1What is SSC CPO 2026?
The SSC CPO (Central Police Organisation) Examination — formally the Sub-Inspector in Delhi Police and Central Armed Police Forces Examination — is conducted annually by the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) to recruit Sub-Inspectors in Delhi Police and in five Central Armed Police Forces: BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP and SSB.
It is a graduate-level national exam with one of the tightest age windows (20–25 years) among all SSC exams. SI (GD) in CAPFs is a Group ‘B’ (Non-Gazetted), Non-Ministerial post; SI (Executive) in Delhi Police is classified Group ‘C’ by Delhi Police. Both carry the same Pay Level 6 (₹35,400–₹1,12,400). Recent cycles have recruited only Sub-Inspector posts — the ASI in CISF post that featured in older CPO notifications was not part of the 2024 or 2025 cycles.
Unlike SSC CGL or CHSL, which lead to desk jobs, SSC CPO is a uniformed service with operational duties. Candidates must clear two written papers and physical fitness tests. All posts except SI in Delhi Police carry All-India Service Liability — you may be posted anywhere in the country.
2SSC CPO Important Dates 2026
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| SSC CPO 2025 Notification Released | 26 September 2025 | ✓ Done |
| Application Window (2025 cycle) | 26 Sep – 16 Oct 2025 | ✓ Done |
| Application Correction Window | 24–26 October 2025 | ✓ Done |
| Paper I (CBT) Exam | 9–12 December 2025 | ✓ Done |
| Paper I Result + Cut-off (48,615 shortlisted) | 30 March 2026 | ✓ Done |
| Paper I Final Answer Key | 21 April 2026 | ✓ Done |
| PET / PST Admit Card (Call Letter) | From 12–17 July 2026 | ✓ Done |
| PET / PST (Physical Test) — 2025 cycle | 21–28 July 2026 | ✓ Done |
| PET / PST Result | To be notified (TBN) | TBN |
| Paper II (English Language & Comprehension) | To be notified (TBN) | TBN |
| Detailed Medical Examination (DME) | To be notified (TBN) | TBN |
| SSC CPO 2026 Notification | Delayed — To be notified (TBN) | ⚠️ Delayed |
| Online Application Window (2026 cycle) | TBN — opens the day the notification drops | ⚠️ Delayed |
| Paper I Exam Date (2026 cycle) | October–November 2026 (tentative) | 🔔 Tentative |
3Delhi Police Sub Inspector Vacancy & Online Form 2026
💡 Short answer: the Delhi Police Sub Inspector 2026 online form has not opened and the vacancy count is ⚠️ TBN. Delhi Police SI posts are filled only through SSC CPO — there is no separate Delhi Police SI form. The application link goes live on ssc.gov.in on the day the SSC CPO 2026 notification PDF is published.
2025 cycle Delhi Police vacancies
212 Sub-Inspector (Executive) posts — 142 male (including Ex-Servicemen and the 10% departmental quota) and 70 female. Use this as a benchmark, not a prediction.
LMV driving licence
Male candidates must hold a valid LMV licence (Motorcycle and Car) on the date of the physical test. Without it you are considered for CAPF posts only — the application itself is not rejected.
Posting
SI in Delhi Police is the only post in this exam without All-India Service Liability — you serve within the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
Departmental quota
Constables, Head Constables and ASIs of Delhi Police with 3+ years of service can apply up to 30 years of age (33 OBC, 35 SC/ST) against both open and departmental vacancies.
🔔 How to make sure you do not miss the form
- Complete your One-Time Registration (OTR) on ssc.gov.in now — it stays valid for every SSC exam and saves a day when the form opens.
- Keep your matriculation certificate details, a working mobile number and email, and your Aadhaar ready for authentication.
- Get your LMV driving licence before the physical test date if you want the Delhi Police post — licences take weeks to issue.
- Check the SSC Notice Board weekly. This page is updated whenever the Commission publishes something new.
4SSC CPO 2026 Eligibility Criteria
Nationality
Citizen of India, or a subject of Nepal or Bhutan holding a certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of India.
