SSC GD Constable 2026 — covering 25,487 vacancies across BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, SSB, and Assam Rifles — represents one of India’s largest, most accessible Constable recruitment drives, with exact, category-specific physical standards (170 cm minimum height for General/OBC/SC males, 157 cm for females), a strict 18-23 year age window, and in-hand salary reaching ₹30,000-37,000 monthly. This guide provides the complete, precise eligibility and salary breakdown for Police Constable recruitment in 2026.
Understanding SSC GD — India’s Central, Unified Constable Recruitment Exam
This is genuinely important context: rather than each Central Armed Police Force conducting separate Constable recruitment, the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) conducts a single, unified “GD” (General Duty) exam covering Constable posts across BSF, CISF, CRPF, ITBP, SSB, and Rifleman (GD) in Assam Rifles simultaneously — meaning a single application and exam cycle genuinely opens doors across the complete range of Central Armed Police Forces.
Eligibility Criteria — Complete, Precise Detail
Educational qualification — Matriculation (10th class) pass from a recognised board, as of the specific cut-off date (1 January 2026 for the current cycle).
Age limit — a genuinely strict 18-23 years window, described as “one of the strictest age brackets among SSC exams”, calculated as of 1 January 2026.
Age relaxation — SC/ST candidates: 5 years; OBC (Non-Creamy Layer): 3 years; Ex-Servicemen: military service rendered plus 3 years.
Nationality — must be a citizen of India.
Number of attempts — genuinely important, candidate-friendly detail: no restrictions on the number of attempts are mentioned by the Commission.
PwD eligibility — genuinely important limitation: PwD (Persons with Disabilities) candidates are NOT eligible for GD Constable posts, given the genuinely physical nature of this specific role.
Complete Physical Standards — Category and Gender-Specific Detail
This represents the single most detailed, precise eligibility component candidates must understand exactly:
Male candidates (General/OBC/SC) — minimum height 170 cm; chest 80 cm (unexpanded) / 85 cm (expanded) — requiring a minimum 5 cm expansion.
Male candidates (ST) — minimum height 162.5 cm; chest 76 cm (unexpanded) / 81 cm (expanded).
Male candidates from hill areas (Gorkhas, Kumaonis, Garhwalis, Dogras, Marathas, Assam/North East states) — minimum height 165 cm, a specific regional relaxation.
Female candidates (General/OBC/SC) — minimum height 157 cm.
Female candidates (ST) — minimum height 150 cm.
Weight — for both male and female candidates, proportionate to height and age per prescribed medical standards, rather than a single fixed figure.
Understanding the Complete Selection Process — Four Stages
Stage 1 — Computer-Based Examination (CBE/CBT) — the initial, primary written screening.
Stage 2 — Physical Efficiency Test (PET) — genuinely specific timing requirements:
- Male candidates — running 5 km within 24 minutes.
- Female candidates — running 1.6 km within 8.5 minutes.
- Ex-servicemen — genuinely exempted from PET itself, though they must still attend PST (for record measurement) and pass the medical examination.
Stage 3 — Physical Standard Test (PST) — recording height, chest, and weight measurements per the category-specific standards detailed above.
Stage 4 — Detailed Medical Examination (DME) — the final, comprehensive fitness clearance.
Important sequencing note — candidates who qualify the CBT are called for PET/PST together, followed by medical examination and document verification, with final selection based on CBT marks (normalised across shifts).
Understanding Medical and Vision Standards in Detail
Vision — 6/6 vision without glasses required.
Colour vision — no colour blindness permitted.
General fitness — candidates must demonstrate genuine fitness for armed duties, reflecting the role’s demanding operational nature.
A Genuinely Important, Specific Detail — Pregnancy and PET
Candidates should understand this specific, clearly-documented protocol: on reporting for PET/PST, female candidates must submit a self-declaration regarding pregnancy status. If a candidate falsely declares non-pregnancy, she assumes all risk for undergoing PET/PST herself. If a candidate declares pregnancy, a confirmatory pregnancy test is conducted, and if confirmed pregnant, this results in disqualification at this specific stage — a genuinely important, non-negotiable protocol candidates should understand clearly.
