UPSC CAPF AC 2026 Exam Pattern – Written Exam, PET & Interview

UPSC CAPF AC 2026

Union Public Service CommissionGraduate hard

The CAPF AC 2026 selection process has three stages: Written Exam (2 papers), Physical Efficiency Test (PET) / Physical Standards Test (PST), and Medical + Personality Test (Interview). All stages are eliminatory.

Stage 1: Written Exam Pattern

PaperTypeQuestions / FormatMarksDuration
Paper IObjective (MCQ)125 questions2502 Hours
Paper IIDescriptiveEssay + Comprehension + Précis2003 Hours
Total Written450

Paper I Marking Scheme

  • Correct answer: +2 marks
  • Wrong answer: −0.66 marks (−1/3 of 2 marks)
  • Unattempted: 0 marks

Paper II Marks Breakdown

SectionMarks
Essay Writing (2 essays)80
English Comprehension & Précis120
Total Paper II200

Stage 2: Physical Standards & Efficiency Test

TestDetails
PST (Physical Standards)Height check (Male: 165 cm min; Female: 157 cm min), weight and chest measurements
PET (Male)100m race in 16 sec; 800m race in 3 min 45 sec; Long jump 3.5m; High jump 1.2m; Shot put (7.26kg) 4.5m
PET (Female)100m race in 18 sec; 800m race in 4 min 45 sec; Long jump 3.0m; High jump 0.9m

Stage 3: Medical Examination & Personality Test

ComponentMarks
Personality Test (Interview)150
Grand Total (Written + Interview)600

Final Merit = Paper I (250) + Paper II (200) + Interview (150) = 600 marks

Frequently Asked Questions

Q.Is Paper II marks included in the final CAPF AC merit list?

Yes. Paper II (200 marks) is merit-determining and fully counted in the final score. Final merit = Paper I (250) + Paper II (200) + Interview (150) = 600 marks.

Q.Is the Physical Efficiency Test (PET) qualifying or merit-based?

The PET and PST are qualifying in nature only. Marks scored in PET are NOT added to the final merit. Candidates must pass all PET events to proceed to the medical and interview stage.

Q.What minimum score in Paper I qualifies for Paper II evaluation?

UPSC uses Paper I marks to shortlist candidates for Paper II evaluation. Only candidates scoring above the Paper I cutoff have their Paper II papers evaluated. Very low Paper I scores eliminate candidates before Paper II marking.

Q.Is the interview for CAPF AC similar to UPSC CSE interview?

The CAPF AC Personality Test (150 marks) is conducted by a UPSC Board and is less exhaustive than CSE interview, focusing on personality assessment, general awareness, and suitability for paramilitary service rather than deep policy analysis.

UPSC CAPF AC 2026 HubOfficial Website

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