NSSB · Exam prep

NSSB Combined Staff Recruitment Examination (CSRE)

NSSB's biggest exam - LDA-cum-Computer Assistant, Assistant Sub-Inspector and other Group C posts for graduates.

Eligibility (2026): Graduate · 21–32 years
General paper: MCQ · 200 marks · 3 hours
Negative marking: One-third of a question's marks
Later stages: Tier II, computer test, PET, interview

From the official NSSB documents, checked 12 Nov 2026. Sources are listed at the bottom.

Overview

The Combined Staff Recruitment Examination (CSRE) is how NSSB fills clerical and uniform Group C posts - most famously LDA-cum-Computer Assistant and Assistant Sub-Inspector. CSRE 2026 (Advertisement No. NSSB-3/CSRE 2026, dated 16 September 2026) has its written exam scheduled for 14 November 2026.

NSSB's website was offline when this guide was prepared, so the CSRE 2026 advertisement could not be checked in full. Eligibility below is from that advertisement; the exam pattern is from NSSB's common syllabus for Group C posts (2023) and the CSRE 2022 question papers. Always check the current advertisement.

Posts: LDA-cum-Computer Assistant (Directorate and District), Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) and other Group C posts under various departments

1. Written examination
Objective (multiple-choice) papers. In CSRE 2022, each paper had 100 questions for 200 marks in 3 hours, with 0.66 marks deducted per wrong answer: Paper I and Paper II for everyone, and a technical Paper III for technical posts.
2. Further stages (as in CSRE 2025)
NSSB's notices for CSRE 2025 show these stages after the written exam: a Tier II examination, a Computer Proficiency Test (CPT), a Physical Eligibility Test (PET) for uniform services (scheduled for 25–26 February 2026 at the 4th NAP Thizama ground, Kohima), an interview, and a medical examination.

Exam pattern

General paper for Group C posts (NSSB common syllabus, 2023)

Component	Questions	Marks
General Knowledge	75	75
General English	30	30
English Comprehension	25	25
Basic Computer Knowledge	40	40
Basic Arithmetic, General Intelligence & Reasoning	30	30
Total - 3 hours	200	200

General Knowledge
Questions
75
Marks
75
General English
Questions
30
Marks
30
English Comprehension
Questions
25
Marks
25
Basic Computer Knowledge
Questions
40
Marks
40
Basic Arithmetic, General Intelligence & Reasoning
Questions
30
Marks
30
Total - 3 hours200 · 200

Technical/specialised posts also write a technical paper: 200 marks, 3 hours, in the subject of the post.

CSRE 2022 - papers as printed on the question booklets

Paper	Questions	Marks	Time
Paper I (code 01)	100	200	3 hours
Paper II (code 02)	100	200	3 hours
Paper III - technical, by post (code 03)	100	200	3 hours

Paper I (code 01)
Questions
100
Marks
200
Time
3 hours
Paper II (code 02)
Questions
100
Marks
200
Time
3 hours
Paper III - technical, by post (code 03)
Questions
100
Marks
200
Time
3 hours

Each booklet says: negative marking of 33% (−0.66 marks) for every wrong answer.

Every wrong answer loses one-third of the marks of that question.
Persons with benchmark disabilities get 20 minutes of compensatory time per hour.
CSRE 2026 eligibility: Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland; graduate in any discipline (LDA-cum-Computer Assistant posts also need a Certificate Course in Computer Application); age 21–32 years as on 1 January 2026, +5 years for ST, and relaxation equal to years of service (up to 5 years) for serving government employees. Fee ₹300 (PwBD exempted).

Syllabus

Tap a paper to open its full syllabus.

