Union Public Service Commission Central Armed Police Forces

UPSC CAPF AC 2026 is the Central Armed Police Forces (Assistant Commandants) Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to recruit Group A officers into five forces under the Ministry of Home Affairs: the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). Selected candidates join as Assistant Commandants, the entry officer rank in these forces.

As of October 2026, the written exam for 349 vacancies was held on 19 July 2026 and the written result was declared on 25 August 2026. Qualified candidates now move to the Physical Standards Test, Physical Efficiency Test and medical examination. This guide covers dates, vacancies, eligibility, physical standards, the exam pattern, syllabus, salary, cut-offs and a practical preparation plan.

Table of Contents

UPSC CAPF AC 2026

CAPF AC Latest Updates and Important Dates

The 2026 cycle has completed its written stage. Candidates who cleared it had a 15-day window after the result to update their details, such as educational qualification, address and force preferences, on the UPSC online portal. Missing that update can cost a candidate the next stage, so treat any similar window in future cycles as a hard deadline.

Schedules for the physical tests and interview are released by UPSC and the nodal force as separate notices and e-summon letters. Track the examination notices on upsc.gov.in and your registered email, because these dates can change. The next notification is usually listed in the UPSC annual calendar for the first quarter of the year.

CAPF AC Vacancy 2026

UPSC notified 349 Assistant Commandant vacancies for 2026. The split by force is shown below.

Vacancies can be revised by the government before the final result, so treat these figures as indicative until the final merit list is out. The force you finally get depends on your rank, your stated preferences and the vacancies left in each force when your turn comes.

CAPF AC Eligibility Criteria

Educational qualification

Candidates need a Bachelor's degree from a university incorporated by an Act of the Central or State Legislature, or an equivalent qualification. There is no minimum percentage and no subject restriction. Final-year students can apply, but they must submit proof of passing by the date UPSC specifies, usually at the time of the detailed application after the written result.

Age limit

For 2026, candidates had to be 20 to 25 years old as on 1 August 2026, which means born not earlier than 2 August 2001 and not later than 1 August 2006. The upper age limit is relaxed for the following groups.

The date-of-birth window moves by one year every cycle. Recheck it in the next notification before you apply.

Nationality and other conditions

• Nationality: Candidates must be citizens of India. A subject of Nepal or Bhutan can also apply under the conditions in the notification.

• Attempts: UPSC does not cap attempts for this exam. You can appear as long as you are within the age limit.

• Women candidates: Women can apply for all five forces, with separate physical standards and PET norms.

CAPF AC Physical Standards and PET

Physical tests are qualifying. They carry no marks, but failing any one standard or event ends your candidature for that year.

Physical standards (PST)

Vision standards are also prescribed: corrected distant vision of 6/6 or 6/9 in the better eye and near vision of N6 (corrected), with conditions for the worse eye given in the notification.

Physical Efficiency Test (PET)

Begin running practice well before the written result. The 800 metre timing is the event most candidates find hardest to meet without regular training.

CAPF AC Application Fee and How to Apply

1. Complete One Time Registration (OTR): Register on upsconline.nic.in. The OTR profile is used for every UPSC exam.

2. Open the CAPF AC application: Select the active notification and fill in the exam-specific form.

3. Choose an exam centre: Centres are allotted on a first-come basis, so apply early for your preferred city.

4. Upload photograph, signature and ID: Follow the size and format rules in the notification.

5. Pay the fee and submit: Pay online or in cash at an SBI branch, then download the confirmation page.

Common reasons for rejection include a date of birth outside the window, a mismatch between the photo ID and application details, and missing the 6:00 pm deadline on the last day.

CAPF AC Exam Pattern

The written exam has two papers held on the same day. Paper I is objective and Paper II is descriptive.

• Negative marking: In Paper I, one-third of the marks of a question (about 0.66 marks) is deducted for each wrong answer. Paper II has no negative marking.

• Medium: Paper I is set in English and Hindi. In Paper II, the essay part can be written in English or Hindi, while the comprehension and précis part must be answered in English.

• Evaluation rule: Paper II is evaluated only for candidates who reach the minimum qualifying marks in Paper I.

What this means for you

• Each Paper I question is worth 2 marks: Three wrong answers cost 2 marks, the same as one correct answer, so careless guessing is expensive.

• Paper I decides whether Paper II is even checked: A strong essay is wasted if Paper I falls short, so do not neglect the objective paper.

• Paper II is where ranks are made: Its 200 marks are subjective and scores vary widely between candidates, so writing practice separates the final list.

Older pages sometimes describe Paper I as "qualifying only". Paper I marks are counted in the written total and final merit.

CAPF AC Syllabus Summary

Selection Process

1. Written exam (450 marks): Paper I and Paper II. UPSC sets minimum qualifying marks for each paper.

2. Physical Standards Test and Physical Efficiency Test: Qualifying only, conducted by a nodal force on behalf of all five forces.

3. Medical Standards Test: A detailed medical check by a medical board. Candidates declared unfit can appeal for a review medical examination within the time allowed.

4. Interview/personality test (150 marks): Assesses leadership, intellect, communication and suitability for a uniformed service. Candidates holding NCC 'B' or 'C' certificates are given preference at this stage, as stated in the notification.

5. Final merit (600 marks): Written and interview marks are added, and forces are allotted by rank and preference.

CAPF AC Salary and Career Growth

An Assistant Commandant is placed at Level 10 of the 7th Pay Commission pay matrix. Promotions move officers up the levels below.

Above Commandant, the ladder continues to Deputy Inspector General, Inspector General, Additional Director General and Director General. Officers also receive Dearness Allowance, House Rent Allowance or government accommodation, and risk or hardship allowances depending on the posting. Monthly in-hand pay varies with city and posting, so treat any single in-hand figure you see online as an estimate.

CAPF AC Cut-off

UPSC publishes two cut-offs after each cycle closes: the written-stage marks (out of 450) needed to reach the physical tests, and the final marks (out of 600) of the last recommended candidate.

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

How to Prepare for UPSC CAPF AC

• Paper I static subjects: Start with NCERT books for history, geography, polity and science, then add one standard book each for polity and modern history. These subjects also feed the Paper II essays.

• Mental ability: Practise 20 to 25 reasoning and quantitative questions daily. They are scoring and less affected by memory.

• Current affairs: Read one newspaper daily and keep monthly notes, with a separate list for internal security, border issues and human rights.

• Paper II writing: Write one essay or argument piece a week from month two, and practise précis and counter-arguments to a word limit. Get your answers reviewed where possible.

• Fitness from day one: Build up to the PET timings alongside study, since the gap between result and physical test is short.

Mock tests and previous year papers

Begin with topic tests after the first month, move to sectional tests, and take full Paper I mocks under the two-hour limit in the last eight weeks. After every test, separate concept gaps, careless errors and wrong guesses, and set your attempt limit from that data.