Komal
21 June, 2025
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“Beta, government job lagwalo, life set ho jayegi!” Let’s be real: we all have at least heard this once. Securing a government job means a stable career. It could be a government job after 12th or after your graduation. The tip is to start early.
You could easily prepare for government exams after 12th. Now that you know this, you may wonder what are the government exams after 12th? Consider this blog as your quick guide to popular government exams that you can attempt after the 12th. Learn about the exams, their general eligibility, exam pattern, and syllabus. So, are you ready to explore? Let us get in.
Central and state governments in India have jobs for candidates qualified for intermediate exams. For these exams, the minimum eligibility is 10+2. Therefore, graduates can also apply for these exams. Here are the various popular government exams after 12th:
Government Exams after 12th | Job Roles |
---|---|
SSC CHSL | Lower division clerk, postal assistant, data entry operator, etc. |
SSC MTS | Non-technical positions: peon, jamadar, havaldar, watchman, etc. |
NDA | Indian army, air force, and navy officers. |
SSC Stenographer | Stenographer, junior private secretary, etc. |
RRB Group D | Track maintainer, pointsman, helper/assistant, etc. |
Indian Navy SSR | Senior secondary recruitments. |
SSC GD | Constable general duty in Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). |
UP Police Exam | Constable, fireman, jail warder, etc. |
Here is a list of government exams after 12th that you can consider for a stable career. The following are some of the most popular government exams among individuals. Let us check out:
Combined Higher Secondary Level (CHSL) is a recruitment exam. Staff Selection Commission (SSC) conducts it once a year. The exam aims to recruit candidates for clerical and data entry job roles in the Indian government. For this government job after 12th, you could attempt the exam multiple times before turning 27. SSC CHSL is one of the most popular government exams after the 12th. Moreover, the exam offers entries LDC, postal assistant, JSA, DEO, and sorting assistant.
Details | Information |
---|---|
Exam Pattern |
SSC CHSL comprises two papers: Tier 1 & Tier 2. Tier 1 is a CBT exam containing 100 questions. Tier 2 is a descriptive exam. It has a Tier 3 exam for specific job roles such as Data Entry Operator. |
General Syllabus |
Tier 1 focuses on aptitude and general awareness. Tier 2 covers mathematics, reasoning, general English, etc. |
SSC CHSL Eligibility |
Passed 10+2 or equivalent from a recognised board. Age should be between 18 and 27 years. |
Also Read: Top 5 Toughest Exams in The World 2025: Testing Limits
Staff Selection Commission (SSC) organises the Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) exam annually. It is a national-level exam conducted to shortlist individuals for various posts. This includes non-ministerial and Group C non-gazetted posts. Taking an MTS exam means qualifying for daftary, peon, safaiwala (cleaner) roles, and jamadar. Generally, the exam recruits candidates for entry-level and non-technical roles. Thus, you can apply for SSC MTS after 12th and 10th as well.
Details | Information |
---|---|
Exam Pattern |
SSC CHSL contains two papers with a total of 90 questions. Paper 1 includes 40 questions, while Paper 2 contains 50 questions. |
General Syllabus |
Paper 1 focuses on numerical, mathematical, and reasoning abilities. Paper 2 covers the English language and general awareness. |
SSC MTS Eligibility |
Passed 10th from a recognised board. Age limit: 18–25 (27 for Havaldar posts) |
The National Defence Academy exam, popularly known as NDA, is conducted twice a year. Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) organises NDA to hire aspiring candidates for officer roles in the Indian Navy, Army, and Air Force. UPSC NDA is a two-tier exam. Tier 1 is a written exam consisting of two papers: mathematics and a general ability test. After qualifying for the written exam, you would qualify for Tier 2, an interview round with the Service Selection Board (SSB).
Details | Information |
---|---|
Exam Pattern |
The NDA is conducted at two stages: a written exam and an interview. The exam contains two papers: mathematics and a general ability test (GAT). The mathematics paper contains 120 questions; GAT comprises 150 questions. |
General Syllabus | English and General Knowledge covering physics, chemistry, history, current affairs, etc. |
NDA Exam Eligibility |
Passed 10+2 from a recognised board. Age limit: 16.5–19.5 years |
This is a national-level exam. Staff Service Commission, or SSC, conducts it for grade C and D stenographer posts in various departments under the Government of India. SSC Stenographer is a computer-based exam organised once annually. This all-India examination is held in two stages. The first is a written exam, while the second is a skill test, which is mandatory for everyone to qualify for stenographer positions. It is among the popular government exams after 12th for females.
