The ADRE computer syllabus decides who clears the second phase of Assam Direct Recruitment. The written paper gets all the attention. The computer test quietly ends careers.
In this article, we will break the ADRE Computer syllabus down by category. It covers MS Word, MS Excel and MS PowerPoint topics, marks, duration, typing standards, shortcuts, and a practice plan.
Quick status check (September 2026): The official ADRE 3.0 notification from the State Level Recruitment Commission (SLRC), Assam is still awaited. The structure below follows ADRE 2.0, the last completed cycle. Always confirm the final syllabus in the official advertisement before you start.
What the ADRE Computer Syllabus Actually Covers
First, clear one common confusion.
There is no “Computer” subject in the ADRE written paper. The written exam tests General English, General Mathematics, General Knowledge, Social Studies, and Logical Reasoning and Mental Ability.
Computers appear only at the skill test stage. So the ADRE computer syllabus is really the syllabus for the Computer Skill Test.
It is a practical test. You sit at a machine and perform tasks. There are no MCQs, no theory questions, no definitions of RAM or ROM.
Who has to appear
Only Grade III (Class III) candidates take this test. Grade IV candidates do not.
You are called only after you provisionally qualify in the written exam. That means Paper III (HSSLC level) or Paper IV (Bachelor’s Degree level).
Candidates for stenographer and driver posts sit different skill tests. Those follow separate rules.
Where it fits in selection
- Written examination (OMR based, negative marking of 1/4 mark).
- Computer Skill Test — 25 marks, qualifying in nature.
- Document verification with originals.
- Final merit list and appointment.
Fail the skill test and the written score stops mattering. Treat it seriously.
Exam Pattern at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
| Conducting body | SLRC, Assam |
| Test type | Practical, hands-on |
| Total marks | 25 |
| Software tested | MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint |
| Categories | Three (I, II, III) |
| Nature | Qualifying |
| Applicable to | Grade III posts only |
| Mode | Offline, on computers at the centre |
Reported durations vary across coaching sources, from roughly 25 to 45 minutes. Do not rely on that figure from third-party sites. The exact duration is printed on the official notice and admit card.
Machines and software are provided at the centre. Personal laptops, phones, pen drives and external storage are not allowed inside.
The Three Categories Explained
The ADRE computer syllabus is split by the minimum qualification of the post you applied for. Same three applications, three difficulty levels.
| Category | Minimum qualification for the post | Level |
| Category I | HSSLC / HSSLC in Science | Basic |
| Category II | Bachelor’s Degree in any stream | Intermediate |
| Category III | Bachelor’s Degree plus a computer certificate or diploma of at least 6 months, or a Library Science degree with similar certification | Advanced |
Identify your category before you open a single tutorial. Preparing at the wrong level wastes weeks.
Category I Syllabus: HSSLC Level (Basic)
This level tests whether you can produce a clean, printable file without help.
MS Word
- Create a new document and save it in the format asked for
- Basic formatting: bold, italic, underline, font type, size and colour
- Paragraph alignment: left, centre, right, justify
- Cut, copy, paste, undo and redo
- Find and Replace
- Page setup: margins, paper size, orientation
- Insert page numbers and simple headers and footers
- Line and paragraph spacing
- Spell check
- Print with basic settings
MS Excel
- Enter data into a new worksheet
- Move between workbooks and worksheets
- Basic formulae: SUM, AVERAGE, MIN, MAX
- Arithmetic operators in cells
- Cell formatting: font, borders, fill
- Column width and row height
- Text alignment, merge and centre
- Insert and delete rows and columns
- Sort data A–Z and Z–A
- Set print area and print the sheet
MS PowerPoint
- Create a presentation and add slides
- Choose and change slide layouts
- Add and format text in placeholders
- Apply a theme or design template
- Insert images and basic shapes
- Align objects on a slide
- Slide numbering and simple transitions
- Run the slideshow
- Save and print as slides, handouts or notes pages
Category II Syllabus: Bachelor’s Degree Level (Intermediate)
Everything in Category I still applies. These topics sit on top. The ADRE computer syllabus widens sharply at this level, especially in Excel.
MS Word
- Apply predefined heading and body styles
- Insert and edit tables: merge cells, resize columns, apply table styles
- Advanced headers and footers with page numbers and date
- Insert images with text wrapping
- Section breaks and multi-column layouts
- Page numbering across sections
- Track Changes and Comments
- Hyperlinks and bookmarks
- Custom print settings such as page ranges and duplex printing
MS Excel
- Number formatting: currency, percentage, date
- Conditional formatting rules
- IF, VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP
- COUNT, COUNTA, COUNTIF and SUMIF
- Data validation, including drop-down lists
- Freeze panes
- Basic charts: column, bar, pie
- AutoFilter and multi-level sorting
- Named ranges
- Print titles, repeat header rows, scale to fit
MS PowerPoint
- Slide transitions with timing
- Entrance and exit animations
- SmartArt graphics
- Tables and charts inside slides
- Slide Master for consistent design
- Custom layouts, such as two-column text with image
- Duplicate, reorder and hide slides
- Speaker notes
- Print handouts and notes pages
Category III Syllabus: Degree Plus Diploma (Advanced)
This is the toughest level. The ADRE computer syllabus here assumes formal computer training.
