Exam Details
SSC GD 2026 Exam Overview (Eligibility, Exam Pattern & Selection Process):
If you have passed the 10th grade and are looking for a secure government job—especially in prestigious security forces like ITBP, CRPF, Assam Rifles, and CISF—then you should be aware of the SSC GD Constable exam. Every year, nearly 30 to 40 lakh candidates appear for this exam, competing for around 25,000 to 50,000 vacancies, making it one of India’s most sought-after government exams. It is conducted in the Computer Based Test (CBT) format.
SSC GD 2026 Exam Overview: Everything You Must Know
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | SSC GD Constable 2026 |
| Conducting Authority | Staff Selection Commission (SSC) |
| Posts Offered | Constable (GD) |
| Forces | CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP, SSB, Assam Rifles |
| Job Type | Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) |
| Application Mode | Online |
| Exam Mode | Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
| Selection Process | CBT → PET → PST → Medical → Document Verification |
| Educational Qualification | 10th Pass (Matriculation) |
| Age Limit | 18 to 23 years |
| Salary | ₹21,700 – ₹69,100 (Pay Level 3) |
| Vacancy Range | ~25,000 – 50,000 (approx.) |
| Official Website | ssc.gov.in |
Eligibility
SSC GD 2026 Eligibility Criteria:
If you're applying for SSC GD 2026, you must be a citizen of India. Since vacancies are divided state-wise and UT-wise, you’ll also need to show a valid Domicile or PRC.
This simply proves that you belong to a particular state/UT and helps you claim benefits like reservation, cut-off, and vacancy allocation for that region.
Educational Qualification for SSC GD 2026
One should have passed Class 10 / Matriculation from a recognized board, and no minimum percentile is required. Students who are appearing in Class 10 can also appear for SSC GD, but on the condition that they must have their marksheet/certificate before the result of the written exam.SSC GD 2026 Age Limit (As on 1 January 2027)
SSC GD 2027 has an age bracket, i.e., the candidate needs to be in the age group of 18 to 23 years. For the 2026 cycle, this generally means you must have been born between January 2, 2004, and January 1, 2009.However, there is age relaxation according to category, which is as follows:
|
Category |
Age Relaxation Permissible Beyond the Upper Age Limit |
|
OBC |
3 Years |
|
SC / ST |
5 Years |
|
Ex-Servicemen |
3 Years (after service deduction) |
SSC GD Physical Standard Test (PST): Height, Chest & Weight Criteria
To become personnel of the armed forces, SSC has set up minimum norms for physical standards such as height, chest and weight. However, these vary across categories as follows:
SSC GD 2026 Height Requirements for Male & Female (Category-Wise):
|
Category / Region |
Male (cm) |
Female (cm) |
|
General, SC, and OBC Candidates |
170 |
157 |
|
Scheduled Tribes (ST) |
162.5 |
150 |
|
ST candidates from North-Eastern States (NE) |
157 |
147.5 |
|
ST candidates from Left Wing Extremism (Naxal) districts |
160 |
147.5 |
|
Candidates from HP, J&K, Ladakh, Assam and categories like Garhwalis, Kumaonis, Dogras, Marathas |
165 |
155 |
|
Candidates from North-Eastern States (Arunachal, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura) |
162.5 |
152.5 |
SSC GD 2026 Chest Requirement for Male Candidates (Category- Wise):
These are for males only, and no specific criteria are set for females; however, it is expected that they must have a well-developed chest.
|
Category / Region |
Unexpanded |
Min. Expansion |
|
General, SC, and OBC Candidates |
80 cm |
5 cm |
|
Scheduled Tribes (ST) |
76 cm |
5 cm |
|
Candidates from HP, J&K, Assam and categories like Garhwalis, Kumaonis, Dogras, Marathas |
78 cm |
5 cm |
|
Candidates from NE States (Arunachal, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura) |
77 cm |
5 cm |
SSC GD Weight Requirements 2026:
There is no fixed "minimum" weight; it must be proportionate to
your height and age as per medical standards, which are based on BMI (Body Mass
Index), and generally it lies between a BMI of 18 and 25.
Exam Pattern
SSC GD 2026 Exam Pattern
This can be broken down into two stages for simplicity; however, there is no such official classification. The first stage is the Computer-Based Test, and the second one is the Physical Efficiency Test (PET).
1) Computer-Based Test Structure
It is a 60-minute test that assesses the basic understanding of mathematics, reasoning, general knowledge, and language proficiency. There is an option to select the language between English and Hindi. This paper is the deciding factor in the selection of the candidate, as the merit list is created solely based on this test.
The paper pattern is as follows:
|
Section |
Subject |
No. of Questions |
Max Marks |
|
Part A |
General Intelligence & Reasoning |
20 |
40 |
|
Part B |
General Knowledge & General Awareness |
20 |
40 |
|
Part C |
Elementary Mathematics |
20 |
40 |
|
Part D |
English or Hindi (Candidate's Choice) |
20 |
40 |
|
Total |
80 Questions |
160 Marks |
2) Physical Efficiency Test (PET)
Candidates who clear the merit list of the Computer-Based Test have to appear for the Physical Efficiency Test (PET), which is qualifying in nature. In this test, candidates have to complete a race within a stipulated time. The stipulated time varies for different categories, as follows:
|
Region |
Male Candidates |
Female Candidates |
|
All regions (except Ladakh) |
5 km in 24 minutes |
1.6 km in 8.5 minutes |
|
Ladakh Region |
1.6 km in 7 minutes |
800 meters in 5 minutes |
Important Notes
Ex-servicemen are generally exempted from the PET (the race) but must appear for the PST to have their height, chest, and weight recorded.
Selection Process
SSC GD 2026 Selection Process
Candidates who clear the merit list of the Computer-Based Test are invited for the Physical Efficiency Test (PET) and the Physical Standards Test (PST). After that, they must undergo a medical examination and document verification.
All these stages are preliminary in nature and do not affect the final selection, provided that the candidate qualifies in them.
Candidates who have NCC certificates receive an added advantage in the form of extra marks based on the type of certificate they hold, which is as follows:
|
Certificate Category |
Incentive / Bonus Marks (%) |
Marks (Out of 160) |
|
NCC ‘C’ Certificate |
5% of Maximum Marks |
8.0 Marks |
|
NCC ‘B’ Certificate |
3% of Maximum Marks |
4.8 Marks |
|
NCC ‘A’ Certificate |
2% of Maximum Marks |
3.2 Marks |
Further, based on the candidates who have qualified in the PET, PST, Medical Test, and completed document verification, and after adding the extra marks for NCC certificates, a final post-allotment list is released by the SSC.
One important point to note is that candidates must fill out the preference form for the preferred armed forces during the application stage itself.
Previous Year Papers
| Year | Title | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | SSC GD 2025 (Memory Based Questions) | Download Paper |
Practice Quizzes
Free Video Lessons
Frequently Asked Questions
2025 Cycle: 53,690 vacancies.
2026 Cycle: 25,487 vacancies.
2024 Cycle: 46,617 vacancies.
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