SSC GD Constable
Staff Selection Commission — General Duty Constable
SSC GD Constable Exam 2025: Complete Guide — CBT 1, PET/PST, CBT 2, DV & Medical
The SSC GD Constable Exam is a national-level recruitment examination conducted by the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Government of India. The exam selects Constables (General Duty) for the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) including the BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, SSF, and SSB, as well as for the Assam Rifles and the National Investigation Agency-related cadres as notified in recent cycles. Through a single written examination, a common Physical Efficiency Test/Physical Standard Test, Document Verification and a Medical Examination, candidates are selected for a career as a uniformed central government police constable.
Recruitment is conducted periodically; the current/latest cycle is SSC GD Constable 2025. Because vacancy numbers and dates change every cycle, all figures marked "tentative" below are based on the previous cycle and must be confirmed from the official notification.
Overview / Key Highlights
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Conducting Body | Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Government of India |
| Post Name | Constable (General Duty) — GD |
| Forces / Departments | BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, SSF, SSB, Assam Rifles (as per the official notification of the cycle) |
| Exam Level | National-level (Central Government recruitment) |
| Mode of Examination | Online (Computer Based Test — CBT) |
| Medium of Exam | English, Hindi and other languages as per the official scheme |
| Selection Stages | CBT 1 → PET/PST → CBT 2 → Document Verification & Medical Examination |
| Number of Papers | 2 Computer Based Tests (CBT 1 and CBT 2) + qualifying Physical tests |
| Negative Marking | Yes — 0.50 mark deducted for each wrong answer |
| Educational Qualification | Class 10 (Matriculation) pass from a recognised board |
| Age Limit | 18–23 years (relaxations for reserved categories, see eligibility section) |
| Official Website | https://ssc.gov.in |
| Current Cycle | SSC GD Constable 2025 (notification to be confirmed on ssc.gov.in) |
Selection Process
The SSC GD Constable selection is conducted in the following stages, in this order:
- Computer Based Test 1 (CBT 1): Screening-cum-merit stage of 80 objective questions. Marks of CBT 1 are counted towards the final merit.
- Physical Efficiency Test (PET) and Physical Standard Test (PST): Qualifying in nature. Candidates must complete the running race within the prescribed time and meet height, chest and weight standards. Marks are not added to merit, but failure means disqualification.
- Computer Based Test 2 (CBT 2): Similar in structure to CBT 1 with 80 questions. The marks of CBT 2 are added to CBT 1 marks to prepare the final merit list.
- Document Verification (DV) and Medical Examination: Qualified candidates are called for certificate verification and a medical examination conducted by the concerned force.
The final merit list is prepared on the basis of the combined marks of CBT 1 and CBT 2 (with the normalisation of marks applied as per the SSC norms), and the PET/PST is only a qualifying stage. Therefore, performance in both computer based tests is what ultimately determines selection.
Exam Pattern
Computer Based Test 1 (CBT 1)
| Section | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Intelligence & Reasoning | 20 | 40 | 60 minutes (80 minutes for candidates with 40% disability, tentative) |
| General Knowledge & General Awareness | 20 | 40 | |
| Elementary Mathematics | 20 | 40 | |
| English / Hindi | 20 | 40 | |
| Total | 80 | 160 |
Notes: CBT 1 is of 160 marks with 80 objective questions; each question carries 2 marks and 0.50 mark is deducted for every wrong answer. The paper is bilingual (English/Hindi) with other regional languages at selected centres, and the difficulty is set to the Class 10 (Matriculation) standard. CBT 1 is both a screening and a merit stage. Tie-breaking in the final merit is done first by age (older preferred), then by alphabetical order of names.
Physical Efficiency Test (PET) / Physical Standard Test (PST)
PET/PST is qualifying in nature. The standards below are based on the previous cycle and are tentative until confirmed in the official notification:
| Event | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Race (running) | 5 km in 24 minutes | 1.6 km in 8 minutes 30 seconds |
| Height (General/EWS/OBC) | 170 cm (relaxations for certain states) | 157 cm (relaxations for certain states) |
| Chest (unexpanded/expanded) | 80 cm / 85 cm (male only) | — |
| Weight | Proportionate to height as per medical norms | Proportionate to height as per medical norms |
Height relaxations are provided for candidates from specified hilly regions, tribal areas and similar categories as prescribed in the notification. Candidates must also be in good physical health as per the prescribed medical standards.
