CAPF Constable GD: Pay, Physical Standards and Force-Wise Posting

CAPF Constable (General Duty) — commonly known as SSC GD Constable — is the entry point into the Central Armed Police Forces at Constable level, conducted by SSC across BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, SSB, Assam Rifles, SSF and NCB. By vacancy count, it's one of the largest single recruitment exams in India, and genuinely different in day-to-day work depending on which force you're allotted to.

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This guide covers eligibility, physical standards, exam pattern, force-specific job profile, and salary. See the police & paramilitary jobs overview for how this fits alongside CAPF's officer (Assistant Commandant) and SI entry levels, and our CAPF Assistant Commandant and SSC CPO guides for those levels.

Eligibility

Educational Qualification: Class 10th pass (Matriculation) from a recognised board.

Age Limit: generally 18 to 23 years as on the notification's reference date, with standard category-wise relaxation.

Forces and What Each Constable Role Involves

• BSF (Border Security Force): primarily protects the Indo-Pakistan and Indo-Bangladesh borders — genuinely border-focused, often remote postings.
• ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Border Police): maintains security along the India-China border areas, with a role centred on maintaining peace and security in assigned (often high-altitude) areas.
• CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force): frequently deployed in anti-Maoist and anti-insurgency operations — among the more operationally demanding postings, involving direct engagement in conflict-affected areas.
• CISF (Central Industrial Security Force): secures critical government and industrial installations — airports, metro systems, public sector undertakings — and often involves VIP protection duties, generally a more urban/installation-based posting than the border-guarding forces.
• SSB (Sashastra Seema Bal): border-guarding role along India's borders with Nepal and Bhutan.
• NCB (Narcotics Control Bureau): assists in intelligence gathering against drug trafficking, raids, and investigation support — a smaller, more specialised recruitment stream than the main border-guarding forces.

Initial posting typically starts as a security guard/escort-level role, with Constables expected to supervise duties in the absence of a Sub-Inspector or Assistant Sub-Inspector.

Exam Pattern

Selection is CBT → PET/PST → Medical Examination → Document Verification, with no interview.

CBT: 80 questions for 160 marks over 60 minutes, covering General Intelligence & Reasoning, General Knowledge & General Awareness, Elementary Mathematics, and English/Hindi Language. Each correct answer is worth 2 marks, with 0.25 marks deducted per wrong answer.

Physical Standards

Height: 170 cm for General/OBC male candidates, 157 cm for General/OBC female candidates, with relaxation available for candidates from hill regions and tribal areas.

Chest (male candidates only): 80 cm minimum unexpanded for General, OBC and SC candidates.

Weight: assessed proportionate to height and age per medical standards, rather than one fixed figure.

PET (Physical Efficiency Test): assesses strength, stamina and fitness through running, long jump and high jump.

PST (Physical Standard Test): the objective measurement stage — height, chest (male) and weight checked against the standards above.

Both PET and PST are mandatory, qualifying-only stages — failing either disqualifies you regardless of CBT performance.

Salary

CAPF Constable sits at Pay Level 3, with a starting basic pay of ₹21,700. See our Police & Paramilitary Salary guide for the full calculation, including the Ration Money and Risk & Hardship Allowances that meaningfully affect take-home pay depending on your specific posting.

Who Should Consider CAPF Constable?

CAPF Constable suits Class 10th-pass candidates who can meet the physical standards and are genuinely prepared for the operational reality of the force they're allotted to — the difference between a CISF airport-security posting and a CRPF anti-insurgency deployment is substantial, even though both share the same entry exam, pay level and rank title. It's worth understanding which forces you're ranking in your preference order and what their typical deployment pattern actually involves, not just their name recognition.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum qualification for CAPF Constable?

Class 10th pass (Matriculation) from a recognised board.

Which forces recruit through CAPF Constable (GD)?

BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, SSB, Assam Rifles, SSF and NCB — each with genuinely different postings and operational focus despite sharing one exam.

What are the physical standards for CAPF Constable?

170 cm height for General/OBC male candidates (157 cm female), 80 cm minimum chest for male candidates, and weight proportionate to height/age — with relaxation for hill-region and tribal candidates.

What is the salary for CAPF Constable?

Starting basic pay is ₹21,700 (Pay Level 3). See our Police & Paramilitary Salary guide for how Risk & Hardship Allowance affects actual take-home pay by posting.

Is there an interview for CAPF Constable?

No. Selection is CBT, PET/PST, medical examination and document verification — no interview.

Which CAPF Constable posting is the most physically/operationally demanding?

CRPF's anti-Maoist and anti-insurgency deployments are commonly cited as among the more operationally intensive postings, compared to CISF's more installation-focused, often urban security role — though all CAPF postings involve genuine physical and operational demands.

See our CAPF Constable vs State Police Constable comparison if you're weighing national CAPF service against staying closer to home with state police.

In Summary

CAPF Constable (GD) is a high-volume, Class 10th-accessible entry point into six different central forces, sharing one exam but leading to genuinely different day-to-day realities depending on allotment. Meet the physical standards honestly before committing to preparation, and research your preferred forces' typical deployment pattern rather than choosing based on name alone.

Sources

• Pay levels and entry pay: 7th Central Pay Commission report, Pay Matrix