| Conducting body | Indian Coast Guard (ICG). Official website ↗ |
|---|---|
| Posts | Assistant Commandant: General Duty, Assistant Commandant: Technical (Engineering), Assistant Commandant: Technical (Electrical/Electronics) |
| Qualification | General Duty: a graduate degree from a recognised university, with Mathematics and Physics up to Class 12 (graduates who did a diploma first qualify if the diploma had Physics and Maths). Technical (Mechanical side): an engineering degree in Naval Architecture, Mechanical, Marine, Automotive, Mechatronics, Industrial and Production, Metallurgy, Design, Aeronautical or Aerospace, or equivalent AMIE. Technical (Electrical/Electronics): an engineering degree in Electrical, Electronics, Telecommunication, Instrumentation, Instrumentation and Control, Electronics and Communication, Power Engineering or Power Electronics, or equivalent AMIE. Technical candidates also need Maths and Physics up to Class 12. Final-year students can apply and must submit proof of passing by 31 October 2026. |
| Age limit | 21–25 years on 1 July 2026 (general category) |
| Domicile | Not required |
| Gender | Male candidates only |
| Selection stages | Stage I: CGCAT, a computer-based screening test → Stage II: Preliminary Selection Board (one day): Computerised Cognitive Battery Test and Picture Perception and Discussion Test, qualifying only → Stage III: Final Selection Board at the Coast Guard Selection Board, Noida (four to five days): psychological tests, group tasks and interview → Stage IV: special medical examination at Base Hospital, New Delhi → Stage V: induction at INA Ezhimala; all-India merit on Stage I and Stage III marks |
| Latest notification | Join Indian Coast Guard as Assistant Commandant: General Duty and Technical, 2027 Batch · 170 vacancies |
Last checked . Sources
About Coast Guard Assistant Commandant
Assistant Commandant is the entry officer rank (Group A gazetted) in the Indian Coast Guard. The 2027 batch advertisement listed 170 vacancies, 140 in General Duty and 30 in Technical, open to male Indian citizens. Selection starts with the Coast Guard Common Admission Test (CGCAT), followed by preliminary and final selection boards, a medical and training at the Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala.
Eligibility
Age limit
General category: 21–25 years, counted on 1 July 2026.
Age relaxation
- SC: 5 years
- ST: 5 years
- OBC: 3 years
- SC/ST and OBC (non-creamy layer) relaxation applies only if posts are reserved for them.
- 5 years for personnel serving in the Coast Guard (for General Duty, also equivalent personnel of the Army, Navy and Air Force).
Qualification
General Duty: a graduate degree from a recognised university, with Mathematics and Physics up to Class 12 (graduates who did a diploma first qualify if the diploma had Physics and Maths). Technical (Mechanical side): an engineering degree in Naval Architecture, Mechanical, Marine, Automotive, Mechatronics, Industrial and Production, Metallurgy, Design, Aeronautical or Aerospace, or equivalent AMIE. Technical (Electrical/Electronics): an engineering degree in Electrical, Electronics, Telecommunication, Instrumentation, Instrumentation and Control, Electronics and Communication, Power Engineering or Power Electronics, or equivalent AMIE. Technical candidates also need Maths and Physics up to Class 12. Final-year students can apply and must submit proof of passing by 31 October 2026.
Other conditions
- For the 2027 batch, candidates had to be born between 1 July 2001 and 30 June 2005 (both dates included).
- Exam fee: Rs 300. SC/ST candidates are exempt.
- Candidates withdrawn from another service academy on disciplinary grounds, or arrested, convicted or prosecuted on criminal charges, are not eligible.
Selection process
- Stage I: CGCAT, a computer-based screening test
- Stage II: Preliminary Selection Board (one day): Computerised Cognitive Battery Test and Picture Perception and Discussion Test, qualifying only
- Stage III: Final Selection Board at the Coast Guard Selection Board, Noida (four to five days): psychological tests, group tasks and interview
- Stage IV: special medical examination at Base Hospital, New Delhi
- Stage V: induction at INA Ezhimala; all-India merit on Stage I and Stage III marks
Exam pattern
Stage I: CGCAT
Mode: Computer-based MCQs in English · Duration: 2 hours · Negative marking: 4 marks per correct answer, 1 mark deducted per wrong answer
| SUBJECT | QUESTIONS | MARKS |
|---|---|---|
| English | 25 | 100 |
| Reasoning and Numerical Ability | 25 | 100 |
| General Science and Mathematical Aptitude | 25 | 100 |
| General Knowledge | 25 | 100 |
Coast Guard Assistant Commandant syllabus
English
- Comprehension and usage of words
- Sentence completion and correction, punctuation
- Grammar, parts of speech, direct and indirect speech, active and passive voice
- Vocabulary, synonyms and antonyms, idioms and phrases
Reasoning and Numerical Ability
- Spatial, numerical and associative reasoning, sequences, coding-decoding, unscrambling, series completion
- Decimal fractions, ratio and proportion, averages, percentages
- Time and work, speed and distance, profit and loss, simple and compound interest
- LCM and HCF, mensuration formulas
General Science and Mathematical Aptitude
- Matter, electricity, force and gravitation, Newton's laws, work, energy and power
- Heat, light, sound, magnetism, measurements
- Atomic structure, periodic table, carbon compounds, acids, bases and salts, metals and non-metals
- Food, nutrition, human physiology and diseases, basic computer science
- Arithmetic, number systems, algebra, basic trigonometry, geometry, statistics, probability and set theory
General Knowledge
- Indian history, freedom movement, geography, climate and environment
- Constitution of India, economics and politics
- Art, culture and heritage
- Sports, books and authors, awards, defence and wars, eminent personalities
- Countries, capitals and currencies, national symbols, abbreviations, discoveries and current affairs
What they ask
CGCAT is a two-hour English-medium test of 100 MCQs split evenly into English, Reasoning and Numerical Ability, General Science and Mathematical Aptitude, and General Knowledge. Each correct answer earns 4 marks and each wrong answer loses 1, so every section is worth 100 marks. The science section mixes school physics and chemistry with basic computer science and maths up to trigonometry, probability and sets. The PSB after it is pass or fail, but the FSB interview marks are added to CGCAT marks for the all-India merit list, so both stages count.
How to prepare
- Split your practice evenly across the four CGCAT sections, since each has exactly 25 questions.
- Keep guesses in check: a wrong answer costs a quarter of what a correct one earns under the +4/-1 scheme.
- Prepare for the PSB's picture perception and discussion round by practising short stories and group discussions in English or Hindi.
- Treat the FSB interview seriously, because its marks join your CGCAT score in the final merit list.
Practise Coast Guard Assistant Commandant syllabus topics a few minutes a day with short quizzes in the Improvam app.
Coast Guard Assistant Commandant FAQs
For the 2027 batch, 21 to 25 years as on 1 July 2026. SC/ST get 5 more years and OBC (non-creamy layer) 3, where posts are reserved.
Sources
- ICG advertisement: Assistant Commandant 2027 Batch ↗ (official, checked )
- ICG officer recruitment portal (CGCAT) ↗ (official, checked )
- ICG CGCAT portal: Assistant Commandant (General Duty) eligibility, syllabus and selection procedure ↗ (official, checked )
Checked against official sources on . Rules change with each notification, so read the latest one before you apply.