Top 100 Government Exams in India (2025 Edition): SSC, UPSC, Banking, Railways & More

🎯 Why Government Exams Are So Popular

The allure of government jobs in India stems from a unique blend of benefits and a secure future:

• ✔️ Stable Salary & Timely Promotions: Government roles offer competitive salaries and a clear path for promotions, ensuring financial security throughout your career.
• ✔️ Pension & Retirement Benefits: Unlike many private sector jobs, government service often comes with robust pension schemes and other post-retirement benefits, providing a safety net for life.
• ✔️ Clear Career Progression (Cadre System): Defined hierarchies and cadre systems offer structured career advancement, allowing employees to rise through the ranks.
• ✔️ High Social Status + Parental Approval: A government job commands immense respect in Indian society, often bringing a sense of pride and stability to families.
• ✔️ Diverse Roles & Opportunities: From administrative and legal positions to finance, teaching, engineering, and defense, government sectors offer a vast array of roles to suit varied skills and qualifications.

🏆 TOP NATIONAL-LEVEL EXAMS (UPSC)

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts some of the most prestigious examinations in the country, leading to Group 'A' and Group 'B' gazetted posts.

• UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE): The gateway to becoming an IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS, and other allied services officer. This is arguably the most sought-after government exam, attracting over 10-13 lakh applicants annually.
• UPSC Indian Engineering Services (IES): For engineering graduates aspiring to technical and managerial posts in various government departments.
• UPSC Combined Defence Services (CDS) Exam: For graduates seeking to join the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force as commissioned officers. Conducted twice a year.
• UPSC NDA & NA Exam: For 10+2 cadets aspiring to join the National Defence Academy (NDA) and Naval Academy (NA) as officers. Conducted twice a year.
• UPSC Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) (Assistant Commandant): For recruitment of Assistant Commandants in BSF, CRPF, ITBP, SSB, and CISF.
• UPSC Indian Forest Service (IFoS): For recruitment to the Indian Forest Service.
• UPSC Indian Economic Service / Indian Statistical Service (IES/ISS): For specialists in economics and statistics roles within various government departments.
• UPSC Combined Medical Services (CMS) Exam: For doctors seeking to join government medical services.

🏛️ STAFF SELECTION COMMISSION (SSC)

The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) conducts examinations for various Group ‘B’ and Group ‘C’ non-technical posts in various Ministries/Departments/Organizations of the Government of India. Over 30 lakh applications are received for popular SSC exams like CGL and CHSL.

• SSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL): For various Group 'B' and 'C' posts like Assistant Audit Officer, Income Tax Inspector, Sub-Inspector, etc., requiring a graduate degree.
• SSC Combined Higher Secondary Level (CHSL): For 10+2 qualified candidates for posts like Lower Division Clerk (LDC), Postal Assistant (PA)/Sorting Assistant (SA), Data Entry Operator (DEO).
• SSC Multi Tasking Staff (MTS): For non-technical Group 'C' posts in various central government ministries and departments.
• SSC Stenographer (Grade C & D): For stenographer positions based on skill tests (shorthand).
• SSC GD Constable: For recruitment of Constables (General Duty) in CAPFs (BSF, CISF, ITBP, CRPF, SSB, NIA, SSF) and Rifleman (GD) in Assam Rifles.
• SSC JE (Junior Engineer): For civil, mechanical, electrical, and quantity surveying and contract engineers.
• SSC CPO (Sub-Inspector in Delhi Police, CAPFs & Assistant Sub-Inspector in CISF): For recruitment of Sub-Inspectors and Assistant Sub-Inspectors in various police and paramilitary forces.
• SSC Selection Post: Various posts requiring different qualifications across government departments.

🏦 BANKING & INSURANCE EXAMS

Banking and Insurance sectors offer a large number of annual vacancies, making them highly popular among commerce and general graduates. Approximately 5-10 lakh candidates apply for major banking exams like IBPS PO/Clerk annually.

• IBPS PO (Probationary Officer): For officer cadre positions in various Public Sector Banks.
• IBPS Clerk: For clerical cadre positions in Public Sector Banks.
• IBPS RRB Officer Scale I, II, III: For officers in Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) at various levels.
• IBPS RRB Assistant: For office assistant positions in Regional Rural Banks (RRBs).
• SBI PO (Probationary Officer): For officer cadre positions in State Bank of India.
• SBI Clerk: For clerical cadre positions in State Bank of India.
• RBI Grade B: For officer positions in Reserve Bank of India, one of the most sought-after banking exams.
• RBI Assistant: For assistant positions in Reserve Bank of India.
• NABARD Grade A/B: For Assistant Managers and Managers in National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development.
• LIC AAO (Assistant Administrative Officer): For officer positions in Life Insurance Corporation of India.
• LIC ADO (Apprentice Development Officer): For sales and development roles in Life Insurance Corporation of India.
• NIACL AO (Administrative Officer): For officer positions in New India Assurance Company Ltd.
• GIC Assistant Manager: For various roles in General Insurance Corporation of India.
• UIIC AO (Administrative Officer): For officer positions in United India Insurance Company Ltd.

