CISF Physical Test 2026 – Complete Guide to PST, PET and Medical Standards
Every year, thousands of CISF candidates clear the written exam only to fail at the Physical Standard Test (PST) — not because they're unfit, but because they didn't know the exact numbers. Whether it's arriving 2cm short of the height mark or falling short on chest expansion, the rejections are avoidable. This guide gives you every measurement, every running standard, and every category-wise relaxation — so you know exactly what to prepare for before you walk into that ground.
CISF Physical Test 2026 – Overview
| Detail |
Information |
| Conducting Body | Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) |
| Physical Test Stages | PST (Physical Standard Test) + PET (Physical Efficiency Test) |
| PST checks | Height, Weight, Chest (males only) |
| PET checks | Running, Long Jump, High Jump |
| Medical Exam | Vision, hearing, flat feet, knock knees, general fitness |
| Qualifying nature | Mandatory qualifying — PST must be cleared before PET |
CISF PST – Physical Standard Test (Height, Chest, Weight)
The PST is purely a measurement check. You stand at a height gauge, your chest is measured at rest and after full expansion, and your weight is checked for proportionality to height. There's no running or effort involved — it's a tape measure and a scale. Fail PST and you don't even get to the ground for PET.
Male Candidates – Height Requirements
| Category |
Minimum Height |
Notes |
| General / OBC / EWS | 170 cm | Standard requirement |
| SC / ST | 162.5 cm | 7.5 cm relaxation |
| Gorkha / Garhwali / Dogra | 165 cm | 5 cm relaxation |
| NE States (Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Sikkim) | 162.5 cm | 7.5 cm relaxation |
| Hill Areas (Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand) | 165 cm | 5 cm relaxation |
Male Candidates – Chest Requirements
| Category |
Unexpanded |
Expanded |
Min. Expansion |
| General / OBC / EWS | 80 cm | 85 cm | 5 cm |
| SC / ST | 76 cm | 81 cm | 5 cm |
| Hill Areas / Gorkha / NE | 78 cm | 83 cm | 5 cm |
Important: The 5 cm minimum expansion is non-negotiable for all categories. Even if your unexpanded chest is 82 cm but you can only expand to 86 cm (4 cm expansion), you will be rejected. Practice deep breathing exercises specifically to improve chest expansion.
Female Candidates – Height Requirements
| Category |
Minimum Height |
| General / OBC / EWS | 157 cm |
| SC / ST | 150 cm |
| Hill Areas / Gorkha / NE | 152.5 cm |
Female candidates have no chest measurement requirement. Weight is checked proportionate to height for all candidates using standard BMI guidelines.
CISF PET – Physical Efficiency Test
Once you clear PST, you move to PET. This is where fitness actually matters. The PET is conducted on a ground and includes a timed run plus field events. You get multiple chances for long jump and high jump — but the run is a single attempt.
| Event |
Male Standard |
Female Standard |
| Race | 1.6 km in 7 min 30 sec | 0.8 km in 5 min 00 sec |
| Long Jump | 3.65 m (3 chances) | 2.7 m (3 chances) |
| High Jump | 1.2 m (3 chances) | 0.9 m (3 chances) |
The run is the one that eliminates the most people. For males, 1.6 km in 7:30 means you need to maintain a pace of roughly 4 minutes 41 seconds per km. Most moderately fit men can do this with 4–6 weeks of dedicated practice. If you're currently running 1.6 km in 9–10 minutes, you need 8–10 weeks of consistent training to close that gap.
CISF Medical Examination
The medical exam happens after PST and PET. Most rejections at the medical stage come from three issues: vision problems, flat feet, and knock knees. Here's what gets checked:
- Vision: Distant vision 6/6 in one eye and 6/9 in the other (without glasses). Near vision N6 in one eye and N9 in the other. Colour vision must be normal — no colour blindness.
- Flat Feet / Knock Knees: Any significant flat feet or knock knees will lead to rejection. These are structural issues — if you have them, get a medical opinion well before applying.
- Hearing: Normal hearing in both ears at conversation distance (6 metres).