MS Word
- Multilevel heading styles applied consistently
- Automatic Table of Contents, inserted and updated
- Cross-references to headings, tables and figures
- Large tables: merge and split cells, complex borders
- Customised multilevel numbered and bulleted lists
- Detailed character formatting and text effects
- Footnotes, endnotes and citations
- Advanced print options, including printing comments and markup
- Document protection and editing restrictions
MS Excel
- PivotTables and PivotCharts: grouping, filtering, value field settings
- INDEX-MATCH along with VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP
- Nested IF, with AND and OR
- Text functions: LEFT, RIGHT, MID, CONCATENATE, TRIM
- Date functions: TODAY, NOW, DATEDIF
- Convert a range into an Excel Table and style it
- Formula-based conditional formatting and colour scales
- Dependent drop-down lists
- Advanced and combination charts with data labels and axis titles
- Worksheet and workbook protection
- Linking data across sheets
MS PowerPoint
- Slide Master with multiple custom layouts
- Advanced SmartArt and hierarchy diagrams
- Complex animation sequences, motion paths and triggers
- Hyperlinks and action buttons for navigation
- Embedded audio and video
- Charts linked to Excel data
- Custom slideshows
- Rehearse timings and record narration
- Export as PDF or video
Start with PivotTables and VLOOKUP. They are the most reliably tested advanced skills.
Category Comparison Table
| Topic | Category I | Category II | Category III |
| Basic formatting and page setup | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Word tables | No | Yes | Complex |
| Styles | No | Yes | Multilevel |
| Table of Contents | No | No | Yes |
| Track Changes | No | Yes | Yes |
| SUM, AVERAGE, MIN, MAX | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| IF, VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP | No | Yes | Nested |
| Conditional formatting | No | Yes | Formula-based |
| Charts | No | Basic | Advanced |
| PivotTables | No | No | Yes |
| Animations | No | Entrance and exit | Motion paths |
| SmartArt | No | Yes | Advanced |
| Slide Master | No | Yes | Multi-layout |
| Audio, video, action buttons | No | No | Yes |
Typing Speed and Accuracy
The ADRE computer syllabus does not always list a separate typing paper. Speed still decides your score.
Slow typists run out of time before the last task. Aim for these benchmarks:
- 30 words per minute in English
- 25 words per minute in Assamese, if Assamese typing is required
- 95 percent accuracy or better
Accuracy matters more than raw speed. Every correction costs you seconds you cannot spare.
Some clerical and assistant posts have a specific typing requirement. Check your post’s notification.
Shortcuts Worth Memorising
Shortcuts save 30 to 60 seconds per task. Over a full test, that is a whole question.
All applications: Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V, Ctrl+X, Ctrl+Z, Ctrl+Y, Ctrl+S, Ctrl+A, Ctrl+P
MS Word: Ctrl+B, Ctrl+I, Ctrl+U, Ctrl+E (centre), Ctrl+J (justify), Ctrl+F (find), Ctrl+H (replace), Ctrl+Enter (page break)
MS Excel: F2 (edit cell), Alt+= (AutoSum), Ctrl+1 (format cells), Ctrl+Shift+L (filter), Ctrl+T (table), Ctrl+D (fill down), Ctrl+Home (go to A1)
MS PowerPoint: Ctrl+M (new slide), F5 (start show), Shift+F5 (show from current slide), Ctrl+D (duplicate), Ctrl+G (group), Esc (exit show)
A Six-Week Practice Plan
The ADRE computer syllabus rewards repetition, not reading. Build the plan around daily hands-on work.
Weeks 1–2: Foundations. Create one Word document, one Excel sheet and one presentation every day. No timer yet. Focus on finding menu items without hunting.
Weeks 3–4: Category-specific depth. Drill the topics listed for your category only. Category II and III candidates should spend most Excel time on lookups, conditional formatting and PivotTables.
Week 5: Timed practice. Split your session roughly into thirds across Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Stop when time runs out. Note what you failed to finish.
Week 6: Mock tests and repair. Run two full simulations a week. Fix only the weak areas. Keep typing practice going for 15 minutes daily.
Practise on MS Office 2010, 2013 or 2016. Government centres rarely run Office 365. Menu positions differ, and muscle memory built on the wrong version costs time.
Documents to Carry
- Printed skill test admit card
- Original photo ID: Aadhaar, Voter ID, PAN or Passport
- Written exam admit card
- Original educational certificates
- Computer certificate or diploma, for Category III candidates
- Library Science degree, if applicable
- Passport-size photographs
- Blue or black ballpoint pen
Reach the venue at least 30 minutes early.
Five Mistakes That Cost Marks
- Watching tutorials instead of practising. This is a motor-skill test. Video hours do not transfer.
- Preparing the wrong category. Confirm your post’s minimum qualification first.
- Ignoring save and print steps. Many tasks are marked on the final saved or printed output.
- Skipping page setup. Margins, orientation and print area carry easy marks.
- Leaving typing practice until the end. Speed builds slowly. Start on day one.
Final Word
The ADRE computer syllabus is short, specific and entirely learnable. Nothing in it is conceptually hard.
What separates candidates is practice. Six weeks of daily hands-on work is enough for any category. Reading about Word for six weeks is not.
Confirm your category. Open the software today. Time yourself from week five.
For official updates, track the SLRC Assam notifications on the state government portal rather than third-party syllabus posts.
Also read –
ADRE Computer Syllabus
Is there a computer section in the ADRE written exam?
No. The ADRE computer syllabus applies only to the skill test held after the written exam.
Do Grade IV candidates take this test?
No. It applies to Grade III posts only.