🚆 RAILWAY EXAMS (RRB)

The Indian Railways is one of the largest employers in the world, and its recruitment exams are among the most applied for, with RRB NTPC seeing nearly 1 crore applicants in previous cycles.

• RRB NTPC (Non-Technical Popular Categories): For various non-technical posts like Junior Clerk Cum Typist, Accounts Clerk Cum Typist, Commercial Cum Ticket Clerk, Goods Guard, Senior Commercial Cum Ticket Clerk, Senior Clerk Cum Typist, Junior Account Assistant Cum Typist, Commercial Apprentice, and Station Master.
• RRB Group D: For various entry-level technical and non-technical posts in Indian Railways.
• RRB ALP (Assistant Loco Pilot): For Assistant Loco Pilots responsible for operating trains.
• RRB JE (Junior Engineer): For Junior Engineers in various disciplines.
• RRB Paramedical Categories: For posts like Staff Nurse, Health & Malaria Inspector, Pharmacist, ECG Technician, etc.
• RRB Ministerial & Isolated Categories: For various ministerial and isolated category posts.
• RRB Technician: For various technical roles across railway departments.

🏥 MEDICAL & PARAMEDICAL EXAMS

For those with a medical or paramedical background, numerous government opportunities exist:

• AIIMS Nursing Officer (NORCET): For Nursing Officer positions in all AIIMS across India.
• AIIMS MBBS/PG Entrance: For admission to MBBS and PG medical courses in AIIMS.
• NEET-UG: For admission to government medical colleges (MBBS/BDS).
• NEET-PG: For admission to postgraduate medical courses.
• ESIC UDC / MTS / Steno: For various clerical and multi-tasking roles in Employees' State Insurance Corporation.
• ESIC Nursing Officer: For Nursing Officer positions in ESIC hospitals.
• JIPMER Entrance: For admission to medical courses at JIPMER, Puducherry.

⚖️ LAW & JUDICIARY EXAMS

Legal professionals can find rewarding careers in the government and judiciary.

• All India Bar Exam (AIBE): Mandatory for practicing law in India.
• Judicial Services (PCS-J): State-level exams for recruitment of Civil Judges (Junior Division).
• Public Prosecutor Exams: For roles as Public Prosecutors at various levels.
• Legal Officer (PSUs): Legal positions in Public Sector Undertakings.

🎓 TEACHING & ACADEMIA

A vibrant sector for those passionate about education.

• CTET (Central Teacher Eligibility Test): Mandatory for teaching in Central Government schools (KVS, NVS) and un-aided private schools.
• UGC NET (National Eligibility Test): For Lectureship and Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) in Indian universities and colleges (for Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences).
• CSIR NET: For Lectureship and JRF in Science streams.
• KVS Teacher Recruitment: For teaching positions in Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan schools.
• NVS Teacher Recruitment: For teaching positions in Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti schools.
• DSSSB TGT/PGT/PRT: For various teaching positions in Delhi government schools.
• HTET, STET (Various States): State-specific Teacher Eligibility Tests.
• SLET/SET (State Eligibility Tests): State-level eligibility for Lectureship.

🧑‍⚕️ DEFENCE & PARAMILITARY

For those seeking a challenging and patriotic career.

• NDA & NA: (Already mentioned under UPSC) For entry as officers after 10+2.
• CDS: (Already mentioned under UPSC) For entry as officers after graduation.
• CAPF AC (UPSC): (Already mentioned under UPSC) For Assistant Commandants.
• Indian Coast Guard (AC, Navik): For Assistant Commandants and Naviks in the Coast Guard.
• SSC Constable/Head Constable (Various Forces): For positions in SSB, BSF, CRPF, ITBP, CISF, etc.
• BSF Constable/GD Tradesman: For various roles in Border Security Force.
• CRPF/RPF Recruitment: For Constables and Sub-Inspectors in Central Reserve Police Force and Railway Protection Force.
• Assam Rifles Technical & Tradesman: For various technical and tradesman roles.
• Agnipath Scheme (Army/Airforce/Navy): For recruitment of Agniveers for 4-year tenure in the armed forces.
• Indian Navy Agniveer (SSR/MR): For Sailors (Senior Secondary Recruit / Matric Recruit) under the Agnipath scheme.

