Exam guide · UPSC
UPSC CAPF AC
UPSC Central Armed Police Forces (Assistant Commandants) Examination
The Union Public Service Commission's examination for recruiting Assistant Commandants (Group A) in the BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP and SSB.
Vacancies
349
Age limit
20–25 years (born 2 Aug 2001 – 1 Aug 2006)
Application fee
₹200
Notice published
20 February 2026
UPSC CAPF AC notification: key dates and vacancies
| Notice dated | 20 February 2026 |
|---|---|
| Online application (last date) | 12 March 2026 (6 pm) |
| Written examination | 19 July 2026 (liable to change at UPSC's discretion) |
| e-Admit Card | On the last working day of the week before the exam |
| Vacancies | 349 (tentative: BSF 108, CRPF 106, CISF 70, SSB 53, ITBP 12) |
Posts filled through this exam
- Assistant Commandant (Group A) in BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP and SSB
- Force allocation by merit position and the force preferences given in the online application
Source: Central Armed Police Forces (Assistant Commandants) Examination, 2026 — Examination Notice No. 08/2026-CAPF (published 20 February 2026). Confirm in the official notice before applying.
UPSC CAPF AC is the Union Public Service Commission's examination for direct recruitment of Assistant Commandants (Group A) in the Central Armed Police Forces: the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). Both men and women can apply.
The 2026 notice (No. 08/2026-CAPF, dated 20 February 2026) lists 349 tentative vacancies. Selection runs through a written examination of two papers, physical standards and physical efficiency tests, an interview/personality test of 150 marks and a medical standards test. The final merit list is drawn on written and interview marks, and your force is allotted by merit position and the preferences you give in the application form.
This guide explains each stage exactly as the 2026 notice prints it: the force-wise vacancies, age and qualification rules, the paper pattern and negative marking, physical and medical standards, the syllabus, the application steps and the certificates you will need.
UPSC CAPF 2026 vacancies: force-wise
The notice lists 349 tentative vacancies for Assistant Commandant across the five forces. BSF has the largest share (108), followed closely by CRPF (106), then CISF (70), SSB (53) and ITBP (12).
Ten percent of the total vacancies are earmarked for ex-servicemen, and reservation for other categories follows Government of India policy. The notice does not print a category-wise split for each force, so none is shown here.
Assistant Commandant vacancies by force (tentative)
| Force | Vacancies |
|---|---|
| BSF | 108 |
| CRPF | 106 |
| CISF | 70 |
| SSB | 53 |
| ITBP | 12 |
| Total | 349 |
10% of the total vacancies are earmarked for ex-servicemen.
The post: Assistant Commandant (Group A)
Every vacancy in this examination is for Assistant Commandant, a Group 'A' officer post in the CAPFs. Service and force allocation is made on the basis of your position in the merit list and the service/force preferences you indicate while filling in the online application form, so think through your order of preference before you submit.
The 2026 notice does not print a pay level or pay scale for the post, so none is shown here. Check the official notice and the Ministry of Home Affairs for pay details rather than relying on unofficial figures.
Age limit, relaxation and qualification in detail
Age is counted on 1 August 2026. You must have turned 20 and must not have turned 25 on that date, which means you must be born between 2 August 2001 and 1 August 2006 (both dates included).
SC, ST and OBC candidates who are also civilian central government servants or ex-servicemen can claim the relaxation under both categories together (cumulative relaxation). Apart from the relaxations listed below, the age limits cannot be relaxed in any case.
You need a bachelor's degree of a university incorporated by an Act of the central or a state legislature in India; check the notice for other qualifications it accepts as equivalent. If you have appeared, or will appear, in the degree examination in 2026, you can still apply; candidates who qualify in the written result must then prove they passed within the time limit set by the rules.
You must be a citizen of India, although the rules do not debar the appointment of a subject of Nepal or Bhutan.
