About SSC CPO
SSC CPO is the common name of the Sub-Inspector in Delhi Police and Central Armed Police Forces Examination. The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) holds this open exam every year to recruit Sub-Inspectors (SI) for Delhi Police and for the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The exam fills three kinds of posts: Sub-Inspector (General Duty) in the CAPFs, Sub-Inspector (Executive) in Delhi Police for men and women, and, as per the latest notification, Sub-Inspector (Fire) in CISF for men. The CAPF vacancies in the latest notification are in CRPF, BSF, ITBP, CISF and SSB.
SSC only conducts the selection. The number of vacancies and the reservation in each force are decided by the forces, the Ministry of Home Affairs and Delhi Police. Candidates selected as SI in the CAPFs can be posted anywhere in India.
SSC CPO at a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Conducted by | Staff Selection Commission (SSC) |
| Level | National, for graduates |
| Posts | SI (GD) in CAPFs, SI (Executive) in Delhi Police, SI (Fire) in CISF |
| Qualification | Bachelor's degree (special qualification for SI Fire) |
| Age limit | 20 to 25 years (18 to 30 years for SI Fire) |
| Pay | Level 6 (Rs 35,400 to Rs 1,12,400) |
| Stages | Paper-I, PST/PET, Paper-II, medical examination |
| Mode | Computer based papers |
| Frequency | Once a year |
| Official website | ssc.gov.in |
Eligibility
Nationality
A candidate must be a citizen of India, or a subject of Nepal or Bhutan. Subjects of Nepal and Bhutan need a certificate of eligibility from the Government of India.
Educational qualification
- SI in Delhi Police and SI (GD) in CAPFs: a bachelor's degree from a recognised university, or equivalent.
- SI (Fire) in CISF: a bachelor's degree in science with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics; or class 10 with a three-year diploma in Mechanical, Civil, Electrical, Automobile, Chemical, Mining, Aeronautical or Telecommunication Engineering.
- The qualification must be held by the closing date for applications.
- Driving licence: male candidates need a valid licence for motorcycle and car on the day of the physical tests to be considered for SI in Delhi Police. Men without it are considered for the CAPF posts only.
Age limit
The age limit is 20 to 25 years for all posts except SI (Fire), where it is 18 to 30 years. Age is counted on a cut-off date printed in each notification (1 August of the exam year in the latest one).
| Category | Relaxation in upper age |
|---|---|
| SC / ST | 5 years |
| OBC | 3 years |
| Ex-servicemen | 3 years after deducting military service from actual age |
| Widows, divorced and judicially separated women who have not remarried (Delhi Police posts) | Up to 35 years of age (40 years for SC/ST) |
| Departmental candidates of Delhi Police with at least 3 years of regular service (Delhi Police male posts) | Up to 30 years (OBC 33 years, SC/ST 35 years) |
Physical standards
Weight must be in proportion to height for all posts. Women have no chest measurement.
| SI in CAPFs: category | Height (cm) | Chest (cm), unexpanded to expanded |
|---|---|---|
| Men (general) | 170 | 80 to 85 |
| Men from listed hill areas, North-Eastern States and Sikkim | 165 | 80 to 85 |
| Gorkha men | 157 | 80 to 85 |
| Scheduled Tribe men | 162.5 | 77 to 82 |
| Scheduled Tribe men of North-Eastern States | 157 | 77 to 82 |
| Women (general) | 157 | Not applicable |
| Women from listed hill areas, North-Eastern States and Sikkim | 155 | Not applicable |
| Scheduled Tribe women | 154 | Not applicable |
For SI in Delhi Police the heights are the same as above for general, hill-area and Scheduled Tribe candidates (men 170, 165 and 162.5 cm; women 157, 155 and 154 cm), with the same chest sizes for men. For SI (Fire) in CISF, men need 170 cm with chest 81 to 86 cm; hill-area men 165 cm with chest 81 to 86 cm; Scheduled Tribe men 162.5 cm with chest 77 to 82 cm. Height or chest relaxation needs a certificate from the district authority in the given format.