- Varicose Veins: Pronounced varicose veins are disqualifying.
- Dental: At least 14 teeth must be present and in sound health.
- General: No active tuberculosis, no significant deformity, BMI within acceptable range.
If you wear glasses, get your eyes tested 3–4 months before the exam date. Lasik surgery done at least 6 months prior is generally accepted — check the specific notification for the year you're applying.
Common Reasons for CISF Physical Test Rejection
Short chest expansion: Candidates with adequate chest size but poor expansion (under 5 cm) fail consistently. The fix is simple: practice deep breathing exercises and chest-opening stretches daily for 60 days before your PST date.
1–2 cm below height: Some candidates are borderline short. Stand straight — many people lose 1–2 cm by slouching. During the PST, you will be measured standing against a wall gauge. Stand fully erect, feet flat, heels together, looking straight ahead.
Running time: Candidates who never run until the week before the exam consistently fail. 1.6 km in 7:30 is not easy for someone who hasn't run regularly. Start training at least 10 weeks before your expected PET date.
Colour blindness: Candidates discover their colour vision issue only at the medical stage. Get a colour vision test done at any eye hospital before submitting your application — it costs ₹100–₹200 and saves months of wasted effort.
CISF Physical Test Preparation Plan
If your PET is 12 weeks away, here's what a focused plan looks like:
| Week |
Running Focus |
Supplementary |
| 1–3 | 3 km jog daily, no time pressure | Chest expansion breathing, long jump practice |
| 4–6 | 1.6 km timed runs, target 9 min → 8 min | High jump practice, weight training for core |
| 7–9 | 1.6 km timed runs, target 8 min → 7:30 min | Sprint work, interval training |
| 10–12 | Maintain 7:00–7:15 pace, taper last week | Rest, light stretching, mock PET rehearsal |
CISF Deployment — Where Will You Actually Be Posted?
CISF is unlike BSF or CRPF in one important way: most of its personnel work at fixed industrial and infrastructure sites — not on moving borders. Understanding the types of postings helps you calibrate what you're signing up for:
| Sector |
Examples |
Nature of Duty |
| Airports (BCAS) | Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, 60+ more | Passenger security, baggage screening, access control; metro cities; 8-hour shifts |
| PSU Plants | ONGC, NTPC, SAIL, HAL, ISRO facilities | Perimeter security, entry-exit control; industrial townships; typically better facilities |
| Metro Rail | Delhi Metro, Mumbai Metro | Station security, patrolling; urban postings; commuter interaction |
| Nuclear Facilities (DAE) | BARC, NPCIL plants | Highest-security duty; special pay; strict protocols |
| Historical Monuments (ASI) | Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Parliament | Crowd management, tourist interaction; prominent but physically lighter duty |
| Coal/Mine sector | Coal India, SCCL mines | Remote mining area; tough conditions; higher hardship allowances |
Airport posting is often considered the most preferred among CISF constables — metro location, structured shift system, and better quality of life. Coal mine postings are considered hard postings — rural, dusty, but with higher hardship allowances that add ₹8,000–15,000/month.
