CRPF Physical Test 2026 – Complete Guide to PST, PET & Medical Standards
If joining the Central Reserve Police Force is your goal, you need to clear three physical gates before any written exam matters: the PST (Physical Standard Test), the PET (Physical Efficiency Test), and the Medical Examination. Miss any one of these and you're out — no matter how well you score on paper. This guide gives you every number you need for the 2026 recruitment cycle, category by category, male and female both.
👉 BSF Physical Test 2026 — Compare CRPF vs BSF height and running standards side by side
CRPF Recruitment — Which Post Are You Targeting?
CRPF recruits across several posts, each with its own physical benchmark. The two main routes are:
- GD Constable via SSC GD Constable exam — the largest intake, conducted by SSC every 2-3 years. Physical standards are set by the Ministry of Home Affairs and apply uniformly across all 7 CAPFs (CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP, SSB, AR, NIA)
- CRPF Constable (Technical & Tradesmen) — direct CRPF recruitment for radio operators, drivers, cooks, etc. Slightly different physical standards from SSC GD
This article covers CRPF GD Constable (via SSC GD) standards since that's what the majority of applicants are preparing for. The CRPF 2026 notifications follow the same Ministry of Home Affairs physical framework used since 2019.
PST — Physical Standard Test (Height, Weight, Chest)
PST happens on Day 1 of the selection process. You either meet the numbers or you go home. There's no grace, no retesting. The measurements are taken by a medical officer — height is measured barefoot, chest measurement requires both unexpanded and expanded readings with a minimum 5 cm expansion.
Male PST Standards
| Category |
Height (cm) |
Weight (kg) |
Chest Unexpanded |
Chest Expanded |
| General / OBC / EWS | 170 cm | 54.5 kg | 80 cm | 85 cm |
| SC / ST | 162.5 cm | 48.5 kg | 76 cm | 81 cm |
| Himachal Pradesh / Garhwali / Kumaoni / Uttarakhand / J&K Hill Regions | 165 cm | 50 kg | 78 cm | 83 cm |
| North-East States / Sikkim / Arunachal Pradesh / Nagaland / Manipur / Mizoram / Tripura | 162.5 cm | 48.5 kg | 76 cm | 81 cm |
Chest expansion: You need at least 5 cm difference between unexpanded and expanded. If your unexpanded is 80 cm but your expanded is only 84 cm — that's a fail. Train your lungs as much as your legs.
Female PST Standards
| Category |
Height (cm) |
Weight (kg) |
| General / OBC / EWS | 157 cm | 46.5 kg |
| SC / ST | 150 cm | 42.5 kg |
| HP / Garhwali / Kumaoni / Uttarakhand / J&K Hills | 155 cm | 44 kg |
| North-East / Sikkim / Arunachal / Nagaland / Manipur / Mizoram / Tripura | 150 cm | 42.5 kg |
Female candidates are not required to give a chest measurement. Weight is checked against a standard BMI-compatible range — being too underweight can also fail you, not just overweight.
PET — Physical Efficiency Test (Running, Long Jump, High Jump)
Clearing PST gets you to Day 2: the PET. This is where most candidates who passed PST get eliminated. The 5 km run especially filters out people who "looked fit" but didn't actually train. You get one attempt at each event — no retesting if you fail.
Male PET Events
| Event |
Standard |
Attempts |
| 5 km Race | 24 minutes | 1 |
| Long Jump | 11 feet (3.35 m) | 3 |
| High Jump | 3.5 feet (1.07 m) | 3 |
The 5 km in 24 minutes works out to a pace of 4 minutes 48 seconds per km. That's a solid running pace — not sprint-level, but definitely requires dedicated training. Most first-time candidates underestimate this and fail the run while comfortably clearing the jumps.
Female PET Events
| Event |
Standard |
Attempts |
| 1.6 km Race | 8 min 30 sec | 1 |
| Long Jump | 9 feet (2.74 m) | 3 |
| High Jump | 3 feet (0.91 m) | 3 |
Female candidates get 3 attempts each for the jumps — use all 3 strategically. Start slightly conservative on your first attempt so you don't foul, then push on attempts 2 and 3.
