If you want a desk job in a Madhya Pradesh government office, live at home, and start with a clean pay-matrix salary, Assistant Grade 3 is the post you're looking for. MP Vyapam, now officially called the MP Employees Selection Board (MPESB), fills it through the Group 4 combined recruitment test. Most people still call it "Vyapam Group 4".
Here's the thing nobody tells you upfront. The written paper is not hard. It's a 12th-level paper with no negative marking. That's exactly why the cut-off climbs into the 80s and 90s out of 100, and why a single silly mistake costs you the job. Below is everything about the 2026 cycle as it stands in July 2026, plus the last cycle's numbers so you know what you're walking into.
Notification status and important dates
As of 30 July 2026, MPESB has not released the Group 4 (Assistant Grade 3) notification for 2026. The MPESB annual exam calendar published on 5 January 2026 lists the Group 4 combined test for Assistant Grade 3 and equivalent posts with a tentative exam window in September 2026 and results around November 2026. Nothing beyond that is official yet. Do not trust any site quoting an exact 2026 form date or a 2,500-vacancy figure. That number has no official backing.
| Event | 2026 cycle (tentative, per MPESB calendar) | 2025 cycle (actual, for reference) |
|---|---|---|
| Notification released | Not out yet (expected around Jun–Aug 2026) | 24 January 2025 |
| Online application starts | To be announced | 3 March 2025 |
| Last date to apply | To be announced | 17 March 2025 |
| Correction window closes | To be announced | 22 March 2025 |
| Exam date | September 2026 (tentative) | 7–9 May 2025 |
| Admit card | About 3–4 days before exam | 30 April 2025 |
| Result | November 2026 (tentative) | October 2025 |
Bookmark the official portal at esb.mp.gov.in and check it weekly. We also post MPESB updates on our exam news page as soon as the PDF drops.
What the job actually is
Assistant Grade 3 (Sahayak Grade 3) is the entry-level clerical post in MP government departments and boards. You'll be posted in a collectorate, tehsil office, department directorate, or a corporation office anywhere in the state.
Day to day, you handle file movement, note-sheets, dak entry, drafting routine letters in Hindi, data entry, RTI replies, and registers. A lot of it is now on computer, which is why CPCT certification is compulsory. Fixed hours in most postings, though a busy collectorate during election or scheme season can eat your evenings.
The same paper also fills Steno Typist, Stenographer, and Data Entry Operator posts. Stenographer posts need shorthand and pay a little better at the same level.
Vacancy details
The 2026 calendar shows roughly 200 posts for the Group 4 combined test. That's small. The 2025 cycle had 966 posts and 2023 had over a thousand. Vacancy count only gets finalised when the notification PDF comes out, and MPESB has revised it upward mid-cycle before.
Post-wise, the 2025 breakdown looked like this and 2026 will follow a similar shape:
| Post | Share of total (2025, approx.) |
|---|---|
| Assistant Grade 3 / Sahayak Grade 3 | 60–70% |
| Steno Typist | Around 15% |
| Stenographer | Around 10% |
| Data Entry Operator and equivalent | Remainder |
Eligibility
Education. 12th pass from a recognised board is the base requirement. On top of that you need a valid CPCT (Computer Proficiency and Certification Test) score card issued by MP. Typing speed benchmarks are 20 words per minute in Hindi and 30 wpm in English. Stenographer posts additionally need a shorthand certificate.
Age limit. 18 to 40 years for general category candidates. The cut-off date shifts each cycle, so read the notification carefully.
| Category | Upper age limit |
|---|---|
| Unreserved (male, outside MP or within) | 40 years |
| SC / ST / OBC / EWS of MP | 45 years |
| Women (all categories, MP domicile) | 45 years |
| Serving MP government employees | 45 years |
| PwD candidates | Extra relaxation as per MP rules |
Domicile. Candidates from outside MP can apply, but they're treated as unreserved and pay the higher fee. Reservation and the age relaxation are only for MP natives.
Physical standards. None. This is a clerical post, so there's no height, chest, or running test.