Medical standards
- Distant vision 6/6 in the better eye and 6/9 in the worse eye, and near vision N6 and N9, without glasses or any corrective surgery.
- No knock knee, flat foot, varicose vein or squint; high colour vision is needed.
- Tattoos are allowed only within the limits on content, place and size given in the notification.
Selection process
All stages are compulsory, in this order:
- Paper-I (computer based): shortlists candidates for the physical tests.
- Physical Standard Test (PST) and Physical Endurance Test (PET): qualifying only, no marks.
- Paper-II (computer based): only for those who clear PST/PET.
- Detailed Medical Examination (DME): qualifying only. A candidate found unfit gets a Review Medical Examination, usually the next day.
- Document verification and final selection.
As per the latest notification, final selection and allotment of post and force are based on the marks in Paper-II (with NCC bonus marks, if any) and the order of preference the candidate gave.
Physical Endurance Test
| Event | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 100 metre race | 16 seconds | 18 seconds |
| Long race | 1.6 km in 6.5 minutes | 800 metres in 4 minutes |
| Long jump (3 chances) | 3.65 metres | 2.7 metres |
| High jump (3 chances) | 1.2 metres | 0.9 metre |
| Shot put, 16 lbs (3 chances) | 4.5 metres | Not held |
Ex-servicemen do not have to take the PET, but they must meet the physical and medical standards and pass the papers.
Exam pattern
Both papers have objective multiple-choice questions. The pattern below is from the latest notification.
Paper-I
| Part | Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | General Intelligence and Reasoning | 25 | 25 |
| II | General Knowledge and General Awareness | 25 | 25 |
| III | Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | 25 |
| IV | English Comprehension | 25 | 25 |
Time: 1 hour, with a sectional timer of 15 minutes for each part. Negative marking: 0.25 mark for each wrong answer.
Paper-II
| Part | Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | General Intelligence and Reasoning | 20 | 40 |
| II | General Knowledge and General Awareness | 20 | 40 |
| III | Quantitative Aptitude | 20 | 40 |
| IV | English Comprehension | 100 | 200 |
Time: 1 hour for Parts I to III, with a sectional timer of 20 minutes for each part, and 1 hour for Part IV. Negative marking: 0.50 mark for each wrong answer. Paper-II is harder than Paper-I.
- Parts I, II and III of both papers are set in Hindi and English.
- Minimum qualifying marks in each paper: 30% for unreserved, 25% for OBC and EWS, 20% for all other categories.
- NCC certificate holders get bonus marks in each paper: 5% of the maximum marks for 'C', 3% for 'B' and 2% for 'A' certificate.
- Marks are normalised when a paper is held in more than one shift.
Syllabus
The syllabus is the same for both papers, as per the latest notification.
General Intelligence and Reasoning
- Analogies, classification and series (semantic, number and figural)
- Coding and decoding, word building, numerical and symbolic operations
- Venn diagrams, syllogism, statement and conclusion, drawing inferences
- Space orientation and visualisation, paper folding, embedded figures, figure completion
- Indexing, address matching, critical thinking, emotional and social intelligence
General Knowledge and General Awareness
- Current events and everyday science
- India and its neighbouring countries: history, culture and geography
- Economic scene, general polity and the Indian Constitution
- Scientific research
Quantitative Aptitude
- Whole numbers, decimals, fractions, percentage, ratio and proportion, square roots, averages
- Interest, profit and loss, discount, partnership, mixture and alligation
- Time and distance, time and work
- School algebra, elementary surds, graphs of linear equations
- Geometry: triangles, circles, quadrilaterals, regular polygons
- Mensuration: prism, cone, cylinder, sphere, hemisphere, pyramid
- Trigonometry: ratios, identities, heights and distances
- Histogram, frequency polygon, bar diagram and pie chart
English Comprehension
- Error recognition and fill in the blanks
- Vocabulary, spellings, synonyms and antonyms
- Grammar, sentence structure and sentence completion
- Phrases and idioms, comprehension passages
Salary and posts
| Post | Pay level | Pay scale | Group |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sub-Inspector (GD) in CAPFs | Level 6 | Rs 35,400 to Rs 1,12,400 | Group B (Non-Gazetted), Non-Ministerial |
| Sub-Inspector (Executive) in Delhi Police | Level 6 | Rs 35,400 to Rs 1,12,400 | Group C |
| Sub-Inspector (Fire) in CISF | Level 6 | Rs 35,400 to Rs 1,12,400 | Group B (Non-Gazetted), Non-Ministerial |
Central Government allowances are paid on top of the basic pay as per the rules of each force. During training, selected Sub-Inspectors must pass seven obstacle events such as the vertical board, Tarzan swing, monkey crawl and vertical rope; those who fail may not be kept in the force.
