SSC GD Constable 2026 Notification: Eligibility, Vacancies, Exam Pattern & How to Apply

The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has released the SSC GD Constable 2026 notification for recruitment to Constable (GD) posts in CAPFs, SSF and Rifleman (GD) in Assam Rifles for 25,487 vacancies across India. This is a great opportunity for 10th-pass students who wish to join forces like BSF, CISF, CRPF, ITBP, SSB, SSF and Assam Rifles with a pay scale of ₹21,700–₹69,100 (Pay Level‑3).​

SSC GD 2026 Important Dates

The SSC GD 2026 notification clearly mentions all key dates that aspirants must remember. Missing any deadline may lead to rejection of your application.​

• Online application start date: 1 December 2025

• Last date to apply online: 31 December 2025 (11:00 pm)

• Last date for online fee payment: 1 January 2026 (11:00 pm)

• Application form correction window: 8 January 2026 to 10 January 2026 (11:00 pm)

• Tentative SSC GD 2026 CBT exam dates: February–April 2026​

SSC GD Vacancy 2026: Force-wise Details

The total number of vacancies notified for SSC GD Constable 2026 is 25,487 for male and female candidates combined. Vacancies are distributed among various forces and are state/UT-wise for most CAPFs, whereas SSF vacancies are filled on an all-India basis.​

Ten percent of the total vacancies are reserved for Ex‑servicemen; if suitable ESM candidates are not available, those posts are filled by non‑ESM candidates of the same category. Selected candidates are liable to serve anywhere in India as per force requirements.​

Important Dates

SSC Constable (GD) & Rifleman (GD) Important Links

• Apply Link: Click here
• Official Notification PDF: Click here
• Official Website: Click here

SSC GD 2026 Eligibility Criteria

Students planning to apply for SSC GD Constable 2026 must carefully check nationality, age and educational qualifications. Failing to meet any eligibility condition will result in cancellation at any stage of the recruitment process.​

Nationality

• Candidate must be a citizen of India.

• Domicile/ Permanent Residence Certificate (PRC) of the state/UT claimed is mandatory, except for special cases like Assam and West Pakistani Refugees where alternative verification is prescribed.​

Age Limit (as on 1 January 2026)

Candidates must be 18–23 years old as on 1 January 2026, i.e. born between 2 January 2003 and 1 January 2008 (both dates inclusive). Upper age relaxations are available as below.​

• SC/ST: 5 years

• OBC: 3 years

• Ex‑servicemen: 3 years after deducting length of military service from actual age

• Children/dependents of 1984 riots victims:

  • UR/EWS: 5 years

  • OBC: 8 years

  • SC/ST: 10 years​

Educational Qualification

• Candidates must have passed Matriculation/10th class from a recognized board on or before 1 January 2026.​

• Qualifications obtained through open and distance learning are valid only if the program and period are recognized by the Distance Education Bureau of UGC.​

• Candidates must produce original mark sheets and certificates during document verification; only those whose results were declared on or before the cut-off date will be treated as eligible.​

SSC GD 2026 Exam Pattern

The SSC GD 2026 selection process consists of a Computer Based Examination (CBE), Physical Efficiency Test (PET), Physical Standard Test (PST), Detailed Medical Examination (DME) and Document Verification. The first stage is the online CBE of 160 marks.​

Computer-Based Examination (CBE)

The CBE is of matriculation level and is conducted in English, Hindi, and 13 regional languages, including Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu. The question paper is divided into four parts as follows.​

• Total questions: 80

• Total marks: 160

• Duration: 60 minutes

• Negative marking: 0.25 mark for each wrong answer​

The paper tests basic reasoning, India-centric GK and current affairs, fundamental mathematics, and language skills in English or Hindi. Since competition is very high, aspirants should target scores much higher than the minimum qualifying marks.​

SSC GD 2026 PET, PST, and Medical

Candidates who qualify for the CBE (around 8 times the number of vacancies) are called for PET/PST conducted by the CAPFs. Performance in PET/PST is qualifying in nature, but failure leads to elimination from the recruitment process.​

