Overview
Delhi Police Constable is one of the most coveted police recruitment exams in India. As a central government police force under the Ministry of Home Affairs (not state government), Delhi Police offers: central government pay scales, posting in the national capital, structured career growth from Constable to Inspector, and the prestige of serving in India's largest metropolitan police force with 80,000+ personnel.
For 12th Arts pass candidates, Delhi Police Constable is an excellent career opportunity — requiring only 12th pass qualification, offering a decent starting salary of ₹27,000-₹33,000/month in-hand, and providing lifelong government job security. The exam is conducted by SSC, with a computer-based test followed by Physical Endurance Test (PET) and Physical Measurement Test (PMT).
Selection Process — Complete Overview
Stage 1 — Computer Based Exam (CBE):
- General Awareness / General Knowledge: 25 Qs, 50 marks.
- Reasoning & General Intelligence: 25 Qs, 50 marks.
- Numerical Ability: 25 Qs, 50 marks.
- English / Hindi Comprehension: 25 Qs, 50 marks.
- Total: 100 questions, 200 marks, 90 minutes.
- Negative marking: -0.50 per wrong answer.
Stage 2 — Physical Endurance Test (PET):
- Men: 1.6 km race in 6 minutes 30 seconds.
- Women: 800 metres race in 4 minutes.
- PET is qualifying only — pass or fail. No marks added.
Stage 3 — Physical Measurement Test (PMT):
- Men: Height — 170 cm (General/OBC), 165 cm (SC/ST). Chest — 81 cm (unexpanded), 85 cm (expanded), minimum 4 cm expansion.
- Women: Height — 157 cm (General/OBC), 152 cm (SC/ST). No chest measurement.
Stage 4 — Document Verification & Medical Examination:
- Verification of certificates (10th, 12th, caste, domicile).
- Medical examination for physical and mental fitness, eyesight check.
Subject-Wise Preparation Strategy
1. General Awareness / GK (25 Qs, 50 marks):
- Static GK (60%): Indian History (Ancient, Medieval, Modern — focus on freedom movement), Geography (India — rivers, mountains, states), Polity (Constitution basics, fundamental rights, Parliament), Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology basics), Economy basics.
- Current Affairs (40%): Last 6 months — government schemes, appointments, awards, sports events, international summits, Defence-related news (important for police exam).
- Books: Lucent's GK (complete it cover to cover — this single book covers 70-80% of GK questions). Arihant monthly current affairs magazine. Adda247 monthly capsule (free PDF).
- Strategy: Read 15-20 pages of Lucent's daily. Maintain a current affairs notebook categorised by topic.
2. Reasoning & General Intelligence (25 Qs, 50 marks):
- Topics: Analogy, Classification, Series (Number + Letter), Coding-Decoding, Direction & Distance, Blood Relations, Venn Diagram, Syllogism, Mirror/Water Image, Paper Folding, Embedded Figures, Matrix, Dice, Calendar, Clock.
- Strategy: Practice-heavy subject. Complete RS Aggarwal Reasoning in 3-4 weeks. Then solve previous year papers. Aim for 20+/25 correct — Reasoning is typically the highest-scoring section.
- Book: RS Aggarwal "Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning." SSC previous year Reasoning papers compiled by Kiran.
3. Numerical Ability (25 Qs, 50 marks):
- Topics: Number System, Simplification, Percentage, Profit & Loss, SI/CI, Ratio, Average, Time & Work, Time & Distance, Mensuration, Geometry basics, Data Interpretation, Algebra basics, Trigonometry basics.
- Level: 10th-12th standard — easier than SSC CGL but requires practice for speed.
- Strategy: Focus on Arithmetic (Percentage, Profit/Loss, SI/CI, Ratio, Average, Time & Work) — these carry 60-70% of questions. Practice 30-40 questions daily. Learn shortcuts and quick calculation tricks.
- Book: RS Aggarwal "Quantitative Aptitude" + Rakesh Yadav 7300+ (selected chapters).
4. English / Hindi Comprehension (25 Qs, 50 marks):
- You can choose either English OR Hindi for this section.
- English Topics: Reading Comprehension, Fill in the Blanks, Error Detection, Synonyms/Antonyms, Idioms, One Word Substitution, Spelling, Sentence Improvement.
- Hindi Topics: गद्यांश, रिक्त स्थान, वाक्य शुद्धि, पर्यायवाची/विलोम, मुहावरे, वर्तनी, अनेक शब्दों के लिए एक शब्द.
- Strategy: Choose the language you are most comfortable with. If choosing English, read newspaper editorial daily. If choosing Hindi, practice from Lucent's Samanya Hindi.
3-Month Study Plan
Month 1 (Foundation):
- Quant: Complete basic arithmetic topics (RS Aggarwal). Solve 30 questions daily.