Upper age relaxation
| Category | Relaxation |
|---|---|
| SC / ST | 5 years |
| OBC (eligible for reservation) | 3 years |
| Civilian central government servants | Up to 5 years |
| Ex-Servicemen | Up to 5 years |
The total relaxation claimed on account of government service is limited to 5 years.
Written exam pattern and negative marking
Both papers are held on the same day, 19 July 2026. Paper-I (250 marks) runs from 10 am to 12 noon and is an objective, multiple-choice test with questions in English and Hindi. Paper-II (200 marks) runs from 2 pm to 5 pm and is a descriptive paper written in the answer book.
In Paper-I, each wrong answer costs one-third (0.33) of the marks for that question. Marking more than one answer to a question counts as a wrong answer. There is no penalty for a question left blank.
UPSC fixes minimum qualifying marks separately in each paper at its discretion. Paper-II is evaluated only for candidates who get the minimum qualifying marks in Paper-I, so Paper-I acts as the gate to the rest of the process.
Written examination and interview
| Stage | Type | Time | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper-I: General Ability and Intelligence | Objective (English and Hindi) | 2 hours | 250 |
| Paper-II, Part-A: Essay | Descriptive (English or Hindi) | 3 hours (whole paper) | 80 |
| Paper-II, Part-B: Comprehension, précis, language skills | Descriptive (English only) | 3 hours (whole paper) | 120 |
| Interview / Personality Test | Interview | — | 150 |
Merit list is drawn on the written examination (450) and interview (150) marks.
UPSC CAPF syllabus, topic by topic
Paper-I tests general ability across six areas. Paper-II is split into an essay part, which you may write in Hindi or English, and a language part that must be attempted in English only.
Topics listed in the notice (Appendix I, Part B)
| Paper / area | Topics |
|---|---|
| Paper-I: General Mental Ability | Logical reasoning, quantitative aptitude including numerical ability, and data interpretation |
| Paper-I: General Science | General awareness, scientific temper, comprehension and appreciation of scientific phenomena of everyday observation, including new areas such as information technology, biotechnology and environmental science |
| Paper-I: Current Events of National and International Importance | Culture, music, arts, literature, sports, governance, societal and developmental issues, industry, business, globalisation and interplay among nations |
| Paper-I: Indian Polity and Economy | The country's political system and the Constitution of India, social systems and public administration, economic development in India, regional and international security issues, and human rights including its indicators |
| Paper-I: History of India | Social, economic and political aspects, including the growth of nationalism and the freedom movement |
| Paper-I: Indian and World Geography | Physical, social and economic geography of India and the world |
| Paper-II, Part-A: Essay (80 marks) | Long narrative answers in Hindi or English; indicative topics are modern Indian history especially the freedom struggle, geography, polity and economy, security and human rights issues, and analytical ability |
| Paper-II, Part-B: Comprehension (120 marks) | Comprehension passages, précis writing, developing counter-arguments, simple grammar and other aspects of language testing — English only |
Physical standards (PST) and physical efficiency test (PET)
Candidates declared qualified in the written examination are called for the Physical Standards Tests. Only those who meet the standards in Appendix V go on to the Physical Efficiency Tests. These tests carry no marks, but a candidate declared unqualified in the PET is not called for the interview. The PST, PET and medical tests are held under a Nodal Authority appointed by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Weight must also be in proportion to height and age as per the table in the notice. In the long jump, touching the take-off or landing line with any part of the body is a disqualification in that event.
Female candidates give a self-declaration about pregnancy when they report for the PST/PET. A candidate found pregnant may be declared temporarily unfit; her appointment is held in abeyance and the vacancy kept reserved, and she is re-examined six weeks after confinement with a medical fitness certificate. This does not stop her from attending the interview.
Physical standards
| Measure | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Height | 165 cm | 157 cm |
| Chest (unexpanded) | 81 cm | Not applicable |
| Weight | 50 kg | 46 kg |
The chest-expansion requirement is printed in Appendix V; check it there.
