Delhi Police Head Constable Exam Pattern 2026: Marks, Timing and Marking Scheme

The Delhi Police Head Constable (Ministerial) selection has four tests. SSC conducts a Computer Based Examination, and Delhi Police then conducts the Physical Endurance and Measurement Test, a Typing Test and a Computer (Formatting) Test. Only the written paper and the typing test add marks to the final merit.

This page explains the exam pattern as given in the SSC notice for the 2025 recruitment, with the marking scheme, qualifying marks and how final merit is worked out. Some websites still show a 0.50 deduction or no negative marking. The official notice says 0.25 per wrong answer, so use that figure.

Table of Contents

• Exam Pattern

• Computer Based Examination Pattern

• Marking Scheme and Negative Marking

• What the Pattern Means for You

• Qualifying Marks and Shortlisting

• Physical Endurance and Measurement Test

• Typing Test

• Computer Formatting Test

• Final Merit Calculation

• Section-Wise Targets for the 90 Minutes

• Common Mistakes Related to the Pattern

• How to Use Mock Tests to Match This Pattern

• Time Management and Exam-Day Strategy

Delhi Police Head Constable Exam Pattern at a Glance

The notice lists these tests in the order above. Police verification and a medical examination follow for provisionally selected candidates. The pattern given here applies to the Ministerial post, and the AWO/TPO Head Constable post follows a separate notice.

Computer Based Examination Pattern

The written paper is one objective multiple-choice paper in English and Hindi. It has 100 questions for 100 marks, and the duration is 90 minutes. There is no separate time limit for each section.

Key points from the notice:

• Language: The paper is set in Hindi and English only.

• Question type: Objective multiple-choice questions only.

• Normalisation: Marks are normalised across shifts using the formula published by SSC on 2 June 2025, and normalised scores decide merit and cut-offs.

• No scribe: No scribe is provided for PwBD candidates in this examination.

• No re-evaluation: The notice allows no re-checking or re-evaluation of answers.

Marking Scheme and Negative Marking

Each question carries one mark. For each wrong answer, 0.25 marks are deducted. The notice states this twice, in paragraphs 15.3 and 15.9. A question you leave blank earns nothing and costs nothing.

Older pages may still show a deduction of 0.50 or no negative marking, so follow the official notice. Tentative answer keys are released after the exam, and an objection costs Rs. 50 per question. Final answer keys, question papers and marks are published after the result.

What the Pattern Means for You

The numbers lead to a few clear decisions about how to spend time and effort.

• Reasoning and English decide half the paper: General Intelligence and English carry 50 of 100 marks. Daily practice here builds the largest margin.

• One wrong answer cancels a quarter of a correct one: If you answer 90 questions with 75 right and 15 wrong, you score 75 minus 3.75, which is 71.25. Guessing blindly has a small expected cost, so attempt a doubtful question only when you can remove at least two options.

• The computer section is the quickest 10 marks: The questions are direct and based on Word, Excel, email and internet basics.

• Pace is under a minute per question: With 90 minutes for 100 questions, you need roughly 50 seconds per question on average.

• Sections have no separate cut-off in the notice: Qualifying is based on aggregate marks, so a weaker section can be balanced by a stronger one.

Qualifying Marks and Shortlisting

The notice sets minimum aggregate marks in the written paper.

SSC may lower these marks if enough candidates do not qualify. Only candidates in the merit range equal to 20 times the number of vacancies in each category are called for PE&MT. If many candidates tie at the cut-off, all of them are called. Eligible candidates with the locomotor disability covered by the notice are shortlisted for the typing test directly, because they are exempt from PE&MT. They still appear for document verification.

Cut-offs change every year with difficulty, vacancies and the number of applicants. Treat last year's figures as a benchmark only, and aim for a clear margin above them rather than a bare pass.

Physical Endurance and Measurement Test

This test is conducted by Delhi Police in Delhi and is qualifying. Race comes first, then long jump and high jump, and height and chest are measured only for those who clear the endurance events. The jumps allow three chances each, and there is no appeal against disqualification in the race or jumps.

