UPSC CAPF AC Syllabus 2026: Paper 1 and Paper 2 Topics

The UPSC CAPF AC syllabus covers two written papers: Paper I, General Ability and Intelligence, and Paper II, General Studies, Essay and Comprehension. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) uses this syllabus to select Assistant Commandants for the BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP and SSB. Paper I is an objective test of 250 marks, while Paper II is a descriptive paper of 200 marks that tests writing and language skills.

UPSC describes each area in only a few lines and does not publish a chapter-wise list. This page sets out the official areas, then builds detailed topic lists from the notification and from questions asked in previous papers. It also shows where Paper I and Paper II overlap and gives a phased plan you can follow for the next cycle.

Table of Contents

• CAPF AC Syllabus at a Glance

• Key Points Before You Start

• CAPF AC Paper 1 Syllabus

• CAPF AC Paper 2 Syllabus

• Topic Weightage

• Overlap Between Paper 1 and Paper 2

• Is There a Syllabus for the Interview?

• How to Cover the CAPF AC Syllabus

• Common Mistakes While Preparing

• Books and Study Sources

CAPF AC Syllabus at a Glance

Paper I carries negative marking of one-third of a question's marks. Paper II is evaluated only for candidates who reach the minimum qualifying marks in Paper I.

Key Points Before You Start

• Short official syllabus: UPSC names six areas for Paper I and two parts for Paper II, with a sentence or two on each. The topic lists below are built from the notification and previous papers. Use them as a working checklist, not as an official list.

• Paper I counts in merit: Some pages call Paper I "qualifying only". Its marks are added to Paper II and the interview in the final merit of 600 marks.

• Part B is English-only: Even if you write essays in Hindi, the comprehension, précis and grammar section must be answered in English, so language practice cannot be skipped.

• Security is a recurring theme: Internal security, border management, terrorism, left-wing extremism and human rights appear in both papers, which reflects the job these officers do.

• Overlap with civil services: Much of Paper I matches UPSC CSE Prelims General Studies, so candidates preparing for both can share notes.

CAPF AC Paper 1 Syllabus: General Ability and Intelligence

Paper I tests general awareness and reasoning across six official areas. The table gives the areas with the topics to cover and a sensible starting point for each.

General Mental Ability

• Logical reasoning: Analogies, series, coding-decoding, blood relations, direction sense, syllogisms, statements and conclusions, seating arrangement and puzzles.

• Quantitative aptitude: Number system, percentages, ratio and proportion, averages, profit and loss, simple and compound interest, time and work, time, speed and distance, and basic mensuration.

• Data interpretation: Tables, bar graphs, line graphs and pie charts, usually with calculation-based questions.

Questions are set at about Class 10 level, so the challenge is speed and accuracy rather than difficulty.

General Science

The official text stresses scientific phenomena of everyday observation. Expect application-based questions, such as why something happens, more than formula-based ones.

Current Events of National and International Importance

• National: Government schemes, major bills and court judgments, appointments, awards and sports events.

• International: Summits, organisations and groupings, treaties, conflicts and India's relations with neighbours.

• Culture and society: Arts, music, literature, festivals and developmental issues such as health and education.

• Security and defence: Military exercises, CAPF deployments, border developments and internal security issues.

Indian Polity and Economy

• Constitution and polity: Preamble, Fundamental Rights and Duties, Directive Principles, Parliament, President, judiciary, federalism, emergency provisions, local government and constitutional bodies.

• Public administration and social systems: Governance, the civil services, social justice, welfare of vulnerable sections and the role of the police and CAPFs.

• Economy: National income, inflation, banking and monetary policy, budget and taxation, poverty and employment, agriculture and infrastructure.

• Security and human rights: Regional and international security issues, the National Human Rights Commission, human rights indicators and related laws.

History of India

• Ancient and medieval India: Indus Valley, Vedic period, Mauryas, Guptas, the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughals and cultural movements such as Bhakti and Sufi.

