UPSC CAPF Exam Pattern 2025 will be notified in the official notification. The exam pattern for the UPSC CAPF (AC) examination has been the same for the past few years. The UPSC CAPF exam is conducted in three phases including the Written Examination, the Physical Standards / Physical Efficiency Test (PET) and the Medical Test and Interview/Personality Test. Each phase of the CAPF exam is essential to pass to appear in the successive stage of the exam. We have shared below the detailed UPSC CAPF exam pattern for all the stages of the selection process. Candidates must internalise the UPSC CAPF exam pattern so that they can prepare for the exam more effectively. Candidates should go through the CAPF 2025 exam pattern below and prepare accordingly.
The UPSC CAPF exam pattern also includes the paper structure. To get a grip on the paper, candidates must refer to the previous years' question papers. Also after analysing the question paper, the candidates can get complete information about the question breakup of each topic, which will help them in the CAPF exam preparation and prioritising the topics.
- UPSC CAPF Exam Pattern 2024: Written Exam
- UPSC CAPF Exam Pattern – PST/PET and Medical
- UPSC CAPF Exam Pattern–Interview/Personality Test
UPSC CAPF Exam Pattern 2024: Written Exam
There is only one written exam in the UPSC CAPF. There are two papers in the written exam. The written exam is conducted offline and the scheme of the exam is as follows
| Subject Paper |
Paper Type |
Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General Ability and Intelligence |
Objective(Multiple Answer) Type |
250 |
| General Studies, Essay and Comprehension |
Descriptive Type |
200 |
The General Studies, Essay and Comprehension paper will have a time duration of three hours. The candidates can write their answers in English or Hindi. But the questions based on precise writing, comprehension, and other communication/language skills will be in English only and their answers will be accepted in English only.
Candidates will be required to mention the medium of the Essay Component in the attendance list and on the answer book. As per the official notification, UPSC will not give any credit for the Essay Component if the candidate writes the essay in a language other than mentioned in the attendance list and answer book.
The commission will fix minimum qualifying numbers separately for each paper (CAPF Cut off). The second paper of only those candidates will be evaluated who qualify in the first paper and scores equal to or more than the cut-off marks.
UPSC CAPF Exam Pattern – PST/PET and Medical
The UPSC CAPF exam has a different pattern because the physical and medical test are conducted before the interview. The physical and medical test are qualifying in nature only and no marks are assigned to these tests.
The candidates need to qualify the Physical Efficiency Test (PET) conducted by the assigned authority appointed by the Ministry of Home and the qualifying standards are defined below.
| 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 |
- |
Note: Pregnancy at the time of PET will render the female candidates disqualified and consequently they will be rejected.
The candidates can appeal against the medical test result. This appeal will be considered by the Appellate Authority, appointed for this purpose by the Ministry of Home, within 15 days only.
See here: How to prepare for UPSC CAPF Exam?
UPSC CAPF Exam Pattern–Interview/Personality Test
The personality test carries 150 marks. Candidates who qualify the PET/PST and medical test will be called for the CAPF interview/personality test. The interview is conducted at the UPSC office premises in New Delhi. The interview revolves around the personal background of the candidate, current events and the security issues important to the nation.
Candidates who are declared medically unfit but allowed to appear before the “Review Medical Board” on their appeal by the Appellate Authority will be called for Interview/Personality Tests provisionally.
UPSC CAPF result is declared based on the marks secured in the written exam and interview/personality test.
The CAPF exam is conducted to recruit the Assistant Commandant for the Central Armed Forces, which includes the following:
- Border Security Forces (BSF)
- Central Reserve Police Forces (CRPF)
- Central Industrial Security Forces (CISF)
- Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)
- Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB)
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