APSC CCE 2026
Complete Guide
The ultimate guide to the Assam Combined Competitive Examination
1What is the APSC CCE?
The APSC Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) is conducted by the Assam Public Service Commission under Article 315 of the Constitution to recruit for various Group A and Group B services and posts under the Government of Assam. It is governed by the Assam Public Services CCE Rules, 1989 (as amended through 2019, 2022 and 2023, by the Government of Assam Personnel (A) Department).
For the 2026 cycle it recruits across 11 services — from the prestigious Assam Civil Service (Junior Grade) and Assam Police Service (Junior Grade) to allied administrative roles. The Commission operates from Jawaharnagar, Khanapara, Guwahati-781022 (apsc.nic.in; application portal apscrecruitment.in; email apsc-asm@nic.in).
1.1 APSC CCE at a Glance
| Particular | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Combined Competitive Examination (CCE), 2025 — Advt. No. 01/2026 |
| Conducting Authority | Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) |
| 2026 Vacancies | 78 across 11 services (14 RFW + 3 PwBD-Locomotor) |
| Selection Stages | Three — Preliminary + Main + Personality Test |
| Application Mode | Online only via apscrecruitment.in (One Time Registration) |
| Exam Mode | Prelims: objective MCQ; Mains: descriptive; PT: interview |
| Languages | Mains answers in English or Assamese |
| Eligibility | Indian citizen AND original inhabitant of Assam (mandatory) |
| Headquarters | Jawaharnagar, Khanapara, Guwahati-781022 |
| Education | Bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised university |
| Age | 21 to 38 years on 1 January 2025 (relaxations for reserved categories) |
| Mains Structure | 6 descriptive papers (Essay + GS) = 1,500; NO optional subject |
| Final Merit | Mains 1,500 + Personality Test 180 = 1,680 marks |
22026 Cycle — Dates & Vacancies
Verified milestones and the service-wise vacancy split from Advt. No. 01/2026 (10 April 2026).
2.1 Key Dates
| Event | Date / Detail |
|---|---|
| Notification Released | 10 April 2026 |
| Online Application Start | 13 April 2026 (12:00 noon) |
| Application Last Date | 3 May 2026 (5:00 PM) |
| Fee Payment Last Date | 5 May 2026 (5:00 PM) |
| Age Cut-off Date | 1 January 2025 |
| Preliminary Examination (Tentative) | 5 July 2026 (Sunday) |
| Main Examination | After Prelims result — Guwahati only |
| Personality Test / Interview | After Mains result — APSC Guwahati HQ |
2.2 Service-wise Vacancies (78 total)
| Service / Post | Vacancies | Reserved Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Assam Civil Service (Junior Grade) | 45 | 13 RFW + 2 PwBD (Locomotor) |
| Assistant Employment Officer | 8 | 1 RFW + 1 PwBD (Locomotor) |
| Assam Police Service (Junior Grade) | 6 | — |
| Inspector of Labour | 5 | — |
| Sub-Registrar | 4 | — |
| District Transport Officer | 3 | — |
| Assistant Registrar of Cooperative Societies | 2 | — |
| Assam Urban Administrative Service (Executive Officer Jr Gr-II) | 2 | — |
| Superintendent of Excise | 1 | — |
| Inspector of Excise | 1 | — |
| Research Assistant (Border Protection & Development Dept.) | 1 | — |
| TOTAL | 78 | 14 RFW + 3 PwBD |
3Eligibility Criteria
A. Nationality & Residency
B. Educational Qualification
A degree from a university incorporated by an Act of the Central or State Legislature, an institution established by an Act of Parliament, a UGC-deemed university, or an equivalent qualification declared by the Government. The qualification must be held by the date of submission of the application.
C. Regional Language Proficiency
A candidate should be able to speak Assamese, or another official/associate official language of the State, or any of the State's tribal languages. Knowledge of Assamese is valuable since the Mains may be written in Assamese and many work environments operate in Assamese.
D. Other Mandatory Conditions
- Employment Exchange Registration: the candidate should be registered with a District Employment Office of Assam.
- Small Family Norms: a declaration in Form-A is required at the time of applying (per GoA Notification ABP.69/2019/17 dated 6 Nov 2019).
- Age proof: verified ONLY via the Matriculation / HSLC / HSSLC admit card, pass certificate or mark sheet showing the date of birth — no other document is accepted.
- PwBD candidates should ascertain the post for which their disability category is entitled to reservation and opt accordingly at the Mains form stage.
