Level 4 Pretest Model Questions: Official Pattern and Negative Marking
Checked: 2 November 2026. This is an independent preparation guide; the linked commission document controls official decisions.
Preparing for Sangathit Sanstha Level 4 pretest is easier when you separate three things: the official syllabus, the official sample questions and your revision practice. The PSC syllabus and model document contains the scheme and 20 sample MCQs. The real examination scheme is 50 questions; the 20-item sample is not a complete exam paper or evidence that every future test will repeat those facts.
Level 4 pretest format at a glance
| Questions | 50 multiple-choice questions |
|---|---|
| Full marks | 100: two marks per correct answer |
| Time | 45 minutes |
| Pass mark | 45 |
| Wrong answer | 20% of the question’s marks deducted: 0.4 mark |
| Unanswered question | No mark awarded or deducted |
| Calculator | Not permitted under the published scheme |
Always check your particular examination notice and any subsequent amendment. This guide describes the linked Level 4 scheme, not the separate written papers of an individual bank or a Level 5/6 examination.
Which subjects carry the marks?
| Section | Marks | Equivalent questions at two marks each |
|---|---|---|
| Geography, environment and population | 10 | 5 |
| History and culture | 10 | 5 |
| Economic aspects and development | 10 | 5 |
| Governance and Constitution | 10 | 5 |
| International affairs and organisations | 10 | 5 |
| Science, technology, public health and current affairs | 10 | 5 |
| Office and public management | 10 | 5 |
| Applied mathematics | 10 | 5 |
| Public enterprises | 20 | 10 |
The syllabus says that question numbers and weights follow the prescribed subject distribution as far as possible. The last column is the arithmetic equivalent of the marks, not a promise that an individual paper cannot vary. Public enterprises deserves substantial preparation time; do not revise it only after finishing general GK.
What the official sample tells you about question style
- Direct facts: recognise a place, institution, historical event or scientific unit.
- Matching: connect terms with definitions, institutions with regulators or public-service tools with their functions.
- Chronology: put events in order instead of memorising an isolated date.
- Combined statements: decide which of several statements or methods are correct.
- Calculations: solve the problem and select the matching option.
This describes formats visible in the official model. It is not a statistical analysis of actual past papers, and it does not justify predictions such as “this exact question must appear.”
How negative marking works
Use score = 2 × correct answers − 0.4 × wrong answers. Blanks contribute zero.
For example, 30 correct, 10 wrong and 10 unanswered questions give 60 − 4 = 56 marks. A candidate with 25 correct, 15 wrong and 10 blanks scores 50 − 6 = 44, which is below the stated pass mark. Simply counting correct answers without the penalty can therefore give a misleading result.
A full 45-minute test averages 54 seconds per question. That is a planning average: short factual items may take less time, while matching and calculations may take longer. Use a first pass for questions you can solve confidently, then return to unresolved items if time remains.
Three original practice examples
These examples were written for revision; they are not copied or labelled as actual PSC past questions.
1. Reverse percentage
An item sells for NPR 1,350 after a 10% discount. What was its marked price?
A. 1,400 B. 1,450 C. 1,500 D. 1,650
Answer and explanation
C. The sale price is 90% of the marked price. Therefore, marked price = 1,350 ÷ 0.90 = NPR 1,500. Adding 10% to the sale price would use the wrong base.
2. Match service tools to their functions
Match (i) dispatch register and (ii) grievance box with (a) recording outgoing correspondence and (b) receiving complaints.
A. i–a, ii–b B. i–b, ii–a C. both a D. both b
Answer and explanation
A. Dispatch concerns outgoing correspondence; the grievance box collects complaints. Distinguish the record of sending a document from the mechanism for receiving feedback.
3. Evaluate two statements
Statement I: A written-result notice always opens applications for a new vacancy. Statement II: An exam-centre notice should be checked against the candidate’s advertisement and roll number.
A. Both true B. I true, II false C. I false, II true D. Both false
Answer and explanation
C. A written result concerns an existing recruitment stage. A centre notice must be matched to the right examination and candidate range.
Build a useful revision record
For each mistake, record the topic, why the selected option was wrong and the evidence supporting the correction. Separate an arithmetic error from an outdated fact or misunderstood statement. For economic statistics and current affairs, retain the source period: a question naming a particular fiscal year needs that year’s figure, not automatically the newest number.
Start with our bilingual Level 4 topic practice and syllabus resources. The existing short practice sessions are learning exercises with their own displayed scoring; do not confuse them with the official 50-question examination or assume a full timed mock is available until the practice page explicitly offers it.
Source checked: 2026-11-02