the form is filled.
Common Questions
Is there negative marking in the DU Senior Assistant and Assistant exam?
Yes, 0.5 mark is cut for each wrong answer in the Preliminary Test. Each question carries 2 marks.
Is the Preliminary Test counted in the final merit?
No. It is only for shortlisting and has no weightage in the final assessment. The merit is drawn from the Main Examination.
How many questions come in the Preliminary Test?
100 questions of 200 marks in 2 hours 30 minutes. General Knowledge 20, Reasoning 20, Mathematics 20 and Administration of Higher Educational Institutions 40.
Is the Main Examination MCQ or descriptive?
It is descriptive in nature, 200 marks and 2 hours.
Is the Skill Test counted in merit?
No, it is qualifying only. You need minimum 50 marks out of 100.
Is the syllabus same for Senior Assistant and Assistant?
The Preliminary Test and Main Examination syllabus is the same. The Skill Test is different, because Assistant also has the typing test (English 35 wpm or Hindi 30 wpm).
In which language can I write the exam?
English or Hindi, but you must use the same language in all the papers.
How many candidates are shortlisted for the Main Examination?
30 for the first post and 15 more for each remaining post, as per merit in the Preliminary Test.
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