Government Exams & Public Sector Careers

Government Exams in India

Q: Which government jobs can I get after Class 10?

Common Class 10 entries include India Post Gramin Dak Sevak (merit-based, no exam), SSC MTS, SSC GD Constable, RRB Group D, Agniveer General Duty in the Army, and — with an ITI certificate — RRB ALP and Railway Act Apprentice posts.

Q: Do I need a specific degree for UPSC, SSC CGL or bank PO exams?

No. UPSC Civil Services, SSC CGL (most posts), IBPS PO, SBI PO and LIC AAO (generalist) accept a bachelor's degree in any discipline. A few posts within these exams, and exams like RBI Grade B, add minimum percentage or subject conditions, so always read the official notification.

14 min read ·SSC · UPSC · Defence · Banking · Railways ·Open after Class 10, 12 or graduation

Government jobs in India are filled through open, merit-based recruitment exams run by bodies like Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS), the Railway Recruitment Boards (RRB) and State Public Service Commissions (PSC). Whether you've just passed Class 10, finished Class 12 or are about to graduate, there is a clear exam route for you — this hub links to a detailed guide for every major exam, covering eligibility, age limit, selection process, syllabus and salary in plain language.

Browse all government exams Exams by qualification

Minimum qualificationClass 10 pass

Typical age window18 – 32 years*

Major recruitersUPSC, SSC, IBPS, RRB, State PSCs

Selection styleWritten / CBT + Physical / Interview

Overview

How government recruitment works

Almost every central and state government post is filled through a published notification that lists the vacancies, eligibility, age limit, fee, syllabus and selection stages. You apply online, appear for one or more computer-based or written tests, and — depending on the post — clear a physical test, skill/typing test, interview or medical exam. Final selection is on merit, with reservation for SC, ST, Other Backward Classes (OBC) (non-creamy layer), Economically Weaker Section (EWS) and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) candidates as per government rules.

The single most important habit for any aspirant: read the official notification yourself. Age limits, vacancy numbers and even exam patterns change from cycle to cycle, and the notification is the only binding source.

UPSC

UPSC — Civil Services (Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), IFS…), National Defence Academy (NDA), Combined Defence Services (CDS), Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) Assistant Commandant.

SSC

SSC — Combined Graduate Level (CGL), Combined Higher Secondary Level (CHSL), Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS), GD Constable, Central Police Organisation (CPO), Delhi Police and other Group B & C posts.

IBPS, SBI, RBI, LIC

Recruitment for public sector banks, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and public sector insurance.

RRBs & RRCs

RRB and Cells — Non-Technical Popular Categories (NTPC), Group D, Assistant Loco Pilot (ALP) and Act Apprentices.

Armed Forces

Army, Navy and Air Force direct entries — Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT), Agniveer and officer entries via UPSC.

State PSCs & Boards

GPSC, MPSC, UPPSC, BPSC and others, plus state police and subordinate service boards.

Start from where you are

Government exams by qualification

The minimum qualification decides which doors are open to you today. Higher qualifications keep every lower-level exam open as well.

Your qualification	Exams you can target	Typical post level
Class 10 pass	India Post GDS, SSC MTS, SSC GD Constable, RRB Group D, Agniveer (General Duty)	Entry-level / Group C, Pay Level 1–3
Class 10 + Industrial Training Institute (ITI)	RRB ALP, Railway Act Apprentice, RRB Group D, technical trade posts in Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) & defence	Technical Group C
Class 12 pass	SSC CHSL, RRB NTPC (undergraduate posts), NDA, Delhi Police Constable, Agniveer Technical / Clerk, Navy & Air Force Agniveer	Clerical / Group C, officer training via NDA
Graduate (any stream)	UPSC CSE, SSC CGL, SSC CPO, CDS, AFCAT, CAPF (AC), IBPS PO/Clerk, SBI PO/Clerk, RBI Grade B/Assistant, LIC AAO, RRB NTPC (graduate posts), State PSCs	Group B & Group A, bank officers, commissioned officers

Some graduate-level posts add subject or percentage conditions (for example, RBI Grade B needs 60% in graduation for general candidates, and AFCAT Flying Branch needs Physics and Maths at Class 12).

Explore by goal

Compare careers across every stream by what matters most to you.

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Choose your path

Government exam directory, by sector

Tap a sector to see its exams. Each card opens a full guide to that exam — eligibility, age limit, selection process, exam pattern, syllabus, salary and student FAQs.

