Police Constable
Frontline police officer doing patrol, guard duty and basic law enforcement.
Facts checked 29/10/2026
Is this for me?
- Being outdoors and on your feet, not at a desk
- Helping people on their worst days and keeping the peace
- The pride and stability of a uniformed government job
- Long, irregular shifts and little control over leave
- Transfers and postings away from home, sometimes in tense situations
- Physical standards and tough competition. Lakhs often apply for each round, and recruitment rounds are not yearly
- Class 11–12 subjects
- Class 12 (Intermediate) pass from a recognised board, in any stream. In the latest Uttar Pradesh round, students still waiting for their Class 12 result could not apply (reported). Rules differ a little from state to state.
- First degree
- No degree needed. Class 12 is enough.
- Entrance exams
- A written exam from your state's police recruitment board or commission (for example UPPRPB in Uttar Pradesh), then height/chest checks and a running test. In Delhi, the Staff Selection Commission runs the exam.
- Licence or registration
- None needed to start working.
What the work is like
Patrolling, guard and gate duty, crowd and traffic control, helping at crime scenes, taking people to court, carrying out an officer's orders, and being the first person many citizens meet when they need help.
A day in the work
Your day starts with a roll-call and a briefing at the police station. Then you might walk a beat, stand guard at a court, bank or event, or manage traffic at a busy crossing. When a call comes, you go to the spot with your seniors, help keep the crowd calm and note down what happened. Shifts can be long, and festivals, elections and VIP visits can mean leave gets cancelled.
The path, step by step
- Step 1 · Class 9–12Build running stamina and general fitness early. Keep your Class 12 studies steady, because the written exam comes first and tests General Knowledge, Hindi, basic maths and reasoning.
- Step 2 · Class 12Pass Class 12 in any stream. Keep your marksheet, caste or category certificate and a domicile certificate ready. Many states give priority or reservation to their own residents.
- Step 3 · When your state advertisesRegister on your state police board's website and apply online. In Uttar Pradesh, the latest round (Advertisement 07/2025) took applications from 31 December 2025 to 30 January 2026. Vacancies come in waves, not every year, so watch the official site.
- Step 4 · Written examAn objective (MCQ) paper. In Uttar Pradesh it covers General Knowledge, General Hindi, numerical and mental ability, and reasoning. The 2026 exam was held on 8–10 June (reported). Only candidates who score above the cut-off go on to the physical stage.
- Step 5 · Document check, height/chest and running testYour certificates are checked. Your height (and chest for men) is measured. Then you do the Physical Efficiency Test. In UP the running test was reported as 4.8 km in 25 minutes for men and 2.4 km in 14 minutes for women. Other states use different events, such as 1,600 m runs and jumps. (reported — check with the official body)
- Step 6 · Medical, police verification and final listA medical exam and a police character check come before the final merit list. UP published its final result for this round on 14 October 2026 (official board notice).
- Step 7 · Training and probationSelected candidates go to a state police training centre for basic training in law, drill, weapons and fitness. A probation period follows, and then you are confirmed. The length of training and probation is set by each state. (reported — check with the official body)
Ways in
- Your home state policeThe most common way in. Each state runs its own exam, with its own age limit, height rules and tests. Several posts can come from one exam, such as Civil Police, armed police (PAC), special security force and jail warder.
- Delhi Police ConstableRun through the Staff Selection Commission: an online exam, then a physical test, document check and medical. See the separate Delhi Police and SSC pages.
- Central forcesCRPF, BSF and similar forces are a different service with a different exam. See the SSC GD Constable and CAPF Constable pages.
Time and money
| Stage | Time | Government college or body | Private college | Help available |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class 11–12 (general fitness, steady studies) | 2 years | Your school's fees | — | — |
| Online application to state police board (small application fee set by each state) | Varies by state's advertisement; applications open for about 1 month (UP round) | Small fee set in the state notice; check the notice | — | — |
| Written exam (MCQ), then document check, height/chest and running test | 1 day exam | Exam fee: check the notice | — | No college fees; written exam and physical tests are part of selection |
| Medical exam, police verification and final merit list | Varies by state; UP round took several months (reported) | Free as part of selection (no fee on page) | — | — |
| Police training and probation (paid, government employee) | Set by each state | Paid: you are a government employee in training (reported) | — | Stipend or pay during training (reported); Pay Level 3, ₹21,700 basic in UP (reported) |
Fees from: UPPRPB official site (check the advertisement for the fee). Fees change every year — check the college's own fee page before you pay.
What people earn
Pay Level 3, ₹21,700 basic (pay range ₹21,700–₹69,100) plus allowances, for UP Police constables under the 7th CPC (reported). Other states use their own scales. For example, Himachal Pradesh was reported at ₹20,200–₹64,000 for 2026. Check the pay line in your state's advertisement.
Pay starts modest and depends on the state, your posting and allowances such as city or hardship allowance. It grows with promotions and years of service.
Myth and fact
For girls and students with disabilities
Women can apply for constable posts. In the UP round, Civil Police was open to men and women, and 2,282 posts were reported for the Women's Battalion. Height standards for women and for ST candidates are lower, and reserved categories get age relaxation (reported). All candidates must pass the medical exam, so students with disabilities should read the exact rules in the state's notice.
Try it now
- Class 7–9Start a simple running habit this month: a short jog three days a week, building up slowly. Join your school's NCC, scouts or sports team if there is one.
- Class 10–12Open your state police board's website and read the last Constable advertisement PDF fully. Note the age, height, running test and syllabus. Then, if you are 15 or older, look at volunteering options on MY Bharat.Open link ↗
- College or afterCheck the notices page of your state's recruitment board every week and complete the one-time registration if it has one. Keep your certificates scanned and ready.Open link ↗
Good to know
- Rules change by state and by year. Always read the latest advertisement PDF on your own state board's website, especially for age, height and the running test.
- Age limits in the latest UP round were reported as 18–25 years for General men and 18–28 for General women, as on 1 July 2025. These include a one-time 3-year relaxation, with more for reserved categories (reported). Check your state's notice.
- Height and chest checks are part of selection. For UP Civil Police, men needed 168 cm (160 cm for ST) and women 152 cm (147 cm for ST). These figures are reported, so check the notice.
- After some years of service, constables can be promoted to Head Constable, ASI and further, through departmental exams and seniority (reported). Many people also aim for Sub-Inspector later.