SSC CPO SI Exam Pattern 2026: Paper 1, Paper 2, PET/PST Standards and Free Mock Tests

What makes CPO distinct among SSC exams

• An English-heavy second paper — Paper 2 is 320 marks and builds the merit list; 200 of those marks are a one-hour, 100-question English language and comprehension section.
• Physical tests between the two papers — so fitness gates access to the second written stage.
• A narrower age band — the upper limit is lower than for CGL or MTS, so the window of eligibility is shorter.
• A driving licence requirement for some posts — male candidates applying for Delhi Police Sub-Inspector have historically needed a valid licence for a light motor vehicle at a specified stage.

Educational qualification as on 30 September 2026

• Sub-Inspector in Delhi Police and Sub-Inspector (GD) in CAPFs — A bachelor’s degree from a recognised university or equivalent; candidates who have appeared in the final examination may apply if the degree is complete by the closing date.
• Sub-Inspector (Fire) in CISF — A bachelor’s degree in science with physics, chemistry and mathematics, or matriculation with a three-year diploma in mechanical, civil, electrical, automobile, chemical, mining, aeronautical or telecommunication engineering, or equivalent.
• Male candidates for SI in Delhi Police — A valid driving licence for LMV (motorcycle and car) on the date of the physical tests; without it a male candidate is considered for the CAPF posts only.

Other conditions

• Nationality — Indian citizens, and the categories the notice lists with an eligibility certificate.
• Fee — ₹100 online; women and SC, ST and ex-servicemen candidates are exempt.
• Medical — Distant vision 6/6 in the better eye and 6/9 in the worse, near vision N6 and N9, without glasses or corrective surgery; the full standards are in the notice and are examined after Paper 2, with a review medical examination on appeal.
• NCC bonus — C certificate 5 per cent of maximum marks, B 3 per cent, A 2 per cent, in each of Paper 1 and Paper 2, added to normalised marks and substantiated at verification.

The SSC CPO process from registration to result

1. One-Time Registration on ssc.gov.in Create an OTR profile once on the Commission’s portal. Registration asks for Aadhaar-based verification, a mobile number and e-mail that remain with you for the whole cycle, and your basic educational and category details. The OTR number and password are what you log in with at every later stage — exam-city intimation, admit card, answer-key challenge, result and option form — so keep them safe.
2. Fill the online application for SSC CPO Log in, pick the examination, confirm the OTR details, choose the examination centre preferences and the medium of the paper, and upload or capture the photograph and signature exactly as the notice specifies. The declaration you sign at the end binds you to the eligibility conditions, and the Commission verifies documents only at the end of the process — an ineligible candidate can go through every stage and be dropped at verification.
3. Pay the fee The fee is ₹100, paid online, with 1 October 2026 (23:00) as the last date. Women and SC, ST and ex-servicemen candidates are exempt. Fees are not refunded.
4. Use the correction window if you need it A three-day correction window opens about a week after applications close. The Commission charges ₹200 for the first corrected submission and ₹500 for the second, from every candidate regardless of category. Some fields — notably the OTR identity details — cannot be changed at this point, which is why the OTR should be filled carefully in the first place.
5. Exam-city intimation, then the admission certificate Roughly two weeks before the examination the candidate login shows the city allotted; the admission certificate itself is released only three to four days before the date. Print it, and carry it with an original photo identity document that carries the same date of birth as your application.
6. On the day: biometrics, frisking and the clock Report at the time on the admission certificate; entry closes before the shift begins. Expect biometric capture and frisking, and expect the paper to be delivered with the timers the notice describes — a section or session that has closed cannot be reopened. Rough sheets are provided; nothing electronic is allowed inside.
7. Tentative answer key and challenge A few days after the last shift the Commission uploads tentative answer keys with each candidate’s response sheet. Objections are filed online only, within the announced window, on payment of a per-question fee that is not refunded. Subject-matter experts examine the objections and the final key is used for evaluation.
8. Result, marks and the next stage Results are published as PDF write-ups on the notice board with category-wise cut-offs and the count of candidates shortlisted; individual marks are released in the login shortly afterwards. Candidates for the next stage receive fresh admission certificates through the same login.
9. Paper 1 result and the PST/PET shortlist Candidates above the minimum qualifying marks are shortlisted for PST/PET on normalised Paper 1 marks plus NCC bonus, in separate male and female lists. Answer-key challenges cost ₹50 per question, filed online within the window.
10. PST first, then PET, run by the CAPFs Height and chest are measured before the endurance events; a candidate who fails measurement can appeal to the appellate board on the spot. The events follow — 100 m, 1.6 km or 800 m, long jump, high jump and, for men, shot put, each in three chances. Ex-servicemen are exempt from PET but must qualify the medical. Male Delhi Police candidates bring the LMV licence to this stage.
11. Paper 2 Candidates who qualify PST/PET sit Paper 2 — 160 questions for 320 marks in two hours — a few weeks later. Marks are normalised, and the notice states that the standard of Paper 2 is higher than Paper 1.
12. Detailed medical examination, verification and allocation Candidates who qualify Paper 2 are medically examined by the CAPF medical boards, with a review medical examination on appeal, and their documents — degree, category, age, NCC and driving licence — are verified. Final selection and allocation of post and force are by Paper 2 marks with NCC bonus and the preference order given in the application; once a candidate is allotted the first available preference by merit, no other option is considered.

A five-month plan

1. Months 1–2: foundations, and start the PET events The four Paper 1 subjects at CGL Tier 1 depth — arithmetic and basic algebra and geometry, the reasoning question types, a static general awareness spine and English grammar and vocabulary. Begin sprint, middle-distance and jumping practice; the events are technical and the three-chance rule rewards practice.
2. Month 3: Paper 2 English and the sectional timers Daily reading comprehension, cloze tests, error spotting, sentence improvement, idioms and vocabulary — 100 questions in an hour is 36 seconds each. Practise Paper 1 as four 15-minute blocks.
3. Month 4: full mocks A Paper 1 mock every second day with 0.25 deducted, a Paper 2 mock every week with 0.50 deducted, and an error log. Time every PET event weekly.
4. Month 5: revision and the exam Revise from your own notes and error log, keep current affairs going, and taper mocks in the final ten days. Be inside every PET standard with a margin before Paper 1, because PET follows the result within weeks.

Where the marks are in the 2026 scheme

• Paper 2 English: 200 marks — The largest block in the examination, at 0.50 off per wrong answer. Comprehension speed and grammar accuracy decide the merit list.
• Paper 2 Parts I–III: 120 marks in 20-minute blocks — Twenty questions each of reasoning, general awareness and quantitative aptitude at a higher standard than Paper 1.
• Paper 1: qualifying, but the cut-off is real — In 2025 the male UR cut-off was about 60 per cent of the paper. Do not treat the shortlist as a formality.

Official documents

Notice of Sub-Inspector in Delhi Police and CAPFs Examination 2026 (10 September 2026) CPO 2025 Paper 1 result write-up with cut-offs (30 March 2026) Tentative vacancies for SI in Delhi Police and CAPFs 2025 (16 February 2026) CPO 2024 revised final result (26 November 2025) SSC home page — notices, calendar and candidate login