Male candidates need a height of 165 cm and a chest of 78 to 82 cm with at least 4 cm expansion. Female candidates need a height of 157 cm. Relaxation of 5 cm applies to hill-area residents, ST candidates and wards of Delhi Police personnel, and to SC/ST women as listed in the notice. RFID tags are used in the race and height and chest are measured digitally.

Typing Test

The typing test is of 10 minutes duration and carries 25 marks. Candidates type a printed passage of at least 400 words or 2,000 strokes in English, or 350 words or 1,750 strokes in Hindi. The speed is total words divided by time, and one word is deducted for each mistake.

For example, a candidate who types 2,000 strokes in ten minutes has typed 400 words, which is a tentative speed of 40 wpm. With 10 mistakes, the actual speed is 30 wpm, which earns 10 marks. Mistakes include wrong punctuation, wrong capitalisation, extra gaps and missing paragraphs.

Computer Formatting Test

This test is qualifying. Candidates get 10 minutes each for MS Word, MS PowerPoint and MS Excel. They must format a supplied handout in the same way and print it. Twenty formatting features may be tested in each application at half a mark per feature, and the candidate must score at least 6 out of 10 in every test. Correcting mistakes with editing tools is allowed.

Final Merit Calculation

The provisional list is prepared from candidates who qualify in the formatting test, strictly on merit. Merit is the sum of three parts: the written paper (100 marks), the typing test (25 marks) and bonus marks, if any. NCC certificate holders receive 5 percent of the maximum marks for a C certificate, 3 percent for B and 2 percent for A. Degree or postgraduate diploma holders from Rashtriya Raksha University receive 2 to 5 percent depending on class.

If candidates tie, preference goes first to the older candidate, then to higher written marks, then to higher typing marks, and finally to alphabetical order of the first name. A reserve panel of 15 percent is also prepared for Delhi Police.

Section-Wise Targets for the 90 Minutes

The notice does not fix a cut-off for each section, so targets are your own planning tool. The table gives a realistic starting point for a first-time candidate. Adjust it after your first three full-length tests.

These times add up to about 80 minutes, and the remaining time is a buffer for marked questions and review. A paper in which you cannot finish usually points to a time problem in one section, so look at the section-wise time in every mock test report.

Common Mistakes Related to the Pattern

• Treating the paper as a speed race only: With a 0.25 deduction, careless attempts lower your score. Accuracy and speed need to improve together.

• Following an old pattern: Some pages still show previous negative marking rules. Always use the current notice and check for corrigenda on the SSC website.

• Ignoring the qualifying stages: The PE&MT and formatting test do not add marks, but failing either ends your candidature. Prepare for them alongside the written paper.

• Neglecting typing: Typing marks go into final merit, and a few extra marks can change your rank when scores are close.

• Skipping instructions on exam day: Reporting time, document rules and the allowed items are all stated in the admit card, and mistakes there can cost an attempt.

How to Use Mock Tests to Match This Pattern

Mock tests are most useful when they copy the real conditions: 100 questions, 90 minutes, five sections, and a 0.25 deduction for wrong answers. After each test, check three things. First, which section took the most time. Second, how many questions you attempted compared with how many were correct. Third, whether the wrong answers came from weak concepts or from hurry.

Repeat this review for at least ten full tests. Most candidates see a clear pattern by then, such as losing marks in figure questions or in long calculations, and can fix that with targeted practice instead of general revision.

Time Management and Exam-Day Strategy

A simple order works well for the 90-minute paper.

1. Start with computer and English (about 25 minutes): These are the most direct sections, so bank marks early.

2. Move to reasoning (about 30 minutes): Skip any figure question that needs more than a minute and return to it later.

3. Do general awareness (about 10 minutes): You either know these or you do not, so do not linger.

4. Finish with quantitative aptitude (about 20 minutes): Pick percentage, average and profit and loss first.

5. Use the last five minutes to review: Check marked questions and avoid changing answers without a reason.

Practise this order in full-length papers before the exam. Always confirm dates and rules on ssc.gov.in and delhipolice.gov.in.