UPSC CAPF Syllabus 2026 for Paper 1 And Paper 2

Author at PW
January 05, 2026
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The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) Assistant Commandant (AC) examination every year to recruit officers for prestigious paramilitary forces such as the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). This national-level examination attracts thousands of aspirants who aim to serve the country in leadership roles within these forces.

As per the official schedule, the UPSC CAPF Exam 2026 will be held in July - August 2026. To succeed in this competitive exam, candidates must clearly understand the UPSC CAPF Syllabus 2026 along with the latest exam pattern. Knowing the syllabus helps aspirants plan their preparation in a structured way and focus on important topics without wasting time on irrelevant areas.

The CAPF syllabus is designed to test a candidate’s general awareness, analytical ability, language skills, and understanding of current national and international issues. It includes subjects such as General Mental Ability, General Studies, Essay Writing, and Comprehension.

Check Out: UPSC CSE Books

UPSC CAPF AC Syllabus 2026

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the CAPF examination to appoint eligible candidates to the post of Assistant Commandant in the Central Armed Police Forces. A clear understanding of the syllabus is essential for effective preparation. Given below are the key highlights of the UPSC CAPF AC 2026 syllabus.

UPSC CAPF Syllabus for Paper 1

To qualify for the UPSC CAPF Exam 2026, candidates must focus on accuracy and strong subject knowledge. Incorrect answers attract negative marking, so guesswork should be avoided. Aspirants are advised to complete the UPSC CAPF AC syllabus well in advance so they have enough time to practice previous years’ question papers and attempt mock tests.

Regular practice helps candidates understand the exam pattern, identify weak areas, and improve overall performance before appearing for the CAPF examination. Only those who score above the prescribed cutoff in Paper 1 are shortlisted for the next stage of the CAPF selection process.

The UPSC CAPF AC Paper 1 syllabus is divided into six major sections:

  • General Mental Ability - Logical reasoning and quantitative aptitude, including numerical skills and data interpretation.

  • General Science - Building a scientific outlook and understanding everyday scientific phenomena, including awareness of emerging areas like information technology, biotechnology, and environmental science.

  • Current Events of National and International Importance - Important national and international events related to culture, music, arts, literature, sports, governance, social and developmental issues, industry, business, globalization, and international relations.

  • Indian Polity and Economy - India’s political system and Constitution: Awareness of India’s political framework, constitutional provisions, social structure, and public administration, along with knowledge of economic development, internal security, human rights, and related indicators.

  • Indian History - Nationalism and the freedom movement: Topics focusing on the rise of nationalism and the historical struggle for India’s independence.

  • Indian and World Geography - The syllabus covers both Indian and world geography, with emphasis on physical, social, and economic dimensions.

Check Out: UPSC Previous Year Papers

UPSC CAPF Syllabus for Paper-2

The CAPF AC Paper 2 syllabus consists of descriptive questions that must be attempted as per the guidelines set by the Commission. This paper is conducted for 200 marks and evaluates a candidate’s command over language, comprehension ability, and essay-writing skills. Only those candidates who clear the CAPF cutoff in Paper 1 are eligible for the evaluation of Paper 2.

To score well in this paper and handle time efficiently, aspirants should regularly revise English grammar and practice writing essays on important and exam-relevant topics.

  • Essay - The syllabus includes important areas such as modern Indian history with special emphasis on the freedom struggle, along with geography, polity, economy, awareness of security and human rights issues, and analytical skills.

  • Comprehension & writing language skills - The syllabus covers areas like reading comprehension, précis writing, building counterarguments, basic grammar, and other components of language assessment.

Check Out: UPSC Revision Books

PW UPSC CAPF PYQ for 2026 Exam Preparation 

The PW UPSC CAPF AC Central Armed Police Forces Assistant Commandant 15 Previous Year Solved Papers I & II (2025–2011) for Exams 2026 is a well-structured preparation book designed to help aspirants crack the UPSC CAPF Assistant Commandant examination with confidence. By combining PW UPSC CAPF previous year question papers with detailed and exam-oriented solutions, this book enables candidates to understand the exam pattern, question trends, and answer-writing requirements for both Paper I and Paper II.

Features

  • 15 Previous Year Paper I Solved Papers (2025–2011): Includes detailed, step-by-step solutions to help understand concepts and exam trends.

  • 15 Previous Year Paper II Solved Papers (2025–2015): Answers are written strictly as per UPSC guidelines, following proper format and word limits.

  • Concept-Based Explanations: Each solution in Paper I is explained clearly to strengthen conceptual understanding.

  • 2400+ Practice Questions with Solutions: Covers the complete UPSC CAPF AC syllabus for comprehensive preparation.

  • Exam-Oriented Approach: Helps improve accuracy, time management, and answer-writing skills for both objective and descriptive papers.

Read More: How to Prepare for UPSC Prelims 2026?

UPSC CAPF AC Syllabus FAQs

Q1. Who conducts the UPSC CAPF AC examination?
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the CAPF Assistant Commandant (AC) examination every year.

Q2. How many papers are there in the UPSC CAPF AC Exam 2026?
The exam consists of two papers: Paper I (Objective type) and Paper II (Descriptive type).

Q3. What subjects are included in the UPSC CAPF AC Paper I syllabus?
Paper I covers General Mental Ability, General Science, Current Events of National and International Importance, Indian Polity and Economy, Indian History, and Indian & World Geography.

Q4. What is the syllabus for UPSC CAPF AC Paper II?
Paper II includes Essay, Precis Writing, Reading Comprehension, and basic grammar to test language and writing skills.

Q5. Is there negative marking in the UPSC CAPF AC Exam?
Yes, Paper I has negative marking for incorrect answers. Paper II is descriptive and does not have negative marking.

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UPSC CAPF Syllabus 2026 for Paper 1 And Paper 2