| Conducting body | Subordinate Services Selection Board, Punjab (PSSSB). Official website ↗ |
|---|---|
| Posts | Warder (men only), Matron (women only) |
| Qualification | 10+2 or equivalent from a recognised board, with Punjabi as a compulsory or elective subject or an equivalent Punjabi exam specified by the government. |
| Age limit | 18–27 years on 1 January 2026 (general category) |
| Domicile | See the notification |
| Selection stages | Written test: Part A Punjabi (qualifying) and Part B (merit) → Physical measurement test (PMT) for candidates called from the merit list → Physical efficiency test (PET) → Counselling and document verification |
| Latest notification | Advertisement No. 08 of 2026: Warder and Matron · 532 vacancies |
Last checked . Sources
About Punjab Jail Warder
Warders and matrons handle custody and supervision of inmates in Punjab's jails. PSSSB hires them as Group C staff for the Department of Jails, with warder posts open only to men and matron posts only to women. Advertisement No. 08 of 2026 lists 532 posts, split into 475 warders and 57 matrons.
Eligibility
Age limit
General category: 18–27 years, counted on 1 January 2026.
Age relaxation
- OBC: 5 years
- SC: 5 years
- SC and BC residents of Punjab: up to 32
- Pensioned soldiers of the armed forces: up to 40 (warder)
- Men who left the armed forces after at least 3 years of service, or served 5 years or more in the police: up to 30 (warder)
- Army reservists: up to 35 (warder)
- State and central government employees: up to 45
- Widows and women who are divorced or living separately in the cases listed: up to 35 (matron)
- Ex-servicemen of Punjab may deduct their armed forces service under the 1982 rules
Qualification
10+2 or equivalent from a recognised board, with Punjabi as a compulsory or elective subject or an equivalent Punjabi exam specified by the government.
Other conditions
- Warder: men only. Minimum height 5 feet 7 inches (5 feet 4.5 inches for Dogras and Gurkhas), chest 33 inches unexpanded and 34.5 inches expanded, normal vision without colour blindness.
- Matron: women only. Minimum height 5 feet 3 inches, weight 50 kg or more, normal vision without colour blindness.
- Ex-servicemen have separate, lower PET standards listed in the advertisement.
Selection process
- Written test: Part A Punjabi (qualifying) and Part B (merit)
- Physical measurement test (PMT) for candidates called from the merit list
- Physical efficiency test (PET)
- Counselling and document verification
Exam pattern
Written test
Mode: Objective MCQ on OMR sheet · Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes · Negative marking: Part B only: 0.25 mark cut per wrong answer
| SUBJECT | QUESTIONS | MARKS |
|---|---|---|
| Part A: Punjabi, matriculation level (qualifying, 50% needed) | 50 | 50 |
| Part B: GK and current affairs, Punjab history and culture, reasoning, Punjabi, English and ICT (up to 10+2 level) | 100 | 100 |
Physical efficiency test (qualifying)
| SUBJECT |
|---|
| Warder (men): 100 m in 15 seconds (one chance), shot put 7.26 kg to 5.50 m and rope climbing 15 feet (three chances each) |
| Matron (women): 100 m in 18.5 seconds (one chance), shot put 5.443 kg to 4.0 m and rope climbing 12 feet (three chances each) |
Punjab Jail Warder syllabus
Part A: Punjabi, matriculation level (qualifying)
- Lives and writings of the Sikh Gurus
- Synonyms, antonyms, idioms and proverbs
- Parts of speech, prefixes and suffixes, gender and number changes
- Punctuation, and correcting words and sentences
- Correct Punjabi forms of English words, numbers, months and days
- Questions on the Punjabi language, Punjab history and Punjab culture
Part B (up to 10+2 level)
- General knowledge and current affairs
- Punjab history and culture
- Logical reasoning and mental ability
- Punjabi
- English
- ICT: computer basics and office tools
What they ask
The paper follows the usual PSSSB Group C format. Part A has 50 Punjabi questions and you need 25 to pass it; Part B has 100 one-mark questions pitched up to 10+2 level. Your merit rank comes from Part B alone, and each wrong answer there loses a quarter mark. Candidates called from the merit list then face height and chest checks followed by a 100 m run, a shot put and a rope climb.
How to prepare
- Train for all three PET events, not only the run. Men need 100 m in 15 seconds, a 7.26 kg shot put to 5.50 m and a 15-foot rope climb; women need 18.5 seconds, 4.0 m with a 5.443 kg shot and a 12-foot climb.
- Check your height and chest against the notified standards before you apply. The PMT is a pass-or-fail step.
- Secure Part A early by revising Punjabi grammar, idioms and the lives of the Sikh Gurus, so that your Part B paper is marked.
- Leave Part B questions you cannot narrow down. A wrong answer costs 0.25 marks.
Practise Punjab Jail Warder syllabus topics a few minutes a day with short quizzes in the Improvam app.
Punjab Jail Warder FAQs
No. Warder posts are for men only. Women apply for the Matron posts in the same advertisement.
Sources
- PSSSB Advertisement No. 08 of 2026 (Warder and Matron) ↗ (official, checked )
- PSSSB plan of written exam and syllabus for Warder and Matron, Advt. No. 08 of 2026 ↗ (official, checked )
Checked against official sources on . Rules change with each notification, so read the latest one before you apply.
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