State Police SI 2026: Sub-Inspector Recruitment Exam Pattern, Syllabus and Preparation

As of 8 June 2026, state police SI recruitment notifications for 2026 cycles are at different stages across states; check your specific state's official portal, which is the binding source. This guide covers the common exam pattern across major state police SI recruitments, primarily focused on UP, Rajasthan, Haryana, and MP, and is meant to anchor your preparation where the pattern overlaps.

All specific numbers (vacancies, cutoffs, exact physical standards) must be verified in your state's current official notification before acting on them.

SI Recruitment 2026 Status by State (Verify on Official Portals)

Common SI Exam Pattern (Last-Cycle Basis)

Most state police SI exams follow this broad structure:

Stage 1: Written Test (Objective)

Total marks and distribution vary significantly by state. Some states (Delhi Police SI through SSC CPO) use SSC's exam structure. Some states use state-specific commissions. Confirm the exact pattern for your state.

Negative marking: most states apply 0.25 marks per wrong answer; some apply no negative marking. Confirm in the official notice.

Stage 2: Physical Efficiency Test (PET) and Physical Measurement Test (PMT)

Qualifying stages:

Physical standards for Police SI vary significantly between states. UP Police SI has different standards from Rajasthan Police SI. Always verify the specific physical requirements for your state in the official notification.

Stage 3: Interview / Personality Test (some states)

Some states include an interview; others base final selection entirely on written test + PET. Delhi Police SI through SSC CPO includes an interview. UP Police SI may or may not include an interview depending on the current year's process. Confirm in the official notification.

Eligibility Table (Verify in Your State's Notice)

Syllabus: Section-by-Section Breakdown

General Knowledge and Current Affairs

National and International Current Affairs:

• Last 12 months of political, economic, sports, science, and cultural events
• India's foreign relations: major bilateral agreements, India's position in multilateral organisations (G20, SCO, BRICS, Quad)
• Defence and security: major operations, acquisitions (Rafale, S-400), border tensions, anti-terrorism measures

Static GK:

• Indian history: national movement, post-independence events, Constitution
• Indian geography: physical features, rivers, climate, economic geography
• Indian polity: Parliament, President, PM, Fundamental Rights, Panchayati Raj
• Indian economy: GDP, major schemes (PM-KISAN, MGNREGA, Ayushman Bharat, PM Awas Yojana), banking
• Science: everyday science at Class 10 level, recent discoveries, ISRO missions

Law and Police Knowledge (where tested): Basic knowledge of:

• Indian Penal Code (IPC) 1860 (now Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, BNS, 2023): major cognizable offences, sections on murder, robbery, rape, cheating (the new BNS has replaced IPC; confirm which code your state's SI exam tests)
• Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) 1973 (now Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, BNSS): FIR registration, arrest procedures, bail, chargesheet
• Police Act relevant to your state (UP Police Act, Rajasthan Police Act, etc.)
• Women's legal protection: sections on domestic violence (Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act), dowry (Dowry Prohibition Act), sexual harassment (POSH Act)
• SC/ST Protection Act, Juvenile Justice Act (basic awareness level)

Note: The Indian government replaced IPC, CrPC, and Indian Evidence Act with Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (effective July 2024). Check whether your state SI exam has been updated to test BNS/BNSS or still tests IPC/CrPC in the current exam cycle.

Reasoning Ability

• Number series: identify the pattern and find the missing/next term
• Alphabet series: similar pattern finding
• Coding and decoding: word, number, and letter code
• Blood relations: family tree and relationship problems
• Direction and distance: shortest path, final direction after turns
• Classification (odd one out): identify which does not belong
• Analogy: word and figure pairs
• Statement and conclusions: logical deduction
• Seating arrangement: linear and circular
• Ranking and ordering
• Venn diagrams

Numerical Ability

• Number system: HCF, LCM, factors, prime and composite
• Simplification: BODMAS, fractions, decimals
• Percentage: rate, base, amount
• Ratio and proportion: simple, compound proportion
• Profit and loss: all variants (successive discounts, cost-selling price)
• Simple and compound interest
• Time and work: individual rates, combined work, pipe and cistern
• Time, speed, and distance: trains, boats and streams, circular motion
• Data interpretation: bar graph, pie chart, table (1 DI set typically)

Hindi Language

• Hindi grammar: Sandhi (complete), Samas (all types with examples), Karak, Ling, Vachan
• Muhavare and Lokoktiyan (idioms and proverbs in common use)
• Tatsam, Tadbhav, Deshaj, Videshi words: identification and classification
• Hindi comprehension: 1 unseen passage with 4 to 5 questions
• Common errors in Hindi sentences (shudh ashuddh waakyaan)
• Synonyms and antonyms in Hindi
• Hindi fill in the blanks (grammar and vocabulary)
• Police and legal Hindi terminology: FIR, shikayat, mudday, dakhal, bayan, panchnama (common words in police Hindi)

Mental Aptitude and Intelligence (some states call this a separate section)

Mirrors standard psychometric test content:

• Emotional intelligence: situational judgment (how would you handle an angry victim, a crowd, a senior officer's order vs rules)
• Interpersonal intelligence: public dealing scenarios
• Communication aptitude
• Integrity scenarios: what to do if a senior officer asks you to do something unethical

These questions do not have a single "correct" answer in the traditional sense; they test police aptitude (calm under pressure, integrity, empathy with victims, respect for law). Practise SI-specific aptitude question sets.

