Frequently asked questions about the CAPF (Assistant Commandants) exam and how to use this wiki, each answer pointing at the wiki page that holds the detail, with the exam-rule answers flagged verify the latest
This page answers the questions a CAPF (Assistant Commandants) aspirant asks first, and points each answer at the wiki page that holds the detail. It is navigation and orientation, not a source of facts; the linked owner pages are authoritative. Eligibility, the exact pattern, the physical standards and the vacancy and notification dates are set by the UPSC and the Ministry of Home Affairs and change between cycles, so the year-sensitive answers below carry the caution "verify the latest" against the official UPSC notification per sources and honesty policy.
What is the CAPF AC exam? The Union Public Service Commission's examination to recruit Assistant Commandants (Group A) into the five Central Armed Police Forces: BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP and SSB. Overview: about capf ac and the five forces.
What are the stages and marks? Paper I (General Ability and Intelligence, 250 marks, objective MCQ with negative marking), Paper II (General Studies, Essay and Comprehension, 200 marks, descriptive), then the Physical Standards and Efficiency tests (PST/PET, qualifying), a Medical Standards Test (qualifying), and an Interview or Personality Test (150 marks). See exam pattern marking (verify the latest pattern against the notification).
Is there negative marking? Yes, in Paper I (objective). The skip-versus-attempt maths is worked through in strategy and negative marking.
What does Paper I cover? Six sub-areas: General Mental Ability, General Science, Current Events of National and International Importance, Indian Polity and Economy, History of India, and Indian and World Geography. The subject hubs are linked from subject index.
What does Paper II cover? Part A is an essay (80 marks) on modern Indian history and the freedom struggle, geography, polity, economy, and security and human-rights issues; Part B is comprehension, precis and communication skills (120 marks, English only). See Index and Index.
Can I write Paper II in Hindi? The essay (Part A) may be written in English or Hindi; Part B (comprehension and precis) is in English only. Verify the latest language rule against the notification. Method: how to write the capf essay.
What is the age limit and qualification? A graduate degree from a recognised university, within the UPSC age band for the cycle (with relaxations for reserved categories and certain service categories). The exact band, the cut-off date and the relaxations are set each year by the notification; verify the latest. Orientation: eligibility.
What are the physical and medical standards? The PST sets height, chest and weight standards (which differ by gender and by certain categories), and the PET sets the running, long-jump, high-jump and shot-put benchmarks; the medical test sets vision and fitness standards. These are qualifying, not scored, and the exact figures change; verify the latest. See Index.
Are women eligible? Yes, women are eligible and serve as Assistant Commandants; the standards differ by gender. The wider policy theme is covered in women in the armed and police forces.
How is CAPF different from the Civil Services Examination? CAPF is narrower and the written paper is less analytical; it rewards broad conceptual command, clean static facts, and an explicit security and human-rights emphasis rather than mains-style depth. The point-by-point comparison is COMPARISON capf vs cse.
Why does this wiki stress internal security and human rights so much? Because that is the dimension CAPF tests that a generic GK book misses: the forces, border management, AFSPA, the NHRC, federal-force deployment and the security-versus-rights balance. The synthesis lives in the deep notes (deep notes index) and the polity note human rights and internal security.
Where do I start?
Read how to use this wiki first, then pick a subject from subject index and work its 00-index hub. The whole catalogue is master index.
What is the study loop? Learn from the owner notes and deep notes, drill with the practice sets and full mocks (pyq index), route every missed question back to its owner note, then sweep the last-minute revision sheets (Index) in the final week. The triage method is in Index.
Are the practice questions real previous-year questions? No. Every set is labelled "Authored practice, not a verbatim PYQ". The wiki never invents a question and presents it as a real CAPF PYQ. The durable framework that describes how the real papers ask is in 01 paper 1 pattern and analysis; the honesty rule is in sources and honesty policy.
Why do some facts say "verify the latest"? Because rates, vacancies, current office-holders, force strengths, scheme amounts and exam standards change between cycles. A static wiki flags these rather than baking in a number that will be stale by exam day. See sources and honesty policy.
How current is the current-affairs coverage? The monthly digests track dated events (Index); the durable institutional spine (mandates, organisations, indices) is in Index and Index. The wiki does not invent dated headlines.
How do I prepare for the interview? The Personality Test (150 marks) rewards the security-versus-rights balance, awareness of the forces, and a calm command of current affairs. See personality test.
I think a fact is wrong or missing. What then? A topic you expect but cannot find is a coverage flag; check the per-subject coverage maps under README. A fact you believe is wrong should be checked against the linked owner note's primary source (the Constitution, an Act, an NCERT, or a government or multilateral report) before relying on it.