Last updated: October 2, 2026 at 3:47 PM
Psychology graduates rarely get a uniformed job that actually uses the degree. ITBP has opened 16 Head Constable (Education and Stress Counsellor) posts where 60 of the 100 written-exam marks come from psychology alone. The online window runs from 28.09.2026 to 27.10.2026, and you need to be between 20 and 25 years old to apply.
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Recruitment Overview
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Post Name | Head Constable (Education and Stress Counsellor), General Central Service, Group C Non-Gazetted (Non-Ministerial) |
| Organization | Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force (ITBPF), Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India |
| Notification / Advertisement No. | Not specified in notification (notice signed 07.09.2026 by DIG (Recruitment), Directorate General, ITBPF) |
| Location | All India / Central Govt — selected candidates are liable to serve anywhere in India or abroad |
| Total Vacancies | 16 posts (Male 14, Female 2) — UR 4, ST 2, OBC 9, EWS 1 |
| Qualification | Degree with Psychology as a subject, or Degree with B.Ed or Bachelor of Teaching or equivalent |
| Age Limit | 20 to 25 years as on 27.10.2026 Check your age eligibility → |
| Selection Process | PET → PST → Written Exam (100 marks) → Merit List → Document Verification → Medical Examination |
| Pay Scale | Level 4 of the Pay Matrix — around Rs 25,500 a month to start, before allowances |
| How to Apply | Online only, at the ITBP recruitment portal |
| Official Notification | Download Notification PDF |
| Official Website / Apply Online | ITBP Recruitment Portal |
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification issued | 07.09.2026 |
| Online application starts | 28.09.2026, 00:01 AM |
| Last date to apply online | 27.10.2026, 11:59 PM |
| Cut-off date for age | 27.10.2026 — you must be born between 28.10.2001 and 27.10.2006 |
| Cut-off date for SC / ST / OBC (NCL) / EWS certificate | 27.10.2026 |
| PET, PST and Written Exam dates | Not announced yet — admit cards will be put on the ITBP recruitment portal |
Application Fee
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| Male — UR, OBC, EWS | Rs 100 |
| Male — SC, ST | Nil (exempt) |
| All female candidates | Nil (exempt) |
| Ex-Servicemen | Nil (exempt) |
| Mode of payment | Online payment gateway on the ITBP recruitment portal only |
| Refund | The fee is not refunded under any circumstances |
Vacancy Details
| Particulars | UR | SC | ST | OBC | EWS | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 3 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 14 |
| Female | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Total | 4 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 16 |
Two of the 16 posts are set aside for women. Ten per cent of the vacancies in each post and category are reserved for Ex-Servicemen, and if no eligible Ex-Serviceman applies, those posts go back to ordinary candidates of the same category. ITBP also says the vacancy count is tentative and can go up or down without notice.
Eligibility Criteria
| Criterion | Detail |
|---|---|
| Educational Qualification | A degree from a recognised university with Psychology as a subject, or a degree with B.Ed (Bachelor of Education) or Bachelor of Teaching or an equivalent qualification. Either one is enough — you do not need both. |
| Age Limit | 20 to 25 years as on 27.10.2026. Your date of birth must fall between 28.10.2001 and 27.10.2006, and ITBP will go by the date printed on your Matriculation (Class 10) certificate — no correction is allowed later. Check your age eligibility → |
| Nationality | Indian citizens, including subjects of Nepal or Bhutan. Both men and women can apply. |
| Medical Standard | Your distance vision must be 6/6 in the better eye and 6/9 in the worse eye without glasses or lenses, and near vision N6 and N9. Colour blindness makes you ineligible. Knock-knees, flat foot, varicose veins and squint are also disqualifying. |
| Tattoos | Allowed only on the left forearm or the back of the hand, only religious symbols or a name, and smaller than a quarter of that body part. |
| Application Restriction | Online applications only — anything sent by post is rejected outright. Candidates in the physically handicapped category are not eligible for this recruitment. Serving government employees must produce a No Objection Certificate from their employer at document verification. |
| Service Bond | You must serve at least 10 years. Resigning earlier means refunding three months of pay and allowances or the cost of your training, whichever is higher. |
Physical Standards
| Category of candidate | Height (Male) | Height (Female) | Chest unexpanded (Male) | Chest expanded (Male) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All States and Union Territories, except those below | 170 cm | 157 cm | 80 cm | 85 cm |
| Garhwalis, Kumaonis, Gorkhas, Dogras, Marathas, and candidates from Sikkim, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, the Kashmir region of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh | 165 cm | 155 cm | 80 cm | 85 cm |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST), including Mizos and Nagas | 162.5 cm | 154 cm | 77 cm | 82 cm |
Weight must match your height and age as per the medical standards. If you want the relaxed height or chest measurement, you need a certificate in the Annexure-V format from a District Magistrate, Sub-Divisional Magistrate or Tehsildar.