CRPF Medical Examination Standards
After PET, candidates who qualify appear for a detailed medical examination. This is more thorough than what most people expect — it covers eyes, ears, joints, flat feet, and several disqualifying conditions.
| Body System |
Standard / Disqualification Criteria |
| Vision (Distance) | 6/6 in one eye and 6/9 in other — spectacles allowed (max ±4 dioptre). Myopia not beyond −4, hypermetropia not beyond +4 |
| Colour Vision | Must distinguish red, green, blue — colour blindness is a permanent disqualifier |
| Hearing | Normal hearing in both ears — hearing aid not allowed for service |
| Flat Feet | Flat feet (pes planus) is a disqualifier — the arch of your foot is checked physically |
| Knock Knees | Genu valgum (knock knees) disqualifies — legs must be straight when standing at attention |
| Varicose Veins | Varicose veins are a disqualifier — checked on both legs |
| Dental | Sufficient number of healthy teeth — major dental defects may cause rejection |
| Skin | No hydrocele, piles, or major skin diseases |
| Overall Build | No deformity of limbs, no stammer affecting communication — general physical fitness for active field duty |
Flat feet and varicose veins catch the most candidates by surprise because these conditions don't prevent a normal life or even running — but CRPF standards are designed for combat and long-march readiness, so they're strict.
👉 CISF Physical Test 2026 — CISF has stricter height (170cm for general) but same 5-CAPF comparison table
CRPF vs BSF vs CISF vs ITBP — Physical Standards Compared
All four CAPFs recruit GD Constables through the same SSC GD exam, but their internal physical standards have some differences. This table shows you where CRPF sits relative to its sister forces.
| Standard |
CRPF |
BSF |
CISF |
ITBP |
| Height (General Male) | 170 cm | 167.5 cm | 170 cm | 165 cm |
| Chest (Unexpanded, General) | 80 cm | 78 cm | 80 cm | 77 cm |
| Chest (Expanded, General) | 85 cm | 83 cm | 85 cm | 82 cm |
| Male Running | 5 km / 24 min | 5 km / 24 min | 5 km / 24 min | 5 km / 24 min |
| Female Running | 1.6 km / 8:30 | 1.6 km / 8:30 | 1.6 km / 8:30 | 1.6 km / 8:30 |
| Posting Type | Riot/Internal Security | Border Guarding | Industrial Security | High-Altitude Borders |
| Altitude Training Required | No | No | No | Yes |
Key takeaway: CRPF and CISF have the same height standard for General category (170 cm) — both stricter than BSF (167.5 cm) and ITBP (165 cm). However, ITBP has additional altitude fitness requirements that make it arguably the toughest posting among the four.
10-Week CRPF Physical Training Plan
If your physical test is 10 weeks away and you're starting from scratch, here's a week-by-week plan. The goal is to hit 5 km in 22 minutes by exam week — giving yourself a 2-minute buffer over the 24-minute cutoff.
| Week |
Running Focus |
Strength / Jumps Focus |
Target Time |
| 1–2 | 3 km easy jog daily. No time pressure | Bodyweight squats, standing broad jump practice | 3 km in 18 min |
| 3–4 | Increase to 4 km. Add 1 tempo run per week | Lunges, box step-ups, long jump approach drill | 4 km in 21 min |
| 5–6 | Full 5 km practice. Aim for sub-26 min first attempt | Plyometric jumps, high jump bar practice | 5 km in 26 min |
| 7–8 | 5 km with 800m intervals. Push pace | Sprint drills before long jump, chest expansion breathing | 5 km in 24 min |
| 9 | 5 km time trials twice this week | Practice exact jump techniques under time pressure | 5 km in 23 min |
| 10 | Taper: 3 km easy, rest 2 days before exam | Light stretching only — don't strain in the last week | 5 km in 22 min |
Chest expansion is trained by breathing exercises and swimming if available. If not, daily 10-minute pranayama (anulom-vilom + bhastrika) expands lung capacity noticeably in 6–8 weeks. Measure your unexpanded and expanded chest weekly — you should see 0.5–1 cm improvement per week initially.
