SSC GD, Police Constable and SI Exams: Eligibility and Physical Tests

Last updated: 13 October 2026 · By the Asuraa Team

Quick answer: SSC GD is the Staff Selection Commission's exam for Constable (General Duty) in the central armed police forces, while state police constable and SI posts are filled by state recruitment boards and SSC's CAPFs and DP exam covers SI posts in Delhi Police and the CAPFs. All of them combine a written exam with a physical standard test, a physical efficiency test, a medical and document verification. Age, education and physical standards are set in each notification.

Key takeaways

• The Staff Selection Commission conducts the GD Constable exam and the CAPFs and DP exam for sub-inspector posts in Delhi Police and the central armed police forces.
• The Ministry of Home Affairs lists seven central armed police forces: Assam Rifles, BSF, CISF, CRPF, ITBP, NSG and SSB.
• State police constable and SI posts are recruited by state boards, such as Tamil Nadu's TNUSRB, which lists a 2025 direct recruitment for Sub-Inspectors of Police.
• Uniformed-service recruitment usually runs as a written exam, physical standard test, physical efficiency test, medical exam and document verification.
• Height, chest and running standards differ between central and state recruitments and between men and women, so each notification's table is the authority.

What are SSC GD, police constable and SI exams?

SSC GD is the Staff Selection Commission's exam for Constable (General Duty) posts in the central armed police forces; police constable and sub-inspector (SI) exams are run either by SSC (for Delhi Police and CAPF SI posts) or by each state's police recruitment board. All three combine a written test with physical standard and physical efficiency tests, which is what sets them apart from desk-job exams.

The Staff Selection Commission lists GD Constable and "CAPFs and DP" (the sub-inspector exam for Delhi Police and the central armed police forces) among the exams it conducts (SSC). The Ministry of Home Affairs lists seven central armed police forces: Assam Rifles, Border Security Force, Central Industrial Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, National Security Guard and Sashastra Seema Bal (MHA). State police constable and SI posts are filled separately by state boards, such as the Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board, which lists a 2025 direct recruitment for Sub-Inspectors of Police (Taluk and Armed Reserve) (TNUSRB).

Which exam fits you: SSC GD, state constable or SI?

Constable exams suit candidates who want to join at the entry rank soon after school; SI exams lead to a supervisory rank and generally ask for a degree, so check the notification. Whether you choose a central force or your state police depends mostly on where you want to serve.

Each notification fixes its own education, age, height, chest and running standards, often with different numbers for men and women and for candidates from hill and tribal areas. Because these numbers change between cycles and states, check the official notification for your exam rather than a chart from an earlier year.

What are the stages of selection?

Most uniformed-service recruitments follow the same order: a written or computer-based exam, a physical standard test (PST) for height and chest, a physical efficiency test (PET) for running and other events, a detailed medical exam, and document verification.

The CRPF recruitment site, for instance, publishes separate PST/PET notices for its constable recruitments and runs its own sports-quota recruitment for Constable (GD) (CRPF). SSC's central recruitments follow the same idea, with the physical stages after the written exam. State SI recruitments may add an interview or viva; check your state's notification.

The order matters for planning. The written exam is the first filter, but the PET is pass or fail on the day. If you cannot complete the running event in the required time, a high written score will not carry you through.

How do you apply, and where are the official notices?

You apply only through the official recruiting body's website, and you should never pay anyone to "fix" a selection.

1. SSC exams (GD, CAPFs and DP): Register and apply on ssc.gov.in during the notification window. SSC publishes an examination calendar there (SSC).
2. State constable and SI exams: Use your state board's site, for example tnusrb.tn.gov.in for Tamil Nadu. Telangana's recruitment board site has moved to tgprb.in.
3. Force-run recruitments: Check the force's own recruitment page, such as rect.crpf.gov.in for CRPF.
4. Keep documents ready: Class 10 and 12 certificates, degree for SI exams, caste or EWS certificate, domicile certificate for state posts, and recent photographs.
5. Download admit cards only from the official site and keep a printed copy for every stage, including PST/PET.

The ITBP recruitment site carries a caution notice and specimens of fake appointment letters, a reminder that fraudsters target these recruitments. Our guide to spotting fake job postings shows how to verify a notice.

How do you check whether you meet the physical standards before applying?

Measure yourself against the exact physical standards table in your notification, at home and then at a clinic, before you pay any fee. This takes an afternoon and can save you months.

