SSC GD Constable
Recruits Constables (General Duty) into the Central Armed Police Forces — BSF, CISF, CRPF, ITBP, SSB — plus the Secretariat Security Force, Assam Rifles (Rifleman) and Narcotics Control Bureau (Sepoy).
Eligibility
Matriculation (Class 10) from a recognised board is required. Age must be 18 to 23 years on the cut-off date, with relaxation of 3 years for OBC and 5 years for SC/ST. Candidates must meet force-specific physical standards (height, chest for men) and pass physical efficiency and medical tests; there is no attempt limit within the age band.
Age limit: 18–23 years; OBC +3, SC/ST +5 relaxation
Exam pattern
Four stages: computer-based exam, Physical Efficiency Test (PET), Physical Standard Test (PST) and Detailed Medical Examination. The CBE has 80 questions for 160 marks in 60 minutes — 20 questions each from General Intelligence and Reasoning, General Knowledge and Awareness, Elementary Mathematics, and English/Hindi — with 0.25 mark deducted per wrong answer; the paper is bilingual and also offered in 13 regional languages. PET requires a 5 km run in 24 minutes for men and 1.6 km in 8.5 minutes for women (relaxed norms for Ladakh). Final merit is based on CBE marks among candidates clearing PET/PST and medicals.
Syllabus at a glance
Elementary Mathematics is Class 10 arithmetic — number systems, percentages, ratio, interest, mensuration and time-work. Reasoning covers analogies, series, coding and spatial visualisation. General Knowledge spans sports, polity, history, geography, economy, everyday science and current affairs. The language section tests basic English or Hindi grammar, vocabulary and comprehension.
Upcoming dates
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Notification (2027 cycle) | 30 Sep 2026 | confirmed |
| Application window | 30 Sep – 31 Oct 2026 | confirmed |
| Computer-based exam | Jan–Feb 2027 (per SSC calendar) | confirmed |
| Result of CBE | Mid 2027 | tba |
| PET/PST by CAPFs | After CBE result, 2027 | tba |
Expected dates follow the usual calendar; confirm on the official notification before planning.
Free prep material
Standard books
- Lucent's General Knowledge — Dr Binay Karna et al.
- Fast Track Objective Arithmetic — Rajesh Verma
- A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning — R.S. Aggarwal
- Kiran's SSC GD Constable Solved Papers — Kiran Prakashan
- Objective General English — S.P. Bakshi
How toppers play it
- Cut-offs are decided purely by the 160-mark CBE, and lakhs bunch within a few marks — accuracy under the 0.25 negative marking matters more than raw attempts.
- Choose your stronger language (English or Hindi) for the language section and stick to it in every mock.
- Train for the 5 km/1.6 km run alongside CBE prep, not after the result — the gap between result and PET is short.
- GK and current affairs carry a quarter of the paper and are the fastest section; bank those 20 questions in under 8 minutes.
- Fill force preferences thoughtfully in the form — allocation is by merit-plus-preference and cannot be changed later.