Educational Qualification
Bachelor's Degree in any discipline from a recognised university. Final-year candidates may apply but must hold the degree on or before the closing date for applications.
Age Limit (General)
20 to 25 years on the crucial date in the notification (1 August of the cycle year). For the 2025 cycle this meant candidates born between 02.08.2000 and 01.08.2005. The 2026 crucial date will be confirmed in the notification.
Driving Licence (Delhi Police Male)
A valid LMV licence (Motorcycle and Car) is mandatory on the date fixed for the Physical Endurance and Measurement Test. Male candidates without one remain eligible for CAPF posts.
📋 Age Relaxation Table
| Category | Upper Age Limit | Relaxation |
|---|---|---|
| General / EWS | 25 years | None |
| OBC | 28 years | +3 years |
| SC / ST | 30 years | +5 years |
| Ex-Servicemen | Varies | +3 years after deducting military service from actual age as on the closing date |
| Widows / divorced / judicially separated women — SI Delhi Police only | 35 years | Not remarried |
| Widows / divorced / judicially separated women (SC/ST) — SI Delhi Police only | 40 years | Not remarried |
| Departmental Delhi Police (UR / EWS), 3+ years service | 30 years | Delhi Police vacancies only |
| Departmental Delhi Police (OBC), 3+ years service | 33 years | Delhi Police vacancies only |
| Departmental Delhi Police (SC/ST), 3+ years service | 35 years | Delhi Police vacancies only |
⚠️ Note on PwBD: SSC CPO Sub-Inspector posts do not carry PwBD reservation or PwBD age relaxation — the age-relaxation table in the official notice lists no PwBD category. Do not rely on the generic “PwBD +10 years” rule you may see quoted for other SSC exams.
Age relaxation and ESM reservation are not available to sons, daughters or dependants of Ex-Servicemen. Candidates on the Delhi NCT OBC list who are not on the Central OBC list are treated as OBC for the Delhi Police post only.
Check your eligibility in 30 seconds →5Vacancies & Posts
💡 2026 vacancies are ⚠️ TBN — SSC publishes force-wise and category-wise vacancies only inside the notification PDF, and the 2026 notification is still awaited. The table below is the official 2025 cycle distribution from the SSC notice dated 26 September 2025, shown for reference.
| Force / Post | 2025 Vacancies | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Delhi Police – SI (Executive) Male | 142 | LMV driving licence required; includes ESM + departmental quota |
| Delhi Police – SI (Executive) Female | 70 | No All-India service liability |
| CISF – SI (GD) | 1,294 | Largest share; industrial & airport security |
| CRPF – SI (GD) | 1,029 | Pan-India posting |
| ITBP – SI (GD) | 233 | High-altitude border force |
| BSF – SI (GD) | 223 | Pakistan & Bangladesh borders |
| SSB – SI (GD) | 82 | Nepal / Bhutan border |
| TOTAL (SSC CPO 2025) | 3,073 | CAPF SI (GD) 2,861 + Delhi Police SI 212 |
Vacancy Trend (Last 4 Cycles)
| 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4,300 | 1,876 | 4,187 | 3,073 | TBN |
The 2024 cycle opened with 4,187 posts and was later revised upward to 5,308. The 2025 cycle stayed at 3,073. Vacancy numbers are set by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Delhi Police, not by SSC, so year-to-year swings are large and cannot be predicted.
6Application Fee & How to Apply
💳 Fee Structure
- ₹100 — General, OBC and EWS candidates
- Nil — all women candidates, SC, ST and Ex-Servicemen eligible for reservation
- Payment online only: BHIM UPI, Net Banking, Visa / MasterCard / Maestro / RuPay debit card
- Correction window charges: ₹200 for the first correction, ₹500 for the second — payable by everyone regardless of category
- Fee once paid is never refunded or adjusted
📝 Application Steps
- Complete One-Time Registration (OTR) on ssc.gov.in — the old ssc.nic.in OTR does not carry over
- Log in and open the SSC CPO application under Latest Notifications
- Capture a live photograph through the form (no cap, no spectacles, plain background) — uploading a photo of an existing photo leads to rejection
- Upload your signature: JPEG, 10–20 KB, about 6.0 cm × 2.0 cm
- Choose three exam centre preferences in order of priority — no change is allowed later
- Declare NCC certificate and Ex-Servicemen/departmental status if applicable, then pay the fee
Post preference matters more than most people realise. Before the final result, SSC takes your order of preference across the six options — Delhi Police, BSF, CISF, CRPF, ITBP and SSB. The choice is final and irreversible, you are not considered for a force you did not opt for, and once your first available preference is allotted you are out of the running for everything below it. Candidates who miss the preference window are dropped from the final result entirely.