Age Relaxation
| Category | Relaxation beyond the upper age limit |
|---|---|
| SC / ST | 5 years |
| OBC (NCL) | 3 years |
| Ex-Servicemen (Unreserved / General) | 3 years, after deducting their military service from their actual age |
| Ex-Servicemen (OBC-NCL) | 6 years (3 + 3), after deducting their military service from their actual age |
| Ex-Servicemen (SC / ST) | 8 years (3 + 5), after deducting their military service from their actual age |
| Departmental candidates | 5 years |
So the 25-year ceiling only applies if you are in the general category. An OBC (NCL) candidate — that is Other Backward Class, Non-Creamy Layer, meaning your family income is under the government limit — can apply up to 28, and an SC or ST candidate up to 30. Your caste and NCL certificate has to already be in your hands before 27.10.2026, not applied for later.
Selection Process
| Stage | Details |
|---|---|
| 1. Physical Efficiency Test (PET) — Phase I | Men run 1.6 km in 7 minutes 30 seconds, long jump 11 feet and high jump 3½ feet, with three chances at each jump. Women run 800 m in 4 minutes 45 seconds, long jump 9 feet and high jump 3 feet, again three chances each. No marks are given — you simply have to pass every event, and failing any one of them ends your attempt. There is no appeal against a PET result. Ex-Servicemen skip the PET altogether. Women candidates give a self-declaration about pregnancy before the test; a candidate found to be 12 weeks pregnant or more is declared temporarily unfit and her vacancy is held for her, with a re-test six weeks after delivery. |
| 2. Physical Standard Test (PST) — Phase I | Everyone who clears the PET is measured for height, weight and, for men only, chest. Women are measured by female staff and are not chest-measured. If you fall short on height or chest you get a written rejection slip the same day and may appeal to the Presiding Officer on the spot for a re-measurement. Being under- or overweight does not stop you here — that is decided later at the medical. |
| 3. Written Examination — Phase II | 100 objective multiple-choice questions for 100 marks in 2 hours, either on paper (OMR) or on computer (CBT) — ITBP decides which. Psychology alone carries 60 marks. There is no negative marking, so leave nothing blank. You need 35% to pass if you are UR, EWS or Ex-Servicemen, and 33% if you are SC, ST or OBC (NCL). Scores are not re-checked or re-evaluated. |
| 4. Merit List | Separate merit lists are drawn for UR, SC, ST, OBC (NCL), EWS and Ex-Servicemen, based only on written-exam marks. There is no reserve list. If two candidates tie, the older one is placed higher; if they are still tied, alphabetical order by English name decides. |
| 5. Document Verification — Phase III | Shortlisted candidates bring their original certificates, which are checked and returned on the spot. Self-attested photocopies stay with your application. Anyone who cannot produce a required certificate is eliminated here and given a rejection slip. |
| 6. Detailed Medical Examination (DME) and Review Medical Examination (RME) | Only candidates who clear documentation are medically examined. If you are declared unfit, you can ask for a review medical by signing the Annexure-VII consent within 24 hours, usually held the next day. The medical board’s decision on the review is final and there is no second appeal. There is no such thing as “temporarily unfit” — the verdict is fit or unfit. |
In short: the running, jumping and measuring stages are pass-or-fail only, and none of those marks count. Your rank is decided entirely by the written exam, so that is where the competition actually happens.
Written Exam Pattern
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General English | 10 | 10 |
| General Hindi | 10 | 10 |
| General Awareness (bilingual) | 10 | 10 |
| Quantitative Aptitude and Simple Reasoning (bilingual) | 10 | 10 |
| Psychology (bilingual) | 60 | 60 |
| Total | 100 | 100 |
Psychology Syllabus (60 marks)
| Topic | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General Psychology, Intelligence and Creativity, Problem Solving | 10 | 10 |
| Personality, Attitude, Stereotypes, Prejudice and Discrimination, Group Dynamics | 10 | 10 |
| Psychopathology | 15 | 15 |
| Counseling Psychology | 15 | 15 |
| Managing Human Resources | 10 | 10 |
| Total | 60 | 60 |
ITBP puts the answer key on its recruitment portal after the exam is over. Mobile phones, calculators and any other electronic device are treated as unfair means if you merely have them on you, switched on or off.
Salary and Benefits
| Component | Detail |
|---|---|
| Pay Level | Level 4 in the Pay Matrix under the 7th Central Pay Commission. A pay level is simply the government’s pay grade — it fixes the band your salary moves within. |
| Pay Range | Rs 25,500 to Rs 81,100 per month. You join at the bottom of that band and move up it over your career. |
| Dearness Allowance | Paid on top of basic pay, revised by the government twice a year |
| Accommodation | Free accommodation, or House Rent Allowance if quarters are not provided |
| Ration Money | Admissible as per Force rules |
| Special Compensatory Allowance | Paid while you are posted in the specified border areas |
| Transport Allowance | Admissible as per Force rules |
| Leave Travel Concession | Admissible as per Force rules |
| Medical | Free medical facilities |
| Pension | You choose between the New Defined Contribution Pension Scheme (NPS), in force since 01.01.2004, and the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS), in force since 01.04.2024 |
In plain terms, you start at about Rs 25,500 a month as basic pay. Dearness Allowance, free quarters or HRA, ration money and the border-area allowance sit on top of that, so what actually reaches your hand is meaningfully higher — and higher still at a border posting.
