1. Post Name and Advertisement Number
Always match post name and advertisement number exactly. Similar names across different years cause confusion. Save the PDF where advertisement number is visible.
How to Read a Government Job Notification
Most application mistakes happen before exam preparation starts. This guide gives you a repeatable method so you can read any job notice in 15-20 minutes and avoid costly errors.
Quick 5-Minute Pre-Check
- Read the official notification PDF first, then any summary page.
- Mark start date, last date, fee date, correction window, and exam date separately.
- Verify eligibility line-by-line (education, stream, age, category, experience).
- Check documents needed for form fill and document verification.
- Open official links in a new tab and confirm the same post title there.
2. Important Dates
Track at least five dates: apply start, apply end, fee end, correction window, and exam/admit card date. Keep reminders 7 days and 2 days before the last date.
3. Eligibility and Age
Read each eligibility line with care. Many notifications have post-wise qualifications. Age is valid only on the cutoff date written in the notice, not on today's date.
4. Fee and Payment Mode
Verify fee by category and payment mode. After payment, download receipt. If payment fails, check bank statement and portal transaction status before paying again.
5. Selection Process
Check complete stages: written, skill test, PET/PST, interview, document verification, and medical test. Your preparation plan should follow these stages.
6. Documents Required
Prepare identity proof, educational certificates, category certificate, domicile, and photos in advance. Keep both PDF and image versions in a single folder.
Common Notification Reading Mistakes
- Reading only social media captions and skipping the official PDF.
- Using old category certificate format for a new recruitment cycle.
- Ignoring `as on date` in age calculation.
- Assuming all posts under one notification have same eligibility.
- Submitting payment but missing final submit confirmation page.
Final Submission Checklist
Before clicking final submit, verify personal details, category, documents, and payment status once more. Download the final form PDF and receipt. Keep them in your form-proof folder.
Next guide: Interview and document verification prep