Planning to join a paramilitary force as a Constable? First, you should understand the Constable GD recruitment scheme that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) lays down. This one document tells you who can apply, how tall you must be, which tests you must clear, how states share the vacancies and how the final merit list takes shape. It covers Constables (General Duty) in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), Assam Rifles, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Secretariat Security Force (SSF), and the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) runs the exam.
In this guide, we turn the official MHA scheme (PDF) into plain, step-by-step language, so you know exactly what to prepare. Also, if you are tracking the current cycle, read our SSC GD Constable Result 2026 update.
Constable GD Recruitment Scheme at a Glance
| Point | What the scheme says |
|---|---|
| Conducting body | Staff Selection Commission (SSC), with a Nodal Force handling PST, PET and medical exams |
| Forces covered | CAPFs (BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, SSB), Assam Rifles, NIA and SSF |
| Age | 18 to 23 years (relaxation for SC/ST/OBC, ex-servicemen and other categories) |
| Qualification | Matriculation / 10th pass |
| Stages | PST, PET, written exam, medical exam, merit list |
| Written test | Objective MCQs, at least 100 questions for 100 marks |
| Minimum cut-off | 35% (General and Ex-servicemen); 33% (SC/ST/OBC) |
| Application fee | Rs. 50 for General and OBC; no fee for SC/ST, ex-servicemen and women |
| Target completion | SSC aims to finish the process within 9 months |
Who Can Apply? Constable GD Recruitment Scheme Eligibility
Age limit and crucial date
You must be between 18 and 23 years old. SSC counts your age on 1 January if the written exam falls in the first half of the year, and on 1 August if it falls in the second half. Moreover, SC, ST, OBC, ex-servicemen and other categories get age relaxation under Government of India orders.
Educational qualification
The Constable GD recruitment scheme asks for a pass in Matriculation (10th class) from a recognised board.
Physical standards (PST)
| Category | Height (Male / Female) | Chest (Male) |
|---|---|---|
| General | 170 cm / 157 cm | 80 cm unexpanded, minimum 5 cm expansion |
| Scheduled Tribes (all areas) | 162.5 cm / 150 cm | 76 cm (5 cm expansion) |
| ST from Arunachal, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and Left Wing Extremism affected districts | 160 cm / 147.5 cm | 76 cm (5 cm expansion) |
| Garhwalis, Kumaonis, Dogras, Marathas and candidates from Assam, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir | 165 cm / 155 cm | 78 cm (5 cm expansion) |
| Candidates from the North-Eastern states above (Arunachal, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura) and Gorkha Territorial Administration (Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong) | 162.5 cm / 152.5 cm | 77 cm (5 cm expansion) |
For both men and women, weight must match height and age under the medical standards. In addition, you get a height or chest relaxation only if you show the right certificate from the competent authority at the time of PST and PET. Therefore, keep your ST or domicile certificate ready.
Medical and eyesight standards
- Distant vision: you need 6/6 in the better eye and 6/9 in the worse eye without glasses. The scheme does not permit visual correction of any kind.
- Near vision: N6 for the better eye and N9 for the worse eye.
- Colour vision: CP-III by Ishihara. You also need binocular vision.
- Disqualifying conditions: knock knee, flat foot, varicose veins and squint. Besides, you must stay mentally and physically fit for duty in high-altitude and extreme-climate border areas.
How the Constable GD Recruitment Scheme Allots Vacancies
Each force works out its vacancies every financial year. For example, it counts existing and unfilled posts, posts for newly raised battalions, vacancies from promotions, and the average wastage, retirement, resignation and non-joining figures of the last three years. Then the scheme divides them like this:
- 60% of vacancies go to states and UTs in proportion to population.
- In Border Guarding Forces (BSF, ITBP, SSB and Assam Rifles), 20% go to border districts and another 20% go to areas affected by militancy (J&K, the North-East and naxal-affected areas).
- In the other forces, 40% of vacancies go to militancy-affected areas.
The Government applies reservation for SC, ST, OBC, ex-servicemen and other categories on these state-wise allocations. As a result, your domicile certificate decides which state’s vacancies you compete for, not the city where you write the exam.
Step-by-Step Constable GD Recruitment Scheme Selection Process
- Application: SSC invites applications once a year and gives the notice wide publicity. You apply online, except if you live in J&K, the North-Eastern states, LWE-affected districts or border districts, where you may apply online or by post. However, never use both modes, because SSC can reject your candidature. You attach no certificates at this stage.
- Height check: The Nodal Force calls every prima facie eligible candidate for PST and PET. It eliminates candidates below the required height first.
- Physical Efficiency Test (PET): a timed race, explained below.
- Biometric check and document screening: officers verify your identity to stop impersonation, then measure your chest and weight.
- Written examination: SSC tests only those who qualify in PST and PET.
- Detailed Medical Examination (DME): SSC shortlists candidates on written-test merit, and the Nodal Force examines them.
- Merit list and force allocation: SSC prepares the state-wise list, and then the Nodal Force allots your force on a merit-cum-choice basis.
