If you are a Gujarat graduate looking for a stable Class-3 government job with real growth potential, GPSC Deputy Section Officer / Deputy Mamlatdar is probably already on your list. It's one of the few Class-3 posts that can eventually turn into a Class-1 career if you keep clearing departmental exams later.
This post is not a rehash of the GPSC notification PDF. It tells you where the current cycle actually stands as of August 2026, what the paper looks like, what to expect in salary, and how to prepare without wasting six months on the wrong books.
Quick Answer
The current cycle (Advt. No. 08/2025-26, along with 127/2024-25 and 67/2024-25) has already gone through prelims and mains, and the final result was declared on 18 July 2026, with 102 candidates recommended for appointment. There is no fresh 2026-27 notification out yet as of this writing. If you missed this cycle, the next GPSC Deputy Section Officer / Deputy Mamlatdar notification usually comes 12-18 months later, so keep watching gpsc.gujarat.gov.in and start your preparation now using this cycle's pattern as your base.
Latest Notification and Important Dates
The table below covers the just-completed cycle. Use it as your reference until GPSC opens a fresh notification.
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Notification released (Advt. 08/2025-26) | 25 June 2025 | Completed |
| Application window | 25 June 2025 - 9 July 2025 | Closed |
| Prelims exam | 7 September 2025 | Completed |
| Prelims result / cut-off | November 2025 | Declared |
| Mains call letter | February 2026 | Released |
| Mains exam (Advt. 08/2025-26 & 127/2024-25) | 20-22 February 2026 | Completed |
| Mains exam (Advt. 67/2024-25, Legal Side) | 22-24 February 2026 | Completed |
| Final result | 18 July 2026 | Declared |
| Next notification | Not announced yet | Tentative, watch OJAS |
If a fresh notification opens, expect the same 5-stage cycle to repeat: notification, prelims, mains, document verification, final result. You can track live updates on our exam news page and exam guides hub.
What the Job Actually Is
A Deputy Section Officer works inside a Gujarat government secretariat department, handling files, drafting notes, and coordinating between officers and the public. A Deputy Mamlatdar, on the other hand, works at the taluka level under the revenue department, dealing directly with land records, disputes, welfare scheme implementation, and public grievances.
Both are Class-3 gazetted-track posts (some are non-gazetted depending on the seat), but the daily work is quite different. DySO is more of a desk and policy-support role in Gandhinagar or a department head office. Deputy Mamlatdar is more field-facing, you'll deal with farmers, land mutation cases, RTI applications, and local administration. If you like public interaction and fieldwork, aim for Mamlatdar seats during counselling. If you prefer office work and want a shot at moving up the secretariat ladder later, DySO suits you better.
Vacancy Details / Post Breakdown
In the cycle that just concluded (Advt. 08/2025-26), GPSC recommended 102 candidates in total. The post-wise split was roughly:
| Post | Approx. Vacancies |
|---|---|
| Deputy Section Officer (Secretariat) | 92 |
| Deputy Section Officer (Vidhan Sabha Secretariat) | 1 |
| Deputy Section Officer (GPSC) | 9 |
Separately, Advt. 127/2024-25 was a special recruitment drive for PwD (Divyang) candidates for Deputy Section Officer / Deputy Mamlatdar posts, and Advt. 67/2024-25 covered Deputy Section Officer (Legal Side) with its own paper pattern. Vacancy numbers change every cycle depending on how many posts are lying vacant across departments, so treat these as reference figures, not a promise for the next notification.
Eligibility
You need a bachelor's degree from a recognized university and must fall within the 20 to 38 year age bracket as on the notification's cut-off date, with relaxation for reserved categories.
Age Limit and Relaxation
| Category | Age Limit |
|---|---|
| General / Unreserved | 20 - 38 years |
| SC / ST / SEBC / EWS (Gujarat domicile) | Upper limit relaxed by 5 years (up to 43) |
| PwD (Divyang) special recruitment | 20 - 45 years |
| Ex-servicemen | As per government rules |
Education
A graduate degree (any stream) from a recognized university is the minimum qualification. There's no specific subject requirement, so commerce, arts, science, and engineering graduates all qualify equally.
Domicile
You don't need to be a Gujarat native to apply, but knowledge of Gujarati is compulsory since one full mains paper is in Gujarati and the job itself runs in Gujarati and Hindi.
Application Process, Fee, and How to Apply
Applications go through the OJAS portal (ojas.gujarat.gov.in), and the fee is 100 rupees for general category candidates while reserved category and women candidates from Gujarat pay nothing.
| Category | Application Fee |
|---|---|
| General / Unreserved (Gujarat & other states) | ₹100 |
| SC / ST / SEBC / EWS / PwD / Ex-servicemen (Gujarat) | Nil |
| Women candidates (Gujarat domicile) | Nil |
Steps to apply once a fresh notification is out:
- Register or log in on gpsc-ojas.gujarat.gov.in using your OTR (One Time Registration) number.
