Indian Army Agniveer Exam Pattern 2026-27: Stages and Marking

The Indian Army Agniveer exam pattern has two main phases: an online Common Entrance Exam (CEE), followed by a recruitment rally with physical and medical tests. Candidates for General Duty, Technical, Clerk/Store Keeper Technical (SKT) and Tradesman posts follow the same framework, but not the same paper.

This page explains each stage, the marking rules the notification states, and what the numbers mean for your preparation. It covers the latest notified cycle, recruiting year 2027. Where the notification is silent, we say so instead of guessing.

Table of Contents

• Exam pattern at a glance

• Phase I: Online CEE

• Marking scheme and negative marking

• What the pattern means for you

• Phase II: Recruitment rally

• Final merit and bonus marks

• Time management and exam-day strategy

Exam pattern at a glance

Phase I: Online CEE

Format and duration

The ARO notification states that the CEE has either 50 questions in one hour or 100 questions in two hours, depending on the category. Both formats give you 72 seconds per question on average. The exam is computer-based and offered in English, Hindi and 11 other languages: Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Punjabi, Odia, Bengali, Urdu, Gujarati, Marathi and Assamese.

The notification we checked does not say which post gets which format. Third-party sites report different question counts and mark totals for Technical and Clerk/SKT, so treat those as unconfirmed and read your admit card instructions.

Subjects by post

Typing test for Clerk/SKT

Clerk/SKT candidates take a typing test. The notification says 30 words per minute in English is desirable, and qualifying in it is required for Phase II. Choose a centre with a typing test while applying, because only those centres are allowed for this post.

Marking scheme and negative marking

• Correct answer: full marks.

• Unattempted question: no marks.

• Marked for review: answers you mark for review still count if you have attempted them.

• Normalisation: scores are normalised across sessions, so a tougher shift does not cost you.

• Negative marking: the notification we checked does not mention any deduction. Some third-party sites state that wrong answers are penalised, but without agreed values. Check your admit card and the exam instructions.

The notification does not state marks per question either. Third-party totals such as 100 or 200 marks vary, so do not plan around a fixed mark scheme until you see your admit card.

What the pattern means for you

• Speed decides the paper: 72 seconds per question is enough for basics, but only if you do not stall. Skip and return rather than spend three minutes on one question.

• Plan for a possible penalty: until your instructions confirm there is none, guess only when you can remove at least two options.

• Clerk/SKT candidates: English is a large part of the paper in published reports, so give it daily time and keep typing practice separate.

• Technical candidates: weight your preparation towards Physics and Maths, because Class 11 and 12 level questions take longer to solve.

• Everyone: the CEE only gets you to the rally, so keep fitness training running in parallel.

Older pages may still show previous-year patterns, so follow the official notification and your own admit card.

Phase II: Recruitment rally

Candidates shortlisted by a CEE cut-off, in proportion to vacancies, receive a second admit card for the rally. Roll numbers are published on the official website. You may need to attend the rally more than once, and you must carry your documents in original along with attested photocopies.

Physical Fitness Test

The Physical Fitness Test has a 1.6 km run, pull-ups, a 9 ft ditch and zig-zag balance. Technical and Clerk/SKT candidates must qualify in all the tests. The run is scored by time band.

Pull-up marks are also awarded by the number of repetitions. The notification table layout is unclear in places, so treat pull-up scoring as indicative and confirm it on joinindianarmy.nic.in. Timings can change before your rally.

Physical Measurement Test

Height, weight and chest are measured against standards that depend on the region and the post. For the southern plains region, the notification lists a minimum height of 166 cm for General Duty and Tradesman, 165 cm for Technical and 162 cm for Clerk/SKT, with a 77 cm chest and 5 cm expansion. Other regions have different values, so check your own ARO's notice. Weight must be proportionate to height as per the chart in the notification.

Medical examination

An Army medical team conducts the medical. Overweight or underweight candidates may be given 21 days to report for review. Candidates declared unfit may request a specialist review within 21 days, and the review decision is final. Passing the medical does not guarantee selection. Contact lenses are not permitted.

Final merit and bonus marks

Selection is by merit. Press reports describe the final merit list as based on performance across stages and vacancy availability, but the notification we checked does not give a formula, so we do not show a worked example here.

Bonus marks apply only at the final merit stage and do not change your CEE score. The notification lists these examples:

The maximum is 25 marks for non-Technical posts, and 50 for Technical with an ITI or diploma. Sports certificates are valid for two years from the first day of the CEE. False claims can lead to cancellation at any stage.

Time management and exam-day strategy

1. Start with your strongest section and bank easy marks first.

2. Keep a clock per block: for example, 15 questions in about 18 minutes.

3. Mark and move: do not leave a question blank without checking whether elimination can help.

4. Reach early: gates open 1.5 hours before the exam and close 30 minutes before. Bring a colour printout of the admit card and your Aadhaar card.

Confirm all rules on joinindianarmy.nic.in.