UPSC CAPF AC
Direct entry as Assistant Commandant (Group A gazetted officer) in the BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP and SSB.
Eligibility
You need a bachelor's degree, and final-year students may apply. Candidates must be Indian citizens, and both men and women are eligible. Age must be 20-25 years on 1 August of the exam year, with relaxation of 3 years for OBC, 5 years for SC/ST and up to 5 years for central government civilian employees and ex-servicemen. Candidates must also meet the physical and medical standards set out in the notification.
Age limit: 20-25 years (relaxation for reserved categories)
Exam pattern
The written exam is held on a single day. Paper I, General Ability and Intelligence, is objective, 2 hours long and carries 250 marks, with one-third negative marking. Paper II, General Studies, Essay and Comprehension, is descriptive, 3 hours long and carries 200 marks. Paper II is evaluated only for candidates who clear the minimum score in Paper I. Qualified candidates then take the Physical Standards and Physical Efficiency Tests (PST/PET), which are qualifying only, followed by a medical examination. The final stage is an interview or personality test worth 150 marks, and the final merit list is out of 600 marks.
Syllabus at a glance
Paper I covers general mental ability, general science, current events of national and international importance, Indian polity and economy, history of India and Indian and world geography. Paper II has a Part A with essays of about 300 words on topics such as the freedom struggle, polity, security and human rights, and a Part B with comprehension, précis, counter-arguments and grammar in English.
Upcoming dates
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| CAPF (ACs) 2027 notification and application opens | 17 Feb 2027 | confirmed |
| Last date to apply | 9 Mar 2027 | confirmed |
| Written examination 2027 | 4 Jul 2027 (Sunday) | confirmed |
| Written result | Aug 2027 | expected |
| PST/PET, medical tests and interview | Oct 2027-Feb 2028 | expected |
Expected dates follow the usual calendar; confirm on the official notification before planning.
Free prep material
Standard books
- Indian Polity - M. Laxmikanth
- A Brief History of Modern India (Spectrum) - Rajiv Ahir
- Lucent's General Knowledge - Lucent Publications
- A Modern Approach to Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning - R.S. Aggarwal
- High School English Grammar and Composition - Wren & Martin
- Challenges to Internal Security of India - Ashok Kumar & Vipul Anekant
How toppers play it
- Paper II is the real differentiator. Practise one 300-word essay a week on internal security, border management, Left Wing Extremism, terrorism and human rights, which UPSC sets almost every year.
- Paper II is not marked unless you clear Paper I's cut-off, so do not neglect Paper I. Use negative-marking discipline and skip any question where you cannot eliminate at least two options.
- Practise the Paper II Part B exercises (précis, counter-arguments, report writing and grammar) from past papers. They are scoring and need little preparation time.
- Begin physical training (100 m sprint, 800 m run, long jump, shot put) well before the written result, because PET dates are announced at short notice.
- Keep a separate notes file on CAPF-specific affairs, such as the roles of each force, recent operations and police reforms, for both the essay and the interview.