Application process and fee
| Category | Exam fee | Portal charge |
|---|---|---|
| Unreserved / outside MP | Rs 500 | Rs 60 (MP Online kiosk charges more) |
| SC / ST / OBC / EWS / PwD of MP | Rs 250 | Rs 60 |
Steps to apply:
- Register on the MP Online portal and generate your profile.
- Open the Group 4 link on esb.mp.gov.in and fill the form.
- Upload photo, signature, 12th marksheet, CPCT score card, caste and domicile certificates.
- Pay online by UPI, net banking, or card.
- Save the PDF and application number. You need it for admit card and result.
Use the correction window. MPESB charges a small fee for edits but it's far cheaper than losing the form.
Exam pattern
One computer-based paper. That's it, apart from document checks.
| Detail | Specification |
|---|---|
| Mode | Online (CBT) |
| Questions | 100 |
| Marks | 100 |
| Duration | 3 hours |
| Negative marking | None |
| Language | Hindi and English |
Subject split is roughly: General Knowledge 20, General Hindi 20, General English 20, General Maths 20, Computer Knowledge 10, General Reasoning/Aptitude 10. MPESB does not always publish an exact split, and it moves a little between cycles.
Because the exam runs across multiple shifts and days, MPESB applies normalisation. Your raw score and your normalised score will differ. Don't panic when that happens.
Selection is written exam, then document verification, then CPCT/typing certificate check. There is no interview.
Detailed syllabus
General Knowledge
Madhya Pradesh geography, rivers, districts, national parks, tribes, folk dances, festivals, and famous personalities. MP history including Gond and Maratha rule. MP government schemes (Ladli Behna, Ladli Laxmi, Sambal). Indian polity basics, Constitution, Panchayati Raj. Indian history freedom struggle. Basic geography and general science. Sports, awards, and current affairs of the last 8–10 months. Keep our current affairs section open daily and add an MP-specific notebook alongside. Our General Awareness guide covers the static half.
General Hindi
संधि, समास, उपसर्ग-प्रत्यय, पर्यायवाची, विलोम, अनेकार्थी, मुहावरे और लोकोक्तियाँ, वाक्य शुद्धि, वर्तनी, तत्सम-तद्भव, रस-छंद-अलंकार, अपठित गद्यांश. This section is scoring if you studied Hindi till 12th. Skip it at your own risk, it's 20 marks.
General English
Tenses, articles, prepositions, subject-verb agreement, active-passive, direct-indirect, synonyms, antonyms, one-word substitution, idioms, spotting errors, cloze test, and a short comprehension passage. Nothing above 12th standard.
General Maths
Number system, HCF-LCM, simplification, percentage, ratio, average, profit and loss, simple and compound interest, time and work, time speed distance, mensuration, and basic data interpretation. Word problems stay short. The Quantitative Aptitude guide is enough for this level.
Computer Knowledge
Computer fundamentals, input-output devices, memory types, MS Word, MS Excel formulas, PowerPoint, operating systems, internet and email basics, shortcut keys, cyber security terms. If you've cleared CPCT, this is free marks.
General Reasoning and Aptitude
Series, coding-decoding, blood relations, direction sense, analogy, classification, ranking, syllogism, calendar and clock, non-verbal figures. Work through the Reasoning guide and then hammer it with topic-wise practice sets.
Salary and career growth
Assistant Grade 3 sits in Pay Matrix Level 5 in MP, with a starting basic pay of Rs 19,500. Add dearness allowance, house rent allowance based on posting city, and a small travel allowance.
| Component | Approximate monthly amount |
|---|---|
| Basic pay | Rs 19,500 |
| Dearness allowance | Rs 10,000 and above (revised periodically) |
| HRA | Rs 1,400 to Rs 3,000 |
| Other allowances | Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 |
| Deductions (NPS, GIS) | Around Rs 2,500 |
| In-hand | Roughly Rs 28,000 to Rs 33,000 |
Promotion path runs Assistant Grade 3 to Assistant Grade 2 to Assistant Grade 1, then Head Clerk or Superintendent. Departmental exams and time-bound pay upgrades both help. It's a slow ladder, honestly. But job security, pension under NPS, medical, and a home posting make it a solid first government job for a 12th-pass or graduate candidate from MP.