CISF Physical Test Documents — What to Carry
Carry originals + two photocopies of each:
- Admit card — printed from official portal
- Photo ID — Aadhaar, voter card, or passport
- Class 10 certificate — for date of birth proof
- Category certificate — SC/ST/OBC (non-creamy layer for OBC, current year)
- Domicile certificate — if claiming state-based height relaxation
- Ex-serviceman certificate — from Zila Sainik Board if applicable
- 4 recent passport-sized photographs — white background
Medical Examination — What CISF Checks After PET
CISF follows the same broad medical standards as other CAPFs. Key checkpoints:
| System |
Standard / Disqualifier |
| Vision | 6/6 in each eye without correction; colour blindness disqualifies |
| Hearing | Conversational voice test — significant loss in either ear disqualifies |
| Feet | Flat feet (moderate-severe), hallux valgus, or knock knees disqualify |
| Varicose veins | Any degree — disqualifies |
| Dental | Pyorrhoea or more than 4 missing teeth can disqualify |
| Hydrocele | Disqualifies — surgical correction before joining is the route if noticed early |
| Tattoos | Inner forearm allowed; face, neck, hand not permitted |
8-Week Physical Preparation Plan for CISF PET
CISF male PET: 1.6 km in 6 minutes 30 seconds. That's a 4:04 per km pace — faster than BSF's standard. Most untrained candidates can't hit this without specific preparation:
| Week |
Daily Target |
Focus |
| 1–2 | 3 km easy jog + 100 skips | Base building, breathing rhythm |
| 3–4 | 5 × 400m intervals at 4:30/km pace | Speed conditioning |
| 5–6 | 2 × 800m time trials + 1 full 1.6km time trial | Race pace conditioning |
| 7 | 3 full 1.6km time trials on alternate days | Hit the 6:30 target consistently |
| 8 | 2km easy run + stretching only | Taper — arrive fresh |
Also practice the 100m sprint (CISF includes a short sprint event in some notifications). Start your sprint from a standing position behind a line — practise at the actual test terrain if possible (grass field vs track can affect timing by 3–5 seconds over 1.6 km).
CISF Constable Career — Promotion Path and Salary Growth
CISF constables join at Pay Level 3 (basic ₹21,700). Career progression over 25 years:
| Rank |
Pay Level |
Approx. Years |
| Constable | Level 3 — ₹21,700 | Entry |
| Head Constable | Level 4 — ₹25,500 | 5–8 years |
| ASI | Level 5 — ₹29,200 | 12–15 years |
| SI | Level 6 — ₹35,400 | 18–22 years |
| Inspector | Level 7 — ₹44,900 | 22–26 years |
At airport postings, CISF constables also receive Industrial Security Allowance and various shift-related allowances. In-hand for a CISF constable at an X-city airport posting ranges from ₹40,000–48,000/month — significantly higher than the base Level 3 figure, and comparable to many private security management roles without the equivalent benefits and pension security.
CISF — Quick Pre-Application Checklist
Before submitting your CISF application form, verify these specifics:
- Physical eligibility first: Height and chest standards are eliminatory. Confirm you meet them before investing time in written preparation.
- Eye check: Distant vision 6/6 in both eyes without glasses is required. If you wear glasses or contacts, consult an eye specialist before applying — laser correction procedures are sometimes accepted but require a waiting period before the medical exam.
- Category certificate currency: OBC non-creamy layer certificate must be from the current or previous financial year. An expired certificate will cause rejection at document verification regardless of merit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the height requirement for CISF Constable 2026?
For male General/OBC/EWS candidates, the minimum height is 170 cm. SC/ST and NE states candidates need 162.5 cm. For Gorkha, Garhwali and Hill area (HP/Uttarakhand) candidates, the limit is 165 cm. Female General/OBC/EWS candidates need 157 cm; SC/ST females need 150 cm.
Q: What is the chest requirement for CISF physical test?
Male General/OBC/EWS candidates need a chest of 80 cm unexpanded and 85 cm expanded — a minimum 5 cm expansion. SC/ST candidates need 76 cm unexpanded and 81 cm expanded. Female candidates have no chest measurement requirement at all.
Q: How far do you need to run in CISF PET?
Male candidates must complete 1.6 km in 7 minutes 30 seconds. Female candidates must complete 0.8 km in 5 minutes. These are qualifying standards — pass/fail only, not scored.
Q: Does CISF give relaxation in physical standards for SC/ST candidates?
Yes. SC/ST male candidates get 7.5 cm height relaxation (170 cm → 162.5 cm) and 4 cm chest relaxation (80 cm → 76 cm unexpanded). NE states and Hill area candidates also get similar relaxations. There is no relaxation in running time or field events for any category.
Q: Is colour blindness disqualifying for CISF?
Yes. CISF requires normal colour vision. Colour blindness — even partial — is a disqualifying condition at the medical examination stage. Get a colour vision test done before applying. It costs under ₹200 at any eye clinic and could save you months of preparation for an exam you cannot ultimately clear.