4Age Limit & Attempts
21 to 38 years on 1 January 2025 (current cycle). Relaxations apply to reserved categories of Assam.
| Category | Min | Max | Relaxation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unreserved (General) | 21 | 38 | Nil |
| SC of Assam | 21 | 43 | +5 years |
| STP (Scheduled Tribes Plains) of Assam | 21 | 43 | +5 years |
| STH (Scheduled Tribes Hills) of Assam | 21 | 43 | +5 years |
| OBC / MOBC of Assam | 21 | 41 | +3 years |
| Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) | 21 | 48 | +10 years (any category) |
| Ex-Servicemen | — | — | No post reserved this cycle |
5Reservation Categories
Reservation follows GoA policy and applies ONLY to candidates with valid Assam domicile and the relevant category certificate. Vertical: Open (Unreserved), OBC/MOBC, SC, STP (Scheduled Tribes Plains), STH (Scheduled Tribes Hills). Horizontal: RFW (Reserved for Women), PwBD, and Ex-Servicemen (no ESM post this cycle).
5.1 Vacancy Distribution by Category (78 total)
| Particular | Open | OBC/MOBC | SC | STP | STH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Vacancies | 42 | 14 | 8 | 7 | 7 |
| RFW (Women) within the above | 9 | 2 | 2 | — | 1 |
6Posts, Salary & Job Profile
6.1 Post-wise Pay Scale (per Notification)
| Post | Pay Band & Scale | Grade Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Assam Civil Service (Junior Grade) | PB-4: ₹30,000 – 1,10,000 | ₹13,300 |
| Assam Police Service (Junior Grade) | PB-4: ₹30,000 – 1,10,000 | ₹13,300 |
| District Transport Officer | PB-4: ₹30,000 – 1,10,000 | ₹12,700 |
| Superintendent of Excise | PB-4: ₹30,000 – 1,10,000 | ₹12,700 |
| Assistant Registrar of Cooperative Societies | PB-4: ₹30,000 – 1,10,000 | ₹12,700 |
| Assam Urban Administrative Service (EO Jr Gr-II) | PB-4: ₹30,000 – 1,10,000 | ₹12,700 |
| Inspector of Labour | PB-3: ₹22,000 – 97,000 | ₹9,400 |
| Inspector of Excise | PB-3: ₹22,000 – 97,000 | ₹9,400 |
| Assistant Employment Officer | PB-3: ₹22,000 – 97,000 | ₹9,400 |
| Sub-Registrar | PB-3: ₹22,000 – 97,000 | ₹9,400 |
| Research Assistant (Border Protection & Development) | PB-3: ₹22,000 – 97,000 | ₹9,400 |
All posts also receive standard GoA allowances — Dearness Allowance, House Rent Allowance, Travel Allowance, medical reimbursement and special compensatory allowance for difficult/hilly/border-area postings (Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao, Bodoland Territorial Region) — revised periodically by the Department of Finance.
6.2 Job Profile by Post
Assam Civil Service (Junior Grade) — 45 vacancies
Gazetted Group A officers, the executive backbone of district administration; entry posting at sub-divisional level. Revenue administration, executive magistracy, election duties, disaster/flood management (a major annual concern in Assam), law-and-order coordination, grievance redressal and scheme implementation. Path: Additional Deputy Commissioner → Deputy Commissioner → senior Secretariat; IAS induction possible via the State Civil Service quota.
Assam Police Service (Junior Grade) — 6 vacancies
Gazetted Group A officers (DSP-equivalent) leading police sub-divisions. Investigation supervision, law & order, anti-insurgency operations, border-security coordination (Assam borders Bangladesh & Bhutan), VIP security and crime prevention. Path: SP → Senior SP → DIG; IPS induction possible. Physical standards apply (Section 9).
Assistant Employment Officer (8) & Inspector of Labour (5)
Assistant Employment Officer (Directorate of Employment & Craftsmen Training): District Employment Offices, job-seeker registration, employment fairs, vocational counselling and industry placement liaison. Inspector of Labour (Labour Welfare Department): enforcing labour laws (Minimum Wages, Factories, Industrial Disputes Acts), workplace inspections (including the tea-garden industry), trade-union registration and dispute resolution.
Sub-Registrar (4), District Transport Officer (3) & Asst. Registrar Co-op (2)
Sub-Registrar (IG of Registration): property & marriage document registration and supervision. District Transport Officer (Transport Department): Motor Vehicles Act implementation, vehicle registration/licensing, road-safety enforcement. Assistant Registrar of Cooperative Societies (Cooperation Department): registration, audit and dispute resolution for cooperatives.