How to Apply
- Go to the ITBP recruitment portal at recruitment.itbpolice.nic.in any time from 28.09.2026 onwards.
- Create your profile first. Fill in your gender, category (SC, ST, OBC or EWS), employment status and riot-affected status here — these cannot be changed once you submit the application.
- Fill the application form, using an email address and mobile number you actually check, since your admit card comes through the portal and ITBP takes no responsibility if you miss it.
- Upload your photograph and signature in the format the portal asks for.
- Pay Rs 100 online if you are a male UR, OBC or EWS candidate. SC, ST, female and Ex-Servicemen candidates pay nothing. Submit before 11:59 PM on 27.10.2026 and save a printout.
Note: offline and postal applications are not accepted and are rejected outright. Fees paid by any mode other than the online gateway are forfeited.
Documents Required
| Document | Format / Notes |
|---|---|
| Passport-size photographs | Keep several copies of the same photo you upload — you must carry the identical photo to every stage of the recruitment. Four copies are needed at document verification. Resize your photo and signature → |
| Educational certificates | Degree and mark sheets proving Psychology as a subject, or your B.Ed or Bachelor of Teaching qualification — originals |
| Matriculation / Class 10 certificate | Original. This is the only proof of date of birth ITBP accepts, and no change is allowed afterwards. |
| SC / ST certificate | Annexure-I format only, from an authority not below Tehsildar or SDM. Any other format is rejected. |
| OBC certificate and NCL declaration | Annexure-II, plus the Non-Creamy Layer declaration in Annexure-II-A. The NCL status must be based on income from 2025-26, 2024-25 and 2023-24, and the certificate must be dated before 27.10.2026. |
| EWS certificate | Annexure-III, Income and Asset Certificate valid for 2025-2026, issued before 27.10.2026 |
| No Objection Certificate | Annexure-IV, only for candidates already working in Central or State Government, an autonomous or statutory body, or a PSU. Without it your candidature is rejected outright. |
| Height or chest relaxation certificate | Annexure-V, from a District Magistrate, Sub-Divisional Magistrate or Tehsildar, if you are claiming relaxed physical standards |
| Proof of citizenship | Domicile certificate from local revenue authorities, or PAN card, Aadhaar card, driving licence or voter card |
| Discharge certificate | Ex-Servicemen only |
| Printout of the online application and admit card | Clear and legible. Without it you are not allowed into the PET and PST venue. |
Important Links
| Link | Go to |
|---|---|
| Download Official Notification (PDF) | Download Notification |
| Apply Online / Official Website | ITBP Recruitment Portal |
| Join Telegram Channel | Join Telegram Channel |
| Join WhatsApp Channel | Join WhatsApp Channel |
| ITBP Recruitment Helpline | comdtrect@itbp.gov.in | 011-24369482, 011-24369483 |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Applying without your caste, NCL or EWS certificate already in hand — if it is dated after 27.10.2026 your claim is dropped and you are treated as Unreserved.
- Picking the wrong category in your profile. ITBP does not allow a category change later and cancels the candidature instead.
- Getting mehndi or wax on your fingers before the exam. If the biometric machine cannot read your fingerprint, you are not allowed to sit the paper.
- Carrying a mobile phone to the exam hall. Simply having one on you, switched on or off, counts as using unfair means.
- Assuming glasses will fix the vision requirement — the 6/6 and 6/9 standard has to be met without any correction, and colour blindness rules you out entirely.
- Turning up for the PET with no plan to stay. ITBP asks candidates to come prepared for more than one day at the recruitment centre at their own cost, and pays no travel or daily allowance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the last date to apply for ITBP Head Constable 2026?
You can apply until 11:59 PM on 27.10.2026, with the portal opening at 00:01 AM on 28.09.2026.
How many vacancies are there?
There are 16 posts in all — 14 for men and 2 for women — though ITBP says the number can change without notice.
What qualification do I need?
Either a degree with Psychology as one of your subjects, or a degree with B.Ed or Bachelor of Teaching — one of the two is enough.
What is the age limit?
You must be 20 to 25 years old on 27.10.2026, meaning born between 28.10.2001 and 27.10.2006, with 3 extra years for OBC (NCL) and 5 for SC and ST candidates.
What is the application fee?
Male candidates from the UR, OBC and EWS categories pay Rs 100 online, while SC, ST, all women and Ex-Servicemen pay nothing.
Is there a written exam, and what is in it?
Yes — after the physical tests there is a 100-mark, 2-hour objective paper in which Psychology alone carries 60 marks and there is no negative marking.
What is the salary for this post?
The post sits at Level 4 of the Pay Matrix, Rs 25,500 to Rs 81,100 a month, plus Dearness Allowance, free accommodation or HRA, ration money and a border-area allowance.
Can I apply if I wear glasses or am colour blind?
No — ITBP requires 6/6 and 6/9 vision without any correction, glasses included, and a colour blind candidate is not eligible for this recruitment at all.
Disclaimer: The information above has been compiled from the official notification for the convenience of job seekers. Candidates are advised to verify all details from the official website before applying.
