The UPSC CAPF Syllabus 2026 is designed to test candidates aspiring to join India’s elite Central Armed Police Forces, including BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, and SSB. Conducted by the Union Public Service Commission, the CAPF Assistant Commandant examination evaluates a candidate’s general awareness, analytical ability, leadership potential, and physical endurance. The syllabus is divided into two written papers—General Ability & Intelligence and General Studies, Essay & Comprehension, along with physical standards and an interview/personality test. A clear understanding of the syllabus helps aspirants plan a focused strategy, prioritize important topics, and improve their chances of success in this highly competitive examination.
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) Exam is conducted annually to recruit Assistant Commandants (ACs) in various paramilitary forces like BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, and SSB. Aspirants aiming for a prestigious career in India’s security forces must have a clear understanding of the UPSC CAPF Assistant Commandant Syllabus 2026, which plays a crucial role in structured preparation.
The CAPF exam consists of three stages:
Paper 1 covers Quantitative Aptitude, Logical Reasoning, General Science, History, Geography, Polity, Economy, and Current Affairs. Paper 2 evaluates essay writing, comprehension, and precise communication skills.
Aspirants must adopt a comprehensive strategy to cover static GK, current affairs, and analytical topics. This article provides a detailed breakdown of the UPSC CAPF Syllabus, helping candidates streamline their preparation effectively for UPSC CAPF 2025.
Three components comprise the UPSC CAPF AC selection exam: the Written Exam, the Physical Efficiency Test (PET), and the Interview/Personality Test. To effectively study for the UPSC CAPF test, candidates need to keep up with the dates, syllabus, and exam pattern. Here is a summary of the important information:
| Details | Description |
| Exam Name | Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) Exam |
| Conducting Body | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
| Exam Level | National |
| Mode of Exam | Offline (Written Test) |
| Stages | Written Test, PET, Interview |
| Exam Frequency | Annually |
| CAPF AC Exam Date | Notified Soon |
| Available Seats | To be notified |
| Official Website | upsc.gov.in |
The two exams that make up the written exam are Paper 1 (Objective) and Paper 2 (Descriptive). To move on to the next round, candidates must pass both exams.
| Paper | Subject | Total Questions | Marks | Duration |
| Paper 1 | General Ability and Intelligence | 125 (MCQ) | 250 | 2 Hours |
| Paper 2 | General Studies, Essay, and Comprehension | 6 (Descriptive) | 200 | 3 Hours |
The UPSC CAPF (Central Armed Police Forces) 2026 exam consists of two papers:
General Mental Ability:
General Science:
Current Events of National and International Importance:
Indian Polity and Economy:
History of India:
Indian and World Geography:
Essay Writing (80 Marks):
Comprehension, Précis Writing & Communication (120 Marks):
This exam tests candidates’ aptitude, general knowledge, and communication skills, which are crucial for leadership roles in the CAPF forces.
Paper 1 evaluates candidates’ logical reasoning, quantitative skills, and awareness of national and international events. The syllabus is divided into six sections:
| UPSC CAPF Paper 1: General Ability and Intelligence Syllabus | |
| Topic | Syllabus Details |
| General Mental Ability | The questions will be designed to test logical reasoning, quantitative aptitude including numerical ability, and data interpretation. |
| General Science | The questions will be set to test general awareness, scientific temper, comprehension and appreciation of scientific phenomena of everyday observation including new areas of importance like Information Technology, Biotechnology, Environmental Science. |
| Current Events of National and International Importance | The questions will test the candidates’ awareness of current events of national and international importance in the broad areas of culture, music, arts, literature, sports, governance, societal and developmental issues, industry, business, globalisation, and interplay among nations. |
| Indian Polity & Economy | The questions shall aim to test candidates’ knowledge of the Country’s political system and the Constitution of India, social systems and public administration, economic development in India, regional and international security issues and human rights including its indicators. |
| Indian History | The questions will broadly cover the subject in its social, economic and political aspects. This shall also include the areas of growth of nationalism and the freedom movement. |
| Indian and World Geography | The questions shall cover the physical, social and economic aspects of geography pertaining to India and the World |
UPSC CAPF Syllabus Paper 2: General Studies, Essay, and Comprehension
Paper 2 is descriptive and assesses comprehension, essay writing, and language proficiency. Paper 2: Essay, Comprehension, and General Studies is worth 200 points. To effectively prepare for this exam, candidates should review the entire curriculum. The topic-by-topic CAPF Syllabus Paper 2 is available below:
| UPSC CAPF Paper 2 Syllabus | ||
| Topic | Marks | Syllabus Details |
| Essay Writing | 80 Marks | Essay questions are to be answered in long narrative form either in Hindi or English totaling 80 Marks. The indicative topics are modern Indian history especially of the freedom struggle, geography, polity and economy, knowledge of security and human rights issues, and analytical ability. |
| Comprehension & Précis | 120 Marks | The topics are Comprehension passages, précis writing, developing counter arguments, simple grammar and other aspects of language testing. |
Candidates must pass the Physical Efficiency Test (PET) after passing the written exam. To take the Medical Standards Test and the Physical Standards/Physical Efficiency Test, qualified applicants will be contacted. Each and every PET test is qualified. Candidates will take the physical efficiency tests listed below if they fulfill the required physical standards:
| Physical Efficiency Test (PET) for CAPF 2026 | ||
| Test | Male Standard | Female Standard |
| 100 Meters Race | 16 seconds | 18 seconds |
| 800 Meters Race | 3 minutes 45 seconds | 4 minutes 45 seconds |
| Long Jump | 3.5 meters (3 chances) | 3.0 meters (3 chances) |
| Shot Put (7.26 kg) | 4.5 meters | Not applicable |
The Union Public Service Commission will call candidates who pass the Medical Standards Tests for a personality test and interview. After appealing to the Appellate Authority, those who are deemed medically unfit but are allowed to appear before the “Review Medical Board” will receive a provisional invitation to the Interview/Personality Tests.The 150-mark interview/personality test evaluates the candidate’s general personality, leadership skills, and mental clarity. Only those who successfully complete the medical exams are invited to the interview.
The UPSC CAPF (Assistant Commandant) Interview/Personality Test is the final stage of the selection process after clearing the written examination and Physical Efficiency Test (PET). It is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and carries 150 marks. The interview assesses various attributes essential for leadership and decision-making in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF).
Get the UPSC CAPF Assistant Commandant Syllabus by clicking on the below Link:
high-quality booklist to help you cover the UPSC Assistant Commandant (CAPF AC) syllabus effectively, both Paper-I (Objective) and Paper-II (Descriptive). These are widely recommended and updated for the latest exam pattern.
Great for structured theory + practice questions + previous years’ coverage.
• Covers entire Paper-I GS syllabus with chapter-wise practice and PYQs.
Focuses on chapter-wise previous year questions for Paper-I & Paper-II with explanations.
• Includes 15+ years of solved questions + few mock tests.
All-in-one book covering both papers (Objective + Descriptive) with theory, MCQs & PYQs.
Excellent for mastering Essay Writing, Comprehensions, Precis, Language Skills — directly relevant for Paper-II.
Good additional source of solved objective questions and mock practice aligned with the syllabus.
The exam consists of three stages:
Paper 1 covers the following topics:
Paper 2 includes:
Candidates must clear the following PET:
Yes, there is negative marking in Paper 1. One-third (1/3rd) of the marks allotted to a question will be deducted for each incorrect answer. However, Paper 2 does not have negative marking as it is descriptive.
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