General paper - what each component coversNSSB common syllabus for Group C direct recruitment

General Knowledge: current events and matters of everyday observation and experience as may be expected of an educated person; Indian history and culture; Indian polity including the Constitution of India; geography; economy; general science. Questions on Naga history and culture are also part of the syllabus.
General English: error recognition, fill in the blanks (verbs, prepositions, articles etc.), vocabulary, spellings, grammar, sentence structure, synonyms, antonyms, sentence completion, phrases and idiomatic use of words.
English Comprehension: passages testing vocabulary, grammar, logical thought and overall grasp of English.
Basic Computer Knowledge: introduction to computers; GUI-based operating systems; elements of word processing, spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations; computer communication and the internet, world wide web and web browsers; communication and collaboration.
Simple Arithmetic: number system, simplification, roots, averages, discounts, percentages, profit and loss, ratio and proportion, line graphs, bar graphs, pie charts and tabulation - concepts, not complicated calculation (10+2 standard).
General Intelligence & Reasoning (verbal and non-verbal): analogies, similarities and differences, spatial visualization and orientation, problem solving, analysis, judgement, decision making, visual memory, discrimination, observation, relationship concepts, arithmetical reasoning, figural classification, number series, non-verbal series, coding and decoding, statement–conclusion and syllogistic reasoning.

Previous papers & official PDFs

Each file opens straight from where the recruiter keeps it - no searching on government websites. Sizes help you decide before downloading on mobile data.

Official syllabus

Common syllabus for direct recruitment - Group C (2023)PDF · 147 KB · Saved on Nagaland Jobs3 pages. Written out in full above.

CSRE 2022 question papers

Papers I and II are saved here. The technical Paper III for each post opens on NSSB's website (scanned, 5–8 MB each).

How to prepare

Our own advice, based on the official pattern and past papers above.

Where to start

The general paper is the same kind of exam for every CSRE candidate: General Knowledge, English, computers, and arithmetic and reasoning. Get the free marks first - computer knowledge alone is 40 of 200 marks in the Group C common syllabus.

Component by component

General Knowledge (75): current affairs of the past year, Indian polity and the Constitution, history, geography, economy, general science - and Naga history and culture, which the syllabus names.
Computer Knowledge (40): Windows basics, MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint features and shortcuts, internet, email and web browsers. LDA candidates will also face a Computer Proficiency Test later, so practise typing and office software for real.
English (55 in all): grammar rules, error-spotting, synonyms/antonyms, idioms, and timed reading comprehension.
Arithmetic & Reasoning (30): percentages, averages, ratio, profit and loss, data from graphs and tables; number series, coding–decoding, analogies and syllogisms.

Negative marking

A wrong answer costs a third of the question's marks (−0.66 on a 2-mark question).
Blind guesses gain nothing on average - skip them. If you can eliminate one or two options, answer.

If you are aiming for ASI (uniform posts)

Uniform posts have a Physical Eligibility Test after the written stages. Start running and strength training early, alongside your written preparation.
Keep your admit card and a valid photo ID ready - NSSB's PET notice for CSRE 2025 required both, and did not accept soft copies.

Latest notices for this exam

NSSB CSRE 2026: LDA-cum-Computer Assistant & ASI Posts - Written Exam on 14 Nov
NSSB · 16 Sep 2026

Official sources

Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it.

NSSB Combined Staff Recruitment Examination (CSRE)

NSSB's biggest exam - LDA-cum-Computer Assistant, Assistant Sub-Inspector and other Group C posts for graduates.

Eligibility (2026)

Graduate · 21–32 years

General paper

MCQ · 200 marks · 3 hours

Negative marking

One-third of a question's marks

Later stages

Tier II, computer test, PET, interview

From the official NSSB documents, checked 12 Nov 2026. Sources are listed at the bottom.

Overview

Posts: LDA-cum-Computer Assistant (Directorate and District), Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) and other Group C posts under various departments

1. Written examination
Objective (multiple-choice) papers. In CSRE 2022, each paper had 100 questions for 200 marks in 3 hours, with 0.66 marks deducted per wrong answer: Paper I and Paper II for everyone, and a technical Paper III for technical posts.
2. Further stages (as in CSRE 2025)
NSSB's notices for CSRE 2025 show these stages after the written exam: a Tier II examination, a Computer Proficiency Test (CPT), a Physical Eligibility Test (PET) for uniform services (scheduled for 25–26 February 2026 at the 4th NAP Thizama ground, Kohima), an interview, and a medical examination.