How to apply
- Complete the One-Time Registration (OTR) on ssc.gov.in. An OTR made on the old SSC website does not work on the new one.
- Log in and fill the online application for the exam on the website or the mySSC mobile app. SSC advises Aadhaar-based authentication.
- Give your post and force preferences, exam centre choices and the language of the exam with care.
- Capture the live photograph and upload the signature as per the instructions.
- Check the preview, submit the form and pay the fee online.
- Use the correction window, if needed, on payment of the correction charge.
Fee: Rs 100, paid online by UPI, net banking or debit card. Women, SC, ST and ex-servicemen eligible for reservation are exempt. The fee is not refunded.
Exam calendar
This is the usual order, based on the last two cycles. It may change; SSC's yearly exam calendar gives the planned dates.
| Event | Usual time |
|---|---|
| Notification and online form (about three weeks) | September |
| Correction window | A few days after the last date |
| Paper-I | Two to three months after the notification |
| Paper-I result, then PST/PET | In the following months |
| Paper-II, medical examination and final result | Later in the following year |
Preparation tips
These are general suggestions, not official instructions.
- Practise Paper-I with a 15-minute limit for each part, because of the sectional timer.
- English carries the most marks in Paper-II, so read and practise grammar and vocabulary every day.
- Wrong answers cost marks in both papers; avoid blind guessing, more so in Paper-II.
- Start running and jumping practice early. The PET gives no marks, but failing it ends the attempt.
- Men who want Delhi Police should get the motorcycle and car driving licence well before the physical tests.
- Solve previous SSC papers and revise current affairs every week.
- Fill the post and force preferences carefully; they decide your allotment.
FAQs
What is the age limit for SSC CPO?
20 to 25 years for SI in Delhi Police and the CAPFs, and 18 to 30 years for SI (Fire) in CISF. SC/ST candidates get 5 years and OBC candidates 3 years of relaxation.
What qualification is needed for SSC CPO?
A bachelor's degree in any subject from a recognised university. SI (Fire) needs a science degree with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, or class 10 with a listed three-year engineering diploma.
What is the salary of an SSC CPO Sub-Inspector?
All the posts are in Pay Level 6, Rs 35,400 to Rs 1,12,400, plus allowances.
Is there negative marking in SSC CPO?
Yes. As per the latest notification, 0.25 mark is cut for each wrong answer in Paper-I and 0.50 mark in Paper-II.
How many stages are there in SSC CPO?
Four main stages: Paper-I, PST/PET, Paper-II and the Detailed Medical Examination, followed by document verification.
Can women apply for SSC CPO?
Yes. Women can apply for SI in Delhi Police and SI (GD) in the CAPFs. SI (Fire) in CISF is for men only in the latest notification.
Is a driving licence compulsory for SSC CPO?
Only for men who want SI in Delhi Police. They need a valid motorcycle and car licence on the day of the physical tests. It is not needed for the CAPF posts.
Always confirm the details in the official notification of the year you apply for.
SSC CPO: all notifications on this site
| Recruitment | Posts | Last date | Admit card / result |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSC SI Delhi Police & CAPF Recruitment 2025 – 3,073 Posts | 3073 | 16 Oct 2025 | Result |
| SSC Sub-Inspector Delhi Police & CAPF Recruitment 2026 – 1,871 Posts | 1871 | 30 Sep 2026 | Admit Card |