Finished graduation and want a government job? Here are the 15 biggest exams open to graduates of any stream, with age limits, selection stages and the 2027 dates wherever the official calendar has been published. Where the official date is not out yet, we show “–” instead of guessing.
Age limits are for the general category as per the latest notification of each exam. Reserved categories get relaxation (usually OBC 3 years, SC/ST 5 years, PwBD 10 years). Always check the new notification before applying.
The 15 exams at a glance
| # | Exam | Conducted by | Age (General) | Stages | 2027 exam date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Civil Services (IAS, IPS, IFS and others) | UPSC | 21–32 | Prelims → Mains → Interview | Prelims: 23 May 2027 |
| 2 | Combined Graduate Level (CGL) | SSC | 18–32 (varies by post) | Tier-I → Tier-II | – |
| 3 | CPO: Sub-Inspector in Delhi Police and CAPFs | SSC | 20–25 | Paper-I → PET/PST → Paper-II → Medical | – |
| 4 | IBPS PO | IBPS | 20–30 | Prelims → Mains → Interview | – |
| 5 | SBI PO | SBI | 21–30 | Prelims → Mains → Psychometric, GE and Interview | – |
| 6 | IBPS Clerk (Customer Service Associate) | IBPS | 20–28 | Prelims → Mains → Language test | – |
| 7 | SBI Clerk (Junior Associate) | SBI | 20–28 | Prelims → Mains → Language test | – |
| 8 | IBPS RRB PO (Officer Scale-I) | IBPS | 18–30 | Prelims → Mains → Interview | – |
| 9 | RBI Grade B (General) | RBI | 21–30 | Phase-I → Phase-II → Interview | – |
| 10 | RBI Assistant | RBI | 20–28 | Prelims → Mains → Language test | – |
| 11 | RRB NTPC (graduate posts) | Railway Recruitment Boards | 18–33 | CBT-1 → CBT-2 → Document verification | – |
| 12 | Combined Defence Services (CDS) | UPSC | 19–25 (varies by academy; unmarried) | Written → SSB → Medical | CDS-I: 11 April 2027 |
| 13 | CAPF Assistant Commandant | UPSC | 20–25 | Written → Physical → Interview | 4 July 2027 |
| 14 | AFCAT (Air Force Common Admission Test) | Indian Air Force | 20–24 (flying), 20–26 (ground duty) | Online test → AFSB → Medical | – |
| 15 | LIC AAO (Assistant Administrative Officer) | LIC | 21–30 | Prelims → Mains → Interview | – |
The UPSC dates above are from the UPSC Annual Calendar 2027 and may be changed by UPSC.
Short notes on each exam
1. UPSC Civil Services
The top job: IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS and more. Graduation in any discipline. General category gets 6 attempts. Prelims is qualifying; Mains (written) and the interview decide your rank. Notification: 13 January 2027 (UPSC calendar).
2. SSC CGL
40 posts in central ministries, from Assistant Audit Officer to Tax Assistant (Pay Levels 4 to 8). Read our SSC CGL post list and salary guide before you fill your preferences.
3. SSC CPO
Sub-Inspector in Delhi Police and in BSF, CISF, CRPF, ITBP and SSB. Includes a physical test (PET) and physical standards. Syllabus
4–5. IBPS PO and SBI PO
Officer entry into public sector banks. Strong pay, quick promotions. IBPS PO syllabus · SBI PO syllabus
6–7. IBPS Clerk and SBI Clerk
Clerical posts in banks, posted in the state you apply for. No interview. See SBI Clerk vs IBPS Clerk.
8. IBPS RRB PO
Officer posts in Regional Rural Banks. Good option if you know the local language of your state well. Syllabus
9–10. RBI Grade B and RBI Assistant
Jobs at the central bank. Grade B needs 60% in graduation (50% for SC/ST/PwBD) and is one of the best-paid entry jobs in the government sector. RBI Assistant needs 50% in graduation. Grade B Phase-II guide
11. RRB NTPC (graduate level)
Railway posts such as Chief Commercial cum Ticket Supervisor, Goods Train Manager, Junior Accounts Assistant cum Typist and Senior Clerk cum Typist. Syllabus
12. CDS
Entry to the Indian Military Academy, Naval Academy, Air Force Academy and Officers’ Training Academy. Only unmarried candidates for IMA, INA and AFA; age and degree requirements differ by academy (for example, engineering degree for the Naval Academy).
13. CAPF Assistant Commandant
Group A officer posts in BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP and SSB. Includes a physical efficiency test.
14. AFCAT
Commissioned officer entry to the Indian Air Force for Flying, Ground Duty (Technical) and Ground Duty (Non-Technical) branches. Held twice a year.
15. LIC AAO
Officer posts in Life Insurance Corporation of India, including generalist and specialist streams.
How to choose your target
- Pick one main exam family, not 15 exams. Banking (IBPS/SBI/RBI), SSC, or UPSC each needs a different style of preparation.
- Banking and SSC overlap a lot (Quant, Reasoning, English, GA), so you can write both families together.
- Defence and CAPF need physical fitness. Start fitness training early.
- Check your age. If you are close to the upper age limit for one exam, give it priority this year.
Start preparing today
- Daily current affairs: needed in every exam above
- Free mock tests
- Syllabus & exam pattern for 15 exams
- Latest job updates
Eligibility is as per the latest notifications of each exam. 2027 dates are shown only where an official calendar is out; “–” means not yet announced. Always check the official website before applying.