The Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) is a government agency that recruits Assistant Section Officers (ASOs) through a written exam and a test of computer skills.
Candidates interested in becoming ASOs can apply online through the OPSC’s official website. The exam will take place entirely online. The exam would take 360 minutes to complete and would consist of four papers.
Table of Contents
OPSC ASO Recruitment 2024: An Overview
Candidates interested in applying for the OPSC ASO can find useful information in the table below:
| Specifics | Important Details |
|---|---|
| Name of the Exam | Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) Assistant Section Officer (ASO) |
| Conducting Body | Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) |
| Post Name | Assistant Section Officer (ASO) |
| Examination Mode | Online |
| Application Mode | Online |
| Exam Duration | 360 minutes |
| Application Fees | INR 500 SC/ST PwD (with disability more than 40% are exempted to pay fees) |
| Exam Level | State |
| Exam Language | English (except the Odia language paper set in Odia) |
| Exam Purpose | Recruiting ASOs by the Government of Odisha |
| Exam helpdesk contact details | 0671-2305611, 2304141 |
| Notification | Released |
| Website | www.opsc.gov.in |
OPSC ASO Exam Date 2024
The dates for the exam are listed below in a table format.
| Exam related Event | Exam Date |
|---|---|
| Notification | December |
| Commencement of online application | January |
| Termination of online application | February |
| Last date to pay application fees | February |
| Submission of application | February |
| Admit card Release | To be announced |
| Exam Date | To be announced |
| Answer Key Release | To be announced |
| Result Announcement | To be announced |
| Merit List | To be announced |
OPSC ASO Application Form 2024
Candidates must fill out the application form, upload documents, and pay the application fees online through the OPSC’s official website.
Candidates must follow the steps outlined below to register, which is the first and most important part of the application process:
- Visit the OPSC’s official website.
- Select ‘Advertisement for the position of Assistant Section Officer’ from the drop-down menu.
- Select the ‘Attachment’ tab from the drop-down menu.
- Check your eligibility by going over the eligibility criteria.
- The application form must be carefully completed. There should be no errors in the candidate’s name, parent’s/name, candidate’s gender, contact information, postal address, or candidate’s category. The candidate must select the exam centre.
- The required documents, as well as the candidate’s passport-size photo, must be enclosed with the completed form.
- The submit button must be pressed.
Application Fee
The application process for OPSC ASO 2024 concludes with the payment of application fees. The fees for candidates in various categories are listed in the table below:
| Category Name | Application Fee |
|---|---|
| General | INR 500 |
| SC/ST/PwD (with more than 40% disability) | Nil |
| Relevant Links | ||
|---|---|---|
| Aavin Recruitment | UPPSC Staff Nurse | KPSC FDA SDA |
| MPSC STI | APPSC Group I | APPSC Group IV |
OPSC ASO Eligibility Criteria 2024
The Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) has issued a notification for Assistant Section Officer recruitment (ASO). Candidates must have at least a Bachelor’s degree in any field, as well as experience with computer applications. Candidates should be between the ages of 21 and 38. The upper age limit has been raised to 38 years from 32 years previously.
OPSC ASO Educational Qualifications
| Eligibility Criteria | Required Skill |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree in any discipline | Computer Applications |
OPSC ASO Overall Eligibility Criteria
The following table summarizes the most important aspects of the OPSC ASO exam eligibility criteria:
| Specifics | Important Details |
|---|---|
| Age Limit | 21-38 years |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Domicile | Odisha |
| Total Number of Attempts | There is no limit as long as the eligibility criteria are met. |
| Important Aspects | Candidates can take the exam as many times as they want if they don’t get a satisfactory score the first time. The maximum age has been raised from 32 to 38 years. |
| Website | www.opsc.gov.in |
OPSC ASO Syllabus 2024
OPSC ASO Syllabus of Paper 1
The General Awareness section of the OPSC ASO Paper 1 syllabus is the most important. The syllabus for this section is described in detail below.
OPSC ASO General Awareness Syllabus
For General Awareness, there would be 100 multiple-choice questions. The following is a description of the syllabus:
- Important aspects of Governance, Transparency & Accountability, e-governance, Role of Civil Services in democracy.
- Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, growth, development, and employment, poverty alleviation, resource mobilization, and inflation.
- Indian Constitution
- Issues of Environmental, Ecology, Biodiversity & Climate changes
- Defense & Indian Armed Forces
- Scientific Inventions and use of Science.
- History of British Rule in India and Freedom Struggle
- Physical Geography of India & Odisha
- Current national events
- Current international events
- World Physical Geography
- Important National & International Institutions, Organizations, and fora-their Structures, Mandate, etc.