Start by finding the row that applies to you: your gender, your category, and any regional relaxation the notification lists for hill or tribal areas. Then measure height without footwear against a wall, and chest (where it applies) both normal and expanded, with someone helping you read the tape. If you are within a centimetre or two of the minimum, get a formal measurement at a government hospital, since PST measurements are strict.

Next, test the running event. Run the distance named in the notification on a measured track or a GPS watch and note your time. If you are far from the target, you know how much of your 90 days must go to fitness. Finally, check eyesight with an optometrist, because medical standards are applied after you have cleared everything else.

What do most guides on SSC GD and police exams get wrong?

Most guides spend 90% of their pages on the written syllabus and a few lines on physical tests. Yet the PET is pass or fail on the day, and running fitness takes weeks to build safely. Candidates who start training two weeks before the PET put months of written preparation at risk, so running belongs in your plan from day one.

The second mistake is assuming one set of physical standards applies everywhere. Height and chest requirements differ between central and state recruitments, between men and women, and for specified regions and communities. Measure yourself honestly against the exact table in your notification before you spend months preparing.

The third is ignoring the medical exam. The medical standards in your notification, including eyesight, can lead to rejection after you have cleared everything else. Get a basic check-up early so there are no surprises.

What does a 90-day preparation plan look like?

A 90-day plan should run written preparation and physical training side by side, with mocks in the final month.

1. Days 1 to 7: Read the notification for your exam. Check your age, education, height and chest against it, and book a basic eye and medical check.
2. Days 8 to 30: Study daily for two hours: arithmetic (percentages, ratios, time and work), reasoning, and general awareness. Start running three days a week at an easy pace.
3. Days 31 to 60: Add Hindi or English (as your exam requires) and state-specific general knowledge for state exams. Increase running to four or five days a week, with one timed run each week.
4. Days 61 to 75: Take three full written mocks a week and review mistakes. Practise the PET distance at target pace once a week.
5. Days 76 to 90: Revise current affairs, sleep well, and taper your running so you reach the PET fresh. Keep all documents and photographs in one folder.

If you are still choosing between a uniformed career and other options, an Asuraa mentor can talk it through. For the full list of central and state routes, see the government jobs in India guide, compare paths in government job vs private IT job, and read the government jobs for 12th pass guide for other school-level options. Graduates aiming for officer ranks in the armed forces should also see the defence entries guide.

Related guides

• Government Jobs in India for Graduates: Exams and Planning (2026)
• Defence Entries for Graduates: CDS, AFCAT, Agniveer and Tech Entries
• India Post GDS and Postal Jobs: Eligibility, Merit Lists, How to Apply
• LIC AAO and ADO Exams for Graduates: Eligibility, Pattern and Pay

FAQ

Who conducts the SSC GD exam?

The Staff Selection Commission conducts the Constable (GD) exam for the central armed police forces, and lists it on ssc.gov.in along with the CAPFs and DP exam for sub-inspector posts. Applications, admit cards and results are issued only through the official SSC website. The physical tests and medical come after the written exam.

What is the difference between SSC GD and state police constable?

SSC GD recruits constables for the central armed police forces, who can be posted anywhere in India. State police constable exams are run by each state's recruitment board for that state's police, and may add domicile or local-language conditions. Both use a written exam followed by physical standard and efficiency tests, a medical and document verification.

What is PST and PET in police recruitment?

PST is the physical standard test, where your height and chest are measured against the notification's table. PET is the physical efficiency test, usually a timed run and sometimes other events. Both are pass-or-fail stages held after the written exam, and the standards differ by recruitment, gender and region.

Can graduates apply for police SI posts?

Yes. Sub-inspector recruitments, whether through SSC's CAPFs and DP exam or a state police board, lead to a supervisory rank and generally ask for a degree. Each notification sets the degree requirement, age band and physical standards, so read it before applying. State SI recruitments may include an interview or viva.

How do I avoid fake police recruitment offers?

Apply only on the recruiting body's official website, such as ssc.gov.in, your state board's site or a force's recruitment page. The ITBP recruitment site carries a caution notice and specimens of fake appointment letters. Nobody can guarantee selection for money, and genuine bodies do not ask for payments outside the official fee.

Final thoughts

SSC GD, state constable and SI exams reward candidates who train their body as seriously as they study, and who read the exact standards in their own notification. Start running today, apply only through official sites, and keep a back-up plan. If you want to see civilian options alongside, explore Asuraa's career path planner.