Physical efficiency test
| Event | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 100 m race | 16 seconds | 18 seconds |
| 800 m race | 3 min 45 sec | 4 min 45 sec |
| Long jump | 3.5 m (3 chances) | 3.0 m (3 chances) |
| Shot put (7.26 kg) | 4.5 m (3 chances) | Not applicable |
Medical standards
The Medical Standards Test is held only for candidates who have appeared in the interview/personality test. A candidate found not to meet the prescribed standards after the test will not be appointed, even if placed in the merit list.
- Distant vision (corrected): 6/6 in the better eye and 6/12 in the worse eye, or 6/9 in both eyes.
- Near vision (corrected): N6 in the better eye and N9 in the worse eye.
- Colour perception: CP-III by Ishihara plates.
- No knock knees, flat foot or varicose veins; speech without stammering.
- No chronic disease such as tuberculosis, arthritis, high blood pressure, diabetes, bronchial asthma or heart disease.
- No degree of deafness and no persistent ear discharge.
Interview, NCC and final merit
Candidates declared qualified in the PST/PET are called for the interview/personality test conducted by UPSC, which carries 150 marks.
Holding an NCC 'B' or 'C' certificate is a desirable qualification. It is considered at the interview/personality test only; it does not add marks to the written papers.
The merit list is drawn on the marks obtained in the written examination and the interview/personality test.
How to apply for UPSC CAPF 2026
- 1
Create your Universal Registration Number
Apply online at upsconline.nic.in. The Universal Registration Number (URN) is registered only once in a lifetime.
- 2
Keep a photo ID ready
UPSC strongly advises using your Aadhaar card as the ID document; a voter card, PAN card, passport, driving licence or another government photo ID is also listed.
- 3
Upload photograph and signature
The photograph must be a JPG file of 20–200 KB and the signature a JPG file of 20–100 KB. For the signature, sign three times one below the other on plain white paper in black ink. A live photo is also captured while you fill the form.
- 4
Fill force preferences carefully
Your order of preference among BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP and SSB is taken from the online application form and, with your merit position, decides your allocation.
- 5
Pay the fee and submit
The fee is ₹200, payable by net banking, Visa/MasterCard/RuPay credit or debit card, or UPI; no other mode is accepted. Women and SC/ST candidates are exempt; OBC and EWS candidates pay the full fee. The form can be filled until 12 March 2026, 6 pm.
- 6
Check before you submit
No correction is allowed in any field after submission, and applications cannot be withdrawn. UPSC's helpline is 011-24041001 (10 am – 5:30 pm on working days).
- 7
Download the e-Admit Card
The e-Admit Card is issued on the UPSC website on the last working day of the week before the exam. It is not sent by post or email. The exam is held at 57 centres listed in the notice.
Certificates you must hold
- Matriculation or Secondary School Leaving Certificate (or equivalent) for date of birth; horoscopes, affidavits and service records are not accepted.
- Proof of passing the qualifying degree examination: degree certificate, final mark sheet or provisional degree certificate.
- OBC candidates: OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) certificate issued on or after 1 April 2025 and not later than the closing date, 12 March 2026.
- EWS candidates: Income and Asset Certificate based on income for financial year 2024-25, issued on or after 1 April 2025 and by 12 March 2026.
- SC / ST candidates: caste certificate, if you claim reservation or relaxation.
- Ex-Servicemen: the prescribed certificate and undertaking (Appendix VI of the notice), held by 12 March 2026.
- Government employees: inform your Head of Office or Department in writing that you have applied; the application may be rejected if your employer withholds permission.
Latest UPSC CAPF AC recruitment
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Exam overview
Reviewed editorial
Who it is for
Graduates, men and women, who want to join the Central Armed Police Forces directly as officers.
Eligibility, age and qualification
Exact limits are set per post in each official notice.