Exam pattern

General paper for Group C posts (NSSB common syllabus, 2023)

Component	Questions	Marks
General Knowledge	75	75
General English	30	30
English Comprehension	25	25
Basic Computer Knowledge	40	40
Basic Arithmetic, General Intelligence & Reasoning	30	30
Total - 3 hours	200	200

General Knowledge
Questions
75
Marks
75
General English
Questions
30
Marks
30
English Comprehension
Questions
25
Marks
25
Basic Computer Knowledge
Questions
40
Marks
40
Basic Arithmetic, General Intelligence & Reasoning
Questions
30
Marks
30
Total - 3 hours200 · 200

Technical/specialised posts also write a technical paper: 200 marks, 3 hours, in the subject of the post.

CSRE 2022 - papers as printed on the question booklets

Paper	Questions	Marks	Time
Paper I (code 01)	100	200	3 hours
Paper II (code 02)	100	200	3 hours
Paper III - technical, by post (code 03)	100	200	3 hours

Paper I (code 01)
Questions
100
Marks
200
Time
3 hours
Paper II (code 02)
Questions
100
Marks
200
Time
3 hours
Paper III - technical, by post (code 03)
Questions
100
Marks
200
Time
3 hours

Each booklet says: negative marking of 33% (−0.66 marks) for every wrong answer.

Every wrong answer loses one-third of the marks of that question.
Persons with benchmark disabilities get 20 minutes of compensatory time per hour.
CSRE 2026 eligibility: Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland; graduate in any discipline (LDA-cum-Computer Assistant posts also need a Certificate Course in Computer Application); age 21–32 years as on 1 January 2026, +5 years for ST, and relaxation equal to years of service (up to 5 years) for serving government employees. Fee ₹300 (PwBD exempted).

Syllabus

Tap a paper to open its full syllabus.

General paper - what each component coversNSSB common syllabus for Group C direct recruitment

General Knowledge: current events and matters of everyday observation and experience as may be expected of an educated person; Indian history and culture; Indian polity including the Constitution of India; geography; economy; general science. Questions on Naga history and culture are also part of the syllabus.
General English: error recognition, fill in the blanks (verbs, prepositions, articles etc.), vocabulary, spellings, grammar, sentence structure, synonyms, antonyms, sentence completion, phrases and idiomatic use of words.
English Comprehension: passages testing vocabulary, grammar, logical thought and overall grasp of English.
Basic Computer Knowledge: introduction to computers; GUI-based operating systems; elements of word processing, spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations; computer communication and the internet, world wide web and web browsers; communication and collaboration.
Simple Arithmetic: number system, simplification, roots, averages, discounts, percentages, profit and loss, ratio and proportion, line graphs, bar graphs, pie charts and tabulation - concepts, not complicated calculation (10+2 standard).
General Intelligence & Reasoning (verbal and non-verbal): analogies, similarities and differences, spatial visualization and orientation, problem solving, analysis, judgement, decision making, visual memory, discrimination, observation, relationship concepts, arithmetical reasoning, figural classification, number series, non-verbal series, coding and decoding, statement–conclusion and syllogistic reasoning.

How to prepare

Our own advice, based on the official pattern and past papers above.

Where to start

Component by component

General Knowledge (75): current affairs of the past year, Indian polity and the Constitution, history, geography, economy, general science - and Naga history and culture, which the syllabus names.
Computer Knowledge (40): Windows basics, MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint features and shortcuts, internet, email and web browsers. LDA candidates will also face a Computer Proficiency Test later, so practise typing and office software for real.
English (55 in all): grammar rules, error-spotting, synonyms/antonyms, idioms, and timed reading comprehension.
Arithmetic & Reasoning (30): percentages, averages, ratio, profit and loss, data from graphs and tables; number series, coding–decoding, analogies and syllogisms.

Negative marking

A wrong answer costs a third of the question's marks (−0.66 on a 2-mark question).
Blind guesses gain nothing on average - skip them. If you can eliminate one or two options, answer.

If you are aiming for ASI (uniform posts)

Uniform posts have a Physical Eligibility Test after the written stages. Start running and strength training early, alongside your written preparation.
Keep your admit card and a valid photo ID ready - NSSB's PET notice for CSRE 2025 required both, and did not accept soft copies.