How To Prepare For UPSC CAPF 2024 Paper 1 and 2

UPSC has announced the notification for CAPF (Central Armed Police Forces) recruitment for 506 Assistant Commandant posts in BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, and SSB. This exam has three stages, which we have explained in detail in the article. Aspiring candidates should begin preparing for the written exam, which will be held on 4 August 2024. To score well and qualify for the next stages, consistent and sincere preparation is essential.

There are three stages in this exam:    

The written examination is conducted in two stages on the same day:

• Paper 1 has questions about General Ability and Intelligence, and it’s in multiple-choice format.
• Paper 2 includes General Studies, Essay writing, and Comprehension, and it requires descriptive answers.

UPSC CAPF has a vast syllabus and the level of exam conducted is similar to that of other UPSC exams. This makes it more difficult to crack but with good preparation and strategy it is easy to crack. To help you with your preparation we are providing tips and topics after making a detailed analysis of previous year questions. 

Tips To Prepare For General Ability and intelligence (Paper I)

Paper 1 is conducted in Pen-Paper mode. A Total of 125 questions are asked from 6 subjects as mentioned below:

General Ability and intelligence

This section includes Math and Reasoning. Here’s what you should prioritize while preparing for this section.

• A total of 9-10 questions are asked from this topic.
• Solving PYQ of reasoning is more than enough.
• For math, start by basic Arithmetic Math like Percentage, Piipe and Cistern, Speed time and distance etc . 
• In Advance Math, Mensuration and Geometry questions are of more importance.
• Numerical ability and Data interpretation are the most scoring topics.

General Science

 This section includes questions related to basic Science and Technology. It is one of the most important sections that should not be ignored. Here’s some important topics for General Science 

• Recent updates and advancements in Information Technology, Biotechnology and Environment Science
• Important Chemistry equations and concepts
• Practice numerical based questions in Physics 
• Cover Physics, chemistry, biology from NCERTs for better understanding.

Current Events

Current affairs hold great importance in CAPF, there is wide categories of topics, out of them all we have mentioned some:- 

• Read Newspaper on daily basis, this will help you in both Paper 1 and Paper 2 
• Follow weekly and monthly Current Affairs
• More preference on topics of National Interest, Defence advancements, Space missions, Maritime advancements, International organisations, Organisations for Military and Economic Collaborations.

Indian Polity and Economy

This section is very important as direct questions are asked from here, we should follow the rule of Read, Revise, Repeat in Polity and Economy.

• Start by reading PYQs, to know about the pattern of questions. 
• Revision is the key for Polity.
• Approach of study should be topic wise like Articles, Committees, Amendments, Lok Sabha etc.
• Basic terms and formulas of Economy

History

History is a broad subject, and students can easily get overwhelmed by the many topics. To stay focused during your History preparation, follow these tips:

• Refer to previous years’ questions (PYQs) to understand the exam pattern.
• History is divided into different time periods for easier learning.
• Study in chronological order, from prehistoric times to modern history.
• Pay extra attention to topics like Modern History, national movements, dynasties and rulers, and the Indus Valley Civilization.
• Take notes on important topics while solving PYQs and review them separately.

India and World Geography

This section covers the Geography of India as well as the World. Proper notes with the help of Maps & Diagrams should be maintained to grasp the topics more easily. Here is the points that you must remember.

• Solving PYQ of CDS and NDA Geography will add great value to your CAPF prep. 
• Use maps to study topics of Mountains, Rivers, Winds, Mountain passes, Grasslands.
• Use topic wise study approach
• Focus separately on Physical geography, Regional geography and World geography.

It is advised to solve daily quizzes for each subject and give at least two mock tests weekly. This will help you to not only keep track of your preparation, you will also know the types of questions that are asked in CAPF.

Tips To Prepare For General studies, Essay and Comprehension (Paper II)

Paper 2 is a descriptive paper which includes Comprehension, Precis writing, developing counter arguments, simple grammar and other aspects of language testing. Writing essays on topics related to Modern Indian history, Freedom Struggles,Geography, Polity and Economy, Security and Human Right Issues and issues of National Importance.

Types of Questions Asked In Paper II

Essay Writing is a way to express your thoughts and ideas on a particular topic. It involves organizing your thoughts into paragraphs, with each paragraph focusing on different points. Essays have an introduction body, paragraphs and a conclusion. You can practice by writing on following topics:

• Unemployment and New Education Policy
• Work from home- A Boon or Bane
• Women in Indian Armed forces
• Price Rise 

Arguments for and against are questions in which you are provided topics and you have to decide if you are writing against the topic or for the topic. In Arguments for, points that support the topic or idea are discussed. In Arguments against , points that are against the topic or oppose it are discussed. Try writing for and against for following topics:

• Modifies crops are necessary for food sufficiency
• Video games sharpen the mind

In Report Writing, you have to communicate information in an organized manner. It involves adding of data, factual information and should be free from biases or personal opinions. We are providing some previously asked topics for report writing:

• Depletion of Water table in major cities
• Green Energy progress in India 
• Increasing presence of Women in Sports

Precis Writing is rewriting of a given passage keeping it short by adding only main points and ideas to understand the main message meaning. Students have to first read the whole passage and have to write a shorter version in their own words.

In Comprehension and Passage, a comprehension with passages are provided and questions are asked that need to be answered in descriptive form. Students who read newspapers on a daily basis can easily do this. 

In rewriting of sentences, grammatically incorrect sentences are provided and you have to find the error and rewrite the correct sentence. Students should have grammatical knowledge to do well in this type of question.

How To Score Good Marks In CAPF Paper II?

• Read newspaper and watch documentaries 
• Practice essay writing on a daily basis. To add more value to your essay  use statistical data, use numbers to show accuracy and add more factual information.
• Stay updated with national developments and government policies.
• Practice comprehension on a daily basis to enhance your reading abilities. 
• Strong hold of english grammar 
• The more you will read , the better you will be able to write well. 

Physical and Medical Test (Second Stage)

Individuals who clear the written exam are called for a Physical test followed by a Medical test. Candidates are advised to devote at least two hours on a daily basis for running practice and other sports activities. 

• Eating a balanced diet
• Take care of nutritional needs
• Indulging in sports 
• Practise running 
• Do yoga and meditation

Interview and Personality Test (Third Stage)

In the Interview and Personality test, the personality of the candidate , leadership qualities and suitability for the role of assistant commandant are checked. It is a test of overall personality and behavior which can’t be developed overnight. You have to add hobbies and habits in your daily routine to develop the qualities they are looking for:

• Read newspaper daily
• Stay updated with the latest national and international news
• Spend time with your family and friends
• Work on your physical ability 
• Know your armed forces well
• Have full knowledge about the organisation you are applying for
• Speak in front of mirror to develop speaking skills
• Spend more time with people of same mindset 
• Read books

In this article, we have discussed how to start your preparation for the UPSC CAPF exam. Candidates preparing for this exam can make full use of the resources available on our website defenceadda.com and application Adda247. We hope that this article will help you to clear this exam.