The Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force (ITBPF), under the Ministry of Home Affairs, is recruiting 21 Head Constables (Motor Mechanic). The posts are open to male Indian citizens, including subjects of Nepal and Bhutan. The post is Group 'C' at Pay Level 4 (Rs 25,500-81,100), and candidates need 10+2 plus a motor mechanic qualification. Applications are online at recruitment.itbpolice.nic.in from 28 September to 27 October 2026.
ITBP Head Constable (Motor Mechanic) 2026 at a glance
| Force | Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force, Ministry of Home Affairs |
| Post | Head Constable (Motor Mechanic), General Central Service, Group 'C' Non-Gazetted (Non-Ministerial) |
| Vacancies | 21 (including backlog) |
| Who can apply | Male candidates only |
| Pay | Level 4, Rs 25,500-81,100 (7th CPC), plus allowances |
| Age | 18 to 25 years on 27 October 2026 |
| Fee | Rs 100; nil for SC and ex-servicemen |
| Apply | Online, 28 September (00:01) to 27 October 2026 (11:59 PM) |
Important dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Online application opens | 28 September 2026, 00:01 AM |
| Online application closes | 27 October 2026, 11:59 PM |
| Date for age and eligibility | 27 October 2026 |
| PET, PST, written exam and skill test | Dates to be announced on the ITBP recruitment website |
Vacancies and reservation
| Post | UR | SC | ST | OBC | EWS | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head Constable (Motor Mechanic) | 7 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 21 |
10% of the vacancies are reserved for ex-servicemen; any left unfilled go to other candidates of the same category. The numbers are tentative and may change, and ITBPF can change the order of the tests, postpone or cancel the recruitment.
Pay and allowances
Pay Level 4 in the Pay Matrix, Rs 25,500-81,100. On top of that: Dearness Allowance, Ration Money Allowance, Special Compensatory Allowance when posted in specified border areas, free accommodation or HRA, Transport Allowance, Leave Travel Concession and free medical facilities. On joining, you choose either the National Pension System (NPS) or the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS). The post is temporary but likely to become permanent, and you can be posted anywhere in India or abroad.
Eligibility
Educational and technical qualification
- 10+2 pass from a recognised board; and
- either a certificate in Motor Mechanic from a recognised institution or ITI with three years of practical experience in a reputed workshop, or a three year Diploma in Automobile Engineering.
The questions in the written exam are of 12th standard.
Age limit and relaxation
You must be between 18 and 25 on 27 October 2026, that is, born between 28 October 2001 and 27 October 2008. The date of birth in your 10th certificate is the only one accepted.
| Category | Relaxation |
|---|---|
| SC | 5 years |
| OBC (NCL) | 3 years |
| Ex-servicemen (General) | 3 years after deducting military service |
| Ex-servicemen (OBC) | 6 years after deducting military service |
| Ex-servicemen (SC) | 8 years after deducting military service |
| Government servants | Up to 40 years (UR), 43 (OBC), 45 (SC/ST) |
Physical standards
| Candidates | Height (min) | Chest unexpanded / expanded |
|---|---|---|
| All other states and UTs | 170 cm | 80 / 85 cm |
| Garhwalis, Kumaonis, Gorkhas, Dogras, Marathas, and candidates from Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Kashmir region and Ladakh | 165 cm | 78 / 83 cm |
| North-Eastern states (Arunachal, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura) | 162.5 cm | 77 / 82 cm |
Weight must be in proportion to height and age, and is finally judged at the detailed medical examination; being under or overweight does not end your candidature at the PST.
Medical standards and tattoos
Eyesight
| Test | Better eye | Worse eye |
|---|---|---|
| Near vision (unaided) | N6 | N9 |
| Distant vision (uncorrected) | 6/6 | 6/9 |
| Colour vision | CP III by Ishihara | |
No correction of any kind is allowed, not even glasses. Binocular vision is required, and in a right-handed person the right eye is treated as the better eye. A colour blind candidate is not eligible, and anyone found colour blind later in service is boarded out under the SHAPE policy. You must also be free of knock knees, flat foot, varicose veins and squint, and in good mental and bodily health. Candidates with physical deformities or disabilities cannot apply.
Tattoos
- Content: religious symbols, figures and names are allowed, following the Indian Army practice.
- Location: only the inner side of the left forearm (the non-saluting arm) or the back of the hands.
- Size: less than a quarter of that part of the body.
A tattoo removed before the recruitment that has faded substantially is treated as a scar. You can go through the process with the Presiding Officer's approval, and the medical board checks the scar at the detailed medical examination.
Selection process and exam pattern
Phase I: PET and PST
- Physical Efficiency Test (qualifying): 1.6 km race in 7 minutes 30 seconds; long jump of 11 feet; high jump of 3½ feet (three chances each). You must clear every event. Ex-servicemen do not take the PET.
- Physical Standard Test: height, chest and weight are measured. Biometric checks are done before the tests.
There is no appeal against a PET result. If you fail on height or chest, you get a rejection slip with the measurement written on it, and you can ask the Presiding Officer in writing, the same day, to measure you again. The Presiding Officer measures you personally and that decision is final. Fingerprints are captured before the PET and can be checked again at any stage, so avoid mehndi or wax on your hands: if the machine cannot read your fingerprints, you are not allowed to continue, and a biometric mismatch cancels your candidature. Bring a clear printout of your online application form, or you will not be let into the PET and PST venue.
