Which job, how to apply, and how to prepare, even with no money
Start at the colourful box on the left and follow the branches. Press + to open a branch. Tap any box to read what it means, the rules and the official links. Boxes marked "to learn from" also list free books, videos, practice tests and guides.
Written for students and parents. Rules, dates and vacancies were checked against official notices (UPSC, SSC, IBPS, SBI, PIB and others) on 4 Oct 2026. Vacancy numbers change every year.
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Rules change every year. Before you apply, always read the latest notice on the official website linked in each box. This page is a free guide, not an official source.
Government Jobs
Which job, how to apply, how to prepare
Government jobs are filled through open competitive exams. Almost nobody gets one through contacts, and nobody needs to pay a bribe or an agent.
There are two big families: central government jobs (UPSC, SSC, Railways, central banks, defence) and state government jobs (State PSC, state boards, state police).
The smart way: (1) see what you are eligible for with your qualification, (2) pick 1–2 exam families whose syllabus overlaps, (3) prepare from free official material and past papers, (4) apply only on official websites.
Competition is very high. SSC GD alone had 25,487 posts in 2026, and lakhs of applicants. Always keep a backup plan alongside.
Central: run by the Government of India. Exams by UPSC, SSC, Railway Recruitment Boards, IBPS/SBI/RBI (banks), the armed forces. You can be posted anywhere in India.
State: run by your state government. Exams by the State Public Service Commission (e.g. UPPSC, BPSC) and state selection boards. Postings stay inside the state, and many need domicile or the state language.
PSUs and banks (NTPC, ONGC, SBI) are government-owned companies. They pay well but follow their own rules and pay scales.
Start here: how it works
Salary: pay levels explained
Central government posts sit on Pay Levels 1 to 18 (7th Pay Commission). The level decides your starting basic pay:
On top of basic you get Dearness Allowance (60% of basic from 1 Jan 2026), House Rent Allowance (30%, 20% or 10% of basic depending on city) and travel allowance.
Rough example: a Level 7 post (e.g. Income Tax Inspector) in a big city takes home about ₹80,000–85,000 a month in the first year (approximate).
The 8th Pay Commission was set up in November 2025. Its report is expected around May 2027, with new pay likely counted from 1 January 2026.
Red flags: the website is not .gov.in or .nic.in; someone asks for "registration" or "security" money by UPI; a job is offered without any exam; the "notice" exists only on WhatsApp or Telegram.
Real recruiters charge only the exam fee written in the official notice, paid on their own portal.
To check a suspicious notice, send it to PIB Fact Check on WhatsApp +91-8799711259.
Indian Polity – M. Laxmikanth; A Brief History of Modern India – Spectrum; Indian Economy – Ramesh Singh; Certificate Physical and Human Geography – G.C. LeongStandard books. Buy one at a time or use a library.
Indian Forest Service (uses the Civil Services prelims), Combined Medical Services (MBBS), Indian Economic/Statistical Service, Combined Geo-Scientist, and occasional posts like EPFO officers.
SSC exams
The biggest recruiter for central staff jobs
The Staff Selection Commission fills Group B and C posts in central ministries and forces. Most exams are computer-based with two tiers.
Register once (Aadhaar-based one-time registration) on ssc.gov.in. The 2026-27 calendar has slipped: MTS and GD 2026 were not yet notified on 1 October 2026.
Day 1: intelligence test and picture discussion. Many are sent home the same day.
Days 2–5: psychology tests, group tasks and a personal interview, then a final conference.
Defence
Agniveer (Agnipath)
Age 17.5–21. Army GD needs Class 10; technical and clerk posts need 12th.
4-year service. Pay package ₹30,000 a month in year 1 rising to ₹40,000 in year 4.
At exit: a tax-free Seva Nidhi of about ₹11.71 lakh. Up to 25% are kept on as regular soldiers (raising this is being discussed, not decided).
Army: online entrance exam first, then the rally. Ex-Agniveers get reservation in BSF (50% of constable posts), Delhi Police (20%) and many state police forces.
The Central Teacher Eligibility Test: Paper I for Classes 1–5, Paper II for Classes 6–8. You need 60% to pass, and the certificate is now valid for life.
Next CTET: 12–13 December 2026. Each state also runs its own TET (UPTET, REET, HTET…).
CTET/TET only makes you eligible. You still need to clear a recruitment exam.
SSC JE: a central government job (Level 6, ₹35,400 basic), diploma allowed.
PSU engineer: a job in a government company (higher pay scales), usually needs a B.E./B.Tech.
State government jobs
State PSC and state boards
Inside this branch
State government jobs
State Public Service Commission
Runs the state civil services (SDM, DSP, tehsildar and more) on the UPSC model: prelims → mains → interview.
Age, attempts and domicile rules differ by state. Examples: UPPSC, BPSC, MPSC, RPSC, MPPSC, TNPSC.
State government jobs
State boards and CET
Clerk, patwari, junior assistant and similar posts are filled by state subordinate boards.
Some states run a common eligibility test you take once; the score shortlists you for later jobs. Examples: UP PET (2026 exam 25 Oct–1 Nov), Haryana CET, Rajasthan CET.
The central government's planned common test (NRA CET) has still not been held as of 2026.
State government jobs
India Post Gramin Dak Sevak
Central job, but recruitment is by state circle. Branch Postmaster and Assistant Branch Postmaster.
Class 10 with Maths and English, age 18–40. No exam: merit list from 10th marks.
Pay (TRCA): ₹10,000–29,380 a month depending on post. Usually 1–2 rounds a year.
Step 1: download the official notice and syllabus. Print the syllabus and tick topics as you finish them.
Step 2: build basics from free NCERT books (Class 6–10 for maths and science, 6–12 for history, geography, polity, economy).
Step 3: solve previous years' papers. UPSC publishes them for free.
Step 4: read current affairs daily from free government sources (PIB, All India Radio News).
Step 5: take a full timed mock test every week in the last 2–3 months. Many platforms give a few free mocks.
Use the library: most towns have public libraries and many coaching students share old books cheaply.
Prepare with no money
Free coaching schemes
The central Free Coaching scheme (Ministry of Social Justice) pays coaching for low-income SC and OBC students for UPSC, SSC, banking, railways and more.
Many states run their own: e.g. UP Abhyudaya Yojana, Rajasthan Anuprati Coaching Yojana. Ask your district social welfare office.