Physical Preparation in Detail

Police SI physical standards are among the most demanding of any government recruitment at this educational level. The key areas (all candidate-reported from public preparation resources; confirm exact standards in your state's official notification):

Running: Candidate-reported standards across states: 4.8 km or 5 km run within 25 to 30 minutes for male candidates, or a shorter 1.6 km run within 7 to 8 minutes depending on the state. Female candidates typically have a longer time allowance or shorter distance. Confirm the exact running distance and time for your state in the official notice before training to a wrong target.

Build running base over 8 to 12 weeks. For 5 km in 25 minutes, the target is running at 5 minutes per kilometre pace. Start at your current comfortable pace and add 0.5 km per week.

Long Jump: Candidate-reported standards: 11 to 13 feet (approximately 3.35 to 3.96 metres) for male candidates depending on the state. Confirm in the official notice for your state. Long jump technique (approach run, take-off, flight, landing) is learnable; practise the technique, not just raw power.

High Jump: Candidate-reported standards: 3.5 to 4 feet (approximately 1.07 to 1.22 metres) for male candidates. Confirm in the official notice. Practise the scissors kick or Fosbury flop technique depending on available training.

Chest Expansion: For male candidates, a minimum 5 cm expansion is required. Breathing exercises and upper body training (push-ups, rows) support chest expansion.

Stage-Wise Selection Process

1. Written Test: Merit-based shortlisting.
2. PMT (Physical Measurement Test): Height and chest measurement. Qualifying.
3. PET (Physical Efficiency Test): Running, long jump, high jump. Qualifying.
4. Medical Examination: Qualifying.
5. Interview or Personality Test (where applicable): Some states include this; others do not. Confirm for your state.
6. Document Verification: Graduation certificate, age proof, domicile, category certificate.
7. Final Merit List: Based on written test score (PET, PMT, medical, interview if applicable are qualifying or add-on marks).

Preparation Strategy

Phase 1: GK and Current Affairs (Months 1 and 2)

GK is the highest-mark section in most state police SI exams. Maintain a current affairs diary. Focus on state-specific GK for your state (UP Police SI aspirants need UP-specific GK; Rajasthan Police SI aspirants need Rajasthan-specific GK including geography, history, art, culture, and schemes).

Study basic legal knowledge: memorise the key section numbers from BNS (or IPC if your state exam has not transitioned) for major crimes. The transition from IPC to BNS is a likely current affairs question.

Phase 2: Hindi Language (Month 2)

Hindi is 30 marks in most state SI exams and is genuinely testable through practice. Study Sandhi and Samas systematically; these contribute the most questions. Practise 30 Hindi grammar questions per session.

Phase 3: Reasoning and Numerical Ability (Month 3)

Reasoning: blood relations, direction-distance, and seating arrangement are the most time-consuming question types. Practise these specific types 20 questions per session. Numerical ability for SI is standard competition level; profit-loss, percentage, and time-work are recurring topics.

Phase 4: Physical Training (Throughout)

Start running from Month 1. At the same time, begin weight training for chest expansion and jumping. Candidate-reported estimate: the physical round eliminates a significant share of written-test-qualified candidates. Confirm exact standards in the official notice for your state and train specifically toward those.

Sample Questions with Answers

Q1. What is FIR and under which section of BNSS (formerly CrPC) is it registered? FIR (First Information Report) is the initial document filed at a police station when information about a cognizable offence is received. Under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS 2023, replacing CrPC 1973), FIR registration is covered under Section 173 (corresponding to Section 154 of CrPC). Confirm the current section numbers in the latest BNSS text.

Q2. What is the standard for height for a male General category UP Police SI candidate? For UP Police SI, the last-cycle minimum height for General category male was approximately 168 cm. For SC/ST candidates and specific hill district candidates, the standard differs. Confirm the exact current standard in the official UPPRPB notification on uppbpb.gov.in before the exam.

Q3. The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023 replaced which existing law? The Indian Penal Code (IPC) 1860. The BNS came into effect from 1 July 2024, replacing the IPC. Similarly, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) replaced CrPC, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) replaced the Indian Evidence Act. State police SI candidates should verify whether their exam has updated to test BNS/BNSS or still tests IPC/CrPC.

Internal Links

For related exam guides, see the SSC GD Physical Standards 2026 guide on PapersAdda. For CAPF AC 2026 preparation (gazetted officer level), see the CAPF AC guide. For HPSC HCS 2026 (IPS-route via state PSC), see that guide. For the 2026 government exams calendar, see PapersAdda.