Computer Based Test 2 (CBT 2)
| Section | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Intelligence & Reasoning | 20 | 40 | 60 minutes (tentative) |
| General Knowledge & General Awareness | 20 | 40 | |
| Elementary Mathematics | 20 | 40 | |
| English / Hindi | 20 | 40 | |
| Total | 80 | 160 |
Notes: CBT 2 follows a structure similar to CBT 1 (80 questions, 160 marks, 2 marks per question, 0.50 negative marking). Only candidates who qualify PET/PST appear for CBT 2. The marks of CBT 2 are added to the CBT 1 marks, and the combined total is used to prepare the final merit list.
Detailed Syllabus
The syllabus of SSC GD Constable is set to the level of Class 10 (Matriculation). The four subjects and their detailed topics are given below.
General Intelligence & Reasoning
- Analogy (word and number based)
- Classification / Odd one out
- Series (number, letter and alphanumeric)
- Coding and Decoding
- Blood Relations and Family Tree problems
- Direction and Distance (directions, sense, displacement)
- Order and Ranking (arrangement in order, ranking of persons)
- Venn Diagrams and logical deduction
- Syllogism (basic statements and conclusions)
- Missing number and arithmetic reasoning
- Non-verbal reasoning: figure series, mirror images, water images
- Paper folding and cutting questions
- Embedded figures and figure completion
General Knowledge & General Awareness
- Current affairs of national and international importance (last 12 months)
- Indian History: ancient, medieval and modern period (freedom movement included)
- Indian Polity: Constitution, fundamental rights, duties, Parliament and Judiciary
- Indian Economy: Five Year Plans, budget, banking and economic reforms
- Geography of India and the World: physical, social and economic geography
- Indian and World Sports: tournaments, trophies, stadiums and notable players
- General Science: basic Physics, Chemistry and Biology of daily life
- Science and Technology: space missions, defence, IT and digital initiatives
- Important days, awards and honours in India and abroad
- Books and authors, personalities in news
- Static GK: national parks, rivers, dams, capitals and currencies
- Government schemes and flagship programmes of India
- United Nations and other international organisations
Elementary Mathematics
- Number System: place value, HCF and LCM, divisibility rules
- Simplification and approximation (BODMAS)
- Ratio and Proportion
- Percentage and its applications
- Profit, Loss and Discount
- Simple Interest and Compound Interest
- Time and Work, Pipe and Cistern
- Time, Speed and Distance (including trains, boats and streams)
- Averages and Mixtures
- Algebra: linear equations and basic identities
- Mensuration: areas and volumes of 2D and 3D figures
- Data Interpretation: tables, bar graphs, pie charts and line graphs
- Probability basics and Statistics: mean, median, mode
English / Hindi (language component)
- Spotting errors in sentences
- Fill in the blanks (grammar and vocabulary)
- Synonyms and Antonyms
- One-word substitution
- Idioms and Phrases
- Sentence improvement and sentence correction
- Para jumbles / rearrangement of sentences
- Reading comprehension passages
- Cloze test passages
- Active and Passive Voice; Direct and Indirect Speech
- Tenses, articles, prepositions and conjunctions
- Subject–verb agreement; comprehension passages
Marking Scheme
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Marks per question | 2 marks (both CBT 1 and CBT 2) |
| Total marks (each CBT) | 160 marks (80 questions) |
| Negative marking | 0.50 mark deducted for every incorrect answer |
| Unanswered questions | No marks awarded or deducted |
| PET/PST weightage | Qualifying only; no marks added to merit |
| Final merit basis | Combined marks of CBT 1 + CBT 2 (normalised as per SSC norms) |
| Cut-off factors | Number of vacancies, number of candidates, difficulty of the paper and category-wise reservations |
| Tie-breaking | Older candidate first, then alphabetical order of name |
There are no fixed minimum qualifying marks in CBT 1; the qualifying criteria are category-wise cut-offs determined after the exam. In PET/PST, candidates must complete the race within the prescribed time and meet the physical standards.
Eligibility Criteria
Educational Qualification
Candidates must have passed Matriculation (Class 10) Examination or equivalent from a recognised Board. Provisional certificates issued after the declaration of results are generally accepted. The qualification details are as per the official notification of the cycle.
Age Limit
| Category | Upper Age Relaxation (over 23 years) |
|---|---|
| General / EWS | None (18–23 years) |
| OBC (Non-creamy layer) | +3 years |
| SC / ST | +5 years |
| Ex-servicemen | As per rules (up to +3 years depending on service, tentative) |
| Defence personnel disabled in operation | +3 years (tentative) |
| Central Government civil employees with 3 years of service | +5 years (tentative) |
| Candidates of Jammu & Kashmir / UT of Ladakh (from 1980–1989) | +5 years (tentative) |
| Whole-time serving personnel of police, Armed Forces and CAPFs | +5 years (tentative) |
The age is counted as on the date fixed by SSC in the notification. There is no limit on the number of attempts; candidates can apply again in subsequent cycles as long as they remain within the age limit and meet other conditions.