AUAS EO (2), Excise (Supdt 1 / Inspector 1) & Research Assistant (1)
AUAS Executive Officer (Urban Development): administration of urban local bodies and municipal services. Superintendent / Inspector of Excise (Excise Department): excise-law enforcement, revenue supervision, licensing oversight and anti-smuggling raids. Research Assistant (Border Protection & Development Department): border-area development, anti-encroachment work and inter-departmental coordination on border management.
7Exam Pattern
Stage 1: Preliminary Examination (screening only)
| Paper | Subject | Marks | Duration | Nature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper-I | General Studies-I | 200 | 2 hrs | Objective MCQ |
| Paper-II | General Studies-II | 200 | 2 hrs | Qualifying at 33% |
| TOTAL | 400 | — |
Stage 2: Main Examination (6 papers, Guwahati only)
| Paper | Subject | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper-1 | Essay | 250 | 3 hrs |
| Paper-2 | General Studies-I | 250 | 3 hrs |
| Paper-3 | General Studies-II | 250 | 3 hrs |
| Paper-4 | General Studies-III | 250 | 3 hrs |
| Paper-5 | General Studies-IV | 250 | 3 hrs |
| Paper-6 | General Studies-V | 250 | 3 hrs |
| Mains written total | 1,500 |
- Six conventional descriptive papers with prescribed word limits; NO optional subject.
- Answers may be written in English or Assamese.
- The Mains shortlist is 11–12× the vacancies notified per category.
Stage 3: Interview / Personality Test
Carries 180 marks (no qualifying cut-off) and is added to the written-Mains marks. Candidates are called at a 1:3 ratio against advertised vacancies. It assesses mental alertness, clear exposition, balance of judgement, leadership and integrity, in a directed conversation rather than a cross-examination.
Final Merit
8Detailed Syllabus
Indicative coverage — refer to the Assam Public Services CCE (Amendment) Rules, 2019 and the official APSC syllabus for the precise topic list and paper-wise themes.
8.1 Prelims Syllabus
Paper-I — General Studies-I: current events of national & international importance; history of India & the national movement; Indian & world geography (physical, social, economic); Indian polity & governance; economic & social development; environment, ecology, biodiversity & climate change; general science — with significant emphasis on Assam-specific topics.
Paper-II — General Studies-II (qualifying, 33%): comprehension; interpersonal & communication skills; logical reasoning & analytical ability; decision-making & problem-solving; general mental ability; basic numeracy & data interpretation (Class X level).
8.2 Mains Syllabus (indicative)
Six descriptive papers (Essay + five GS papers, 250 each). The Commission notifies the precise paper-wise themes per the Examination Rules; the indicative coverage spans:
| Paper | Indicative Coverage |
|---|---|
| Paper-1 — Essay | Essay(s) with a prescribed word limit; may be written in English or Assamese |
| Papers 2–6 — General Studies | Indian heritage & culture; history, geography & society; governance, constitution, polity, social justice & international relations; technology, economic development, biodiversity, environment, security & disaster management; ethics, integrity & aptitude — with Assam-specific content woven throughout |
9Physical Standards (Police-cadre Posts)
Physical standards apply to candidates for the Assam Police Service (Junior Grade), per the Assam Police Service Rules. For all other APSC CCE posts, no minimum physical standard is prescribed in the notification.
10How to Apply
Applications are online only via apscrecruitment.in — no other mode is valid.
10.1 Documents & Photo IDs
- Age proof (Class 10/12 certificate/admit card/mark sheet with DOB); graduation certificate + all semester/year mark sheets in one PDF.
- Caste/category certificate; PwBD certificate (type & percentage); BPL certificate (if applicable); Small Family Norms declaration (Form-A); valid Employment Exchange Registration Card; proof of original inhabitant of Assam (Employment Exchange card / PRC / Caste Certificate); undertaking for those already in Government/PSU service.
- Photo IDs accepted at the centre (any one): PAN, Driving Licence, Voter ID, Passport, current educational-institution ID, Government/PSU ID, or bank passbook with photograph.
- Applications may also be filled through Common Service Centres (CSCs) for those without a debit card / net banking.