Age limit
20–25 years (born 2 Aug 2001 – 1 Aug 2006) (as on 1 August 2026)
Educational qualification
- Bachelor's degree of a university incorporated by an Act of the central or a state legislature in India
- Candidates appearing in (or intending to appear in) the qualifying examination in 2026 may apply, and must later prove they passed within the time limit
- Both men and women are eligible
Upper age relaxation
| SC / ST | 5 years |
| OBC (eligible for reservation) | 3 years |
| Civilian Central Government servants and Ex-Servicemen | 5 years (Government-service relaxation capped at 5 years in total) |
Application fee
₹200. All women and SC/ST candidates are exempted from the fee. OBC and EWS candidates get no exemption and must pay the full fee.
Source: Central Armed Police Forces (Assistant Commandants) Examination, 2026 — Examination Notice No. 08/2026-CAPF (published 20 February 2026). Confirm in the official notice before applying.
- Indian nationality (subjects of Nepal and Bhutan are not debarred)
- Bachelor's degree from a recognised university
- Age on the official cutoff date, with category-wise relaxation
- Physical standards and physical efficiency tests
- Medical standards
Selection process and exam pattern
Stages of selection
- 1Written examination: Paper-I (objective) and Paper-II (descriptive), both on 19 July 2026
- 2Physical Standards Tests (PST) and Physical Efficiency Tests (PET)
- 3Interview / Personality Test (150 marks)
- 4Medical Standards Tests (for candidates who appeared in the interview)
Paper-I: General Ability and Intelligence
2 hours (10 am – 12 noon)
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General mental ability, general science, current events, Indian polity and economy, history of India, Indian and world geography | See notice | 250 |
Objective (multiple-choice) questions in English and Hindi. Negative marking: one-third (0.33) of the marks of a question for each wrong answer; no penalty for an unanswered question.
Paper-II: General Studies, Essay and Comprehension
3 hours (2 pm – 5 pm)
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Part-A: Essay (English or Hindi) | — | 80 |
| Part-B: Comprehension, précis and language skills (English only) | — | 120 |
Paper-II is evaluated only for candidates who get the minimum qualifying marks in Paper-I.
Interview / Personality Test
—
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Interview / Personality Test | — | 150 |
Merit list is drawn on the written examination and interview marks.
Source: Central Armed Police Forces (Assistant Commandants) Examination, 2026 — Examination Notice No. 08/2026-CAPF (published 20 February 2026). Confirm in the official notice before applying.
Reviewed editorial
Selection is in stages: a written examination of two papers, physical standards and efficiency tests, an interview/personality test and a medical standards test. The final merit list is drawn on written and interview marks; the exact stages are confirmed from each year's official notice.
Syllabus and subject-wise prep
- General mental ability and quantitative aptitude
- General science and current events
- Indian polity, economy, history and geography
- Essay writing (English or Hindi)
- English comprehension and précis writing
- Physical fitness
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Frequently asked questions
What is the age limit for UPSC CAPF AC?
20–25 years (born 2 Aug 2001 – 1 Aug 2006), counted as on 1 August 2026, as per the Central Armed Police Forces (Assistant Commandants) Examination, 2026 — Examination Notice No. 08/2026-CAPF. Category-wise upper age relaxation is given in the notice.
What qualification is needed for UPSC CAPF AC?
Bachelor's degree of a university incorporated by an Act of the central or a state legislature in India. Candidates appearing in (or intending to appear in) the qualifying examination in 2026 may apply, and must later prove they passed within the time limit. Both men and women are eligible.
When can I apply for UPSC CAPF AC?
Online application (last date): 12 March 2026 (6 pm), as per the notice published on 20 February 2026. Applications are made only on upsc.gov.in.
What is the UPSC CAPF AC exam pattern?