Details | Information |
---|---|
Exam Pattern |
SSC Steno comprises two stages of the exam. Stage 1 is a written test; stage 2 is a skill test. The written exam contains a total of 200 questions. |
General Syllabus | Static awareness, current affairs, economic scene, general awareness, history, culture, etc. |
SSC Stenographer Eligibility |
Passed 10+2 from a recognised board. Age limit: 18–30 years (Grade C); 18–27 years (Grade D) |
The Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) conducts the RRB Group D exam once a year. This national-level exam is organised to recruit candidates for level 1 posts in the Indian Railways. Qualifying for this exam opens your doors to pointsman, track maintainer, and other roles. Furthermore, RRB Group D is a CBT (computer-based test) exam. To get shortlisted, you need to qualify for CBT, a physical efficiency test (PET), and document verification.
Details | Information |
---|---|
Exam Pattern |
RRB Group D is a CBT exam containing 100 questions. Includes 4 sections: Mathematics, general awareness, reasoning section, and general science. |
General Syllabus | Mathematics, general awareness and current affairs, general intelligence and reasoning, and general science. |
RRB Group D Eligibility |
Passed 10th from a recognised board or an ITI diploma. Age limit: 18–36 years |
Indian Navy Senior Secondary Recruit (SSR) is an entrance exam for joining the Indian Navy. The exam is conducted for unmarried males and females for sailing positions. The Navy itself organises this exam twice a year. Interested candidates can apply for the Indian Navy SSR exam under the Agniveer scheme. It provides you with a government job in the Indian Navy for four years with an option to extend your service duration. Besides Agniveer, you could join the Navy through the CDSE, UPSC, and INET exams as well. However, their eligibility may vary.
Details | Information |
---|---|
Exam Pattern |
The CBT exam contains 100 objective-type questions. It has four sections and needs to be completed within 60 minutes. |
General Syllabus | English language, science, mathematics, and general awareness. |
SSR Indian Navy Eligibility |
Passed 10+2 or equivalent from a recognised board with physics, chemistry, and mathematics as mandatory subjects. Age criteria: 17–21 years |
Staff Selection Commission conducts the GD (General Duty) constables exam. It offers constable positions to various Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFS) across India. SSC GD opens your pathways to BSF, CISF, ITBP, and CRPF forces. It is a computer-based exam you can attempt after a minimum high school qualification. After qualifying for the written exam, you need to meet the necessary physical standards criteria for recruitment.
Details | Information |
---|---|
Exam Pattern |
Computer-based exam with 80 questions in total. The exam comprises 4 sections, each containing 20 questions. Each question holds a weightage of 2 marks, 160 overall. |
General Syllabus | General intelligence and reasoning, general knowledge, general awareness, current affairs, English/Hindi (any one language). |
SSC GD Eligibility |
Passed 10th from a recognised board. Age limit: 18–23 years. |
This is a state-level recruitment exam to recruit candidates for the Uttar Pradesh police forces. After the 12th, you could secure police constable positions. However, the exam also paves your way to sub-inspector posts, which require a bachelor’s degree as well. UPPRPB or Uttar Pradesh Police Recruitment and Promotion Board conducts this exam once a year, usually. To qualify for posts, you need to pass physical efficiency and medical tests, along with a CBT exam.
Details | Information |
---|---|
Exam Pattern |
It is an objective-type exam conducted online. UP Police exam contains 150 questions for 300 marks. |
General Syllabus | General Hindi, general knowledge, numerical and mental ability, intelligence and reasoning. |
UP Police Eligibility |
10+2 or equivalent from a recognised board. Age limit: 18–22 years for males / 18–25 years for females (varies by reserved categories). |
In India, there are many government exams after 12th. While some exams are open to everyone, a few may require special subjects in 10+2. SSC, UPSC, and RRB conduct government exams for various posts you can secure with a 10+2 eligibility. Besides, you can also prepare for police force exams after the 12th, which vary by state. Preparing for government exams after 12th gives you sufficient time to secure a government job within the age limit criteria. Whether you want clerical jobs, multi-tasking, or to join the armed forces, many government exams are available. Explore the above-mentioned exams thoroughly. Choose your desired one, and begin preparing for a stable career soon.
Yes, the Staff Selection Commission organises various exams for 12th pass candidates. This includes SSC CHSL, for which the minimum qualification is a passed 10+2 certificate. Another is SSC MTS, which you can take after 10th or 12th as well.
Most government exams are open to female candidates in India, even for the posts in the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. The choice of the best government exam for females depends on individual preferences. However, SSC CGL, UPSC IAS, IPS, PCS, and IFS, including railway recruitment exams, are the best for females.
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