SSC CPO 2026: exam date, pattern, syllabus and how to apply
SSC CPO, the Sub-Inspector in Delhi Police and Central Armed Police Forces Examination, is how the Staff Selection Commission recruits Sub-Inspectors (Executive) in Delhi Police, Sub-Inspectors (GD) in BSF, CISF, CRPF, ITBP and SSB, and, new in 2026, Sub-Inspectors (Fire) in CISF. All are Pay Level 6 posts for graduates. The news students are waiting for: SSC CPO 2026 Paper I is proposed for 20 to 28 November 2026, in SSC's notice of 1 October 2026 (checked on ssc.gov.in on 20 October 2026). That is about a month away, and the 2026 paper follows a new, shorter pattern. This guide covers the date, eligibility, the pattern and a plan for the weeks left.
SSC CPO at a glance
| Conducting body | Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Government of India |
| What it is for | Sub-Inspector posts in Delhi Police and the CAPFs (Pay Level 6) |
| Qualification | Bachelor's degree (SI Fire: science with PCM, or an engineering diploma) |
| Stages | Paper I (CBE), PST/PET, Paper II (CBE), Detailed Medical Examination |
| Paper I | 100 questions in 1 hour, four parts with a 15-minute timer each |
| Marking | Paper I +1 / −0.25; Paper II +2 / −0.50 |
| Languages | Hindi and English, except English Comprehension |
| How often | Once a year |
| Official website | ssc.gov.in |
SSC CPO 2026 exam date
As of 20 October 2026, SSC's own notices give:
| Stage | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Online applications | 10 to 30 September 2026 (closed) | CPO 2026 notice |
| Correction window | 8 to 10 October 2026 (closed) | CPO 2026 notice |
| Paper I (CBE) | 20 to 28 November 2026 (proposed) | SSC notice of 1 October 2026 |
| PST/PET and Paper II | Not announced yet | — |
These are proposed dates and can change. Your own day, shift and centre will be on your admit card. The physical tests and Paper II follow the Paper I result, in later notices. Our SSC CPO exam dates page is updated as SSC announces them.
How to apply
Applications for 2026 are closed. For the next cycle, the steps on SSC's website are:
- Read the notice on ssc.gov.in: posts, age limit, physical standards and the documents needed.
- Complete the One-Time Registration (OTR) on ssc.gov.in or the mySSC app. An OTR made on the old ssc.nic.in website does not work on the new one.
- Choose Aadhaar authentication if you can; SSC's notices say such applications are not rejected over the photograph or signature.
- Fill in the form with your post and force preferences, and let the application take your live photograph.
- Upload your signature, pay the fee by the last date and keep the printout.
Eligibility in the 2026 notice: age 20 to 25 years on 1 August 2026 (18 to 30 for SI Fire in CISF), with relaxations for reserved categories; a bachelor's degree by the closing date (final-year students could apply). Male candidates for Delhi Police must hold a valid driving licence for motorcycle and car (LMV) on the date of the physical tests; without one they are eligible for CAPF posts only.
Keep ready: Class 10 certificate, degree or final-year marksheets, category certificate if you claim reservation, NCC certificate if you hold one, driving licence if you want Delhi Police, and a scan of your signature.
Exam pattern
Paper I (new in 2026; earlier it was 200 questions in 2 hours):
| Part | Subject | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | General Intelligence and Reasoning | 25 | 25 | 15 minutes |
| II | General Knowledge and General Awareness | 25 | 25 | 15 minutes |
| III | Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | 25 | 15 minutes |
| IV | English Comprehension | 25 | 25 | 15 minutes |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 1 hour |
A wrong answer costs 0.25. The minimum qualifying marks are 30% for UR, 25% for OBC/EWS and 20% for others. Paper I shortlists for the physical tests.
PST/PET: height, chest (men) and weight, then the endurance test. For men: 100 m in 16 seconds, 1.6 km in 6.5 minutes, long jump 3.65 m, high jump 1.2 m and shot put 4.5 m. For women: 100 m in 18 seconds, 800 m in 4 minutes, long jump 2.7 m and high jump 0.9 m. It is qualifying.
Paper II: Reasoning, General Awareness and Quantitative Aptitude (20 questions each, 2 marks each, 20 minutes each) in one hour, then English Comprehension (100 questions, 200 marks) in another hour. A wrong answer costs 0.50. Final selection is on Paper II marks, normalised, with NCC bonus where it applies, and your preferences.
Syllabus
- Reasoning: analogy, classification, series, coding-decoding, blood relations, directions, syllogism, Venn diagrams, ranking, figure questions.
- General Awareness: history and culture, geography, polity, economy, general science, current events.
- Quantitative Aptitude: simplification, percentage, profit and loss, interest, ratio, averages, time and work, time and distance, algebra, geometry, mensuration, trigonometry, data interpretation.
- English: error spotting, fill in the blanks, synonyms and antonyms, idioms, one-word substitution, sentence improvement, cloze and comprehension.
The full list is on our SSC CPO syllabus page.
A plan for the four weeks left
- Week 1: sit one full SSC CPO Paper I mock with the 15-minute timers, and note which part ran out of time. Spend the week on your two weakest topics, plus 20 minutes of General Awareness a day.
- Week 2: three mocks, each analysed the same day. With 25 questions in 15 minutes (36 seconds each), practise a first pass for quick questions and a second for marked ones.
- Week 3: three or four mocks; revise static GK and your vocabulary list.
- Week 4 (exam week): one or two mocks, your mistake notebook, no new topics. Keep running a few times a week: the PET follows Paper I.
With +1 against −0.25, a wrong answer costs a quarter of a right one; see negative marking for when to guess.
Useful links
- SSC: One-Time Registration and applications (ssc.gov.in)
- SSC CPO 2026 notice (PDF, ssc.gov.in)
- SSC notice of 1 October 2026: exam dates (PDF)
- Free SSC CPO mock tests
- SSC CPO syllabus
- SSC CPO exam dates
- SSC GD Constable 2027: exam date and how to apply
- SSC CGL 2026: exam date and how to apply
Frequently asked questions
When is the SSC CPO 2026 exam?
SSC's notice of 1 October 2026 proposes Paper I from 20 to 28 November 2026. Dates can change; your own date will be on your admit card.
Is there negative marking in SSC CPO?
Yes. In Paper I a wrong answer costs 0.25 marks against 1 for a right one. In Paper II it costs 0.50 against 2.
What is the age limit for SSC CPO 2026?
20 to 25 years on 1 August 2026 for SI in Delhi Police and SI (GD) in the CAPFs, and 18 to 30 years for SI (Fire) in CISF, with relaxations for reserved categories.
Do Paper I marks count in the final SSC CPO merit?
No. Paper I shortlists for the physical tests. Final selection is on Paper II marks, with NCC bonus marks where they apply.
Has the SSC CPO pattern changed in 2026?
Yes. Paper I is now 100 questions in 1 hour with a 15-minute timer for each part, instead of 200 questions in 2 hours on one clock. Practise with the new timers.