🧑‍💻 STATE-LEVEL PCS EXAMS

Public Service Commissions (PSCs) in each state conduct examinations for Group 'A' and 'B' posts in state government administration. These are highly competitive, with lakhs applying for the flagship PCS exams.

• UPPSC (Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission): UPPSC PCS, Review Officer, Assistant Review Officer.
• BPSC (Bihar Public Service Commission): BPSC CCE (Combined Competitive Examination).
• MPPSC (Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission): MPPSC State Service Exam.
• RPSC (Rajasthan Public Service Commission): RPSC RAS (Rajasthan Administrative Service), Forest Service.
• CGPSC (Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission): CGPSC State Service Exam.
• HPSC (Haryana Public Service Commission): HPSC HCS (Haryana Civil Services).
• WBPSC (West Bengal Public Service Commission): WBPSC Civil Service (Executive).
• JKPSC (Jammu & Kashmir Public Service Commission): JKPSC Combined Competitive Exam.
• MPSC (Maharashtra Public Service Commission): MPSC State Service Exam.
• TNPSC (Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission): TNPSC Group I, Group II.
• KPSC (Karnataka Public Service Commission): KPSC KAS (Karnataka Administrative Service).
• TSPSC (Telangana State Public Service Commission): TSPSC Group I, Group II.
• APPSC (Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission): APPSC Group I, Group II.
• OPSC (Odisha Public Service Commission): OPSC OAS (Odisha Administrative Service).
• GPSC (Gujarat Public Service Commission)
• UKPSC (Uttarakhand Public Service Commission)
• HPPSC (Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission)

🏢 PSU (Public Sector Undertakings)

PSUs offer excellent career prospects, often with strong benefits and work-life balance. Many recruit through GATE scores, while others conduct their own exams.

• GATE-based PSU Recruitment: NTPC, ONGC, IOCL, BHEL, GAIL, PGCIL, NALCO, etc. (Recruitment based on valid GATE scores).
• BARC OCES/DGFS: For Scientific Officers in Bhabha Atomic Research Centre.
• ISRO Scientist/Engineer: For scientists and engineers in Indian Space Research Organisation.
• DRDO CEPTAM: For various technical and administrative posts in Defence Research and Development Organisation.
• HAL/SAIL/BEL Recruitment: For various engineering and management roles in Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd., Steel Authority of India Ltd., Bharat Electronics Ltd.
• Coal India Management Trainee: For management trainees in Coal India Limited.
• AAI (Airports Authority of India): For various executive and non-executive posts.
• FCI (Food Corporation of India): For various managerial and non-managerial posts.
• NBCC, NHAI: For civil engineers and other roles in National Buildings Construction Corporation and National Highways Authority of India.

🧾 ACCOUNTS, AUDIT, TAX

Specialized roles for commerce and finance graduates.

• SSC CGL (AAO, Auditor, Examiner, Income Tax Inspector): Specific posts under SSC CGL for finance and audit roles.
• CGA Auditor / CGDA Recruitment: For auditors in Controller General of Accounts and Controller General of Defence Accounts.
• Department of Posts (IPO): For Inspector of Posts and other administrative roles.
• EPFO SSA/APFC: For Social Security Assistant and Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner in Employees' Provident Fund Organization.

📦 OTHER POPULAR GOVT EXAMS

• Delhi Police Head Constable: For Head Constable positions in Delhi Police.
• Indian Post GDS: For Gramin Dak Sevak (Branch Postmaster, Assistant Branch Postmaster, Dak Sevak) in India Post.
• District Court Clerk/Steno: Various state-level court recruitment exams.

📘 Final Strategy to Choose the Right Exam

Navigating this extensive list requires a strategic approach. Don't try to prepare for everything; instead, focus on exams that align with your profile and aspirations.

• ✔️ Align with Your Degree: Prioritize exams based on your academic background (Arts, Science, Commerce, Engineering, Medical, Law). This ensures your existing knowledge base is leveraged effectively.
• ✔️ Compare Salary & Promotion Ladders: Research the in-hand salary, benefits, and long-term career progression for different roles. This helps in making an informed decision about your future.
• ✔️ Check Eligibility & Number of Attempts: Be mindful of age limits, educational qualifications, and the number of attempts allowed for each exam.
• ✔️ Attempt Free Mocks: Take free mock tests for different exam categories. This hands-on experience will give you a real feel for the exam pattern, difficulty level, and helps you identify what suits your preparation style.

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🎯 What’s Next?

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