7SSC CPO Exam Pattern 2026
Paper I – Computer Based Test (CBT) | 200 Marks | 2 Hours
| Subject | Questions | Marks | Sectional Timer |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Intelligence & Reasoning | 50 | 50 | 30 min (sectional timer) |
| General Knowledge & General Awareness | 50 | 50 | 30 min (sectional timer) |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 50 | 50 | 30 min (sectional timer) |
| English Comprehension | 50 | 50 | 30 min (sectional timer) |
| Total | 200 | 200 | 2 Hours |
Stage 2 – PST / PET (Physical Standard & Endurance Test)
Mandatory but qualifying in nature — no marks are added to merit. Candidates shortlisted from Paper I are called for the PST (height, chest, weight) and PET (running, jumps, shot put). Failure ends the candidature. Ex-Servicemen are exempt from the PET but must still meet the physical standards and medical standards. See Section 9 for the full standards.
Paper II – English Language & Comprehension | 200 Marks | 2 Hours
Paper II is set only in English (not bilingual). As per the SSC notice, the paper is divided into four parts with a 30-minute sectional timer for each part — the same constraint as Paper I, which many candidates do not expect. It tests error recognition, fill in the blanks, vocabulary, spellings, grammar, sentence structure, synonyms and antonyms, idioms and comprehension. Strong English is essential: many candidates who clear Paper I lose their rank here.
Stage 4 – Detailed Medical Examination (DME)
Conducted for candidates shortlisted after Paper II, by a Medical Officer of the CAPFs or a Grade-I Assistant Surgeon of a Central/State government hospital. Candidates found unfit undergo a Review Medical Examination, held in continuation of the DME — preferably the next day. The Review Board’s decision is final.
📊 How Final Merit is Calculated
Final selection is based on the combined score of Paper I + Paper II (400 marks), including NCC bonus marks, together with the post preferences you submitted. Minimum qualifying marks, before bonus marks are added, are 30% for UR, 25% for OBC and EWS, and 20% for all other categories. Where an exam runs in multiple shifts, scores are normalised using the procedure SSC published in its notice dated 02.06.2025, and it is the normalised score that decides cut-offs and merit.
- NCC ‘C’ Certificate: 10 marks per paper (5% of maximum marks)
- NCC ‘B’ Certificate: 6 marks per paper (3% of maximum marks)
- NCC ‘A’ Certificate: 4 marks per paper (2% of maximum marks)
The certificate must be held as on the closing date for applications and produced at Document Verification.
