SSC CPO (SI in Delhi Police & CAPFs) - Syllabus, Exam Pattern & Mock Tests
SSC CPO is the Staff Selection Commission's Sub-Inspector in Delhi Police and Central Armed Police Forces Examination. It recruits graduates as Sub-Inspectors in Delhi Police and in BSF, CISF, CRPF, ITBP and SSB, and the 2026 notice (10 September 2026) adds SI (Fire) in CISF. Paper-I is a 60-minute computer-based test of 100 questions for 100 marks with 0.25 deducted per wrong answer. It is followed by the Physical Standard and Endurance Tests, a four-part Paper-II and a medical examination. The 2026 notice bases final selection on Paper-II.
Under 10 minutes · no account needed · real percentile at the end
What is the SSC CPO exam pattern?
The 2026 notice sets four mandatory stages: Paper-I, PST/PET, Paper-II and a Detailed Medical Examination. Paper-I has 25 questions each in General Intelligence and Reasoning, General Knowledge and General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude and English Comprehension (100 marks, 1 hour, a 15-minute sectional timer for each part, 0.25 negative). Paper-II has the same four subjects: 20 questions and 40 marks each for the first three in one hour with 20-minute sectional timers, and 100 English questions for 200 marks in a second hour, with 0.50 deducted per wrong answer. PST/PET carry no marks but eliminate. Minimum qualifying marks in each paper are 30% (UR), 25% (OBC/EWS) and 20% (others).
| Section | Questions | Max Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General Intelligence & Reasoning | 25 | 25 |
| General Knowledge & General Awareness | 25 | 25 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | 25 |
| English Comprehension | 25 | 25 |
Full exam pattern: Tier-wise marks, timers and qualifying rules →
What is the SSC CPO syllabus?
The notice gives one indicative syllabus for both papers and says Paper-II will be harder. Reasoning covers verbal and non-verbal topics: analogy, classification, series, coding-decoding, Venn diagrams, paper folding, embedded figures, critical thinking and emotional and social intelligence. General Knowledge and General Awareness covers current events, everyday science, and India and its neighbours (History, Culture, Geography, Economic Scene, General Polity, Indian Constitution, Scientific Research). Quantitative Aptitude runs from arithmetic (percentage, ratio, interest, profit and loss, time and work) to algebra, geometry, mensuration, trigonometry and statistical charts. English Comprehension covers error recognition, fill in the blanks, vocabulary, spellings, grammar, sentence structure, synonyms, antonyms, sentence completion, idioms and comprehension.
Complete syllabus, subject by subject →
What is a good SSC CPO cut-off?
SSC publishes cut-offs only with results. In the 2025 cycle, when Paper-I was out of 200, the Paper-I cut-off for UR candidates was 119.47517 for men and 128.01610 for women (SSC write-up of 30 March 2026). Those figures cannot be read across to 2026, because Paper-I is now out of 100 and final selection is on Paper-II. There is no official cut-off on the new scale yet, and we do not estimate one.
Official cut-offs and vacancies →
How should I prepare for SSC CPO?
Our advice: plan around Paper-II, where English Comprehension is 200 of the 320 marks, but remember Paper-I weighs all four subjects equally and gives about 36 seconds a question. Train for the physical test from the start, since it sits between the two papers: the standards include 1.6 km in 6.5 minutes for men and 800 metres in 4 minutes for women. Check height, chest and uncorrected eyesight against the notice before you begin.
Preparation strategy built on the marks and timers →
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are there in SSC CPO Paper-I?
In the 2026 notice, 100 questions for 100 marks in 1 hour: 25 each in Reasoning, General Knowledge and General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude and English Comprehension, with a 15-minute sectional timer for each part. In the 2025 cycle Paper-I had 200 questions for 200 marks in 2 hours.
What is the negative marking in SSC CPO?
The 2026 notice deducts 0.25 marks for each wrong answer in Paper-I and 0.50 marks for each wrong answer in Paper-II.
What is the age limit and qualification for SSC CPO 2026?
A Bachelor's degree and an age of 20 to 25 years as on 1 August 2026, with relaxation of 5 years for SC/ST and 3 years for OBC. For SI (Fire) in CISF the age limit is 18 to 30 years and the qualification is a science degree with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics or matriculation with a three-year engineering diploma.
What are the PET standards for SSC CPO?
Men: 100 metres in 16 seconds, 1.6 km in 6.5 minutes, long jump 3.65 metres, high jump 1.2 metres and shot put (16 lbs) 4.5 metres. Women: 100 metres in 18 seconds, 800 metres in 4 minutes, long jump 2.7 metres and high jump 0.9 metres. Jumps and shot put get three chances. PST/PET carry no marks.
What can I practise for SSC CPO on Pareeksha without paying?
A 10-question SSC CPO mini-mock and the Daily Dangal quiz are free. Full CBT-pattern mocks, previous-year papers and topic-wise practice are part of Pro.