• Modern India: British expansion, the Revolt of 1857, social reform movements, the rise of nationalism, Gandhian movements, revolutionaries and independence.

• Post-independence: Integration of princely states and reorganisation of states at a basic level.

Indian and World Geography

• Physical geography: Earth's structure, landforms, climate, winds, ocean currents and natural hazards.

• Indian geography: Physiography, rivers, monsoon, soils, vegetation, minerals, agriculture, industries and transport.

• World and social geography: Continents, major regions, population, urbanisation and economic activities; map-based questions, especially on India's borders and neighbours, appear often.

CAPF AC Paper 2 Syllabus: General Studies, Essay and Comprehension

Paper II is a three-hour written paper of 200 marks. It rewards clear thinking and structured writing more than memorised facts.

Part A: Essay (80 marks)

Essay questions are answered in long narrative form, in English or Hindi. The notification lists the indicative areas below.

Recent papers have set essays within a fixed word limit with a choice among topics. A good answer has a clear introduction, three or four well-argued points with examples, and a balanced conclusion.

Part B: Comprehension, précis and language skills (120 marks)

This part must be attempted in English only. The notification lists comprehension passages, précis writing, other communication and language skills, developing counter-arguments, simple grammar and other aspects of language testing. In practice, papers have included the following.

• Comprehension: A passage with short-answer questions that test understanding and inference.

• Précis writing: Reducing a passage to about one-third of its length in your own words, with a suitable title.

• Counter-arguments: Writing arguments for or against a given statement within a word limit.

• Report writing: A short, factual report on an event or incident, often with a police or security setting.

• Grammar and usage: Error correction, voice and narration, synonyms and antonyms, and sentence completion.

Part B carries more marks than the essays and is more predictable, so steady practice here gives the most reliable gain in Paper II.

CAPF AC Topic Weightage

UPSC does not publish a topic-wise split, and the number of questions per area changes each year. The table gives the broad weight seen across recent Paper I papers, to help you order your study.

Use this as a planning guide, not a promise. Skipping a lower-weight area entirely is risky, because any single paper can tilt towards it.

Overlap Between Paper 1 and Paper 2

About half of your static reading serves both papers. The time saved should go into Part B writing, which has no Paper I equivalent.

Is There a Syllabus for the Interview?

No. The interview, or personality test, carries 150 marks and has no written syllabus. The board assesses leadership, intellect, communication, alertness and suitability for a uniformed service. Expect questions on your education, home state, hobbies, current affairs and why you want to join a particular force.

How to Cover the CAPF AC Syllabus

1. Weeks 1 to 8, build the base: Finish NCERT history, geography, polity and science, and start daily reasoning and arithmetic practice. Read one newspaper every day.

2. From week 3, add current affairs and English: Give 30 to 40 minutes a day to news with monthly notes, and 30 minutes to grammar and précis practice.

3. Weeks 6 to 12, topic tests and writing: Take topic-wise Paper I tests, and write one essay and one counter-argument piece every week.

4. Weeks 13 to 18, sectional and Paper II practice: Attempt timed sectional tests and a full Paper II every two weeks under the three-hour limit.

5. Final phase, full-length papers: Take full Paper I mocks, analyse each one the same day, and revise from your error log before the next attempt.

For topic-wise and full-length practice that follows this syllabus, you can attempt CAPF AC mock tests on Testkart and track where negative marks reduce your score. Solving CAPF AC previous year papers alongside shows how each area is actually asked, especially in Paper II.

Common Mistakes While Preparing the Syllabus

• Leaving Paper II for the last month: Writing speed and structure take weeks to build. Start essays and précis early, even if the first attempts feel weak.

• Ignoring security topics: Candidates from a civil services background often skip internal security and border issues, which appear in both papers.

• Over-reading, under-practising: Paper I rewards accuracy under time pressure, so regular timed tests matter as much as reading.

• Writing Part B in the wrong style: A précis is not a summary with your opinions, and a report is not an essay. Follow the format asked.

Books and Study Sources

Always confirm the syllabus against the latest notification on upsc.gov.in before you plan.