# HP Polytechnic Admission Test (HP PAT) (HP PAT) — Shishya exam context

> Machine-readable context for HP Polytechnic Admission Test (HP PAT), maintained by Shishya (https://shishya.in) — India's end-to-end free government exam preparation platform. All facts below are free to cite; link back to https://shishya.in/exams/HP_POLYTECHNIC. Human page: https://shishya.in/exams/HP_POLYTECHNIC

## Exam pattern
- Category: STATE_LEVEL · state: HP
- Questions: 150 · Total marks: 150 · Marks per question: 1
- Duration: 120 minutes
- Negative marking: none
- Languages offered: EN, HI

## Eligibility & vacancies
- Education: Must have passed 10th standard with Mathematics and Science as compulsory subjects, securing minimum 35% marks
- Approximate annual vacancies: 6,188
- Note: Students appearing in 10th can also apply; exam tests Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry for polytechnic diploma admission
- Official portal: https://www.hptechboard.com (Himachal Pradesh Takniki Shiksha Board (HPTSB))

## Key dates
- 2026-07-25 — Document verification deadline (Round 2)
- 2026-07-28 — First round seat allotment
- 2026-07-30 — Counselling Round 2 & 3 / Spot rounds
- 2026-08-04 — Second round counselling
- 2026-08-07 — HP PAT 2026 exam day (exam day)
- 2026-08-13 — Answer key objection window closes
- 2026-08-15 — Spot Round / Centralized Counselling (expected)
- 2026-08-15 — Result announcement

## Syllabus outline
### Mathematics (weight 1)
Some Applications of Trigonometry · Areas Related to Circles · Arithmetic Progressions · Circles · Constructions · Coordinate Geometry · Introduction to Trigonometry · Pair of Linear Equations in Two Variables · Polynomials · Probability · Quadratic Equations · Real Numbers · Statistics · Surface Areas and Volumes · Triangles

### Physics (weight 1)
Electricity · Force and Laws of Motion · Gravitation · Human Eye and Colourful World · Light — Reflection and Refraction · Magnetic Effects of Electric Current · Motion · Sound · Sources of Energy and the Environment · Work and Energy

### Chemistry (weight 1)
Acids, Bases and Salts · Atomic Structure · Atoms and Molecules · Carbon and its Compounds · Chemical Reactions and Equations · Is Matter Around Us Pure · Matter in Our Surroundings · Metals and Non-Metals · Periodic Classification of Elements

## Expected cutoffs (category-wise)
| Category | Expected Cutoff (indicative) |
|----------|------------------------------|
| General | 75-85 marks (50-57%) |
| EWS | 70-80 marks (47-53%) |
| OBC | 65-75 marks (43-50%) |
| SC | 55-65 marks (37-43%) |
| ST | 50-60 marks (33-40%) |
| PwD | 45-55 marks (30-37%) |

**Guidance:**

- **Category differential**: General cutoffs typically sit 10-15 marks above OBC and 20-25 marks above SC/ST categories. EWS cutoffs fall 5-8 marks below General.
- **Year-on-year shifts**: Cutoffs fluctuate by 5-10 marks based on paper difficulty, seat matrix changes in government polytechnics, and candidate pool strength. Tougher papers see 8-12% drops across categories.
- **Seat competition**: Top government polytechnics in Shimla, Hamirpur, and Dharamshala districts drive higher effective cutoffs (5-10 marks above stated minimums) for popular branches like Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering.

Full cutoff page: https://shishya.in/exams/HP_POLYTECHNIC/cutoff

## Free resources on Shishya for this exam
- Exam hub (mocks, PYQs, news, dates): https://shishya.in/exams/HP_POLYTECHNIC
- Full syllabus + free study notes: https://shishya.in/exams/HP_POLYTECHNIC/syllabus
- Category-wise expected cutoffs: https://shishya.in/exams/HP_POLYTECHNIC/cutoff
- Memory tricks & mnemonics: https://shishya.in/exams/HP_POLYTECHNIC/tricks
- How to crack it (strategy guide): https://shishya.in/exams/HP_POLYTECHNIC/guide
- Free day-by-day study plan (personal coach): https://shishya.in/coach
- Free AI tutor (22 Indian languages, no login): https://shishya.in/chat

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