8SSC CPO Syllabus 2026
General Intelligence & Reasoning
- ▸Analogy, Classification, Series (semantic, symbolic, figural)
- ▸Coding-Decoding, Space Orientation & Visualization
- ▸Blood Relations, Syllogistic Reasoning
- ▸Venn Diagrams, Drawing Inferences
- ▸Statement & Conclusions, Problem Solving
- ▸Non-Verbal: Paper folding/cutting, Embedded figures, Mirror images
- ▸Indexing, Address matching, Word Building
General Knowledge & Awareness
- ▸History of India & the World
- ▸Indian Polity & Constitution
- ▸Indian & World Geography
- ▸Economic Scene & Government Schemes
- ▸General Science: Physics, Chemistry, Biology
- ▸Current Affairs (last 6–8 months)
- ▸Scientific Research, Awards, Sports, Culture
Quantitative Aptitude
- ▸Number System, HCF & LCM, Square Roots, Surds
- ▸Percentage, Ratio & Proportion, Partnership, Mixture & Alligation
- ▸Profit & Loss, Discount, Simple & Compound Interest
- ▸Average, Time & Work, Time–Speed–Distance
- ▸Geometry: Triangles, Circles, Chords, Tangents, Quadrilaterals, Polygons
- ▸Mensuration: Prism, Cone, Cylinder, Sphere, Hemisphere, Pyramid
- ▸Trigonometry: Ratios, Identities, Heights & Distances
- ▸Data Interpretation: Histogram, Frequency Polygon, Bar Diagram, Pie Chart
English Comprehension (Paper I)
- ▸Synonyms & Antonyms
- ▸Idioms & Phrases
- ▸One Word Substitution
- ▸Sentence Improvement & Error Detection
- ▸Active/Passive Voice, Direct/Indirect Speech
- ▸Reading Comprehension passages
- ▸Cloze Test, Para Jumbles
English Language & Comprehension (Paper II – 200 marks)
- ▸Error Recognition and Spotting
- ▸Fill in the Blanks (verbs, prepositions, articles)
- ▸Vocabulary, Spellings, Grammar
- ▸Sentence Structure and Sentence Completion
- ▸Synonyms, Antonyms
- ▸Phrases and Idiomatic use of words
- ▸Reading Comprehension passages
9Physical Test (PET & PST) Standards
Physical Endurance Test (PET) — all posts
| Candidate | Event | Qualifying Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Male | 100 metre race | 16 seconds |
| Male | 1.6 km race | 6.5 minutes |
| Male | Long Jump | 3.65 m (3 chances) |
| Male | High Jump | 1.2 m (3 chances) |
| Male | Shot Put (16 lbs) | 4.5 m (3 chances) |
| Female | 100 metre race | 18 seconds |
| Female | 800 metre race | 4 minutes |
| Female | Long Jump | 2.7 m (3 chances) |
| Female | High Jump | 0.9 m (3 chances) |
Physical Standard Test (PST) — SI in Delhi Police
| Category | Min. Height | Chest (Unexpanded – Expanded) |
|---|---|---|
| Male – all except the two rows below | 170 cm | 80 – 85 cm |
| Male – Hill areas (Garhwal, Kumaon, HP, Gorkhas, Dogras, Marathas, Kashmir Valley, Leh & Ladakh, NE States, Sikkim) | 165 cm | 80 – 85 cm |
| Male – Scheduled Tribes | 162.5 cm | 77 – 82 cm |
| Female – all except the two rows below | 157 cm | Not applicable |
| Female – Hill areas (as listed above) | 155 cm | Not applicable |
| Female – Scheduled Tribes | 154 cm | Not applicable |
Physical Standard Test (PST) — SI in CAPFs
| Category | Min. Height | Chest (Unexpanded – Expanded) |
|---|---|---|
| Male – all except the rows below | 170 cm | 80 – 85 cm |
| Male – Hill areas (Garhwal, Kumaon, HP, Dogras, Marathas, Kashmir Valley, Leh & Ladakh, NE States, Sikkim) | 165 cm | 80 – 85 cm |
| Male – Gorkha candidates | 157 cm | 80 – 85 cm |
| Male – Scheduled Tribes (other than NE States) | 162.5 cm | 77 – 82 cm |
| Male – Scheduled Tribes of North-Eastern States | 157 cm | 77 – 82 cm |
| Female – all except the two rows below | 157 cm | Not applicable |
| Female – Hill areas (as listed above) | 155 cm | Not applicable |
| Female – Scheduled Tribes | 154 cm | Not applicable |
Candidates declared not qualified in height or chest may appeal on the spot to the appellate authority present at the PST/PET ground. That decision is final.
10Medical Standards, Tattoo Rules & Training
👁️ Eyesight & Medical
- Distant vision: 6/6 (better eye) and 6/9 (worse eye) — without glasses or any corrective surgery
- Near vision: N6 (better eye) and N9 (worse eye)
- High colour vision required; colour blindness and squint are disqualifying
- No knock knee, flat foot or varicose vein
- Must be in good mental and bodily health, free of any defect likely to interfere with duties
In a right-handed person, the right eye is treated as the better eye, and vice versa.