Salary Structure — Complete Detail
Pay structure — Pay Level-3, 7th Central Pay Commission, ranging ₹21,700 to ₹69,100 basic pay.
In-hand salary — approximately ₹30,000-37,000 monthly, including DA, HRA, TA, and risk allowances.
Additional incentive — candidates holding NCC (National Cadet Corps) certificates receive additional incentive marks, added to their normalised CBT scores — a genuinely valuable, easily-overlooked advantage for candidates with prior NCC involvement.
Why This Represents Genuinely Strong, Accessible Opportunity
All-India central government posting — genuine geographic mobility and central government service status.
Easy application process — conducted entirely through the official SSC website.
Genuinely equal category opportunity — explicit SC/ST/OBC/EWS category provisions across the complete process.
Strong long-term benefits — career growth and pension benefits consistent with central government employment.
Regional accessibility example — candidates in specific states (Kerala specifically referenced) benefit from multiple local exam centres, reducing travel burden for the CBT stage.
How to Apply
- Confirm your 10th pass qualification and age eligibility (18-23 years, with applicable relaxation) as of the specific cut-off date.
- Visit the official SSC website (ssc.gov.in).
- Register and complete the online application form.
- Upload required documents and pay the applicable fee.
- Prepare systematically for the Computer-Based Examination.
- Prepare specifically, physically, for PET — practising the exact required running distance/time for your gender category well in advance.
- Progress through PST, medical examination, and document verification upon CBT success.
Documents Checklist
- 10th standard mark sheet and certificate
- Age proof
- Category certificate (SC/ST/OBC/EWS), if applicable, for age relaxation and category benefits
- NCC certificate, where held, for incentive marks
- Recent passport-size photographs
- Aadhaar Card or other valid photo identity proof
Practical Preparation Guidance
Begin PET preparation genuinely early, given the specific, demanding time standards — 5 km in 24 minutes (male) or 1.6 km in 8.5 minutes (female) requires sustained, structured running training, not last-minute preparation.
Confirm your exact category’s specific height/chest requirements before investing preparation time — given how significantly these vary by gender, category, and region (hill area relaxations specifically).
Prepare systematically for the CBT covering General Knowledge, Reasoning, Mathematics, and English/Hindi — standard competitive exam content consistent with SSC’s broader examination pattern.
If you hold an NCC certificate, ensure this is properly documented and submitted — to claim your genuine, additional incentive marks.
Address any correctable vision issues well before your medical examination — given the strict 6/6 vision requirement.
Understanding the Complete CBT Syllabus and Marking Structure
Given how genuinely central this stage is to overall selection, candidates should understand its complete structure:
Four core sections — General Intelligence and Reasoning, General Knowledge and General Awareness, Elementary Mathematics, and English/Hindi — reflecting standard SSC examination structure applied consistently across this specific Constable recruitment cycle.
Why balanced preparation across all four sections matters — since final merit depends on overall CBT performance (normalised across multiple exam shifts), candidates should avoid over-concentrating preparation in their strongest subject area at the expense of genuinely balanced competency across all four sections.
Understanding normalisation’s role — given how the CBT runs across multiple shifts to accommodate the genuinely massive applicant pool this accessible entry qualification attracts, RRB/SSC-style normalisation ensures fair comparison across different shift difficulty levels — candidates shouldn’t worry excessively about which specific shift they’re assigned, since this statistical adjustment accounts for variation.
A Worked, Realistic PET Training Plan
Given how specifically demanding the PET timing requirements are, candidates should approach preparation with genuine, structured discipline rather than assuming natural fitness alone suffices:
Months 1-2 (Base building) — focus on building basic cardiovascular endurance through consistent, moderate-pace running, gradually increasing distance without focusing on speed initially.
Months 3-4 (Speed and distance combination) — begin timing your runs specifically against the target standard (5 km/24 minutes for male candidates, 1.6 km/8.5 minutes for female candidates), identifying your current gap against the required pace and adjusting training intensity accordingly.
Month 5 (Race-pace simulation) — practice running the exact required distance under the exact required time constraint repeatedly, building genuine confidence and physical readiness for actual exam-day performance under similar pressure conditions.
