Eligibility, syllabus, exam pattern and preparation strategy for every major exam — 7 guides.
Union Public Service Commission
The UPSC NDA Exam is the national-level entrance examination for admission to the National Defence Academy and the Naval Academy through the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination. It is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for candidates who want to begin an officer career in the Indian Armed Forces after school.
The UPSC Combined Defence Services Examination, commonly called UPSC CDS, is a national-level examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for graduate candidates who want to join the Indian Armed Forces as officers. Through CDS, eligible candidates may compete for admission to the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), Air Force Academy (AFA) and Officers Training Academy (OTA), subject to the latest official notification, academy-wise eligibility, SSB recommendation, medical fitness, merit position and vacancies.
The UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) is the national-level competitive examination through which India recruits officers for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Revenue Service and several other central civil services. For many aspirants, it is commonly called the IAS Exam, but IAS is only one of the services filled through the Civil Services Examination. The examination is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and is known for its wide syllabus, multi-stage selection process, low selection ratio and high public importance.
Staff Selection Commission (SSC)
SSC GD Constable recruits candidates as constables into India’s Central Armed Police Forces — including BSF, CRPF, CISF, SSB, ITBP, and Assam Rifles (Rifleman GD) — as well as certain posts in the Secretariat Security Force. It is one of SSC’s largest recruitment drives by vacancy volume and requires only a Class 10 pass.
SSC MTS (Multi Tasking Staff) recruits candidates for Group C, non-technical support posts across central government ministries, departments, and offices, and is conducted alongside recruitment for Havaldar posts in the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) and Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN). It requires only a Class 10 pass, making it accessible to a wide range of candidates.
SSC CHSL (Combined Higher Secondary Level) recruits 12th-pass candidates for Lower Division Clerk (LDC) / Junior Secretariat Assistant (JSA) and Data Entry Operator (DEO) posts across various central government ministries, departments, and offices. It is held annually and is one of SSC’s largest exams by number of applicants.
SSC CGL (Combined Graduate Level) is SSC’s flagship examination for filling Group B and Group C posts in various ministries, departments, and organisations of the Government of India — including posts such as Assistant Section Officer, Inspector (various departments), Auditor, Accountant, and Statistical Investigator. It is open to graduates of any stream and is held annually.