🖊️ Tattoo Policy
- Content: only religious symbols or figures, and names — as followed in the Indian Army
- Location: traditional sites only — the inner aspect of the left forearm (the non-saluting limb) or the dorsum of the hands
- Size: less than one-quarter of the relevant body part (elbow or hand)
Tattoos outside these limits are a common and avoidable cause of rejection at the medical stage.
🏋️ After selection: seven obstacle events in training
Selection is not the finish line. As part of the training curriculum, finally selected Sub-Inspectors must pass seven obstacle events, failing which they may not be retained in the force: jumping over the vertical board, holding the rope on jumping from the board, Tarzan swing, jumping on the horizontal board, parallel rope, monkey crawl and vertical rope. Appointment also carries a two-year probation.
11Salary, Benefits & Career Growth
💰 In-Hand Salary at Entry (basic ₹35,400 + DA 60%)
| Posting City Class | HRA | Transport Allowance | Approx. Gross | Approx. In-Hand |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| X Class (metro — Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad) | 30% = ₹10,620 | ₹3,600 + DA | ≈ ₹73,000 | ≈ ₹66,000 |
| Y Class (larger cities — Lucknow, Jaipur, Patna, Bhopal, Indore, etc.) | 20% = ₹7,080 | ₹1,800 + DA | ≈ ₹66,600 | ≈ ₹60,000 |
| Z Class (all other cities and towns) | 10% = ₹3,540 | ₹1,800 + DA | ≈ ₹63,000 | ≈ ₹56,500 |
| CAPF field / border posting (government quarters allotted) | Not payable | ₹1,800 + DA | ≈ ₹59,500 + ration money | ≈ ₹54,000 + field allowances |
* Calculated on 7th CPC Pay Level 6 with Dearness Allowance at 60% (effective 1 January 2026) = ₹21,240 on the entry basic of ₹35,400. HRA is 30% / 20% / 10% of basic for X / Y / Z cities — these are the enhanced rates that apply because DA has crossed 50%. In-hand is gross less NPS (10% of basic + DA), CGHS and CGEGIS. CAPF field postings add ration money (roughly ₹3,000–₹5,000/month) and hardship or field allowances. The 8th Pay Commission was constituted in November 2025 and its report is expected around mid-2027 — it is not implemented, so no 8th CPC figures apply yet. Figures here are estimates; the exact amount depends on your posting, DA revisions and joining date.
Career Progression Ladder
Promotion timelines differ between Delhi Police and each CAPF, and depend on vacancies, departmental exams and service records.
124-Month Study Plan for SSC CPO
Month 1 – Foundation
- ✓Build number system & arithmetic (QA fundamentals)
- ✓Start basic reasoning: analogy, series, coding-decoding
- ✓Read NCERTs: Geography Cl 6–10, History Cl 6–10
- ✓Vocabulary: learn 15 new words/day; read a newspaper
- ✓Physical: begin daily running; add sprint drills for the 100 m
Month 2 – Core Topics
- ✓QA: advance to geometry, trigonometry, mensuration
- ✓Reasoning: matrix, Venn diagrams, seating arrangement
- ✓GK: Polity (NCERT), Economy basics, Science facts
- ✓English: grammar rules, reading comprehension, cloze tests
- ✓Physical: target 1.6 km under 6.5 min; start long jump, high jump and shot put
Month 3 – Revision & Mocks
- ✓Solve 2 full-length SSC CPO mock tests per week (timed)
- ✓Analyse error patterns; revise weak topics aggressively
- ✓GK: current affairs from the last 6–8 months, from trusted sources
- ✓English Paper II: 3 comprehension passages + cloze tests/day
- ✓Physical: maintain 1.6 km pace; practise shot put technique weekly
Month 4 – PYQs + Final Prep
- ✓Solve 5 years of SSC CPO previous year papers (Paper I & II)
- ✓Identify high-weightage topics and do a final 3-round revision
- ✓Current affairs: last 3 months daily revision capsule
- ✓Speed drills: 50 QA questions in 30 minutes daily (sectional-timer practice)
- ✓Physical: peak conditioning — timed runs, jump and shot put drills
13Best Books for SSC CPO
| Book | Author | Subject |
|---|---|---|
| Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations | R.S. Aggarwal (S. Chand) | Quantitative Aptitude |
| Fast Track Objective Arithmetic | Rajesh Verma (Arihant) | Quantitative Aptitude |
| A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning | R.S. Aggarwal (S. Chand) | Reasoning |
| Analytical Reasoning | M.K. Pandey (BSC Publishing) | Reasoning |
| Lucent's General Knowledge | Lucent Publications | General Knowledge |
| Objective General English | S.P. Bakshi (Arihant) | English (Paper I) |
| Plinth to Paramount | Neetu Singh (KD Publications) | English (Paper II) |
| SSC CPO Sub-Inspector Solved Papers | Arihant / Kiran Prakashan | Previous Year Papers |
Books are suggested on merit only. TaiyarHo.in is not paid to recommend any title and earns no commission.