Final weeks (Tapering and confidence building) — reduce training intensity slightly to avoid overtraining/injury risk immediately before your actual PET date, while maintaining enough activity to preserve fitness gains.
Why this genuinely differs from casual fitness maintenance — candidates should understand that comfortably completing these specific distances under everyday, non-competitive conditions doesn’t guarantee success under actual PET exam-day pressure, heat, and nervousness — genuine, specific race-pace practice under simulated conditions provides considerably more reliable preparation.
Understanding Why This Exam Attracts Such Massive Applicant Interest
Given how genuinely accessible this specific qualification bar is (10th pass, with a relatively achievable physical standard for most young, healthy candidates), SSC GD Constable recruitment consistently attracts among the largest applicant pools of any Indian government recruitment exam — reflecting the genuine appeal of central government employment, comprehensive benefits, and career stability accessible at this comparatively modest educational qualification level.
Why understanding this scale matters for realistic preparation — candidates should approach this exam with genuine seriousness despite its accessible qualification bar, understanding that the sheer volume of competing applicants means only genuinely well-prepared candidates, across both CBT knowledge and PET physical readiness, secure selection from this massive combined applicant pool.
Understanding Force Allocation — What Happens After Selection
Given how this single exam covers multiple distinct forces (BSF, CISF, CRPF, ITBP, SSB, Assam Rifles), candidates should understand the allocation mechanism: candidates indicate specific force preferences during their application, with final force allocation determined by candidates’ overall merit ranking combined with their stated preferences and each specific force’s available vacancy allocation. Candidates should research each specific force’s typical deployment patterns, operational focus, and posting locations before finalising their preference ranking, since this genuinely affects their eventual day-to-day service experience.
Why Building Genuine Physical Fitness Habits Benefits Your Entire Subsequent Career
Given how directly relevant sustained physical fitness is to actual Constable duty (not just the initial PET assessment), candidates should approach their pre-recruitment physical training as building genuine, career-long fitness habits, not simply a one-time hurdle to clear. CAPF and police service more broadly demands sustained physical readiness throughout an officer’s career, given the genuinely active, sometimes physically demanding nature of frontline security and law enforcement duties.
Practical Guidance for Maximising Your SSC GD Constable Application Success
Begin PET training immediately upon deciding to pursue this career, not after CBT results — given how genuinely demanding the specific timing standards are, candidates should build this physical readiness well in advance rather than treating it as a lower-priority stage to address only after clearing the written exam.
Confirm your exact category-specific height/chest standards precisely — using the detailed breakdown in this guide as your starting reference, but always verifying against the current, official notification for your specific cycle.
Balance CBT preparation across all four core sections systematically — avoiding the common mistake of over-preparing in a single strongest area.
Address any vision or correctable medical concerns proactively — well before your scheduled medical examination stage.
Research your preferred force’s specific operational focus and typical deployment patterns — informing your genuine, considered preference ranking during application.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How many SSC GD Constable vacancies are available in 2026? 25,487 posts, across BSF, CISF, CRPF, ITBP, SSB, and Assam Rifles.
2. What is the minimum qualification for Constable? Matriculation (10th class) pass.
3. What is the age limit for SSC GD Constable? 18-23 years, with standard category-wise relaxation.
4. What is the minimum height requirement? 170 cm (General/OBC/SC male), 162.5 cm (ST male), 165 cm (hill area male), 157 cm (General/OBC/SC female), 150 cm (ST female).
5. What is the PET running requirement? 5 km in 24 minutes (male); 1.6 km in 8.5 minutes (female).
6. What is the salary for a Constable? ₹21,700-69,100 basic (Level-3), with in-hand pay around ₹30,000-37,000 monthly.
7. Are PwD candidates eligible for GD Constable posts? No — PwD candidates are not eligible, given the role’s physical demands.
8. Does NCC certification help candidacy? Yes — NCC certificate holders receive additional incentive marks added to their normalised CBT score.
Disclaimer: Vacancy numbers, physical standards, and salary figures in this article are based on the SSC GD Constable 2026 notification and may be revised through official corrigenda. Always verify current details directly from ssc.gov.in before applying.