- Fill the application form for the relevant advertisement number.
- Upload photo, signature, and required certificates.
- Pay the fee online if applicable (net banking, card, or e-challan).
- Submit and download the confirmation page for your records.
Keep your OTR profile updated throughout the year. GPSC uses the same OTR across multiple exams, so a mistake in your profile can carry over and cause trouble later.
Exam Pattern
The selection has two written stages plus document verification. There's no physical test for this post.
Prelims
| Paper | Marks | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Studies (single paper) | 200 | 2 hours | Objective (MCQ), negative marking applies |
Mains
| Paper | Subject | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | English Language | 100 | 2 hours |
| Paper 2 | Gujarati Language | 100 | 2 hours |
| Paper 3 | General Studies I | 100 | 2 hours |
| Paper 4 | General Studies II | 100 | 2 hours |
Mains is fully descriptive/subjective, unlike prelims which is MCQ-based. This trips up a lot of candidates who prepare only in MCQ mode. You need to practice actual answer writing, not just option elimination. Our free mock tests cover both formats so you can switch gears in time.
Detailed Syllabus
Prelims - General Studies
- History and Culture: Ancient, medieval and modern India, the freedom movement, Gujarat's art, culture, monuments and festivals
- Geography: Earth and universe, atmosphere, solar system, ocean currents, rocks and minerals, disaster management, Gujarat's physical geography
- Indian Polity: Constitution, Fundamental Rights and Duties, Panchayati Raj, Parliament, judiciary, key constitutional amendments
- Economy: Government schemes, GST, taxation basics, census data, banking and finance committees, Gujarat's economic profile
- General Science: Physics, chemistry and biology basics, scientific laws, major inventions, environmental science
- Current Affairs: National and international events, sports, awards, government policies of the last 12 months
- Mental Ability and Reasoning: Analytical reasoning, numerical ability, data interpretation
- Gujarati Language: Basic grammar, comprehension, vocabulary
Mains - Paper-wise
Paper 1 - English: Essay, précis writing, comprehension, letter/report writing, grammar and translation from Gujarati to English.
Paper 2 - Gujarati: Essay, précis, comprehension, letter writing, grammar, and translation from English to Gujarati.
Paper 3 - General Studies I: Sources of the Indian Constitution, Fundamental Rights and Duties, Directive Principles, SI units, common scientific instruments, chemical elements, acids and bases, oxidation-reduction reactions, and applied science topics relevant to administration.
Paper 4 - General Studies II: Physical geography of the earth, Indian and Gujarat geography, soil types, major rivers, wildlife and bird sanctuaries, Five Year Plans, agrarian and industrial revolutions, welfare schemes, Sustainable Development Goals, and current government initiatives.
For structured subject practice, use our Quantitative Aptitude guide, Reasoning guide, and General Awareness guide. These cover the same foundational topics that show up in the GS papers here.
Salary, Pay Scale, and Career Growth
A newly appointed Deputy Section Officer / Deputy Mamlatdar draws a fixed monthly salary of about 49,600 rupees for the first five years, after which they move into the regular Level-7 pay matrix of 39,900 to 1,26,600 rupees plus allowances.
During the initial fixed-pay period, you get a consolidated amount without the usual DA, HRA and other allowance breakup. Once you're confirmed after five years, the full pay matrix kicks in along with dearness allowance, house rent allowance, and travel allowance, pushing gross pay noticeably higher than the fixed amount.
On career growth, a Deputy Section Officer can be promoted to Section Officer, then Under Secretary, and further up the secretariat hierarchy over a full career. A Deputy Mamlatdar can move up to Mamlatdar, Deputy Collector (through further exams or seniority-based promotion), and beyond. It's a genuine ladder if you stay in the system and keep performing well, unlike some Class-3 posts that plateau early.
Previous Year Cut-off
Cut-offs vary by category, gender, and whether it's a common or female-specific seat. Here's the prelims cut-off from the 2025-26 cycle (Advt. 08/2025-26), out of 200 marks converted to percentile-style score:
| Category | Common | Female |
|---|---|---|
| General/Unreserved | 97.37 | 90.24 |
| EWS | 97.37 | 90.24 |
| SEBC | 97.37 | 90.24 |
| SC | 97.37 | 90.24 |
| ST | 91.94 | 82.68 |
| Ex-servicemen | 49.81 | — |
| PwD Group A | 77.79 | — |
| PwD Group B | 57.89 | — |
| PwD Group D | 24.92 | — |
Around 2,280 candidates qualified prelims under Advt. 08/2025-26 alone for the mains stage, and the final qualifying mark for general candidates in mains was around 400 out of the total. This tells you the competition is genuinely tough at prelims level, small mistakes cost you the whole cycle.
