Punjab Police Constable 2026 — selection in one line: CBT (Paper 1 + Paper 2) → Physical Screening Test (PST) → Physical Measurement Test (PMT) → Document Verification → Medical Examination → Training. Only Paper 1 normalised marks decide your merit; everything else is a qualifying gate. With the CBT over (July 2026) and the answer key released on 5 August 2026, the PST/PMT round is now the biggest filter between you and the 3,298 constable posts.
Selection Process at a Glance
| Stage | What It Is | Type | Marks in Merit? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. CBT — Paper 1 | 100 MCQs, 100 marks, 2 hours — GA, Quant, Reasoning, English, Punjabi, Digital Literacy | Merit | ✅ Yes — 100% |
| 1. CBT — Paper 2 | 50 Punjabi MCQs (matric level), 1 hour | Qualifying | ❌ No (need 50%) |
| 2. PST | 1600 m run (male) / 800 m run (female) + long jump + high jump | Qualifying | ❌ No |
| 3. PMT | Minimum height check | Qualifying | ❌ No |
| 4. Document Verification | Original certificates — education, age, category, domicile | Qualifying | ❌ No |
| 5. Medical Examination | Physical and mental fitness | Qualifying | ❌ No |
| Training | Basic recruit training at Punjab Police Academy, Phillaur | — | — |
The single most important takeaway: your entire rank in this recruitment is your Paper 1 normalised score. A candidate who clears PST/PMT/DV with 75 marks beats a candidate with 74 marks regardless of physical performance — because physical stages are pass/fail, not scored.
Stage 1 — Computer-Based Test (CBT)
The CBT was conducted across multiple shifts over multiple days in July 2026 (Advertisement No. 01/2026, punjabpolice.gov.in), with the provisional answer key and response sheets released on 5 August 2026. Two papers are held:
Paper 1 — The Only Paper That Counts (100 marks)
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General Awareness | 35 | 35 |
| Quantitative Aptitude & Numerical Skills | 20 | 20 |
| Mental Ability & Logical Reasoning | 20 | 20 |
| English Language Skills | 10 | 10 |
| Punjabi Language Skills | 10 | 10 |
| Digital Literacy & Awareness | 5 | 5 |
| Total | 100 | 100 |
- Duration: 2 hours (120 minutes)
- Marking: +1 for correct, 0 for wrong — NO negative marking. A guess costs nothing; attempting all 100 questions is mathematically always the right play.
- Normalisation: Because the paper is held across many shifts with slightly different difficulty, raw marks are normalised to a common scale before merit. Your merit score is the normalised mark, not your raw mark.
Paper 2 — Punjabi (Qualifying Only)
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Questions / Marks | 50 questions / 50 marks |
| Duration | 60 minutes |
| Level | Matriculation-level Punjabi |
| Qualifying standard | 50% marks needed |
| Merit weightage | None — pass/fail only |
Qualifying Marks in Paper 1 (checked on normalised marks)
| Category | Qualifying % |
|---|---|
| General (UR) | 40% |
| SC / BC / EWS / Ex-Servicemen | 35% |
⚠️ These are the floor, not the cutoff. With no negative marking, scores cluster high and the real cutoff runs well above 40% — see the category-wise expected cutoff analysis for realistic safe-score bands.
Stage 2 — Physical Screening Test (PST)
Only candidates who clear the CBT cutoff are called for PST. PST is qualifying — fail one event and you are out, no matter your written score. Exact standards per the recruitment brochure:
Male Candidates (including Ex-Servicemen below 35 years)
| Event | Qualifying Standard | Attempts |
|---|---|---|
| 1600 m run | Within 6 minutes 30 seconds | 1 chance |
| Long jump | 3.80 metres | 3 chances |
| High jump | 1.10 metres | 3 chances |
Female Candidates (including Ex-Servicemen below 35 years)
| Event | Qualifying Standard | Attempts |
|---|---|---|
| 800 m run | Within 4 minutes 30 seconds | 1 chance |
| Long jump | 3.00 metres | 3 chances |
| High jump | 0.95 metres | 3 chances |
Ex-Servicemen above 35 years
| Candidate | Event | Qualifying Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Male | 1400 m walk/run | 12 minutes + 10 full squats in 3 minutes |
| Female | 800 m run | 6 minutes |
Practical notes: the run is one attempt only — a cramp or a fall that pushes you past the time is disqualification, so pace yourself from the start rather than sprinting. Long jump and high jump give three attempts each, and only the best attempt counts. Wear proper running shoes and train on the same surface type (synthetic track) you will be tested on.