OPSC ASO Syllabus of Paper 2
The two modules of the OPSC ASO Paper 2 are Reasoning and Mental Ability and Mathematics. The syllabus for these sections is described in detail below.
OPSC ASO Reasoning and Mental Ability Syllabus
For Reasoning and Mental Ability, there would be 50 multiple-choice questions. The following table explains the syllabus in detail:
| Section Name | Topics Covered |
|---|---|
| Verbal |
|
Non-Verbal |
|
OPSC ASO Mathematics Syllabus
For Mathematics, there would be 50 multiple-choice questions. The following are the details of the syllabus:
- Mensuration (2D & 3D)
- Statistics & Probability
- Arithmetic
- Algebra
OPSC ASO Syllabus of Paper 3
Paper 2 is divided into two sections: English and Odia. There would be 100 multiple-choice questions in both English and Odia.
OPSC ASO English Syllabus
For the English language, there would be 100 multiple-choice questions. The following are examples of the details:
- Preposition
- Tenses
- Verb
- Antonyms
- Synonyms
- Answering Questions based on Unseen Passages
- Comprehension
- Subject-verb Agreement
- Sentence Rearrangement
- Error Correction/Recognition
- Adverb
- Fill in the Blanks with Articles etc.
- Vocabulary
OPSC ASO Syllabus of Paper 4
The second stage of the OPSC ASO recruitment written exam is Paper 4. Its goal is to assess candidates’ practical computer application knowledge.
OPSC ASO Computer Applications Syllabus
For computer applications, there would be five subjective questions. The following are the details of the syllabus:
- MS Access
- Windows (MS-Windows)
- Word Processing (MS Word)
- Spreadsheet (MS Excel)
- Presentation knowledge (MS PowerPoint)
- Usage of internet services available on the Internet
- MS-office
- Communication Technology, Networking Concepts
- Computer Fundamentals
OPSC ASO Exam Pattern 2024
Four papers make up the OPSC ASO exam. The first stage consists of Papers 1, 2, and 3, while the second stage consists of Paper 4. The exam format is described and illustrated in the table below:
| Paper | Paper 1 | Paper 2 | Paper 3 | Paper 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exam Mode | Online | Online | Online | Online |
| Â Sections | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Section Name | General Awareness |
|
|
Computer Applications |
| Questions in each section | 100 | 50 | 100 | 5 |
| Exam Duration | 90 minutes | 90 minutes | 60 minutes | 30 minutes |
| Total Number of questions | 100 | 100 | 200 | 5 |
| Question Types | MCQs | MCQs | MCQs | Subjective-type |
| Criteria for Marking |
|
|
|
|
| Paper Language | English | English | English (Odia for the Odia language section) | English |
OPSC ASO 2024: Preparation Plan
- For the OPSC ASO Exam 2024, candidates must develop a strong preparation strategy. Preparation should begin six to eight months before the test and should be systematic. Here is a Preparation Strategy for the OPSC ASO Exam 2024 to make your job easier:
- Competitors who are preparing for the exam should read for at least 6 hours in order to be thoroughly prepared for the upcoming exam. You can rest one day a week and not think about anything.
- To avoid missing out on anything, familiarize yourself with the standards of newspapers, magazines, and online articles and stay informed about current events every day.
- Practice a growing number of Mock tests to see if you’ll be able to complete the test on time.
- Take notes while you’re learning because they’ll come in handy when it’s time to revise the material.
OPSC ASO Preparation Books
The following is a list of books to read in order to prepare for the OPSC ASO Recruitment exam in 2024:
| Name of the Book | Name of Author |
|---|---|
| General Studies by Disha | Disha Experts |
| Modern approach to Verbal and Non-verbal Reasoning | R.S. Aggarwal |
| Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations | R.S. Aggarwal |
| Objective General English | R.S. Aggarwal and Vikas Aggarwal |
| Computer Awareness | Soumya Ranjan Behera |
OPSC ASO Admit Card 2024
The Admit Card must be downloaded and printed after completion of the application and payment of fees. The Admit Card contains important information about the exam, such as the date, time, and location.
Steps to Download OPSC ASO Admit Card 2024
The following are the steps to obtain the OPSC ASO 2024 Admit Card:
- It is necessary to visit the OPSC’s official website.
- In the ‘What’s New Section,’ look for the OPSC ASO Admission Certificate and Instruction for Candidates.
- The candidate would be directed to a new page after clicking.
- Details such as the OPSC ASO’s unique ID, date of birth, and application form number (if applicable) must be entered.
- Before submitting, double-check all of the details.
- The submit button must be pressed.