14Expert Preparation Tips
Master the Sectional Timer — in Both Papers
Paper I has a 30-minute sectional timer per part, and per the SSC notice Paper II is also divided into four parts with a 30-minute timer each. You cannot move ahead early and you cannot come back. Practise section-wise timed mocks from Day 1 to build the right exam reflex.
Train for the Right Events
The male endurance run is 1.6 km in 6.5 minutes — not 5 km. Shot put with a 16 lb ball over 4.5 m is a compulsory male event and is the one most aspirants never practise until it is too late. Female candidates need 800 m in 4 minutes and a 100 m sprint in 18 seconds.
English Paper II is the Differentiator
Paper II carries the same 200 marks as Paper I and is set only in English, with no bilingual option. Thirty to forty minutes of daily reading comprehension and grammar practice is what separates a selection from a near miss.
Current Affairs: Consistent Over Intensive
GK and current affairs carry 50 marks in Paper I. Read one reliable daily source. Leaving it for revision week does not work — the syllabus explicitly covers everyday observation and scientific awareness, which cannot be crammed.
Use Negative Marking Strategically
Both papers deduct 0.25 per wrong answer. If you can eliminate two of four options, attempting is still mathematically favourable. For pure guesses, skip — under a sectional timer, a guessed question also costs you the time to read it.
Apply Early, and Get the OTR Done Now
Exam city preferences are effectively first-come, first-served, and the 2026 notification could drop with little warning. Complete your One-Time Registration on ssc.gov.in today so that on notification day you only need to fill the form and pay.
15Frequently Asked Questions – SSC CPO 2026
Has the SSC CPO 2026 notification been released? What is the online form date?
No. As of 7 August 2026 the SSC CPO 2026 notification has NOT been released. The SSC Annual Calendar 2026-27 had listed 31 May 2026 as the notification date with applications until 30 June 2026, but that date passed without any notice from the Commission and the release has been delayed. Because SSC has not announced a revised date, the correct answer for both the notification date and the online form date is "To Be Notified (TBN)." The online application window opens on ssc.gov.in the same day the notification PDF is published. Treat any specific 2026 date you see on other websites as an unverified guess unless it links to a notice on ssc.gov.in.
How many Delhi Police Sub Inspector vacancies are there in SSC CPO?
The 2026 vacancy count is TBN — SSC publishes force-wise vacancies only inside the notification PDF. For reference, the SSC CPO 2025 notice dated 26 September 2025 carried 212 Delhi Police Sub-Inspector (Executive) posts: 142 for male candidates (including Ex-Servicemen and the 10% departmental quota) and 70 for female candidates. The rest of that cycle went to CAPFs — CISF 1,294, CRPF 1,029, ITBP 233, BSF 223 and SSB 82 — for a total of 3,073 posts.
What is the educational qualification for SSC CPO?
Candidates must hold a Bachelor's Degree in any discipline from a recognised university. Those appearing in the final year may also apply, but must possess the degree on or before the closing date for applications. For Sub-Inspector (Executive) in Delhi Police, male candidates must additionally hold a valid Driving Licence for LMV (Motorcycle and Car) on the date fixed for the Physical Endurance and Measurement Test. Male candidates without an LMV licence remain eligible for CAPF posts only.
