Army Clerk Agniveer 2026: Exam Pattern Guide

The Army Clerk Agniveer exam pattern has two phases. Phase I is the online Common Entrance Exam (CEE) for Agniveer Clerk / Store Keeper Technical, with a typing test run during the exam. Phase II is the recruitment rally, where the Physical Fitness Test, physical measurements, document checks and a medical examination take place. Only the CEE score, plus any eligible bonus marks, decides your rank; everything else is qualifying.

This page sets out what the notification for recruiting year 2027 confirms, what earlier cycles showed, and what it all means for how you spend your 60 minutes. Some details, such as the section-wise question split, are not restated in the current notification, so they are labelled indicative.

Exam Pattern at a Glance

What the Current Notification Confirms

• Question format: Objective multiple-choice questions. Depending on category, candidates answer 50 questions in one hour or 100 questions in two hours.

• Total marks: The bonus marks table lists the Clerk/SKT total as 200 marks.

• Languages: The CEE is conducted in 13 languages: English, Hindi, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Punjabi, Odia, Bengali, Urdu, Gujarati, Marathi and Assamese.

• Marking: Full marks for every correct answer and nil for an unattempted question. Every attempted question is evaluated, even if it is marked for review.

• Typing: 30 words per minute in English is described as desirable, and only candidates who qualify the typing test go to Phase II.

• Normalisation: Scores are normalised to account for differences in difficulty across sessions.

The 2025 exam schedule reportedly listed Clerk/SKT as a 60-minute paper, which fits the 50-question format. Check your admit card and the instructions screen for the exact duration of your session.

Key Changes to Know

• Typing is part of the CEE: The typing test is held during the online exam for Clerk/SKT, so you must clear it before you are even called to the rally.

• Two categories, two exams: You can apply for two Agniveer categories, but each needs its own application and its own CEE. You attend only one rally, for the category with the higher physical standard.

• Thirteen languages: The exam can be taken in any of 13 languages, although English questions still test English.

• Normalised scores: Because the Clerk/SKT exam ran over three days in June 2026, scores are normalised before shortlisting.

Section-Wise Pattern (Indicative)

This split, at 4 marks per question, is how earlier Clerk/SKT papers have been reported. The current notification does not restate it, so treat it as indicative and confirm it from the practice test linked on the official portal. Earlier cycles also reported an overall pass mark of 80 out of 200 with a minimum in each part; that too is indicative.

Marking Scheme and Negative Marking

Earlier Clerk/SKT patterns were reported with a deduction of one mark, a quarter of the question's value, for each wrong answer. The 2026 notification lists only the reward for a correct answer and the nil score for a blank, and it does not state a wrong-answer deduction for this category. Until you see the rule on the instructions screen, prepare as if negative marking applies.

What This Means for You

• Each question is worth 4 marks: One extra correct answer is worth almost as much as an NCC A certificate, which carries 5 bonus marks. Small gains matter in a merit list decided ARO by ARO.

• You get about 72 seconds per question: 60 minutes for 50 questions leaves little room to get stuck. Fact-based GK and science questions should take 20 to 30 seconds, which buys time for maths and comprehension.

• English decides the spread: With half the indicative marks in Part II, a candidate strong in English can outscore one who is strong only in maths.

• Guessing has a cost if a deduction applies: With +4 and -1, a blind guess among four options breaks even on average. Guess only when you can rule out at least one option.

• Marked-for-review answers count: If you select an option and mark the question for review, it is evaluated. Clear the response if you are unsure and do not want it scored.

Typing Test Pattern

For Clerk/SKT, the typing test is held during the online CEE at centres with typing facilities. The notification describes 30 words per minute in English as desirable and makes qualifying compulsory for a rally call. It does not publish the passage length or how errors are counted, so practise for both speed and accuracy. Aim for 35 words per minute with very few errors so that exam pressure does not pull you below the bar.

Phase II: Recruitment Rally Tests

Physical Fitness Test

The notification says candidates for Clerk/SKT only need to qualify in all tests, so these marks do not add to your merit. The 9 ft ditch and zig-zag balance are pass or fail for every category. Run timings can change before a rally, so check the portal.

Physical measurement and medical

Height, weight and chest are measured against your region's standards; the Southern Plains notification lists 162 cm height and 77 cm chest with 5 cm expansion for Clerk/SKT. The Army medical follows, and candidates declared unfit can seek a review at a military hospital within 21 days.

Final Merit Calculation

Final merit uses your normalised CEE score plus any bonus marks you are eligible for, capped at 25 for this category. Bonus marks are fixed by certificates and do not depend on CEE performance. Here is a worked example with indicative numbers:

Candidate B ranks higher despite a lower CEE score. If you hold an NCC, sports or NIELIT certificate, carry the original to the rally, because no bonus claim is accepted after the rally ends.

Time Management and Exam-Day Strategy

These targets are planning benchmarks, not official figures. Adjust them after your first three full mocks, giving more minutes to whichever section costs you the most marks.

1. First pass: Answer every GK, science and computer question you know, and the direct English questions.

2. Second pass: Work through maths and comprehension, which need more time per question.

3. Last 8 minutes: Return to marked questions, attempt those where you can eliminate options, and clear any response you do not want scored.

What happens at the exam centre

Gates open one and a half hours before the exam and close 30 minutes before it, and no one is let in after that. Carry a colour print of your admit card and the Aadhaar card shown on it. The notification lists the sequence as frisking at the gate, admit card and Aadhaar checks with facial or biometric authentication, automatic hall allotment, attendance, biometric capture inside the hall, login at your terminal, and an exit biometric. No electronic gadgets are allowed, so leave your phone and smartwatch behind.

Common Pattern Mistakes

• Practising in the wrong format: Many candidates use GD-style papers with fewer English questions and no computer section. Practise in the Clerk/SKT format, for example with the tests listed for Army Clerk Agniveer on Testkart, so your timing matches the real exam.

• Ignoring the review rule: Selecting an option and marking it for review still submits that answer for evaluation. Clear the option if you want a question left blank.

• Treating the typing test as a formality: It is qualifying, but failing it stops you at Phase I whatever your written score.

• Neglecting the PFT because it is qualifying: A run slower than the Group IV limit or too few pull-ups ends your selection just as surely as a low CEE score.

• Choosing a centre without typing facilities: Clerk/SKT applicants can pick only from the listed typing centres, so check the list before you fill your five choices.

Check the Official Pattern

Older pages may still show a different question split, duration or marking rule, so follow the current notification and the practice test on the Join Indian Army portal. Once you know the pattern, practise in it.