Physical Efficiency Test (Race)

• For all candidates except the Ladakh region:

  • Male: 5 km race in 24 minutes

  • Female: 1.6 km race in 8½ minutes

• For Ladakh region candidates:

  • Male: 1.6 km race in 7 minutes

  • Female: 800 metres race in 5 minutes​

Ex‑servicemen are exempted from the PET race but must undergo PST measurements and medical examination.​

Physical Standard Test

• Height (general standard):

  • Male: 170 cm

  • Female: 157 cm

• Chest (males only): 80 cm unexpanded with 5 cm minimum expansion

• Relaxations in height and chest are available for ST, hill area candidates, North Eastern states, Gorkhas, and other specified categories as per the detailed table in the notification.​

• Weight must be proportionate to height and age as per medical standards.​

Candidates declared unfit in PST can file an appeal on the same day before the Appellate Authority; the decision of this authority is final.​

SSC GD 2026 Application Process

The SSC GD Constable 2026 application form is to be filled online only through the new SSC website or the official mobile app. Offline applications are not accepted.​

Step-by-step online application

1. Complete One-Time Registration (OTR) on the new SSC website (https://ssc.gov.in); OTR created earlier on the old site (ssc.nic.in) is not valid for this exam.​

2. Log in using your registration details and open the SSC GD Constable 2026 application link.​

3. Fill in personal details, category, educational qualification, domicile state/UT and force preferences carefully, as state/UT is crucial for vacancy allocation.​

4. Capture a live photograph using the online module as per instructions (plain background, full face visible, no cap, mask or spectacles).​

5. Upload scanned signature in JPEG format (10–20 KB) with dimensions about 6.0 cm x 2.0 cm.​

6. Pay the application fee (if applicable) through BHIM UPI, net banking or debit/credit card.​

7. Submit the form and take a printout/ PDF for future reference.​

Application Fee and Correction Window

• Application fee: ₹100

• Fee exemption: Women, SC, ST and eligible Ex‑servicemen do not have to pay the fee.​

• Fee payment is accepted only in online mode up to 1 January 2026 (11:00 pm).​

Correction facility details:

• Correction window: 8 January 2026 to 10 January 2026 (11:00 pm)

• First correction: ₹200

• Second correction: ₹500

• Only candidates with successfully submitted applications and fee within the main window can edit their details.​

• Latest corrected form is treated as final and earlier versions are cancelled.​

SSC GD 2026 Minimum Qualifying Marks and Final Selection

For the CBE, the minimum qualifying marks (excluding NCC bonus) are prescribed category-wise. Actual cut-offs may be higher depending on vacancies and number of candidates.​

• UR: 30%

• OBC/EWS: 25%

• All other categories: 20%​

NCC certificate holders receive bonus marks added to their normalized CBE score if they claim the benefit in the online form and produce the original certificate at DV.​

Final merit lists are prepared state/UT, category and force-wise based on normalized CBE marks plus NCC bonus, subject to qualifying PET/PST, being found medically fit and fulfilling all document verification requirements. Force allocation is done according to merit position and preference of forces given in the application form.​

Preparation Tips for Students

Students targeting SSC GD Constable 2026 should start preparation early to cover all stages of the exam effectively. Consistency in both studies and physical training is the key to success in this recruitment.​

• Focus on high-scoring topics in reasoning (analogies, series, coding–decoding), maths (percentage, ratio, time & work, mensuration) and static GK related to India, constitution, geography and basic science.​

• Follow daily current affairs from reliable national sources to strengthen General Awareness.​

• Practice full-length mock tests in CBT pattern of 80 questions/60 minutes to improve speed and accuracy with negative marking in mind.​

• Begin PET preparation at least a few months in advance; build stamina through regular running, warm-up, stretching and strength training as per race standards.​

• Keep all documents like 10th mark sheet, caste certificate, EWS certificate, domicile/PRC and NCC certificate (if any) ready before DV to avoid last-minute issues.