- Reasoning: Complete RS Aggarwal Reasoning — all chapters. Focus on Analogy, Series, Coding, and Directions.
- GK: Start Lucent's GK — History + Geography + Polity sections. 20 pages daily.
- Language: Start reading newspaper daily (English) or practise Hindi grammar rules.
- Physical preparation: Start running daily — begin with 800m/1km, gradually increase. Target: 1.6 km under 6:30.
- Daily Hours: 4-5 hours study + 30-45 minutes physical training.
Month 2 (Advanced + Mock Tests):
- Quant: Advanced topics — Geometry, Mensuration, DI, Trigonometry basics. Practice 40-50 questions daily.
- Reasoning: Practice previous year papers. Focus on speed — target 20 questions in 15 minutes.
- GK: Complete Lucent's (Science, Economy sections). Start current affairs from monthly compilations.
- Start mock tests: Take 2-3 full-length Delhi Police Constable mocks per week.
- Physical: Intensify running. Practice 1.6 km timed runs 4-5 times per week. Target under 6 minutes.
- Daily Hours: 5-6 hours study + 45 minutes physical.
Month 3 (Mock Test Phase + Revision):
- Take 15-20 full mocks. Analyse every mock — identify weak areas, revise.
- Solve Delhi Police Constable previous year papers (last 3-5 cycles, all shifts).
- Revise Lucent's GK — focus on Science (often weakest for Arts students).
- Current affairs intensive revision — last 6 months.
- Physical: peak running performance. Practice PET simulation runs 3-4 times per week.
- Daily Hours: 6-7 hours study + physical training.
Physical Preparation Guide
Many candidates clear the written exam but fail the Physical Endurance Test. Don't let this happen to you:
- Men — 1.6 km in 6:30: Start with jogging 800m daily. Add 200m every week. Within 4-6 weeks, you should comfortably cover 1.6 km. Then focus on speed — run 1.6 km with timer, aiming to reduce time by 10-15 seconds each week. Race-day target: under 6 minutes (30 seconds buffer).
- Women — 800m in 4:00: Start with jogging 400m daily. Add 100m every 4-5 days. Within 3-4 weeks, cover 800m comfortably. Then speed training — target under 3:30 (30 seconds buffer).
- Training Schedule: Run 5 days per week (rest 2 days for recovery). Morning running is ideal (cooler temperature, empty stomach). Warm up with stretching before running. Cool down with walking after running.
- Diet: Increase protein (dal, eggs, paneer, chicken) for muscle recovery. Stay hydrated — 3-4 litres of water daily. Avoid junk food, excessive sugar, and oily food during preparation.
- Start Early: Don't wait until after clearing the written exam to start running. Begin physical preparation from Day 1 of academic preparation. Fitness takes weeks to build — you cannot build it in the 2-3 week gap between written result and PET.
Tips for Arts Students
- GK is Your Jackpot: History, Geography, and Polity from your 12th Arts syllabus directly appear in Delhi Police GK section. Revise your Class 11-12 textbooks for these subjects — you already know 40-50% of the GK syllabus.
- Science GK — The Gap: 5-8 GK questions come from Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology). Arts students typically lose these marks. Dedicate extra time to Science chapters in Lucent's GK — human body, diseases, elements, simple physics concepts.
- Speed Over Knowledge: Delhi Police exam gives 90 minutes for 100 questions — 54 seconds per question. You need SPEED. The only way to build speed: timed mock tests. Take every mock with a stopwatch.
- Hindi Option: If your Hindi is stronger than English, choose Hindi for the language section. This gives you an advantage since you can score quickly without spending time on English comprehension. Most Arts students from Hindi-medium backgrounds score 20+/25 in Hindi easily.
- Don't Neglect Physical: 30% of candidates who clear the written exam fail the PET. Treat physical preparation with the same seriousness as academic preparation. Run daily from Month 1.
Conclusion
Delhi Police Constable is one of the most accessible and rewarding government job opportunities for 12th Arts pass candidates. With only 12th pass required, a manageable syllabus (10th-12th level), ₹27,000-₹33,000/month starting salary, central government benefits, and a clear promotion pathway (Constable → Head Constable → ASI → SI → Inspector), Delhi Police offers lifelong career security in India's capital city. The preparation strategy is straightforward: 3 months of focused study (4-6 hours daily), emphasis on Lucent's GK + RS Aggarwal Reasoning & Quant, 15-20 mock tests, and parallel physical training for the 1.6 km/800m PET. Arts students have a natural advantage in GK (History, Geography, Polity) and Language sections — use this to compensate for Numerical Ability. Start preparation today, run daily, take mock tests weekly, and you can be wearing the Delhi Police uniform within 6-8 months of serious effort.