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UPSC CAPF (Assistant Commandant)

Evidence status: 🟡 secondary. Cross-checked on 2026-09-30 against the text of Examination Notice No. 08/2026-CAPF and secondary summaries of it. upsc.gov.in refuses automated downloads (HTTP 403 to this runner), so the notice PDF could not be re-fetched end-to-end this run and the status stays secondary. Always read the current notice before you apply or pay a fee.

CAPF (AC) selects Assistant Commandants (Group A officers) for BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP and SSB.

At a glance
Conducted by UPSC
2026 notice No. 08/2026-CAPF, dated 20.02.2026; online applications 20.02–12.03.2026
Vacancies (2026) 349 in total: BSF 108, CRPF 106, CISF 70, SSB 53, ITBP 12 (10% earmarked for Ex-Servicemen)
Written exam (2026) 19.07.2026 (held; written result declared 25.08.2026)
Stages Written (2 papers) → Physical Standards / Efficiency Tests (PST/PET) → Medical Standards Tests → Interview / Personality Test
Qualification Bachelor's degree in any discipline (final-year candidates may apply provisionally; see the notice)
Age 20–25 years on 1 August of the exam year (for 2026: born 02.08.2001–01.08.2006); relaxations for reserved categories and government servants as per rules
Gender Both male and female candidates are eligible for appointment to BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, and SSB
Application fee ₹200 (Female, SC, and ST candidates are exempt from payment)

Official sources

Exam pattern

The written stage (450 marks) is held in one day:

Paper Content Type Marks Time
I General Ability and Intelligence Objective, 125 questions, −1/3 per wrong answer 250 2 h
II General Studies, Essay and Comprehension Descriptive (Part A: Essay; Part B: Comprehension, précis, counter-arguments, language) 200 3 h

Paper II details: - Part A (80 marks): Essay questions which candidates may answer in either Hindi or English. - Part B (120 marks): Comprehension, précis writing, arguments for/against, report writing, and English language skills — to be attempted in English only.

Only candidates who clear the Paper I qualifying minimum have Paper II evaluated. Candidates who qualify in the written examination are called for the Physical Efficiency Tests (PET) and Medical Standards Tests (both qualifying in nature):

Event Males Females
100 Metres race 16 seconds 18 seconds
800 Metres race 3 minutes 45 seconds 4 minutes 45 seconds
Long Jump 3.5 Metres (3 chances) 3.0 Metres (3 chances)
Shot Put (7.26 kg) 4.5 Metres Not applicable

Note: Pregnancy at the time of PET is a disqualification under UPSC rules.

Candidates qualifying in the medical standards tests are called for the Interview / Personality Test (150 marks). The final merit list is determined by written marks (450) + interview marks (150), for a total of 600 marks.

Syllabus

The official syllabus is detailed in Appendix I of the examination notice.

Paper I: General Ability and Intelligence * General Mental Ability: Logical reasoning, quantitative aptitude, data interpretation. * General Science: General awareness, scientific temper, scope and significance of science in everyday life, including new areas like information technology, biotechnology, and environmental science. * Current Events of National and International Importance: Culture, music, arts, literature, sports, governance, societal and developmental issues, industry, business, and globalization. * Indian Polity and Economy: Constitution of India, social systems, public administration, economic development in India, regional and international security issues, and human rights. * History of India: Ancient, medieval, and modern history, with a focus on the freedom movement. * Indian and World Geography: Physical, social, and economic geography of India and the world.

Paper II: General Studies, Essay and Comprehension * Part A (Essay): Topics from modern Indian history (freedom struggle), geography, polity, economy, knowledge of security and human rights, and analytical ability. * Part B (Comprehension, Précis, and Language Skills): Comprehension passages, précis writing, developing counter-arguments, simple grammar, and other aspects of language testing.

How to prepare (free, in order)

  1. Foundations via NCERTs: General science, history (modern/freedom movement), geography, and Indian polity form the bulk of Paper I questions. Build core conceptual clarity from NCERT Class 9–12 textbooks.
  2. Master Paper I PYQs: Solve the last 5–10 years of official UPSC CAPF AC Paper I question papers under a strict 2-hour timer. With the −1/3 penalty, practice eliminating options and calibrating attempt strategy.
  3. Weekly descriptive writing for Paper II: Practice writing one essay and one précis/argument every week. Unlike CSE, CAPF Paper II specifically requires arguments for-and-against and formal reports. Budget approximately 70–80 minutes for Part A (essay) and 100–110 minutes for Part B.
  4. Current affairs and security issues: Read daily releases from PIB and national security developments, paying specific attention to border management, internal security, disaster response, and paramilitary forces.
  5. Early physical training: Begin running (100 m sprint and 800 m stamina) and long jump practice early alongside written preparation. The PET is qualifying, but eliminates unprepared candidates with no second attempts (except long jump).

Free resources