SSC CPO Recruitment 2026 — 1,871 Sub-Inspector Posts

This is the main graduate-level uniformed-services exam SSC runs, and it is fully open to Assam candidates — the written exam is held at SSC's North Eastern Region centres, so you can sit Paper 1 in Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Jorhat or Silchar without leaving the state. The fee is Rs 100, and women, SC, ST and eligible ex-servicemen pay nothing. This year the Commission has changed the Paper 1 pattern: it is now 100 questions for 100 marks, one mark each, with a 15-minute sectional timer. More on that below. You can see the rest of our uniformed-services listings in the job section.

SSC CPO Vacancy Details 2026

The Commission gives 1,871 tentative vacancies, split across three forces. Final vacancies are settled later, after the user departments confirm their numbers, and the updated split is published under Candidate's Corner on ssc.gov.in.

The CAPF figure of 1,320 breaks down as CRPF 254, BSF 457, ITBP 187, CISF 250 and SSB 172, each with a 10 per cent ex-servicemen quota within it. There is no Assam quota — SSC does not collect state-wise or zone-wise vacancies for this exam. The figures are all-India totals.

SSC CPO Posts and Pay Scale 2026

All posts are in Pay Level-6, with a pay scale of Rs 35,400 to Rs 1,12,400. Sub-Inspector (Executive) in Delhi Police is classified as Group C by Delhi Police; Sub-Inspector (GD) in the CAPFs and Sub-Inspector (Fire) in CISF are Group B non-gazetted, non-ministerial posts. Both carry the usual central government allowances — dearness allowance, house rent allowance and transport allowance on top of basic pay. Every post except SI in Delhi Police carries an all-India service liability, meaning you may be posted anywhere in the country.

SSC CPO Eligibility 2026

Age limit

For Sub-Inspector in Delhi Police and the CAPFs the age limit is 20 to 25 years as on 1 August 2026 — you must have been born not earlier than 2 August 2001 and not later than 1 August 2006. For Sub-Inspector (Fire) in CISF the limit is 18 to 30 years (born between 2 August 1996 and 1 August 2008). Work out your exact age with our age calculator before you register.

Educational qualification

You must hold a Bachelor's degree from a recognised university or equivalent as on the closing date, 30 September 2026. Candidates who have appeared in the final degree exam but not yet received results may apply, provided they hold the qualification by that date. There is one extra condition for the Delhi Police posts: male candidates must possess a valid driving licence for a motor car and motorcycle (LMV) on the date fixed for the Physical Endurance and Measurement Tests. Male candidates who do not hold the licence on that date are eligible only for the CAPF posts.

For Sub-Inspector (Fire) in CISF, the qualification is a degree in Science with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, or Matriculation plus a three-year diploma in Mechanical, Civil, Electrical, Automobile, Chemical, Mining, Aeronautical or Telecommunication Engineering from a recognised institution.

SSC CPO Application Fee 2026

Payment is online only — BHIM UPI, net banking, or Visa, MasterCard, Maestro and RuPay cards. The fee is not refunded and is not adjusted against any other exam. Fee payment closes on 1 October 2026 at 11:00 PM, one day after the application deadline. If SSC does not receive your fee, the application is marked incomplete and summarily rejected — check the 'Payment Status' link in your login rather than assuming it went through. The correction window (8 to 10 October 2026) charges Rs 200 the first time and Rs 500 the second, for every candidate regardless of category.

SSC CPO Physical Standards and PET 2026

The Physical Standard Test (PST) and Physical Endurance Test (PET) are qualifying — they do not add to your marks, but failing either ends your candidature. They are held after Paper 1, for candidates the Commission shortlists. Ex-servicemen are exempt from the PET but must clear the PST.

Physical Standard Test

There is no chest requirement for female candidates. Relaxed standards apply to candidates from hill areas, Gorkhas and Scheduled Tribes, on production of a certificate from the district authority. For example, in the CAPFs a male candidate from a hill area needs 165 cm, a Gorkha male 157 cm, a Scheduled Tribe male 162.5 cm (157 cm for STs of the North-Eastern States), and a Scheduled Tribe female 154 cm. The chest minimum for ST male candidates is 77 / 82 cm. Check the exact figure for your category and force in the official notice.

Physical Endurance Test

Candidates who clear the PET undergo a detailed medical examination. The eyesight standard is a minimum distant vision of 6/6 in the better eye and 6/9 in the worse eye, without glasses or corrective surgery; candidates must not have knock knee, flat foot, squint or colour blindness.

SSC CPO Selection Process 2026

Selection runs through five stages, in order:

1. Paper 1 — computer based, objective. This is the shortlisting stage.
2. Physical Standard Test and Physical Endurance Test (PST / PET) — qualifying.
3. Paper 2 — computer based, objective.
4. Detailed Medical Examination (DME).
5. Document Verification.

The minimum qualifying marks in Paper 1 and Paper 2 are 30 per cent for UR, 25 per cent for OBC and EWS, and 20 per cent for all other categories. NCC certificate holders get bonus marks added to each paper — 5 per cent of the maximum for a 'C' certificate, 3 per cent for 'B' and 2 per cent for 'A'. The final merit and post allocation are decided on Paper 2 marks (plus any NCC bonus) and the post preferences you submit; Paper 1 only decides who is called for the PST/PET. Paper 2 is held only for candidates who clear Paper 1 and the physical tests.

Paper 1 exam pattern

The pattern has changed this year. Paper 1 is now 100 questions for 100 marks, one mark per question, with a total duration of one hour and a 15-minute sectional timer for each of the four parts.

Negative marking is 0.25 marks for each wrong answer in Paper 1. The exam schedule has not been announced — SSC will notify it on its website.

Paper 2 exam pattern

Paper 2 runs for one hour, with a 20-minute sectional timer for Parts I to III and one hour for Part IV. Negative marking in Paper 2 is 0.50 marks per wrong answer, and the difficulty level is higher than Paper 1.

SSC CPO Exam Centres in Assam 2026

Assam candidates come under SSC's North Eastern Region (NER). Centres within Assam for Paper 1 and Paper 2 are Guwahati (Dispur), Dibrugarh, Jorhat and Silchar. You can pick three centres in the region, in order of preference; the choice cannot be changed later. The PST/PET for candidates from the North East is held at a designated CAPF ground, with the venue printed on the admit card for that stage.

How to Apply for SSC CPO 2026

Applications are accepted online only, at ssc.gov.in or through the 'mySSC' mobile app. There is no offline route, and no other website takes the application.

1. Complete One-Time Registration (OTR) on ssc.gov.in. An OTR made on the old site, ssc.nic.in, does not work on the new one — generate a fresh one if yours is from the old site.
2. Opt for Aadhaar-based authentication during OTR. Candidates who authenticate via Aadhaar are not rejected over photo or signature standards and need not carry originals to the exam.
3. Fill the application for this examination once OTR is done. The application module captures a live photograph — do not photograph an existing photo, or the form is rejected.
4. Upload your signature in JPEG format, 10 to 20 KB, about 6.0 cm by 2.0 cm. Our image resizer and image compressor bring a scan to the right dimensions and file size without wrecking legibility, and compress PDF helps if a supporting document is over the limit.
5. Pay the Rs 100 fee online if you are not exempt, then confirm it landed through the 'Payment Status' link. Print the completed form.

An application correction window is open from 8 to 10 October 2026, on payment of a correction charge. You can correct and re-submit twice, no more. Getting the form right the first time is cheaper.