The CAPF (Central Armed Police Forces) (Assistant Commandant) Examination is conducted by the UPSC to recruit officers in India’s paramilitary forces like BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP and SSB. It is one of the most respected uniformed services.
Selected candidates become Assistant Commandants (Group A Gazetted Officers) in the following:
BSF – Border Security Force
CRPF – Central Reserve Police Force
CISF – Central Industrial Security Force
ITBP – Indo-Tibetan Border Police
SSB – Sashastra Seema Bal
Eligibility Criteria
1. Age Limit
- Minimum: 20 years
- Maximum: 25 years
- Age calculated on date mentioned
in notification
Age Relaxation
- OBC → +3 years
- SC/ST → +5 years
- Ex-servicemen → as per rules
2. Educational Qualification
- Bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognized university
- Final year students can apply (must complete degree before interview)
3. Physical Standards (important)
A candidate must meet physical requirements.
Height
- Male → 165 cm (relaxation for
some categories) - Female → 157 cm
Chest (Male)
- 81 cm + 5 cm expansion
Physical Efficiency Test (PET) includes the following activities:
- 100 m race
- 800 m race
- Long jump
- Shot put
Exam Selection process
Stages: Written Examination → Physical Efficiency Test (PET)→ Interview / Personality Test → Medical Examination
Written exam pattern
Paper I — Objective (MCQ)
- General Ability & Intelligence
- Total: 250 marks
- Duration: 2 hours
- Negative marking is applicable for wrong answer (1/3rd mark of each answer)
Paper II — Descriptive
- Essay + comprehension + précis + report writing
- Total: 200 marks
- Duration: 3 hours
The candidates will be shortlisted for PET on the basis of total marks obtained out of (250+200) = 450 marks
Game Plan
Detailed Syllabus
Paper I — Objective type
1. General Mental Ability: Logical reasoning, Analytical ability, Quantitative aptitude, Data interpretation
2. General Science: Recent Scientific developments, Basic physics, Chemistry, Biology (Level: Class 10)
3. Current Events: National and international events, Defence exercises, Sports, awards, Government schemes
4. Indian Polity & Economy: Constitution, Governance, Political system, Economic development
5. History of India: Freedom movement, Ancient, Medieval, Modern History
6. Indian & World Geography: Physical geography, Climate, Resources, Economic geography
Paper II — Descriptive type
Part A — Essay Writing
Practice write Essays on following topics related to: Security issues, Social issues, Issues in Governance, Developments in Technology, Women empowerment, Environment and Climate Change
Part B — Language Skills
Precis writing, Reading comprehension, Grammar correction, Report writing
Language Medium:
- Essay → English or Hindi
- Language section → English only
Recommended Booklist
Paper I Preparation
General Studies
NCERT Textbook for History, Geography, Polity (Class 6–12)
Indian Polity — M. Laxmikanth
Spectrum A Brief History of Modern India – Rajiv Ahir (Spectrum Publication)
Environment — Shankar IAS
Geography — India-Physical Geography, Introduction to Physical Geography (Class 11-NCERT Textbooks)
Quantitative Aptitude & Reasoning
Quantitative Aptitude- Dr RS Aggarwal ( S Chand publication)
Analytical Reasoning – MK Pandey (BSC Publication)
Current Affairs
The Hindu / Indian Express newspaper
Vision IAS monthly magazine
Make notes from Newspaper and arrange them on the basis of subject
Paper II Preparation
Regularly read Editorials from newspaper to understand flow of ideas
Reference Book: Objective General English — SP Bakshi (Arihant Publication)
Analyse Previous year CAPF descriptive papers to understand pattern of examination
Practice writing essays regularly, incorporate example of current events in essays
All-in-One Book
Pathfinder CAPF Assistant Commandant — (Arihant Publication)