SSC GD Constable Eligibility 2026: Age Limit, Qualification & Physical Standards
SSC GD Constable eligibility explained: age limit 18-23 with relaxations, Class 10 qualification, height/chest/race standards, and what the 2026 notification means for the next cycle.
SSC GD Constable eligibility in one line: you need to be 18-23 years old (category relaxations apply), have passed Class 10 (Matriculation) from a recognised board, and meet the physical standards for height, chest (male candidates) and the running test. These are the conditions from the official SSC Constable (GD) Examination 2026 notification, which is the latest complete reference the Commission has published. The 2026 application window closed on 31 December 2025, so if you are targeting the next cycle, use these criteria to check yourself now and watch ssc.gov.in for the fresh notice.
Who can apply: the three core conditions
The Staff Selection Commission recruits Constables (General Duty) into BSF, CISF, CRPF, SSB, ITBP and the Secretariat Security Force, plus Rifleman (GD) in Assam Rifles, through one common exam. Three filters decide eligibility before anything else:
- Age: 18-23 years as on the crucial date fixed in the notification. For the 2026 cycle the crucial date was 01-01-2026, meaning candidates born not before 02-01-2003 and not later than 01-01-2008.
- Education: Matriculation (Class 10) pass from a recognised board. Your date of birth and name must match the Class 10 certificate exactly - the Commission rejects candidatures on mismatch at any stage.
- Physical standards: height, chest (male) and race timings as laid out below, measured later at the PST/PET stage run by the CAPFs.
Nationality conditions follow the standard SSC pattern: a citizen of India, a subject of Nepal or Bhutan, or other categories eligible with a Government of India certificate of eligibility.
Age relaxation by category
The upper age limit relaxes for reserved categories. From the 2026 notification:
| Category | Relaxation beyond upper age limit |
|---|---|
| SC / ST | 5 years |
| OBC | 3 years |
| Ex-Servicemen | 3 years after deduction of military service rendered from actual age |
| Children/dependents of victims killed in 1984 riots (UR/EWS) | 5 years |
| Children/dependents of victims killed in 1984 riots (OBC) | 8 years |
| Children/dependents of victims killed in 1984 riots (SC/ST) | 10 years |
So an OBC candidate's effective range for the 2026 cycle was 18-26 years, and an SC/ST candidate's was 18-28 years. Your category claim (SC/ST/OBC/EWS) is locked to the closing date of the application form - the certificate must be valid on that date.
Physical standards: PST and PET
Clearing the written CBE only gets you to the physical rounds. The standards that eliminate most candidates:
| Test | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Height | 170 cm | 157 cm |
| Chest (male only) | 80 cm un-expanded, minimum 5 cm expansion | Not measured |
| Race (most regions) | 5 km in 24 minutes | 1.6 km in 8.5 minutes |
| Race (Ladakh region) | 1.6 km in 7 minutes | 800 metres in 5 minutes |
Height and chest relaxations exist for candidates from specified hill areas, the North-East, Garhwalis, Kumaonis, Gorkhas, Dogras, Marathas and ST/Adivasi categories - the exact centimetre relaxations are listed in the notification's PST tables and should be checked there for your category.
The exam itself, briefly
The Computer Based Examination is one objective paper: 80 questions of 2 marks each (160 marks) in 60 minutes, split across General Intelligence & Reasoning, General Knowledge & General Awareness, Elementary Mathematics, and English/Hindi (20 questions per part). There is a negative marking of 0.25 marks per wrong answer, and the paper is offered in English, Hindi and 13 regional languages. After CBE merit, candidates face PST/PET, then Detailed Medical Examination and Document Verification. The post carries Pay Level 3 (â¹21,700 - â¹69,100).
A worked example
Rohit, born 15 March 2004, passed Class 10 in 2020. For the 2026 cycle (age reckoning 01-01-2026) he was 21 years 9 months - inside 18-23 even as a general category candidate. His 10th certificate says "Rohit Kumar" but his Aadhaar says "Rohit" - the Commission matches against the Matriculation certificate, so he should apply exactly as "Rohit Kumar" and fix other documents to match, not the reverse. He starts running now because the 5 km / 24 minute standard is where most prepared-looking candidates fail.
Mistakes that get candidates rejected
- Applying with a DoB mismatch. The DoB in your form must equal the Matriculation certificate; no correction requests are entertained later.
- Assuming the age window from an old notice. Each cycle fixes its own crucial date (01-01-2026 for the 2026 exam). Recompute against the fresh notification every year.
- Ignoring the category certificate date. OBC (non-creamy layer) and EWS certificates must be valid on the form's closing date, not the exam date.
- Training only for the written paper. PET/PST is eliminatory; medical follows detailed CAPF standards.
What the 2026 cycle tells you about the next one
The 2026 notification opened applications 01.12.2025 - 31.12.2025 with the CBE tentatively in February-April 2026 and 25,487 tentative vacancies across the seven forces. SSC repeats this pattern annually, but dates, vacancy counts and even relaxations can change with each notice. Treat this article's numbers as the latest published reference, and verify against the new notification when it drops. Track fresh postings on our government jobs board, and compare this exam with the officer-track options in our SSC CHSL syllabus and SSC CGL eligibility guides if you are also considering those.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum qualification for SSC GD Constable?
Class 10 (Matriculation) pass from a recognised board. Higher qualifications do not replace the 10th certificate - your name and date of birth on it are what the Commission verifies.
What is the age limit for SSC GD 2026?
18-23 years as on 01-01-2026 for the 2026 cycle - born between 02-01-2003 and 01-01-2008. OBC candidates get 3 years and SC/ST candidates get 5 years of relaxation over the upper limit.
Is there negative marking in SSC GD?
Yes. The CBE deducts 0.25 marks for every wrong answer, so blind guessing across 80 questions costs real marks.
Can final-year 10th students apply?
No. You must have passed Matriculation by the closing date of the application form. Appearing candidates are not eligible.
What is the salary of an SSC GD Constable?
Pay Level 3 of the pay matrix: â¹21,700 to â¹69,100 basic pay, plus DA, HRA and other allowances as applicable to CAPF personnel.
Sources
- SSC Constable (GD) in CAPFs and SSF, and Rifleman (GD) in Assam Rifles Examination, 2026 - official notification (ssc.gov.in)
- Staff Selection Commission - official website
Eligibility figures above are from the SSC GD 2026 notification, the latest published. Verify current dates and vacancy counts against the fresh notification for the cycle you apply in.