Phase II: documents and written exam
Those who pass the PST have their original documents checked, then take a 100 mark objective written exam (computer based or OMR, as ITBPF decides) of 2 hours:
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General knowledge | 10 | 10 |
| Mathematics | 10 | 10 |
| Hindi or English (choose one) | 20 | 20 |
| Trade related theory | 60 | 60 |
| Total | 100 | 100 |
You need 35% to qualify (General, EWS, ex-servicemen) or 33% (SC, OBC). The answer key is put on the recruitment website after the exam. There is no re-evaluation and no re-exam.
Rules in the exam hall:
- Mobile phones, calculators, paper, digital watches, Bluetooth devices and any other electronic item are banned. Just having one, even switched off, counts as unfair means.
- If your question booklet is defective, ask for a replacement within 10 minutes of the start.
- Copying, impersonation, photographing the paper or using forged admit cards leads to disqualification, and ITBPF may report it to the police.
Phase III: skill test and medical
Candidates up to ten times the category-wise vacancies are called for a 50 mark practical skill test on written marks. It is qualifying, with 50% needed in every category:
| Part | Marks |
|---|---|
| Vehicle inspection | 10 |
| Identification of faults | 10 |
| Rectification of defects | 25 |
| Handling of tools | 05 |
| Total | 50 |
Merit list
After the skill test, separate merit lists are drawn for UR, SC, OBC (NCL), EWS and ex-servicemen, using written exam marks only. A few points decide where you land:
- SC, OBC and EWS candidates who make the cut on their own merit, without relaxed standards, are placed against unreserved posts. The reserved posts then go to candidates of those categories below the last UR candidate.
- Ex-servicemen posts left unfilled go to other candidates of the same category, in merit order.
- On equal marks, the older candidate ranks higher. If that is also equal, the name that comes first in English alphabetical order ranks higher.
Phase IV: detailed medical examination
Candidates are called for the medical in merit order. The number called equals the vacancies plus the usual failure rate from past medicals, and there is no reserve list. Each candidate is declared fit or unfit, with no "temporary unfit" verdict. If you are declared unfit, you can ask for a Review Medical Examination by signing the consent form (Annexure VII) within 24 hours. The review is normally held the next day, and its result is final.
Application fee
UR, OBC and EWS candidates pay Rs 100 through the online payment gateway on the recruitment website. SC candidates and ex-servicemen pay nothing. Fees paid any other way are rejected, and fees are not refunded.
Ex-servicemen: who qualifies
For this recruitment, an ex-serviceman is someone who served in any rank in the regular Army, Navy or Air Force and left on pension, on a disability pension for reasons linked to service, or because of a cut in establishment. It also covers those released at the end of their engagement with a gratuity (but not on dismissal or for misconduct), Territorial Army pension holders, certain Army Postal Service personnel, gallantry award winners, and recruits boarded out on medical grounds with a disability pension. Ex-servicemen skip the PET but must clear the PST, documents, written exam, skill test and medical.
Category certificates: dates that matter
Every eligibility condition is judged on 27 October 2026, and SC, OBC and EWS certificates must be issued before that date.
- OBC (NCL): the non-creamy layer status must be worked out on income from 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26, and you must hold the certificate by 27 October 2026.
- EWS: the income and asset certificate must be based on the financial year before the year of application, and must be in your hands by the same date.
The category you enter in your profile cannot be changed later, and false details cancel the application.
Documents for verification
- Educational certificates, the Motor Mechanic or Automobile Diploma certificate, and the experience certificate.
- 10th certificate for date of birth.
- SC certificate (Annexure I), OBC certificate (Annexure II) with the non-creamy layer declaration (Annexure II-A) based on income of 2023-24 to 2025-26, and EWS certificate (Annexure III) valid for 2025-26, issued by an officer not below Tehsildar or SDM.
- No Objection Certificate (Annexure VI) for government employees; without it, the candidature is rejected.
- Annexure V certificate for height or chest relaxation, if claimed.
- Domicile certificate or another proof of citizenship such as PAN, Aadhaar, driving licence or voter card.
- Discharge certificate for ex-servicemen, and four recent passport size photographs.
How to apply
- Go to recruitment.itbpolice.nic.in between 28 September and 27 October 2026.
- Register and fill the online application for Head Constable (Motor Mechanic) - 2026.
- Pay Rs 100 online if your category pays a fee.
- Submit and keep a copy. Admit cards for each stage are only online.
Service conditions after selection
- You must serve at least 10 years. Resigning earlier means refunding three months' pay and allowances or the cost of your training, whichever is higher.
- Basic training and other courses prescribed by the Force are compulsory.
- No travel or daily allowance is paid for going to the recruitment venue, and you should be ready to stay more than one day at your own arrangement.
- ITBPF does not ask for money beyond the application fee. Report anyone who does to the recruitment board or the local police.
Points to check before you apply
- Male candidates only.
- ITI holders need three years of workshop experience; a three year Automobile Diploma needs none.
- Height of 170 cm for most candidates, with lower limits for listed groups and regions.
- Trade theory is 60 of the 100 written marks.
- Upper age is 25, counted on 27 October 2026.
Official links
- ITBP Head Constable (Motor Mechanic) 2026 advertisement (PDF)
- ITBP recruitment website (online application)
Frequently asked questions
How many ITBP Head Constable (Motor Mechanic) posts are there?
21: UR 7, SC 4, OBC 7 and EWS 3, with 10% of the vacancies kept for ex-servicemen.
Can women apply?
No. The advertisement invites applications from male candidates only.
Does the skill test count in the merit list?
No. It is qualifying (50% needed); merit is on written exam marks.