Exam guides25 Sectors5 Minimum qualificationClass 10 Exams without a written test2

Defence & Police Services

Staff Selection Commission (SSC)

Banking & Insurance

Railways & Civil Services

After 10th & 12th — Direct Govt Entry

Reserved categories

Upper age relaxation (central government exams)

Added to the upper age limit of the post. Defence officer entries (NDA, CDS, AFCAT) generally do not give category-based relaxation; state exams follow their own rules.

Category	Relaxation
OBC (non-creamy layer)	3 years
SC / ST	5 years
PwBD (unreserved / OBC / SC-ST)	10 / 13 / 15 years
Ex-servicemen	As per government rules (service period deducted from age, plus extra years)
EWS	No age relaxation

Smart preparation

How to prepare for government exams

1Plan

Start from the notification

Download the official notification and syllabus; mark eligibility dates, age cut-off date and exam stages.

2Plan

Overlap your syllabus

Quant, Reasoning, English and General Awareness are common to SSC, banking and railway exams — prepare once, apply to many.

3Practise

Solve previous papers

Previous-year questions show the real difficulty level and the topics that repeat most.

4Practise

Take timed mock tests

Most exams are computer-based with negative marking, so speed and accuracy matter as much as knowledge.

5Daily habit

Read current affairs daily

A short daily habit of news and government schemes covers the General Awareness section.

6Fitness

Train your body early

Defence and police roles have physical tests — start running and fitness training months before the exam.

Every exam guide has its own plan

Each exam page includes a phase-by-phase preparation plan, a step-by-step guide for Arts, Commerce and Science students, trusted resources, and quick answers on attempt limits, physical criteria, postings and promotions.

Honest take

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages

Job security, fixed pay scales, allowances and a clear promotion structure.
Open, merit-based selection — your marks matter, not your contacts or college name.
Entry points at every level — Class 10, Class 12, ITI and graduation.

Disadvantages

Very high competition — lakhs of applicants for limited vacancies.
Long recruitment cycles; results and joining can take a year or more.
Transferable postings, sometimes in remote locations, and age limits that close the window.

Common myths

Myths vs facts

Myth: You need a graduation degree for any decent government job.

Fact: SSC MTS, SSC GD, RRB Group D, India Post Gramin Dak Sevak (GDS) and Agniveer accept Class 10; SSC CHSL, NDA and RRB NTPC (undergraduate posts) accept Class 12.

Myth: Only Arts students do well in UPSC and SSC.

Fact: These exams accept graduates from every stream and test general ability; Science, Commerce and engineering graduates clear them every year.

Myth: Government jobs mean no growth after joining.

Fact: Every cadre has time-bound promotions and departmental exams — a clerk can reach officer level, and state officers can be promoted into the IAS/IPS cadre.

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

Which government jobs can I get after Class 10?

Common Class 10 entries include India Post GDS (merit-based, no exam), SSC MTS, SSC GD Constable, RRB Group D, Agniveer General Duty in the Army, and — with an ITI certificate — RRB ALP and Railway Act Apprentice posts.

Which government exams can I write after Class 12?

After Class 12 you can target SSC CHSL, RRB NTPC (undergraduate-level posts), NDA (age 16.5 to 19.5), Delhi Police Constable, Agniveer Technical and Clerk entries, Navy Agniveer and Air Force Agniveervayu, plus every Class 10 level exam.

Do I need a specific degree for UPSC, SSC CGL or bank PO exams?

No. UPSC Civil Services, SSC CGL (most posts), IBPS PO, State Bank of India – Probationary Officer (SBI PO) and Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) AAO (generalist) accept a bachelor's degree in any discipline. A few posts within these exams, and exams like RBI Grade B, add minimum percentage or subject conditions, so always read the official notification.

How much age relaxation do reserved categories get?

For central government exams the standard upper age relaxation is 3 years for OBC (non-creamy layer), 5 years for SC/ST, and 10 years for PwBD (13 for OBC-PwBD and 15 for SC/ST-PwBD), with separate rules for ex-servicemen. Defence officer entries such as NDA, CDS and AFCAT generally do not give category-based age relaxation.

Is coaching necessary to clear government exams?

No. Many candidates clear SSC, banking and railway exams through self-study using the official syllabus, previous-year papers and mock tests. Coaching can help with structure and discipline, but consistent practice and reading the official notification carefully matter more.

*Eligibility, age limits and exam patterns are based on recent official notifications as of 2026 and can change in any recruitment cycle — always confirm the details in the current notification on the recruiting body's official website before applying.