Application Process & Fees
How to Apply
- Visit the official website ssc.gov.in and register with a valid mobile number and email ID.
- Fill in the online application form with personal, educational and category details, and select the exam centre of your choice.
- Upload scanned photograph, signature and (if applicable) thumb impression in the prescribed format and size.
- Pay the application fee online (see fee table below) or, if eligible for fee exemption, complete the form without payment.
- Submit the form, take a printout of the confirmation page and note the registration ID and password for future reference.
Application Fee (tentative, based on the previous cycle)
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| General / OBC / EWS | Rs. 100 (nominal fee) |
| Women candidates (all categories) | Nil (exempted) |
| SC / ST / PwD / Ex-servicemen | Nil (exempted) |
Payment is made online through SBI challan, net banking or card-based payment gateways. Important dates such as the application window, fee payment, correction window, admit card and exam dates are published on ssc.gov.in with every notification and should be checked frequently.
Salary / Pay Scale
The salary of SSC GD Constable is governed by the 7th Central Pay Commission (7th CPC). The post of Constable (GD) is placed at Pay Level-1 of the pay matrix.
| Component | Details (approx., based on the previous cycle) |
|---|---|
| Pay Scale / Level | Level-1 of the 7th CPC pay matrix |
| Pay Band / Basic Pay | Rs. 21,700 per month (tentative, prior pay bands revised) |
| Grade Pay | Grade Pay applicable under Level-1 (as revised) |
| Dearness Allowance (DA) | As per the current rate notified by the Government |
| House Rent Allowance (HRA) | As per the posting city classification (X/Y/Z cities) |
| Other Allowances | Special police duty allowance, ration money allowance, uniform and washing allowance, etc. as applicable |
| Approximate gross in-hand | Roughly Rs. 30,000–35,000 per month including allowances (tentative) |
The exact in-hand salary depends on the place of posting, allowances and deductions. Candidates should treat the figures above as indicative and confirm from the official notification and pay rules.
Official Links & PDFs
- Official website of the Staff Selection Commission: https://ssc.gov.in — for the official notification, syllabus and exam schedule.
- SSC home page for CAPF / Constable recruitment updates: SSC CAPF recruitment page.
- Official notification PDF: available for download from the "Current Notices" / "Downloads" section of ssc.gov.in once the cycle is announced.
- Official syllabus PDF: shared as an annexure to the notification on ssc.gov.in.
Since the direct PDF link changes with every cycle, candidates are advised to check the Current Notices / Downloads section of ssc.gov.in for the official notification and syllabus PDF of the ongoing cycle.
Preparation Tips & Strategy
- Follow the official syllabus strictly; every question is from the Class 10 level.
- Master the 0.50 negative marking: never guess blindly in CBT 1.
- Practice mock tests and previous year papers under timed conditions (60 minutes).
- Give equal time to all four sections; GK and Reasoning are highly scoring.
- Read newspapers and monthly current affairs compilations for General Awareness.
- Revise basic formulas of percentage, interest, ratio and mensuration daily.
- Practice reading comprehension, error spotting and vocabulary daily.
- Start physical training early and keep weight/chest within prescribed standards.
- Treat the SSC official website as the single source of truth for dates and pattern.
FAQ
Q: Who conducts the SSC GD Constable exam?
A: The Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Government of India, conducts the recruitment of Constables (GD) for CAPFs, SSF, Assam Rifles and other notified forces. All information is published on ssc.gov.in.
Q: What is the minimum educational qualification for SSC GD Constable?
A: Candidates must have passed Matriculation (Class 10) or an equivalent examination from a recognised board.
Q: Is there negative marking in SSC GD Constable?
A: Yes. In both CBT 1 and CBT 2, 0.50 mark is deducted for each wrong answer. Unanswered questions carry no penalty.
Q: Are PET/PST marks counted in the final merit?
A: No. The PET/PST is only a qualifying stage. The final merit is prepared from the combined marks of CBT 1 and CBT 2.
Q: What is the age limit for SSC GD Constable?
A: The age limit is 18 to 23 years as on the date fixed in the notification, with category-wise relaxations for OBC, SC/ST, ex-servicemen and other categories as listed above.
Q: Can women candidates apply for SSC GD Constable?
A: Yes, women candidates can apply. The exam includes a separate female standard for PET (1.6 km run) and PST, and women are exempted from the application fee.
Closing Note
The details above cover the structure of the SSC GD Constable recruitment as per the well-established pattern of recent cycles. Candidates must read the official notification published on ssc.gov.in for the exact vacancy numbers, dates, eligibility and physical standards of the current cycle, and keep checking the official website for updates and the admit card.