Paper-I: General Ability and Intelligence: General mental ability, general science, current events, Indian polity and economy, history of India, Indian and world geography (2 hours (10 am – 12 noon)). Objective (multiple-choice) questions in English and Hindi. Negative marking: one-third (0.33) of the marks of a question for each wrong answer; no penalty for an unanswered question. Paper-II: General Studies, Essay and Comprehension: Part-A: Essay (English or Hindi), Part-B: Comprehension, précis and language skills (English only) (3 hours (2 pm – 5 pm)). Paper-II is evaluated only for candidates who get the minimum qualifying marks in Paper-I. Interview / Personality Test: Interview / Personality Test (—). Merit list is drawn on the written examination and interview marks.
How many vacancies are there in UPSC CAPF AC?
349 (tentative: BSF 108, CRPF 106, CISF 70, SSB 53, ITBP 12), according to the Central Armed Police Forces (Assistant Commandants) Examination, 2026 — Examination Notice No. 08/2026-CAPF.
How many vacancies are there in UPSC CAPF 2026?
349 tentative vacancies: BSF 108, CRPF 106, CISF 70, SSB 53 and ITBP 12. Ten percent are earmarked for ex-servicemen.
What is the age limit for UPSC CAPF 2026?
20 to 25 years on 1 August 2026, which means born between 2 August 2001 and 1 August 2006. SC/ST get 5 years' relaxation, OBC 3 years, and civilian central government servants and ex-servicemen up to 5 years.
What is the qualification for UPSC CAPF?
A bachelor's degree from a recognised university. Candidates who will appear in their degree examination in 2026 can also apply, but must prove they passed within the time limit.
Can women apply for UPSC CAPF Assistant Commandant?
Yes. Both men and women are eligible, and women are exempt from the application fee.
What is the application fee for UPSC CAPF 2026?
₹200. Women and SC/ST candidates are exempt. OBC and EWS candidates have no exemption and pay the full fee.
What is the exam pattern of UPSC CAPF?
Paper-I, General Ability and Intelligence, is a 2-hour objective paper of 250 marks. Paper-II, General Studies, Essay and Comprehension, is a 3-hour descriptive paper of 200 marks (essay 80, comprehension 120). The interview carries 150 marks.
Is there negative marking in UPSC CAPF?
Yes, in the objective Paper-I: one-third (0.33) of the marks of the question for each wrong answer. Unanswered questions carry no penalty.
Can I write UPSC CAPF Paper-II in Hindi?
Only Part-A, the essay, can be written in Hindi or English. Part-B (comprehension, précis and language skills) must be attempted in English only.
What height is required for UPSC CAPF?
165 cm for men and 157 cm for women. Men also need an unexpanded chest of 81 cm, and the minimum weight is 50 kg for men and 46 kg for women.
What are the PET events for UPSC CAPF?
Men: 100 m in 16 seconds, 800 m in 3 min 45 sec, long jump 3.5 m and shot put (7.26 kg) 4.5 m. Women: 100 m in 18 seconds, 800 m in 4 min 45 sec and long jump 3.0 m. Jumps and shot put allow 3 chances.
What is the eyesight requirement for UPSC CAPF?
Corrected distant vision of 6/6 and 6/12 (better and worse eye) or 6/9 in both eyes, corrected near vision of N6 and N9, and colour perception CP-III on Ishihara plates.
How is the final merit decided in UPSC CAPF?
On the written examination and interview marks together. Force allocation then follows your merit position and the force preferences you gave in the application form, subject to clearing the PST/PET and medical standards.
What is UPSC CAPF AC?
The Union Public Service Commission's examination for recruiting Assistant Commandants (Group A) in the BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP and SSB.
Who is UPSC CAPF AC for?
Graduates, men and women, who want to join the Central Armed Police Forces directly as officers.
How is UPSC CAPF AC selection described?
Selection is in stages: a written examination of two papers, physical standards and efficiency tests, an interview/personality test and a medical standards test. The final merit list is drawn on written and interview marks; the exact stages are confirmed from each year's official notice.
Niyookti is not part of UPSC. The official UPSC website (upsc.gov.in) and its notices are the only final source. Always confirm details there before applying.