UPSC CAPF AC 2026: Exam Date, Syllabus, PET & Free Mocks

UPSC CAPF AC is the Union Public Service Commission examination for direct recruitment of Assistant Commandants in the Central Armed Police Forces — the Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force, Central Industrial Security Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police and Sashastra Seema Bal. An Assistant Commandant is a Group A gazetted officer who commands a company-level formation.

This is officer-level entry, distinct from the Sub-Inspector recruitment conducted by SSC. Selection runs through a written examination of two papers totalling 450 marks, physical and medical tests, and a 150-mark personality test, for an aggregate of 600 marks.

UPSC CAPF AC is highly sought after because it offers direct Group A gazetted officer entry into the central armed police forces at Pay Level 10, commanding personnel from the outset with a career path to Inspector General and beyond.

An Assistant Commandant commands a company of roughly a hundred personnel immediately on completion of training. Few graduate entries carry comparable responsibility, and the career progresses through Deputy Commandant, Second-in-Command, Commandant, Deputy Inspector General and Inspector General.

The examination is also considerably less competitive than the Civil Services Examination while offering the same Pay Level 10 entry, which makes it an attractive alternative for candidates drawn to uniformed service rather than administration.

• Group A gazetted officer entry at Pay Level 10
• Company command responsibility from the outset
• Career progression to Commandant, DIG and IG ranks
• Considerably less competitive than the Civil Services Examination

Expected schedule for the 2026 cycle, based on the UPSC annual calendar.upsc.gov.in — Examination Calendar

The most recent UPSC CAPF AC cycle carried approximately Notified per cycle vacancies.

UPSC CAPF AC vacancies are published force-wise across BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP and SSB, and are relatively small in number for a gazetted officer recruitment. Confirm the current force-wise breakdown in the official notification.

Vacancies are notified force-wise in the official notification.upsc.gov.in — Official Notification

To apply for UPSC CAPF AC 2026 a candidate must hold a bachelor’s degree from a recognised university and be between 20 and 25 years of age as on the cut-off date, and must meet the prescribed physical and medical standards.

Educational Qualification

A bachelor’s degree from a university incorporated by an Act of the Central or State Legislature in India, or an equivalent qualification.

• Candidates who have appeared in a qualifying degree examination and are awaiting results may apply provisionally.
• Candidates possessing professional and technical qualifications recognised as equivalent to a degree are also eligible.
• Candidates must produce proof of passing at the time of the personality test.

Age Limit

The age limit for UPSC CAPF AC is 20 to 25 years. Age is reckoned as on 1 August of the year of examination. The narrow band means most candidates have only a few attempts available.

Nationality

• A citizen of India, or
• A subject of Nepal or Bhutan, or
• A Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1 January 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, or
• A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka or East African countries with the intention of permanently settling in India.

Physical Standards

Physical Standard Test (PST): male candidates require a height of 165 cm and a chest of 81 cm with 5 cm expansion; female candidates require a height of 157 cm. Relaxed heights apply to candidates from hill regions including Gorkhas, Garhwalis, Kumaonis, Assamese, Nagas and Scheduled Tribes. Physical Efficiency Test (PET) for men: 100 metres in 16 seconds, 800 metres in 3 minutes 45 seconds, long jump of 3.5 metres in three chances, and shot put of 7.26 kg thrown 4.5 metres. PET for women: 100 metres in 18 seconds, 800 metres in 4 minutes 45 seconds, and long jump of 3 metres in three chances. The PET is qualifying in nature.

UPSC CAPF AC has a written examination of 450 marks across two papers — a 250-mark objective Paper I on General Ability and Intelligence and a 200-mark descriptive Paper II on General Studies, Essay and Comprehension — followed by physical tests and a 150-mark interview, for an aggregate of 600 marks.

1. 1Online application on the UPSC portal with force preferences.
2. 2Written Examination — Paper I objective and Paper II descriptive, totalling 450 marks.
3. 3Physical Efficiency Test and Physical Standard Test — qualifying in nature.
4. 4Detailed Medical Examination against the prescribed standards.
5. 5Interview / Personality Test carrying 150 marks.
6. 6Final merit based on the aggregate of 600 marks, and allocation of force.

The UPSC CAPF AC syllabus covers general mental ability, general science, current events, Indian polity and economy, history and geography in Paper I, with Paper II testing essay writing, comprehension and precis at genuine descriptive depth.

A CAPF Assistant Commandant is a Group A gazetted officer placed in Pay Level 10 under the Seventh Pay Commission with a basic pay of ₹56,100 to ₹1,77,500, giving an approximate in-hand salary of ₹75,000 to ₹85,000 per month including force allowances.

Allowances and Benefits

• Dearness Allowance (DA) — revised twice a year
• House Rent Allowance (HRA) or officer accommodation
• Transport Allowance (TA)
• Risk and Hardship Allowance for field and border postings
• Ration Money Allowance and uniform allowance
• Free medical treatment for the officer and family
• Pension under the National Pension System (NPS)

The decisive UPSC CAPF AC strategy is to prepare Paper II as a genuine writing paper rather than an afterthought, because 200 of the 450 written marks come from essay, precis and comprehension that cannot be answered from objective preparation.