What is the age limit for SSC CPO 2026?
The age limit is 20 to 25 years, calculated on the crucial date given in the notification (1 August of the cycle year — for the 2025 cycle it was 01.08.2025). Age relaxation: SC/ST +5 years, OBC +3 years, and Ex-Servicemen +3 years after deducting military service from actual age. For SI in Delhi Police, widows, divorced women and women judicially separated and not remarried are eligible up to 35 years (40 years for SC/ST). Departmental Delhi Police candidates with 3+ years of service are eligible up to 30 years (33 for OBC, 35 for SC/ST). SSC does not provide PwBD age relaxation or reservation for these posts.
What are the stages of the SSC CPO selection process?
Four mandatory stages: (1) Paper I — CBT with 200 questions for 200 marks in 2 hours, with a 30-minute sectional timer for each of the four parts; (2) PET/PST — Physical Endurance Test and Physical Standard Test, purely qualifying; (3) Paper II — English Language & Comprehension, 200 questions for 200 marks in 2 hours, also divided into four parts with a 30-minute sectional timer each; (4) Detailed Medical Examination, followed by Document Verification. Final merit is the total of Paper I + Paper II with NCC bonus marks added.
What is the minimum qualifying mark in SSC CPO Paper I and Paper II?
As per the SSC notice, the minimum qualifying marks (before NCC bonus marks are added) are 30% for Unreserved candidates, 25% for OBC and EWS candidates, and 20% for all other categories. Meeting the minimum is only the floor — the actual cut-off for shortlisting is set separately by the Commission based on category-wise vacancies and candidate numbers, and is normally far higher.
What is the SSC CPO salary per month in 2026?
Sub-Inspectors are placed at Pay Level 6 of the 7th Pay Commission — basic pay ₹35,400 rising to ₹1,12,400. With Dearness Allowance at 60% (effective 1 January 2026), HRA at 30%/20%/10% for X/Y/Z cities, and Transport Allowance with DA on it, gross pay works out to roughly ₹73,000 in a metro, ₹66,600 in a Y-class city and ₹63,000 in a Z-class city. In-hand is roughly ₹6,000–₹6,500 lower after NPS (10% of basic + DA), CGHS and CGEGIS deductions. CAPF personnel in government quarters draw no HRA but receive ration money and field/hardship allowances instead.
Is there negative marking in SSC CPO Paper I and Paper II?
Yes. Both papers carry a penalty of 0.25 marks for every wrong answer. Unattempted questions carry no penalty. Because each part of both papers has a 30-minute sectional timer that cannot be revisited once it expires, blind guessing under time pressure is the single most common way candidates lose marks.
Can female candidates apply for all SSC CPO posts?
Yes. Female candidates can apply for Sub-Inspector (Executive) in Delhi Police and Sub-Inspector (GD) in all five CAPFs. Separate physical standards apply — a lower minimum height and no chest measurement. The female PET is a 100 m race in 18 seconds, an 800 m race in 4 minutes, a 2.7 m long jump and a 0.9 m high jump; shot put does not apply to female candidates. Women candidates are also exempt from the ₹100 application fee, and must submit a pregnancy self-declaration before the PST/PET.
Are tattoos allowed in SSC CPO?
Only within limits. As per the SSC notice, tattoos depicting religious symbols or figures and names (as followed in the Indian Army) are permitted. They must be located on traditional sites of the body — the inner aspect of the left forearm only, being the non-saluting limb, or the dorsum of the hands. The size must be less than one-quarter of the relevant body part. Tattoos outside these content, location and size limits can lead to rejection at the medical stage.
Disclaimer: This page is compiled from the Staff Selection Commission’s published notices and official sources, and is provided for guidance only. Recruitment details can change without notice. Always read the official notification PDF on ssc.gov.in before applying or making any decision. TaiyarHo.in is not affiliated with SSC, Delhi Police or any Central Armed Police Force.
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