- It is necessary to save and print the Admit Card. It should be done at the testing centre.
OPSC ASO Answer Key 2024
The Answer Key is a document that contains the answers to the exam’s questions. After the exam, it will be posted on the OPSC’s official website. It would assist candidates in determining their chances of being selected as ASOs, as well as the potential marks they would receive.
OPSC ASO Previous Year Cut Off Marks
The OPSC ASO cutoff marks change every year. To be considered for the final selection, candidates must meet the cut-off marks. Because the cut-off scores for 2024 are unknown, the OPSC ASO cut-off scores for 2024 are presented in the table below:
| Gender | General | SEBC | SC | ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 225.452 | 216.422 | 183.902 | 160.058 |
| Female | 209.077 | 196.856 | 171.103 | 161.380 |
OPSC ASO Sub-Category Cutoff 2024
The following table lists the cut-off scores for various subcategories:
| Category Name | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Blind/Low Vision | 176.090 | 148.569 |
| Hearing Impairment | 167.227 | 173.653 |
| Cerebral Palsy/Locomotor Disability | 199.312 | 162.156 |
| Autism, Intellectual Disability, specific disability/Multiple disability | 123.491 | – |
| Ex-Serviceman | 187.393 | – |
| Sports Quota | 121.768 | 125.669 |
OPSC ASO Results 2024
The results will be announced shortly after the release of the Answer Key. The OPSC’s official website should be checked for the most up-to-date information on results. Before the final merit list is announced, any issues with the results must be addressed. Obtaining the cut-off marks would make it easier to select candidates for the position of ASO.
OPSC ASO Salary Structure
The monthly salary for an OPSC ASO ranges from INR 9400 to INR 34,800, plus a grade pay of INR 4200. OPSC ASOs are also eligible for benefits such as Dearness Allowance (DA), House Rent Allowance (HRA), and other benefits. The following table explains the details:
| Important Details | Amount (in INR) |
|---|---|
| Salary | INR 9400 – 34,800/- |
| Grade Pay | 4200 |
| Dearness Allowance (DA) | As decided by the Government of Odisha |
| House Rent Allowance (HRA) | As decided by the Government of Odisha |
| Other allowances | As decided by the Government of Odisha |
OPSC ASO Vacancy 2024
Seven hundred and ninety-six vacancies are available for OPSC ASO recruitment in 2024. The table below shows how many vacancies are available in each category:
| Category Name | Total | Women from the total |
|---|---|---|
| General | 447 | 149 |
| SEBC | 62 | 21 |
| SC | 109 | 36 |
| ST | 178 | 59 |
| Total | 796 | 265 |
OPSC ASO Sub-Category
The table below breaks down the available positions by sub-category:
| Sub-category | Total | For Women |
|---|---|---|
| Sportspersons | 08 | 03 |
| Ex-Servicemen | 24 | – |
| PwD | 39 | 13 |
OPSC ASO Selection Process 2024
According to the recruitment pattern, candidates had to pass two stages in order to be selected for the position of Assistant Section Officer by OPSC.
Stage 1: OPSC ASO Written Examination (MCQs)
The written examination was Stage I of the OPSC ASO selection process. This stage was divided into three exams, Paper I, Paper II, and Paper III, which assessed candidates’ knowledge of general awareness, reasoning, and mental ability, as well as mathematics, English, and Odia languages.
Stage 2: OPSC ASO Skill Test in Computer Applications (Practical)
This was the last stage of the OPSC ASO recruitment selection process. The skill test will be held for all candidates who were shortlisted in the written examination. Candidates’ knowledge of computer applications would be tested at this stage. This stage is qualifying in nature, and to pass it, you must receive 40% of the total marks in the skill test.
FAQs
OPSC ASOs are eligible for various allowances in addition to their monthly salary, including Dearness Allowance (DA), House Rent Allowance (HRA), and other types of allowances.
Yes, that is correct. For each incorrect answer, 0.25 mark is deducted from the total score. As a result, if a candidate is unsure about the answer to a question, that question should not be attempted to avoid deductions of this nature.
OPSC ASO salaries range from INR 9,400 to INR 34,800 per month, depending on the position. The OPSC ASO’s grade pay is INR 4,200. OPSC ASOs are also eligible for benefits such as Dearness Allowance and House Rent Allowance.
A Bachelor’s degree in any academic discipline is the minimum requirement for employment as an OPSC ASO. The recruitment of OPSC ASOs also necessitates a working knowledge of computer applications.
At this time, there is no limit to the number of times a candidate can take the OPSC ASO exam. However, regardless of the candidate’s category, the maximum age limit is 38 years old.
