Border Security Force Tradesman
BSF Tradesman is a recruitment exam conducted by Border Security Force, relevant to candidates preparing for the armed forces and paramilitary recruitment.
The BSF Constable (Tradesman) exam is conducted by the Border Security Force to fill Constable posts in trades such as Cook, Water Carrier, Sweeper, Washerman, Barber, Cobbler, Carpenter and Tailor. The current cycle was advertised in July 2025, applications closed in late August 2025, and the physical tests have already been held. The written test is the next stage.
This page gives you the cycle at a glance, vacancies, eligibility, selection stages, pattern, syllabus, pay and a preparation plan. Figures marked reported come from secondary sources and should be checked against the official notification on rectt.bsf.gov.in.
Table of Contents
BSF Constable Tradesman at a glance
Particular | Details |
|---|---|
Conducting body | Border Security Force (BSF), Ministry of Home Affairs |
Post | Constable (Tradesman), male and female |
Vacancies | 3,588 as reported (3,406 male and 182 female); a later revision is reported, so treat as indicative |
Qualification | Class 10 pass, plus a trade-specific requirement (ITI, NSQF course, experience or trade test) |
Age limit | 18 to 25 years, with category relaxation |
Stages | PST and PET, written test, document verification, trade test where applicable, medical examination |
Pay level | Level 3, Rs. 21,700 to Rs. 69,100 (reported) |
Official website | rectt.bsf.gov.in |
Important dates
Event | Date |
|---|---|
Notification | July 2025 (advertised in Employment News on 26 July 2025) |
Online application | Closed in late August 2025 (reports give 23 or 25 August) |
PST and PET | From 26 December 2025 into March 2026 (reported) |
Shortlist for the written test | 9 June 2026 (reported) |
Written test | Date not announced in the sources we checked; to be communicated on the official website |
Tentative dates come from the notification schedule and news reports and can change. Track the official recruitment portal and your registered email and mobile number for the written test date, city and admit card.
Vacancy details
Reports put the total at 3,588 posts, of which 3,406 are for male and 182 for female candidates. Cook is the largest trade, followed by Water Carrier and Sweeper. One report mentions a revision that added posts, so the final count may differ from the figure here.
Trade | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
Cook | 1,462 | 82 |
Water Carrier | 699 | 38 |
Sweeper | 652 | 35 |
Washerman | 320 | 17 |
Barber | 115 | 6 |
Cobbler | 65 | 2 |
Carpenter | 38 | 1 |
Tailor | 18 | 1 |
Smaller male-only trades (Waiter, Plumber, Painter, Electrician, Khoji, Pump Operator and Upholsterer) account for the rest. These figures are indicative; category-wise and state-wise splits are in the official notification.
Eligibility
Qualification
Every trade needs a Class 10 pass from a recognised board. On top of that, the requirement depends on the trade group, as reported:
Carpenter, Plumber, Painter, Electrician, Pump Operator, Upholsterer: ITI in the same or a related trade, or a shorter course with work experience.
Cobbler, Tailor, Washerman, Barber, Sweeper, Khoji: A BSF-conducted trade test.
Cook, Water Carrier, Waiter: An NSQF Level 1 course in the relevant area.
Age limit
The reported limit is 18 to 25 years as on the date fixed in the notification, with reported relaxation of up to 5 years for SC and ST and up to 3 years for OBC. The full rules are on the BSF Tradesman eligibility page.
Application fee
Fee figures differ between sources. Reports give Rs. 100 in some places and Rs. 150 plus GST in others for General, OBC and EWS candidates. Women, SC, ST, serving BSF personnel and ex-servicemen are reported to be exempt. The window has closed for this cycle, so check the notification for the exact fee before the next one.
Selection process
Physical Standard Test and Physical Efficiency Test: Height and chest measurement, then a timed run. Reported standards are 5 km in 24 minutes for men and 1.6 km in 8 minutes 30 seconds for women.
Written test: Objective paper for shortlisted candidates, covered below.
Document verification: Qualification, age, category and trade certificates are checked.
Trade test: For the trades where the notification asks for it.
Medical examination: Fitness as per BSF norms.
The exact order and qualifying rules are set in the notification. Qualifying a stage does not guarantee a place in the final list.
Exam pattern
The written test is reported as a 100-question, 100-mark paper of 2 hours, with 25 questions each from General Awareness, English or Hindi, Numerical Aptitude and Reasoning. Negative marking is reported as 0.25 marks per wrong answer. This comes from secondary sources, so confirm it on the admit card and notification. See the BSF Tradesman exam pattern page for the stage-wise detail.
Syllabus summary
Subject | Important topics |
|---|---|
General Awareness | Current affairs, polity, history, geography, general science, static GK |
English or Hindi | Grammar, vocabulary, comprehension, error spotting |
Numerical Aptitude | Percentage, ratio, average, profit and loss, time and work, simplification |
Reasoning | Series, coding-decoding, blood relations, directions, puzzles |
BSF does not publish a detailed topic list in the sources we could verify, so treat this as a working checklist. The topic-wise syllabus guide has the full breakdown.
Salary and career
The post is placed at Level 3 of the pay matrix with a reported range of Rs. 21,700 to Rs. 69,100, plus allowances as per rules. Actual in-hand pay varies with posting and allowances. Selected candidates go through initial training before posting, and postings can be anywhere in India.
How to prepare
With the physical stage already over for this cycle, the written test is where your preparation should go. Keep fitness up for later stages, but spend most study time on the paper.
Weeks 1 to 4: Cover Maths basics and Reasoning types, and read daily for General Awareness.
Weeks 3 to 6: Add language practice and monthly current-affairs notes.
Weeks 6 onward: Take timed sectional tests, then full mocks, and revise from an error log.
Cut-off reference
No official category-wise cut-off for the written test has been verified for this cycle. Cut-offs change with difficulty, vacancies and the number of candidates, so use any past figure as a benchmark only and aim for a clear margin. More on the cut-off page.