Stage 3 — Physical Measurement Test (PMT)
Height is measured right around the same camp as the PST. Standards per the notification:
| Candidate | Minimum Height |
|---|---|
| Male | 5 ft 7 in (170.2 cm) |
| Female | 5 ft 2 in (157.5 cm) |
Unlike Delhi Police or UP Police constable recruitments, this Punjab Police notification does not prescribe a chest measurement or chest expansion requirement for male candidates — don't waste training time on chest, and don't believe coaching rumours that claim it is tested.
Stage 4 — Document Verification (DV)
After clearing PST/PMT, you must produce original documents (with self-attested photocopies). Missing or mismatched documents are a common cause of rejection at this stage — get everything ready before the DV call letter arrives:
- ✅ Matriculation certificate (proof of age + Punjabi subject)
- ✅ Class 10+2 (Senior Secondary) certificate and marksheet
- ✅ Category certificate (SC/BC/EWS) — issued by the competent authority, valid for the exam year
- ✅ Domicile / residence proof (Punjab, if claimed)
- ✅ Character certificate
- ✅ Ex-Servicemen: discharge book and service certificate (if applicable)
- ✅ Sports / NCC certificates if claiming sports reservation or the 5% sports quota (if applicable to the post)
- ✅ Govt employee: NOC and service certificate (if claiming age relaxation)
Cross-check the spelling of your name and date of birth across every document — a single mismatch between the online application, matric certificate and category certificate is an automatic hold.
Stage 5 — Medical Examination
Candidates who pass DV undergo a medical examination to confirm physical and mental fitness for police service — including eyesight, BMI-related checks, and general health. This is a medical standard, not a competition: normal, healthy candidates pass.
Merit List, Tie-Breaker and Final Selection
- Merit = Paper 1 normalised marks only. Paper 2, PST, PMT and DV contribute zero marks.
- Tie-breaker: if two candidates score the same normalised marks, the older candidate is ranked higher.
- Category-wise merit lists are drawn within the reserved quota, with female candidates benefiting from horizontal reservation.
Training at Punjab Police Academy, Phillaur
Selected candidates are enrolled and undergo basic recruit training at the Punjab Police Academy, Phillaur (or designated training centres) before deployment. Training covers law, drill, weapons, physical fitness and community policing — treat it as the start of the job, not the end of the process.
Eligibility Recap (For the Next Cycle)
Useful if you are planning for the next Punjab Police constable cycle:
| Parameter | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Education | Class 10+2 (Senior Secondary); Matric with Punjabi (compulsory or elective). Ex-Servicemen: Matriculation minimum |
| Age (as of 1 Jan 2026) | 18 to 28 years |
| SC / BC relaxation | +5 years (up to 33) |
| Govt employees (Punjab / other state / central) | +5 years |
| Ex-Servicemen | Service period deduction plus up to 3 years |
| Application fee | General ₹1,200 · SC/ST/EWS ₹700 · Ex-Servicemen ₹500 |
How to Prepare for Each Stage
Written (next cycle): with no negative marking, practice speed and coverage — attempt every question, and drill General Awareness hard (35 of 100 marks). Punjabi in Paper 1 and Paper 2 means a non-Punjabi-background candidate must budget real time for the language.
PST (current cycle): start 8–10 weeks before your likely PST date:
| Week range | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1–3 | Build base: 3–4 runs/week (2–3 km easy), light jump drills, mobility |
| 4–6 | Target pace: 1600 m intervals at 6:30 pace (male) / 800 m at 4:30 pace (female), long jump approach practice |
| 7–10 | Mock trials: full PST simulation twice a week — timed run + jumps in one session, wearing the shoes you will test in |
A realistic self-test: if you cannot run the distance comfortably at target pace by week 4, consider a proper training plan — the run is one-shot and the number-one PST elimination event.
Check Your CBT Score Now
The answer key is out and the merit battle is already decided by Paper 1. See where you stand in minutes:
- Open your DigiALM response sheet from the official portal
- Paste the URL into the Punjab Police Constable 2026 Marks Calculator — it applies the official +1 / no-negative scheme and estimates your normalised score
- Compare with the expected category-wise cutoffs to judge whether you will be called for PST/PMT — and start PST training immediately if your score is in range
Official Links
| Resource | Link |
|---|---|
| Punjab Police official website | punjabpolice.gov.in |
| Punjab Police Recruitment Board (PPRB) | pprb.punjabpolice.gov.in |
| DigiALM candidate portal | digialm.com |
Standards and dates above are from Advertisement No. 01/2026 and the official Punjab Police recruitment brochure. Always verify stage dates and physical standards on punjabpolice.gov.in before you train or travel for a PST/PMT camp — recruitment authorities occasionally revise schedules.