Common Reasons Candidates Fail CRPF Physical Test
After talking to candidates who've gone through multiple cycles, these are the most common failure points that nobody warns you about:
| Failure Point |
Why It Happens |
How to Fix It |
| Chest expansion under 5 cm | Trained running only, neglected breathing | Daily breathing exercises for 8 weeks |
| Running time 24:30–25:00 (just over cutoff) | Trained at 3–4 km, never did full 5 km | Always train longer than the exam distance |
| Long jump foul (stepping over board) | Never practiced with an actual takeoff board | Practice with marked tape on ground |
| Flat feet rejection at medical | Didn't know they had it — never checked | Get checked by a doctor months before applying |
| Weight below minimum | Thin frame, dieting aggressively before exam | Eat normally — weight cutoffs work both ways |
CRPF Deployment — Where You Serve After Joining
CRPF deploys constables across India in three main operational contexts. Before you apply, it's worth knowing what these entail:
- Counter-insurgency operations (Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha): Anti-Naxal operations in the Red Corridor. Demanding and dangerous — but carries significant additional allowances including COIN (Counter-Insurgency Operational Allowance) of ₹6,300–12,000/month, taking in-hand to ₹48,000–55,000+/month
- Counter-terrorism operations (J&K, North-East): Similar high-risk deployment with comparable special allowances
- Law & order (elections, VIP protection, riot control): Nationwide deployment; less constant danger but still demanding; this is where the majority of CRPF constables spend most of their career
Unlike CISF (fixed site) or BSF (fixed border), CRPF postings are more variable and frequently involve state transfers based on operational needs. Career stability and family life require adjustment to this reality.
Documents to Carry on CRPF PET/PST Day
- Admit card — printed from CRPF's official portal
- Photo ID — Aadhaar, voter card, or passport (same used at application)
- Class 10 certificate — for date of birth proof
- Category certificate — SC/ST/OBC (non-creamy layer, current financial year)
- Domicile certificate — if claiming hill state or state-based height relaxation
- 4 passport photographs — white background, recent
Arrive at least 60 minutes early — CRPF PST/PET venues typically have hundreds of candidates and queuing takes time. Late arrivals are turned away regardless of reason.
CRPF Career Growth — 25 Years at a Glance
| Rank |
Pay Level |
Typical Years |
| Constable GD | Level 3 — ₹21,700 | Entry |
| Head Constable | Level 4 — ₹25,500 | 5–8 years |
| ASI | Level 5 — ₹29,200 | 12–15 years |
| SI (Sub-Inspector) | Level 6 — ₹35,400 | 18–22 years |
| Inspector | Level 7 — ₹44,900 | 22–27 years |
The LDCE (Limited Departmental Competitive Exam) shortcut to SI is available at CRPF too — candidates with good written exam scores can bypass years of seniority queue. At operational postings in conflict zones, CRPF personnel also build up leave that can be encashed, and 5-year service in conflict areas can provide a 6-month service credit for pension calculation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is the CRPF 5 km run standard harder than BSF or CISF?
No — all three forces require the same 5 km in 24 minutes for the SSC GD Constable exam. The timing is identical. What differs is the height and chest standard: CRPF and CISF both require 170 cm (General) while BSF accepts 167.5 cm.
Q: I am 168 cm tall. Can I still apply for CRPF GD Constable in General category?
No. The General/OBC/EWS height minimum is 170 cm — you would be rejected at PST. However, if you belong to a hill region category (HP, Garhwal, Kumaon, Uttarakhand) the cutoff is 165 cm, which you'd clear. Check your category in the official notification carefully.
Q: How many chances are given for the 5 km run?
Only one chance. If you cross the finish line after 24 minutes, you are disqualified. There's no re-run. This is why training with a buffer (aiming for 21–22 minutes) is essential.
Q: Can I wear spectacles during the CRPF physical test?
Spectacles are allowed at the medical examination stage — up to ±4 dioptre. However, during the actual running and jump events, you'll be doing these in normal conditions (spectacles are practically worn). The medical check will assess your corrected and uncorrected vision separately.
Q: My chest is 80 cm unexpanded but only 84 cm when I expand — will I fail?
Yes. The rule is minimum 5 cm expansion. If unexpanded is 80 cm, you need at least 85 cm expanded. 84 cm expanded = 4 cm expansion = fail. Practice breathing exercises and swimming to build lung and chest capacity before your test date.
Q: Is there any age relaxation in physical standards for older applicants?
No age relaxation exists for physical standards. The height, weight, chest, and PET standards are the same whether you're 18 or 25 years old. Age relaxation only applies to the upper age limit for applying — not to the physical bars.
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