RPSC RAS: The Rajasthan Services It Recruits For
30 Oct 2026
Quick answer
The RPSC RAS exam fills two tiers at once — senior Rajasthan state services like RAS, police, accounts and tax, and subordinate services such as Tehsildar and BDO. This guide explains what each service is and how your rank decides not just the department but the tier you land in.
The RPSC RAS examination has a feature that catches many first-time aspirants out: it is the RAS and Subordinate Services Combined Competitive Exam, so a single exam fills two tiers at once — the senior Rajasthan state services and a set of subordinate services beneath them. Your rank decides not just which department you join but which tier, and the gap between a state service and a subordinate service is large. This guide explains the services the RAS exam recruits for, across both tiers, so your preference list is built on what the posts actually are.
For the current cycle's services and dates, see the live RPSC RAS exam page; for Rajasthan government jobs generally, see Rajasthan vacancies and the wider civil services roles. A bachelor's degree is the base — see graduate government jobs.
The state services (the senior tier)
The top allotments go to the Rajasthan state services, gazetted officer cadres that include:
- Rajasthan Administrative Service (RAS) — the flagship: Deputy Collector / SDM-level general administration, the state-service counterpart to an IAS officer's early role
- Rajasthan Police Service (RPS) — Deputy Superintendent of Police, leading a sub-division's policing
- Rajasthan Accounts Service — state finance and accounts administration
- Rajasthan Commercial Taxes / Taxation Service (RTS) — tax assessment and collection
- Rajasthan Cooperative, Industries and other departmental services
These are the posts the highest ranks choose, in roughly this order of popularity, and they carry the authority and progression of a gazetted state officer.
The subordinate services (the second tier)
What makes RAS distinctive is that the same exam also fills subordinate services — a second tier allotted to the ranks below the state-service cut-off. These typically include posts such as:
- Tehsildar (Rajasthan Tehsildar Service) — revenue administration at the tehsil level
- Block Development Officer (BDO) — rural development at the block level
- Cooperative Inspector and other subordinate departmental posts
A subordinate-service post is a real and secure officer-adjacent career, but it sits below the state services in authority and pay, and the two tiers should not be confused when you set preferences.
Rank decides your tier, not just your department
Because one merit list spans both tiers, rank is doubly decisive: it determines whether you reach the state services at all, and then which service within the tier you get. A candidate who ranks just below the state-service cut-off lands in a subordinate service — the same exam, a different career. Fill your preference list knowing both tiers are in play, and set a realistic order rather than listing only RAS.
A Rajasthan state service
RAS officers serve the Rajasthan government within the state cadre, unlike the all-India services the UPSC Civil Services Exam feeds. For many Rajasthan aspirants the RAS exam is a strong career in its own right and a close parallel to the UPSC attempt, with heavily overlapping preparation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the top post in RPSC RAS?
The Rajasthan Administrative Service (RAS) — Deputy Collector / SDM level — is the flagship allotment for the highest ranks, followed by the Rajasthan Police Service.
Does the RAS exam fill both senior and junior posts?
Yes — it is the RAS and Subordinate Services Combined exam, so it fills gazetted state services and subordinate services like Tehsildar and BDO from one merit list.
Does RAS recruit police officers?
Yes — the Rajasthan Police Service (Deputy Superintendent of Police) is one of the state services filled through the exam.
Can I choose my service and tier?
You submit a preference list, but your rank decides both the tier you reach and the service within it, so a lower rank may land a subordinate-service post.
What qualification is needed?
A bachelor's degree in any discipline — see graduate government jobs. Age and attempt limits apply and vary by category.
Where are the current services and vacancies listed?
On the live RPSC RAS exam page; this guide explains the posts across both tiers, not the current cycle's counts.