Constable GD Recruitment Scheme PET Details: Race Timings
PST and PET are mandatory but only qualifying, so they carry no marks. Note that pregnancy at the time of PET disqualifies a candidate. On the other hand, ex-servicemen do not take PET, but they must still clear the medical exam.
| Region | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| All regions | 5 km in 24 minutes | 1.6 km in 8 minutes 30 seconds |
| Ladakh | 1 mile in 6 minutes 30 seconds | 800 metres in 4 minutes |
Appeal against measurements
If you disagree with your physical measurement, you can appeal. Report the day after PST/PET ends on the date the force gives you, and an officer senior to the PST/PET Board will measure you again. If that officer finds you within the standards, you continue to PET.
Written Exam Pattern Under the Constable GD Recruitment Scheme
- The paper has objective multiple-choice questions, at least 100 questions for 100 marks.
- It tests general awareness and general knowledge, elementary mathematics, analytical aptitude, pattern recognition and basic English or Hindi.
- You choose computer-based (online) or OMR (offline) mode in the application form.
- SSC sets the paper in Hindi, English, Kashmiri (Urdu script), Marathi, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Odia, Bengali, Punjabi (Gurmukhi), Assamese, Manipuri and Mizo.
- Different question-paper series may carry the same questions in a different order.
However, SSC issues a fresh notification every year, so the exact marks, number of questions, negative marking and syllabus can differ from this scheme. Therefore, always read the latest notice. For the previous cycle, see how SSC structured the shortlist in our SSC GD Constable result post.
Medical Examination and Appeals
- SSC calls only candidates who score above its cut-off for the medical exam.
- Doctors run X-ray and laboratory tests only for candidates who pass the initial examination.
- The scheme does not allow “temporary unfitness”. The one exception is a woman who is 12 weeks pregnant or more. Doctors declare her temporarily unfit and hold her appointment until after confinement.
- If the board declares you unfit, you can appeal within 15 days. The appeal panel decides within a month, and a fit result in the Review Medical Examination (RME) puts you back in the merit list.
- The forces verify your documents at the medical stage, so carry the originals of every certificate.
Merit List, Cut-Off Marks and Force Allocation
Under the Constable GD recruitment scheme, SSC prepares separate merit lists for males and females in each category (General, SC, ST, OBC and ex-servicemen) for every state or UT, using aggregate written-test marks. If two candidates tie, SSC follows the procedure printed in the advertisement. The minimum qualifying marks are normally 35% for General and ex-servicemen and 33% for SC/ST/OBC.
SSC declares the result state-wise and does not name a force. Then the Nodal Force allots forces on merit-cum-choice. So, a higher rank gives you a better chance of landing your preferred force.
Special Recruitment Rallies in Border and Sensitive Districts
The Constable GD recruitment scheme also covers special rallies. If vacancies reserved for J&K, LWE-affected districts or border districts remain empty after the SSC process, the forces may hold recruitment rallies there, on the lines of Army rallies. Only local youth can join, and they prove it with documents such as a domicile certificate, Aadhaar, Voter ID or ration card. Rally candidates follow the lower of the height and chest standards that the scheme or the state commission uses, and they rank junior to candidates selected through SSC. If vacancies still remain, SSC fills them from a waiting list of candidates from the same border state.
Practical Tips to Crack the Constable GD Recruitment Scheme
- Measure yourself early. Height and chest come first and decide whether you move ahead, so check your category in the table above.
- Train for the race. A 5 km run in 24 minutes needs a pace of about 4 minutes 48 seconds per km. Women need about 5 minutes 19 seconds per km for 1.6 km.
- Test your eyes now. The distant vision rule allows neither glasses nor corrective surgery.
- Arrange certificates in advance: domicile, caste or tribe, ex-servicemen and 10th certificates.
- Apply only once, and use one mode only.
- Prepare for the paper with maths, reasoning, GK and basic Hindi or English. For another SSC pattern, see our SSC SI recruitment guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the age limit for Constable GD in CAPFs?
The scheme sets 18 to 23 years, counted on 1 January or 1 August depending on when the written exam falls, with relaxation for reserved categories and ex-servicemen.
Does the PET carry marks?
No. PST and PET only qualify you. The written exam marks decide your merit.
Can I wear glasses to meet the eyesight standard?
No. Your distant vision must be 6/6 and 6/9 without correction, and the scheme does not permit visual correction of any kind.
Does my exam centre decide my state quota?
No. Your domicile certificate is the sole criterion for the state in which SSC considers you, not the exam centre.
Is there an application fee?
The scheme sets Rs. 50 for General and OBC candidates and no fee for SC/ST, ex-servicemen and women. Nevertheless, check the current notification for the latest fee.
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Source and disclaimer: This article summarises the Constable GD recruitment scheme, which is the MHA’s Revised Scheme for Common Recruitment of Constables (GD), which you can read as an official PDF on mha.gov.in. Each year’s notification sets the vacancies, dates, fees and exam pattern, so confirm them on the official SSC website before you apply.