SSC CPO Selection Process 2025, Know About All Stages

SSC CPO Selection Process 2025: The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) will conduct its annual SSC Central Police Organisation (CPO) exam to recruit candidates for various posts of Inspector and Sub-Inspector in Delhi Police, CISF and CAPF. Candidates will have to undergo five stages of selection to qualify for this post. They can find the detailed recruitment process on the official website – ssc.nic.in and on this page.

*Steps to attempt SSC CPO Paper 1 Mock Tests are mentioned below.

The stages involved in the selection process are Paper 1, physical tests, Paper 2, medical test & document verification. Those who clear the first stage will only be eligible to attend the further round of the selection process. The first hurdle that the candidates will have to clear is the Paper 1 examination, which will be held in the month of October 2025. Read on to know more.

SSC CPO Recruitment Process 2025

The SSC CPO notification was released on July 2025. The stages involved in the selection process are:

• Stage 1: SSC CPO Paper 1 Written Exam,
• Stage 2: Physical Endurance Test (PET)/ Physical Standard Test (PST),
• Stage 3: SSC CPO Paper 2 Written Exam,
• Stage 4: Medical Examination,
• Stage 5: Document Verification Process.

The SSC publishes the exam results, and applicants who make it to the merit list will be appointed for the post. Scroll down to get in-depth details about all the stages.

SSC CPO Selection Stage 1: Paper 1

The SSC CPO Paper 1 exam will be an online Computer-Based Test (CBT). It will consist of multiple-choice questions (MCQs). There will be 200 questions, and the total mark allocated for the exam is 200 marks. There will be a negative marking of 0.25 marks for every wrong answer. However, the total exam duration will be 2 hours (120 minutes). Check out the detailed pattern from the below table:

Best SSC CPO Paper 1 Practice Books

We have created a list of some of the top books, essentially incorporating many practice questions. These would surely help you obtain a better knowledge of the critical topics. Access SSC CPO Practice Books for Paper 1 subjects from the below link:

How to Attempt SSC CPO Paper 1 Mock Tests at Embibe?

Candidates can attempt unlimited SSC CPO Paper 1 mock tests at Embibe by following the steps provided below:

• 1st Step: Visit Embibe’s official website, i.e., embibe.com.
• 2nd Step: Use the mobile number/email to log in.
• 3rd Step: Click on the “Getting a Government Job” menu bar.
• 4th Step: Select the Goal “SSC” from the Dropdown and click “Next”.
• 5th Step: Select “SSC CPO Paper-I” and click “Next”.
• 6th Step: Select the preferred language and click “Done”.
• 7th Step: Click “Test” from the header section.
• 8th Step: Scroll down to the “Subjects” section.
• 9th Step: Click on any SSC CPO Paper-I subjects.
• 10th Step: Scroll down to click on the chapters from the selected subject to begin the test.

SSC CPO Selection Stage 2: PET and PST

On clearing the Paper 1 written exam, the candidate will be able to attend the PET/PMT. However, Ex-Servicemen category candidates are exempted from attending this round of selection. The physical tests are divided into two sections: the Physical Endurance Test and Physical Standards Test. This test will be qualifying in nature, and the final merit list will not be affected by the PET/PST.

Physical Endurance Test

The PET consists of various physical tasks that will have to be completed by the candidates. The tasks and criteria are different for men and women. The details are as mentioned below.

Physical Standard Test

The SSC has set some criteria for candidates that they must fulfil to clear the PST. The criteria set is different for men and women and also differs category-wise. The details of the PST are given below.

SSC CPO Selection Stage 3: Paper 2

The third phase of the SSC CPO recruitment process is Paper 2. The Paper 2 written test is for the candidate’s knowledge of the English language. This will consist of 200 objective-type questions, each carrying 1 mark. The total duration of the examination will be 2 hours. There will be a negative marking of 0.25 marks for every wrong answer. Check out the Paper 2 pattern from the below table:

SSC CPO Selection Stage 4: Medical Examination

Candidates successfully clearing the Paper 1 exam, PET/PST, and Paper 2 examination will be called for a detailed medical examination. This test will be qualifying in nature, and the final merit list will not be affected by the Medical Examination.

Physical and Mental Health

• The candidate must not possess physical ailments such as knock knee, flat foot, varicose vein or squint in the eyes.
• The candidate must be mentally sound and physically fit. Any sort of physical obligation that can be an obstacle to the duty, can be liable to rejection.

Eye Sight

• The minimum near vision should be N6 (better eye) and N9 (worse eye).
• The minimum distant vision should be 6/6 (better eye) and 6/9 (worse eye) of both eyes without any correction like wearing glasses or surgery of any kind to improve visual acuity. 

Obstacle Test

Candidates will also have to pass seven obstacles as a part of the Inspector and Sub-Inspector Selection Process.

• Jumping over the Vertical Board
• Holding the rope on jumping from the Board
• Tarzan Swing
• Jumping on the Horizontal Board
• Parallel Rope
• Monkey Crawl
• Vertical Rope

Tattoo Rules for SSC CPO

The SSC has strict regulations regarding the usage of tattoos on the body during physical tests. The MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs) will release the rules in this regard.

• Content: The tattoos that signify the religious and traditional aspects of the Indian Army are allowed to have on the body. 
• Location: Tattoos on the traditional sites of the body, i.e., the inner aspect of the left forearm and non-saluting limb, are also allowed.
• Size: The size needs to be 1/4th of the particular body part.

SSC CPO Selection Stage 5: Document Verification

• The eligible candidates will be called for document verification upon successfully completing all the above-mentioned stages.
• This is the final stage in the SSC CPO Inspector and Sub-Inspector selection process.
• Candidates will be required to submit all the required documents as requested by the authorities.
• The final merit list will be prepared based on the scores obtained in the Paper-1 and Paper-2 CBTs.
• On selection, candidates will have to undergo a mandatory 2-year probation period.
• During this period, candidates will undergo training and have to pass a few tests conducted by the authorities.
• On successful completion of the probation period, the candidates shall, if considered fit for permanent appointment, be confirmed to their post by the Controlling Authority.

SSC CPO Tie-Breaker

If two or more candidates score the same marks, the SSC CPO has prescribed certain parameters to resolve all ties. The parameters as mentioned by the authorities are:

• Total score in SSC CPO Paper 2,
• Date of birth, with older candidates placed higher,
• Alphabetical order of the names of the candidates.

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FAQs on SSC CPO Selection Process 2025

Here are a few frequently asked questions related to the SSC CPO selection procedure to resolve all the doubts and queries of the candidates:

We hope this article on the SSC CPO selection process has helped you determine the selection stages for the Inspector and Sub-Inspector posts. Stay tuned to Embibe for related updates on the SSC CPO exam 2025.