SSC GD Constable 2026 exam pattern — sections, marks, negative marking
SSC GD Constable (SSC GD Constable (CAPFs, SSF) and Rifleman (GD) Assam Rifles Examination) is conducted by Staff Selection Commission (SSC). The stages are: CBT → PET/PST → medical exam + document verification. This page sets out each stage with its sections, questions, marks, duration and negative marking, explains how the final selection is made, and shows how to approach each subject. For dates and the current status of the 2026 cycle, see the SSC GD Constable guide.
Computer Based Examination (CBE): 80 questions, 160 marks, 60 minutes, +2 per correct, −0.25 per wrong.
✓ Data verified 1 Oct 2026
Stage-wise exam pattern
Computer Based Examination (CBE) Merit-deciding — marks decide your rank
Online CBT, objective multiple choice · 60 min · +2 per correct, −0.25 per wrong
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General Intelligence & Reasoning | 20 | 40 |
| General Knowledge & General Awareness | 20 | 40 |
| Elementary Mathematics | 20 | 40 |
| English / Hindi | 20 | 40 |
| Total | 80 | 160 |
Question level is Matriculation (Class 10). The paper is offered in English, Hindi and 13 regional languages (Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu); in Part D you choose English or Hindi. Calculators and electronic gadgets are not allowed. Scores are normalised across shifts, and NCC certificate holders get bonus marks. There is no re-evaluation. Tentative answer keys are published and you can object on payment of ₹50 per question.
Physical Efficiency Test (PET) and Physical Standard Test (PST) Qualifying (pass/fail)
Conducted by the CAPFs at their centres · Not applicable
About 8 times the number of vacancies are shortlisted from the CBT, state-wise, area-wise and category-wise. PET (race): men 5 km in 24 minutes; women 1.6 km in 8½ minutes (Ladakh region: men 1.6 km in 7 minutes, women 800 m in 5 minutes). PST: height 170 cm (men) and 157 cm (women); chest 80 cm unexpanded with 5 cm expansion for men; weight proportionate to height and age. Scheduled Tribes and some regions get relaxed height and chest. There is no appeal against the race result. Ex-servicemen are exempt from PET but have their measurements recorded.
Selection process
CBT → PET (race) → PST → Detailed Medical Examination (DME) → Document Verification (DV) → final merit. About 8 times the vacancies are shortlisted from the CBT for PET/PST, and about 2 times the vacancies for medical and DV. CBT marks (normalised, plus NCC bonus) alone decide the final merit list; PET, PST and medical are qualifying. To be shortlisted you also need to clear the minimum CBT percentage: 30% for UR, 25% for OBC/EWS, 20% for all other categories. In the application you rank all seven forces in order of preference, and allotment follows your merit, your preferences and the state-wise vacancies. NCC certificate holders get bonus marks (C: 5%, B: 3%, A: 2% of maximum marks). There is no interview.
Normalisation: why your raw score is not your final score
The CBT runs in many shifts with different papers, so SSC normalises scores using the procedure it published in its notice of 2 June 2025 before building the merit list. The practical lessons: (1) never compare raw marks across shifts; (2) your normalised score, not raw marks, is compared with the cut-off; (3) don't panic after a tough shift — attempt what you know and skip guesses, since each wrong answer costs 0.25.
How to read this pattern
Each stage carries a tag that tells you what it is for. In this exam: Computer Based Examination (CBE) is “Merit-deciding — marks decide your rank”; Physical Efficiency Test (PET) and Physical Standard Test (PST) is “Qualifying (pass/fail)”. Read each stage's tag and notes to see whether its marks count towards the final merit or only decide who moves to the next stage, because that changes how much risk is worth taking on a single question.
Always check the negative marking line before you decide how freely to guess. Where there is a penalty, a wrong answer costs marks; where the data says there is none, leaving a question blank only loses the chance to score.
Question counts per section are the best guide to how much time and practice each subject deserves. Use the tables above to split your preparation in proportion to the marks on offer, and revisit the split after each mock or topic test.
How to approach each section
Each subject below links to the full notes on ExamShortcut. Topics are listed as high importance where our topic data flags them; the question counts come from the pattern above.
General Intelligence & Reasoning
All 20 topics →Computer Based Examination (CBE): 20 questions, 40 marks
Reasoning rewards pattern recognition, so practise each question type until you recognise it on sight: series, coding-decoding, analogy, classification, syllogism, direction and blood-relation questions, and non-verbal figures. Work in rough on paper rather than in your head, and skip any puzzle that is not settling within a minute or so.
High-importance topics: Analogy, Classification (Odd One Out), Series (Number & Letter), Coding - Decoding, Blood Relations, Seating Arrangement
General Awareness
All 14 topics →Computer Based Examination (CBE): 20 questions, 40 marks
General awareness is memory work, so revise in short, regular rounds instead of cramming. Combine static GK tables with the last several months of current affairs, and use the daily quiz to keep facts fresh. Decide in advance how much time you will give it.
High-importance topics: Modern Indian History, Indian Polity & Constitution, Indian Geography, Indian Economy, Biology, Static GK
Quantitative Aptitude
All 23 topics →Computer Based Examination (CBE): 20 questions, 40 marks
Learn the formula and the shortcut for each topic first, then drill timed sets so that routine calculation questions take seconds. In the exam, take the questions you can do quickly and leave the long, multi-step ones for the end. Topic tests after every chapter show which topics still cost you time.
High-importance topics: Number System, Percentage, Ratio, Proportion, Partnership & Ages, Average, Interest (SI & CI), Profit, Loss & Discount
English Comprehension
All 14 topics →Computer Based Examination (CBE): 20 questions, 40 marks
Build the basics in grammar (error spotting, fill in the blanks, sentence improvement) and add a little vocabulary every day: idioms, one-word substitutions, synonyms and spellings. For comprehension, read the questions before the passage and answer from the text, not from outside knowledge.
High-importance topics: Reading Comprehension, Cloze Test, Error Spotting, Sentence Improvement, Fill in the Blanks, Grammar Essentials (Handbook)
Next, check who can apply on the SSC GD Constable eligibility page and compare posts and pay on the SSC GD Constable salary and posts page.
SSC GD Constable exam pattern — FAQs
What is the selection process for SSC GD Constable?
CBT → PET/PST → medical exam + document verification.
What is the Computer Based Examination (CBE) pattern in SSC GD Constable?
80 questions, 160 marks, 60 minutes, +2 per correct, −0.25 per wrong. Sections: General Intelligence & Reasoning (20 questions, 40 marks); General Knowledge & General Awareness (20 questions, 40 marks); Elementary Mathematics (20 questions, 40 marks); English / Hindi (20 questions, 40 marks).
Can I write the paper in Hindi or a regional language?
Yes. The CBT is offered in English, Hindi and 13 regional languages: Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. In Part D (language) you answer the English or Hindi paper.
Do PET, PST and medical marks count in the final merit?
No. They are qualifying only. The final merit comes from your normalised CBT score (plus NCC bonus marks if applicable). But failing any of them removes you from the list, so treat them as seriously as the written test.
What is the minimum qualifying percentage in the CBT?
To be shortlisted for PET/PST you need at least 30% (UR), 25% (OBC/EWS) or 20% (all other categories). Clearing the minimum is not enough — only about 8 times the vacancies, state-wise and category-wise, are called, so the real cut-off is usually far higher.
Is there a Tier 2 or an interview?
No. The written stage is a single CBT, followed by physical tests, medical and document verification. There is no interview.