Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF)
The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) refers to the uniform nomenclature of seven security forces in India under the authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs. They are the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).
Eligibility Criteria
UPSC describes the eligibility criteria for the CAPF exam in the official notification. The eligibility conditions for UPSC CAPF are explained below:
Nationality:
- The candidate must be a citizen of India.
- The candidates who are subject of Nepal and Bhutan are also allowed to apply in the exam.
- No other candidate can apply for the UPSC CAPF exam.
Age limit
The lower age limit for the CAPF exam is 20 years and the upper age limit is less than 25 years. The age is calculated from August 1 of the exam year.
The upper age limit prescribed above will be relaxable.
| Category | Relaxation |
|---|---|
| Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe | five years |
| Other Backward Classes | three years |
| Civilian Central Government Servants | five years Ex-Servicemen will also be eligible for this relaxation. |
| Domiciled in the State of Jammu & Kashmir during the period from January 1, 1980 to December 31, 1989 | five years |
However, the total relaxation claimed on account of Government Service will be limited to five years.
Educational Qualification
As given in the official CAPF notification, “the candidate must hold a Bachelors degree from any recognised university”
The candidates who appear in the final year of their degree course can also apply for the exam but they have to produce the final year mark sheet of the qualifying exam with the detailed application form.
Possession of NCC ‘B’ or ‘C’ Certificates:
The candidates having the NCC ‘B’ or ‘C’ Certificate will be given preference at the time of Interview. These qualifications will be given consideration at the time of Interview/Personality Test only.
Physical Standards
The UPSC CAPF notification prescribes the physical and medical standards in a very comprehensive manner. The important points related to the CAPF physical standards are given below. The minimum requirements for the candidate are as follows:
| Physical Standards | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Height | 165 cm | 157 cm |
| Chest(unexpanded) | 81 cm (with 5 cm minimum expansion) | (Not applicable) |
| Weight | 50 kg | 46 kg |
Medical Standards
| (a) Eyesight: | ||
|---|---|---|
Better eye (corrected vision) | Worse eye (corrected vision) | |
| Distant vision | 6/6 OR 6/9 | 6/12 OR 6/9 |
| Near Vision | N6 (corrected) | N9 (corrected) |
Exam Pattern
The UPSC CAPF exam is a three-stage exam having only one written exam. The candidates need to go through the UPSC CAPF exam pattern to prepare well for the exam.
Selection Process
After the successful filling up the UPSC CAPF Application form and submitting the exam fees, the admit card will be issued to the candidates in online mode only. The UPSC CAPF exam consists of three stages. All three stages are given below:
UPSC CAPF Exam Stage I – Written Exam – 450 marks
The stage I is the written examination. The written exam consists of two papers-
| Paper Name | Marks | Time Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Paper-I – General and Mental Ability (Objective) | 250 marks | 2 hours |
| Paper-II – General Studies, Essay and Comprehension (Descriptive) | 200 marks | 3 Hours |
| Total | 450 marks |
The paper I will be the objective type question paper and paper II will be the conventional essay type question paper having two parts.
UPSC CAPF Exam Stage II – Physical Standards/Physical Efficiency Tests and Medical Standards Tests
The Physical Efficiency and Medical Standard test are only qualifying in nature. The candidates need to meet the standard prescribed in the CAPF notification.
After passing the Stage I, the candidates need to undergo the Physical Efficiency and Medical Standard Test.
Physical Efficiency Tests (PET)
| Event | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|
| 100 Meters race | In 16 Seconds | In 18 seconds |
| 800 Meters race | In 3 minutes 45 seconds | In 4 minutes 45 seconds |
| Long Jump | 3.5 Meters (3 chances) | 3.0 meters (3 chances) |
| Shot Put (7.26 Kgs) | 4.5 Meters | – |
Pregnancy at the time of PET will be a disqualification and pregnant female candidate will be rejected.
UPSC CAPF Stage III: Interview/Personality Test – 150 marks
The candidates declared passed in the second stage of the CAPF exam, will be called for the interview/personality test. The interview/ personality test will be conducted on the UPSC premises in New Delhi. After the interview/personality test, the final result will be declared.
Restriction on appearing in UPSC CAPF
Any candidate who has been selected as the Assistant Commandant in any of the forces are restricted to apply again in the exam.
Exam syllabus
| Papers | Subject | Syllabus |
|---|---|---|
Paper 1 (Objective) | General Ability | Analogies, Arrangements, Problem Solving, Syllogisms, Spatial Orientation, Space Visualization, Analysis, Ranking, Arithmetical Reasoning, Decision Making, Visual Memory, Arithmetic Number Series, Figural Classification, Coding and Decoding, Relationship Concepts, Statement Conclusion, etc. |
| Intelligence | General Mental Ability, General Science, Current Events of National and International Importance, Indian Polity and Economy, History of India, Indian and World Geography | |
Paper 2 (Descriptive) | English Language and Comprehension and Essay | Essay Writing, Comprehension, Precis Writing, Counter Argument, Communications, Report Writing, Language Skills, Grammar, Vocabulary, etc. |
| General Studies | History India, Current Events – National and International, Indian National Movement, Geography – India, About India, Eminent Personalities, Cultural Heritage, Environment, Economy, General Polity, General Science, Indian Constitution, Science and Technology etc. |
