UPSC CAPF AC
Recruits Assistant Commandants — the entry-level Group A officer rank — in the five Central Armed Police Forces: BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP and SSB.
Eligibility
Applicants need a bachelor's degree in any discipline and must be 20–25 years old on 1 August of the exam year (OBC +3 years, SC/ST +5, plus relaxation for government servants). Both men and women are eligible for all five forces. Candidates must meet prescribed physical standards (height, chest, vision) and later clear the Physical Efficiency Test and detailed medical examination; there is no cap on the number of attempts within the age limit.
Age limit: 20–25 years on 1 August of the exam year (OBC +3, SC/ST +5)
Exam pattern
Stage one is a one-day written exam: Paper I (General Ability and Intelligence, 125 objective questions, 250 marks, 2 hours) with one-third negative marking, and Paper II (General Studies, Essay and Comprehension, 200 marks, 3 hours) which is descriptive — essays in Hindi or English plus précis, comprehension and language skills. Paper II is evaluated only if you clear the Paper I cutoff. Qualifiers then face the Physical Standards Test, Physical Efficiency Test (100 m and 800 m runs, long jump, shot put) and medical exam, followed by an Interview/Personality Test of 150 marks. Final merit is written (450) plus interview (150).
Syllabus at a glance
Paper I covers general mental ability, general science, current events, Indian polity and economy, history of India and Indian and world geography. Paper II tests essay writing on polity, security and current themes, argument analysis, précis, comprehension and grammar. Internal security, policing and border-management topics carry visible weight compared with other UPSC exams.
Upcoming dates
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| CAPF 2026 written result (exam held 19 Jul 2026) | Oct–Nov 2026 (expected) | expected |
| CAPF 2026 PST/PET, medicals, interviews and final result | Late 2026 – mid 2027 (expected) | expected |
| CAPF 2027 notification | 17 Feb 2027 | confirmed |
| CAPF 2027 application deadline | 9 Mar 2027 | confirmed |
| CAPF 2027 written examination | 4 Jul 2027 | confirmed |
Expected dates follow the usual calendar; confirm on the official notification before planning.
Free prep material
Standard books
- Pathfinder CAPF Assistant Commandant — Arihant Experts
- Indian Polity — M. Laxmikanth
- A Brief History of Modern India — Rajiv Ahir (Spectrum)
- Lucent's General Knowledge — Dr Binay Karna et al.
- Certificate Physical and Human Geography — G.C. Leong
How toppers play it
- Paper II is checked only if you clear Paper I, so secure Paper I first — but do not neglect essay practice, since most written-stage rank movement happens in the 200 descriptive marks.
- Practise two essays a week on internal security, border management and polity themes; CAPF essays reward structured, factual writing over literary flourish.
- Start PET preparation (800 m run, long jump, shot put) alongside written prep — candidates routinely lose a year by clearing the written and failing the physical or medical standards.
- In Paper I, apply the one-third negative-marking rule strictly: skip pure guesses, attempt on two-option elimination, and target roughly 100–110 of 125 questions.
- Study the CAPF-specific medical standards (vision, in particular) in the notification annexure before applying, and get borderline issues assessed early.