11Application Fee
A CSC-SPV processing fee of ₹47.20 applies to every candidate, on top of the category fee below.
| Category | Application Fee | Processing Fee | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| General | ₹250 | ₹47.20 | ₹297.20 |
| OBC / MOBC | ₹150 | ₹47.20 | ₹197.20 |
| SC / ST | Nil | ₹47.20 | ₹47.20 |
| BPL (all categories) | Nil | ₹47.20 | ₹47.20 |
| PwBD | Nil | ₹47.20 | ₹47.20 |
| Women (all categories) | Nil | ₹47.20 | ₹47.20 |
12APSC Office, Centres & Contact
| Particular | Detail |
|---|---|
| Commission | Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) |
| Head Office | Jawaharnagar, Khanapara, Guwahati-781022, Assam |
| Official Website | http://www.apsc.nic.in |
| Application Portal | https://apscrecruitment.in |
| Official Email | apsc-asm@nic.in |
| CCE Application Helpline | cceapsc@gmail.com | 1800-572-23-43 (10 AM–5 PM, working days) |
| GRAS Helpdesk (payments) | 1800-102-1686 (10 AM–6 PM, working days) |
13Selection Process Summary
- Stage 1 — Prelims: two objective papers (GS-I + GS-II, 200 each = 400). Paper-II qualifying at 33%; 1/4 negative marking. Screening only — not counted in final merit. Mains shortlist = 11–12× vacancies per category.
- Stage 2 — Mains (Guwahati): six descriptive papers (Essay + five GS, 250 each) = 1,500. No optional. Answers in English or Assamese. Personality Test called at 1:3 of vacancies.
- Stage 3 — Personality Test (Guwahati): 180 marks, no qualifying cut-off, added to the Mains written marks.
- Final Merit: Mains 1,500 + Personality Test 180 = 1,680. Service allotment is Merit-cum-Preference; no post is allotted that a candidate did not opt for.
14Preparation Tips from Parcham Classes
APSC rewards depth and a deep command of Assam-specific content — organised into four phases.
01 Build concept clarity before speed
Spend the first 3–4 months on Class 6–12 NCERTs across History, Geography, Polity, Economy and Science. With 1/4 negative marking in Prelims, weak concepts cost you marks. The NCERT Advanced Batch 2026-27 structures this.
02 Master Assam — the real differentiator
Build Assam notes from Day One: the Ahom kingdom, freedom-movement contributions, the Assam Movement & Accord, the Brahmaputra/Barak systems, Sixth Schedule areas (BTR, Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao), tea, oil & gas, Bihu and Sattriya, and GoA schemes. Understand the OBC/MOBC communities (Moran, Motok, Chutia, Tea Tribes/Adivasi) too.
03 Take CSAT seriously
GS Paper-II needs 33% to qualify and trips up many strong-GS candidates. Practise comprehension, Class-X maths, DI and reasoning consistently before Prelims. Negative marking applies here too.
04 Mind the 1/4 negative marking
APSC deducts 1/4 per wrong answer (harsher than the usual 1/3). Rule of thumb: attempt only if you can confidently eliminate at least two options. Marking multiple options counts as wrong — stay disciplined in every mock.
06 Build Assam current affairs
Assam Cabinet decisions, state schemes, flood management, tea-industry news, Bodoland/Sixth Schedule developments and major-event administration feed the Assam-specific GS portions. The Current Affairs Complete Kit 2026 adds the Assam angle.
05 Solve 5–10 years of APSC PYQs
Assam-specific stems repeat almost identically. PYQs (on apsc.nic.in) are your highest-leverage resource — weight recent papers reflecting the post-2019 Amendment Rules pattern.
07 Build Assamese reading skills
Even writing the Mains in English, reading Assamese sources (GoA reports, regional press, Assam history/culture books) deepens your Assam knowledge — much of the richest source material is in Assamese.
08 Take full-paper timed Mains mocks
Six 3-hour papers across consecutive days at Guwahati is endurance work. Begin Mains mocks three months out via the APSC Pattern Mock Test Series; the Essay (250) is a high-leverage scoring opportunity.
09 Read the Assam Economic Survey
Dry but full of the exact data examiners use. Memorise 10–12 numbers cold: GSDP sectoral shares, tea and oil & gas data, agriculture, MSME counts, forest cover and tribal-population figures.
10 Plan the long cycle & use the unlimited-attempt edge
An APSC cycle runs 12–18 months. With no attempt cap (only the 38-year UR age limit applies), build a 2–3 cycle plan, keep a one-page error log per mock, and protect sleep, exercise and weekly breaks.
The Parcham Stack for APSC CCE
| Programme | Best Suited For |
|---|---|
| All-in-One State PSC Batch 2026-27 (Flagship) | End-to-end Prelims + Mains for APSC and other state PCS exams — lifetime access, with state-GK modules & Answer Writing Workshops |
| NCERT Advanced Batch 2026-27 | Foundation Phase — core concepts across History, Geography, Polity, Economy, Science |
| Current Affairs Complete Kit 2026 | Active Preparation — monthly e-magazine, daily headliners and MCQs with the Assam angle |
| APSC Pattern Mock Test Series | Mains Endgame — full-paper timed mocks across consecutive days |
| All State PSC One-Liner E-Book | Final-week revision — 16,000+ one-liners for high-volume recall |
15Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. When is the APSC CCE 2026 examination?