Previous year cut-off
MPESB publishes normalised scores rather than a clean category cut-off list, so treat the table below as the observed safe range from the 2023 and 2025 cycles.
| Category | Safe normalised score (out of 100) |
|---|---|
| Unreserved | 82 – 90 |
| EWS | 78 – 84 |
| OBC | 76 – 83 |
| SC | 68 – 76 |
| ST | 60 – 70 |
Read that again. General candidates need to get 85 or so questions right out of 100. That's the real difficulty of this exam.
Books and preparation strategy
You don't need a shelf of books. You need accuracy.
- MP GK: any standard MP Samanya Gyan book (Arihant or Lucent MP edition).
- Hindi: Lucent Samanya Hindi.
- English: Lucent General English or SP Bakshi.
- Maths: RS Aggarwal Arithmetic.
- Reasoning: RS Aggarwal Verbal and Non-Verbal.
- Computer: any CPCT preparation book.
Free theory for all of these sits in our Reading Room.
A four-month plan that works. Month 1: finish Hindi grammar and Maths basics, one chapter a day. Month 2: MP GK static portion plus reasoning, and start a daily 20-question quiz. Month 3: English, computer, and revision of everything covered. Month 4: nothing but full-length mocks and error logs. Give at least 25 full mocks. Take them at our free mock test hub and treat every mock like the real thing. If you want the schedule laid out day by day, use our study plan.
If you're also preparing for central exams, the overlap with SSC CHSL and RRB NTPC is large. The same Maths and Reasoning prep covers all three.
Common mistakes people make
Leaving questions blank. There's no negative marking, so mark every single one. Every year candidates finish with 8 unattempted questions and miss the cut-off by two marks.
Ignoring CPCT until after the result. Get the CPCT score card before the notification, not after. Candidates get rejected at verification every cycle for this.
Studying national GK and skipping MP GK. The MP portion is bigger and more predictable. It's the cheapest 12 to 15 marks on the paper.
Treating Hindi grammar as automatic because you speak Hindi. Muhavare and sandhi need actual memorisation.
Panicking over normalisation. Focus on your raw accuracy. You can't control shift difficulty.
FAQ
Is MP Vyapam Assistant Grade 3 notification out for 2026? No. As of July 2026 only the tentative calendar entry exists, showing a September 2026 exam.
Can a 12th pass apply? Yes, 12th pass plus a valid CPCT score card is enough.
Is CPCT compulsory? Yes for MP Assistant Grade 3 and equivalent posts. Get it done early.
Is there negative marking? No. Attempt all 100 questions.
Can candidates from other states apply? Yes, but you're counted as unreserved and get no age relaxation.
Is there an interview? No. Written exam, then document verification.
What's the in-hand salary? Around Rs 28,000 to Rs 33,000 depending on posting city.
How many attempts are allowed? No attempt limit. Only the age limit applies.
What language is the paper in? Bilingual, Hindi and English.
How much time is enough to prepare? Four to five months of honest daily study if you're starting from 12th-level basics.
Related reads on Pareeksha
- MP Patwari exam guide
- MP Police Constable recruitment
- MP Police SI notification and syllabus
- MPPSC Prelims strategy
You can browse all state and central exam guides in one place.
Where to start
Do two things this week. Book your CPCT slot if you don't have a valid score card, because that's the one thing you cannot fix in a hurry after the notification. Then take one full mock, cold, without studying, and see where you land. If you're at 55 out of 100 today, four months of steady work gets you to 85. If you're at 30, you need six.
The notification will likely land somewhere between now and August. Keep your documents scanned and ready, watch esb.mp.gov.in and the MP Online portal, and start the Hindi grammar section tonight. It's the section people leave for last and it's the one that decides the cut-off.
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