Best Books and Preparation Strategy
You don't need twenty books. You need three or four good ones and enough revision cycles. A rough month-wise plan if you're starting from scratch with 6-8 months in hand:
Months 1-2: Build your base. Cover Gujarat history, Indian polity basics, and general science NCERT-level content. Start a current affairs habit right away using our current affairs section, don't leave it for later.
Months 3-4: Move to full syllabus coverage, geography, economy, and start solving topic-wise questions on Pareeksha's practice section. Time yourself even during practice, GPSC prelims moves fast.
Months 5-6: Full-length mock tests, weekly. Analyze every wrong answer instead of just checking your score. Start Gujarati and English essay/letter writing practice for mains alongside this, since that skill takes time to build.
Last 6-8 weeks before prelims: Pure revision plus mocks. No new topics. Focus on your weak areas from mock analysis.
For books, standard GPSC prelims guides covering Gujarat-specific history and geography work well, combined with an NCERT-level science and polity book. Follow a fixed study plan rather than jumping between five different sources, that's what actually burns candidates out before the exam.
Common Mistakes / Honest Advice
Most candidates lose the prelims not because they don't know the syllabus, but because they run out of time on the paper. 200 questions in 2 hours means you get roughly 36 seconds per question, that's brutal if you haven't practiced with a timer.
Another common mistake: ignoring the Gujarati and English mains papers because they seem "easy." They're not a formality, poor language scores can drag your total down even if your GS papers are strong. Practice actual essay and letter writing, don't just read sample answers.
And don't wait for a notification to start studying. GPSC cycles from notification to final result can stretch over a year. If you start preparing only after seeing an ad, you're already behind candidates who've been at it for months.
FAQ
Is the GPSC Deputy Section Officer 2026 notification out? No fresh notification has been released as of August 2026. The last cycle (Advt. 08/2025-26) finished with the final result on 18 July 2026.
How many vacancies were there in the last GPSC DySO / Deputy Mamlatdar recruitment? 102 posts were filled in the cycle under Advt. 08/2025-26, split mainly between Secretariat, Vidhan Sabha, and GPSC seats.
What is the age limit for GPSC Deputy Section Officer? 20 to 38 years for general candidates, with 5 years relaxation for SC/ST/SEBC/EWS Gujarat domicile candidates, and up to 45 years for PwD special recruitment.
What is the salary of a Deputy Section Officer / Deputy Mamlatdar in Gujarat? A fixed pay of about 49,600 rupees per month for the first five years, moving to Level-7 pay scale (39,900 to 1,26,600) with allowances after confirmation.
Is there a physical test for this post? No. Selection is purely through prelims (objective) and mains (descriptive), followed by document verification.
What is the exam pattern for GPSC Deputy Section Officer prelims? A single 200-mark General Studies paper, objective type, 2 hours duration, with negative marking for wrong answers.
How many papers are there in the GPSC Deputy Section Officer mains exam? Four papers of 100 marks each: English, Gujarati, General Studies I, and General Studies II.
What is the application fee for GPSC Deputy Section Officer? 100 rupees for general category candidates. SC, ST, SEBC, EWS, PwD, ex-servicemen, and women candidates from Gujarat don't pay any fee.
Can candidates from other states apply for this post? Yes, but Gujarati language proficiency is essential since one full mains paper and daily work require it.
What was the prelims cut-off for general category in the last cycle? Around 97.37 marks (common category) out of 200 for General, EWS, SEBC, and SC candidates in Advt. 08/2025-26.
Related reads on Pareeksha
If you're preparing for Gujarat government exams broadly, these guides on Pareeksha will help you build a wider base:
- Gujarat Police Constable exam guide
- GSSSB Talati cum Mantri exam guide
- SSC CGL preparation guide for candidates also targeting central government posts
- RRB NTPC guide if you're keeping railway options open alongside GPSC
Final word
This is a solid post if you want government stability with a real promotion path, not just a desk job that goes nowhere. The prelims cut-off numbers show the competition is stiff, so don't underestimate the paper just because it's "only GS." Start your prep now with the current syllabus and pattern, keep an eye on gpsc.gujarat.gov.in and gpsc-ojas.gujarat.gov.in for the next notification, and use consistent mock practice rather than last-minute cramming. That's genuinely what separates the candidates who clear this from the ones who don't.
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