Advt. No. 01/2026 was released on 10 April 2026 for 78 vacancies. Applications run 13 April (noon) – 3 May 2026 (5 PM), fee payment by 5 May 2026. The Prelims is tentatively 5 July 2026 (Sunday). The Mains and Personality Test are at Guwahati only, after the Prelims result.
Q2. How many posts are advertised?
78 across 11 services: ACS Junior Grade (45), Assistant Employment Officer (8), APS Junior Grade (6), Inspector of Labour (5), Sub-Registrar (4), DTO (3), Asst. Registrar Co-op (2), AUAS EO Jr Gr-II (2), Superintendent of Excise (1), Inspector of Excise (1), Research Assistant Border Protection (1). Of these, 14 are Reserved for Women and 3 for PwBD (Locomotor); no post is reserved for Ex-Servicemen this cycle.
Q3. Can candidates from other states apply?
No. A candidate must be an Indian citizen AND an original inhabitant of Assam. Out-of-state candidates are not eligible. A valid Employment Exchange Registration Card / PRC / Caste Certificate is accepted as proof of original inhabitant.
Q4. What is the age limit?
21 to 38 years on 1 January 2025 (Unreserved). Relaxations: +5 years (SC/STP/STH, up to 43), +3 years (OBC/MOBC, up to 41), +10 years (PwBD, up to 48, any category). No post is reserved for Ex-Servicemen this cycle.
Q5. Is there negative marking in Prelims?
Yes — one-fourth (1/4) of a question's marks is deducted per wrong answer (harsher than the 1/3 used by many PSCs). Marking more than one option counts as wrong even if one is correct. No deduction for unanswered questions.
Q6. What is the CSAT qualifying threshold?
33% in GS Paper-II. Failing it disqualifies you regardless of GS Paper-I performance.
Q7. Is there an optional subject in the Mains?
No. The Mains has six papers — Essay + five General Studies papers (250 each) = 1,500 marks. There is no optional subject; each paper is 3 hours.
Q8. Can I write the Mains in English?
Yes — a candidate may write the Mains answer papers in English or Assamese.
Q9. How many attempts are allowed?
No separate cap — appear as many times as you wish, subject only to the upper age limit for your category and post.
Q10. Do women candidates pay the application fee?
No — women candidates of all categories are exempt and pay only the ₹47.20 processing fee (gender-balance provision), as do SC/ST/PwBD/BPL candidates. General pay ₹297.20 total; OBC/MOBC ₹197.20.
Q11. What is the total marks for final selection?
1,680 — Mains written (1,500) + Personality Test (180). Prelims marks are not counted; Prelims is only a screening stage. Allotment is Merit-cum-Preference.
Q12. Where can I get help with my application?
Apply at apscrecruitment.in. For application queries: cceapsc@gmail.com or 1800-572-23-43 (10 AM–5 PM). For payment queries: GRAS Helpdesk 1800-102-1686 (10 AM–6 PM). General APSC email: apsc-asm@nic.in. You may also apply via a Common Service Centre (CSC).
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Explore CoursesDisclaimer & Source Citation
This document was prepared by Parcham Classes based exclusively on official APSC sources:
- APSC Combined Competitive Examination Notification 2025 (Advt. No. 01/2026, Memo No. 8PSC/E-11/2025-2026), dated 10 April 2026
- APSC official website — http://www.apsc.nic.in; application portal — https://apscrecruitment.in; email — apsc-asm@nic.in
- Assam Public Services CCE Rules, 1989 (as amended through the Amendment Rules 2019, 2nd Amendment 2022, Amendment 2022 and Amendment 2023)
Indicative data: allowance rates are governed by Department of Finance (GoA) notifications and revised periodically; Mains paper-wise themes follow the CCE (Amendment) Rules, 2019 and the GS coverage shown here is indicative. Mains-stage fees will be notified later.
Tentative date: the 5 July 2026 Prelims date is tentative per the notification; centres and dates may be changed by the Commission at its discretion. Verify on apsc.nic.in.
Verify: For all dates, vacancies, fees, eligibility, pay scale and pattern, the official APSC notification on apsc.nic.in is the final authority. Last updated: April 2026.