Section B of Kharidar Paper I is the Basic Office Skills Test (BOST): 20 questions × 2 marks = 40 marks, two questions from each of 10 test types. The PSC says BOST checks how quickly and accurately you do office tasks, not memory. This note covers two test types that need no formula but lose marks through carelessness: verification and filing aptitude.
1. Verification test (रुजु गर्ने)
You compare names, numbers, addresses or codes and find whether they are the same or different, or you find the error.
- Compare from left to right in small blocks of 3–4 characters.
- Check numbers digit by digit: 4583921 and 4538921 look similar but are different.
- In names, check spelling, initials, spacing and the order of words.
- Check punctuation and symbols: 12/05/2081 is not the same as 12-05-2081 if the question asks for exact copies.
| Original | Copy | Same or different? |
|---|---|---|
| Ram Bahadur Thapa | Ram Bahadur Thapa | Same |
| Sita Kumari Shrestha | Sita Kumari Shresta | Different (h missing) |
| 9841-562307 | 9841-562370 | Different (last two digits swapped) |
| Ward No. 7, Janakpur | Ward No. 7, Janakpur | Same |
Typical question: “How many of the following pairs are exactly the same?” Count only perfect matches.
2. Filing aptitude test (फाइलिङ अभिरुचि परीक्षण)
You arrange files or items alphabetically, numerically or chronologically, or find the position of one item in the arranged order.
Alphabetical (dictionary) filing rules
- Compare letter by letter: Bhattarai comes before Bhusal because “a” comes before “u” at the third letter.
- “Nothing before something”: Shah comes before Shahi.
- When the question says file by surname, use the surname first, then the first name: Karki Anil, Karki Bina, Koirala Ram.
- Ignore titles such as Mr, Dr, Shri unless the question says otherwise.
Example: Arrange Pokharel, Paudel, Pandey, Poudyal. Answer: Pandey, Paudel, Pokharel, Poudyal (a < o; then k < u).
Numerical filing
- Arrange by value: 105, 150, 1050 (not as text).
- For codes like A-12, A-102, B-5: first the letter, then the number (A-12, A-102, B-5).
Chronological filing
- Arrange by date: first year, then month, then day.
- 2081/04/15, 2081/11/02, 2082/01/30 is the correct order from oldest to newest.
- Watch whether the question asks oldest-first or latest-first.
Worked examples: verification and filing
| Task | Items | Working | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verify names | Ram Kumari Thapa / Ram Kumari Thapaa | Compare letter by letter; extra “a” at the end | Different |
| Verify citizenship numbers | 27-01-74-05321 / 27-01-74-05321 | Compare each group | Same |
| Alphabetical order | Gurung, Gautam, Ghimire, Giri | Compare second letters: a, h, i, u | Gautam, Ghimire, Giri, Gurung |
| Short before long | Shah, Shahi, Shahu | Shah has no next letter, so it comes first | Shah, Shahi, Shahu |
| Numerical order | 245, 2045, 425, 2405 | Fewer digits first, then compare | 245, 425, 2045, 2405 |
| Chronological | 2081/04/15, 2080/12/05, 2081/01/02 | Year, then month, then day | 2080/12/05, 2081/01/02, 2081/04/15 |
Common mistakes
- Missing one changed digit in a long number: split numbers into groups of three or four.
- Ignoring spelling variants such as Chaudhary/Chaudhari or Karki/Karkee: these are different.
- Filing “Dr.” or “Mr.” as part of the name: titles are ignored.
- Sorting numbers as text (2045 before 245): in numerical filing the smaller value comes first.
- Comparing day before month in dates: always compare year first.
How this topic is asked in the exam
The verification part gives many pairs of names, addresses, phone numbers or vehicle numbers and asks “same” or “different”. The filing part asks which item comes first, last, second or third in alphabetical, numerical or chronological order. Both are pure speed-and-accuracy items: practise daily for a few minutes with a timer rather than reading theory.
📌 Key points to remember
- BOST = 20 questions × 2 marks; 2 questions from each of 10 tests.
- Verification: compare in small blocks; one different character makes the pair different.
- Alphabetical: letter by letter; “nothing before something” (Shah before Shahi).
- Numerical: by value, not by first digit.
- Chronological: year, then month, then day.
Test yourself: BOST
15 questions check what you read about Verification test (रुजु गर्ने), Alphabetical (dictionary) filing rules and Chronological filing.