PET and PST in Police and SSC Recruitment: What Is Measured and How the Stages Fit

Drafted with AI assistance and fact-checked on 28 October 2026; not yet read line by line by a human editor. Spotted a mistake? Tell us. Editorial standards & corrections

Two different tests

The physical stage of police and armed-force recruitment has two parts. The Physical Efficiency Test (PET) measures what your body can do: usually a timed run, in some exams a timed walk, and in some states field events such as long jump, high jump or shot put. The Physical Standard Test (PST), also called physical measurement, measures what your body is: height for everyone, chest for men (unexpanded, expanded and the expansion between them), and in some exams weight. A later medical examination checks overall health and fitness for duty. PET and PST are usually qualifying, so you must pass but they add no marks, although some states score the PET.

How the stages fit

The order differs by exam. In SSC Constable (GD) 2026, about 8 times the vacancies are shortlisted from the computer based examination (CBE) for the PET and PST; about 2 times the vacancies, from those who qualify, go on to the medical examination and document verification; and the final merit is the CBE score with any NCC bonus, so the physical stage is pass or fail. In UP Police Constable Recruitment 2025 the written test came first, then document verification with the PST, then the PET, and merit was decided by the normalised written score. In Bihar Police Advt. No. 01/2025 the written test was only qualifying and the final merit list was made from 100 PET marks: run 50, shot put 25 and high jump 25. In SSC MTS 2025 only Havaldar candidates take a PET and PST, shortlisted in the ratio 1:7 on Session-II marks.

Running and walking standards

Here are examples from the notifications, each with its cycle. SSC Constable (GD) 2026: men run 5 km in 24 minutes and women 1.6 km in 8 and a half minutes, with separate shorter standards for candidates of the Ladakh region. UP Police Constable Recruitment 2025: men run 4.8 km in 25 minutes and women 2.4 km in 14 minutes, and those who miss the time are out of the selection. SSC MTS 2025 (Havaldar): a walk, men 1,600 metres in 15 minutes and women 1 km in 20 minutes. Bihar Police Advt. No. 01/2025: men run 1.6 km within 6 minutes and women 1 km within 5 minutes, with more marks for faster times.

Height, chest and weight

Again, only examples. SSC Constable (GD) 2026: height 170 cm for men and 157 cm for women, and for men a chest of 80 cm unexpanded with at least 5 cm expansion. UP Police Constable Recruitment 2025: men 168 cm (160 cm for ST) with chest 79 cm unexpanded and 84 cm expanded (77 cm and 82 cm for ST); women 152 cm (147 cm for ST) and at least 40 kg. Chest expansion is the difference between the expanded and unexpanded measurements, and at least 5 cm is required in all these examples. Many notices give relaxed standards for Scheduled Tribes and for specified hill regions and communities.

Weight and the medical

Each exam handles weight in its own way. In SSC Constable (GD) 2026 weight at the PST is proportionate to height and age and the PST board does not reject anyone on weight alone, but at the medical examination, under the MHA guidelines revised on 9 March 2026, the normal BMI range is 18 to 25 and candidates below 18 or above 25 are rejected. Other exams set a minimum weight, as UP Police 2025 does for women. So a candidate who passes the PST can still be declared unfit at the medical.

Rules of the day

Small rules matter. In Rajasthan Police Constable Recruitment 2025 the PET was a 5 km run (men 25 minutes, women 35 minutes, and 30 minutes for ex-servicemen and for SC/ST candidates of Tribal Sub-Plan areas) with only one chance and no appeal, a fitness certificate from a government medical officer had to be shown before the run, and a candidate unhappy with the PST could appeal the same day by paying Rs 500 and be measured again by the Board with a medical board. Other exams have their own rules on chances, appeals and documents.

Check your own standards

Physical standards differ by exam, post, gender, category and region, and they change between notifications. Use the figures above only to understand the pattern. Then read the physical standards table in your own notification and the exam page on parikshasaathi.com, and write down your exact distance, time, height, chest and weight limits and any relaxation you can claim with a certificate.

Key facts

PET = what your body can do (timed run or walk, jumps, shot put); PST = what your body is (height, chest, weight); the medical examination comes later.
SSC Constable (GD) 2026: PET men 5 km in 24 minutes, women 1.6 km in 8 and a half minutes; PST height 170 cm for men and 157 cm for women; men's chest 80 cm unexpanded with at least 5 cm expansion.
UP Police Constable Recruitment 2025: men 4.8 km in 25 minutes, women 2.4 km in 14 minutes; written test, then document verification with PST, then PET; merit from the normalised written score.
SSC MTS 2025 (Havaldar only): a walk, men 1,600 metres in 15 minutes and women 1 km in 20 minutes; shortlisting 1:7 on Session-II marks.
Bihar Police Advt. No. 01/2025: written test only qualifying; final merit from 100 PET marks (run 50, shot put 25, high jump 25).
Chest expansion = expanded minus unexpanded chest; for men, at least 5 cm is required in SSC GD 2026, UP Police 2025 and SSC MTS 2025 (Havaldar).
SSC Constable (GD) 2026 medical: normal BMI 18 to 25 under the MHA guidelines revised on 9 March 2026; the PST board does not reject on weight alone.
Rajasthan Police Constable Recruitment 2025: 5 km run, one chance, no appeal; fitness certificate from a government medical officer before the run; PST appeal the same day for Rs 500.
Standards differ by exam, post, gender, category and region and change between notifications: check your notification and the exam page on parikshasaathi.com.

Quick revision

PET = run, walk or field events; PST = height, chest (at least 5 cm expansion), weight; usually qualifying; SSC GD 2026 men 5 km in 24 min, women 1.6 km in 8.5 min, height men 170 cm, women 157 cm, BMI 18-25 at the medical; UP Police 2025 men 4.8 km in 25 min, women 2.4 km in 14 min; SSC MTS 2025 Havaldar walk men 1,600 m in 15 min, women 1 km in 20 min; Bihar 01/2025 PET of 100 marks decides merit; check your own notification.

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