OUSSSC Combined Uniformed Services Examination (Constable, Firefighter, Driver)

The Combined Uniformed Services (Below Graduate Level) Examination is conducted by the Odisha Uniformed Services Staff Selection Commission (OUSSSC), Bhubaneswar, under the OUSSSC Rules, 2025. One exam fills seven uniformed posts in Odisha: Constable (Civil), Constable (Communication), Constable OISF (Odisha Industrial Security Force), Firefighter, Firefighting Driver, Driver PMT (Police Motor Transport) and Traffic Constable. All are Group-C posts.

The 2026 recruitment (Advertisement No. 01-CRE-2026/OUSSSC, 23 Oct 2026) is for 7,268 posts, of which 4,219 are Constable (Civil). See the OUSSSC Recruitment 2026 notice for vacancies and dates.

Candidates fill one application, choose the posts they want in order of preference and get at most one post, by merit and preference. Selection has four stages:

1. Written examination (common paper, plus a special paper for some posts)

2. Physical measurement and physical efficiency test (qualifying), and a driving test where it applies

3. Medical examination by the Medical Board

4. Certificate and document verification

The final merit list is made from the written marks plus bonus marks for NCC and driving. There is no waiting list.

As per Advertisement No. 01-CRE-2026/OUSSSC. Always check the latest notification before applying.

Qualification and age (as on 1 Jan 2026)

Licence periods are counted up to the date of the advertisement, without the learner period. Age relaxation: 5 years for SC, ST, SEBC and women; 3 years for Ex-Agniveers; the whole period of defence service for ex-servicemen. Only one relaxation is given. The date of birth on the Class 10 certificate is the only one accepted.

Other conditions

• Speak, read and write Odia, and have passed Odia in the Middle School exam or in Class 7 or above, or HSC with Odia as the medium of a non-language subject, or BSE Odisha's ME-standard Odia test.

• Women and transgender candidates can apply for every post except Firefighter, Firefighting Driver and Driver PMT.

• Persons with disabilities are not eligible for these posts.

• Constable (Civil): one police district only, and registration in that district's employment exchange before submitting the form.

• Constable OISF: choose the four OISF battalions in order of preference.

Physical standards

The medical board screens out knock knees, bow legs, flat feet, varicose veins, squint, poor vision, colour blindness and speech or hearing problems.

Stage I: written examination

Negative marking: 0.25 per wrong answer in the common and driver papers (1 mark per question), 0.75 in the Communication paper (3 marks per question). Questions left blank carry no marks either way. Questions are in Odia and English, except the language sections.

Stage II: physical tests and driving test

About 7 times the vacancies in each category are called for the physical tests, which are qualifying only. Ex-Agniveers are exempt from the physical efficiency test. The driving test is for Firefighting Driver and Driver PMT, and for Constable (Civil) and OISF candidates claiming a licence.

How the merit list is made

Bonus marks: NCC 'A' 1, 'B' 2, 'C' 3; driving 3 for an LMV and 5 for an HMV licence, if the driving test is passed. In a tie, the older candidate ranks higher, then the one with fewer negative marks.

From Annexure-I (indicative syllabus) of the official advertisement on the OUSSSC website.

A. Common written examination (Class 10 standard)

Odia language: ଶବ୍ଦ, ଲିଙ୍ଗ, ବଚନ, ପୁରୁଷ, ବିଶେଷ୍ୟ, ବିଶେଷଣ, ସର୍ବନାମ, ପ୍ରତିଶବ୍ଦ, ବିପରୀତାର୍ଥବୋଧକ ଶବ୍ଦ, ସମୋଚ୍ଚାରିତ ଭିନ୍ନାର୍ଥକ ଶବ୍ଦ, ଅନେକାର୍ଥବୋଧକ ଶବ୍ଦ, କାରକ ଓ ବିଭକ୍ତି, ଅବ୍ୟୟ, ଉପସର୍ଗ, କ୍ରିୟା, ଣତ୍ୱ ବିଧି ଓ ଷତ୍ୱ ବିଧି, ସନ୍ଧି, ସମାସ, କୃଦନ୍ତ, ତଦ୍ଧିତ, ପଦ ପରିବର୍ତ୍ତନ, ବାକ୍ୟ, ପ୍ରତ୍ୟକ୍ଷୋକ୍ତି ଓ ପରୋକ୍ଷୋକ୍ତି, କ୍ରିୟାର ବାଚ୍ୟ, ରୂଢ଼ି ପ୍ରୟୋଗ, ଲୋକବାଣୀ, ସାଧାରଣ ଅଶୁଦ୍ଧି, ପ୍ରଦତ୍ତ ପରିଚ୍ଛେଦର ଅର୍ଥବୋଧ.

English language: Vocabulary, Synonyms and antonyms, One-word substitution, Idioms and phrases, Grammar and usage, Articles and determiners, Prepositions, Tenses, Subject-verb agreement, Active and passive voice, Direct and indirect speech, Sentence correction, Error detection, Rearrangement of sentences, Comprehension of a given passage.

General knowledge:

• Current affairs: state events, national and international events, sports, awards and honours, important days, books and authors, science and recent technology

• History: ancient, medieval and modern India, the Indian national movement, history and cultural heritage of Odisha

• Geography: physical geography of India, natural resources, agriculture, physical and economic geography of Odisha

• Polity: the Constitution, fundamental rights and duties, directive principles, Union and State governments, local self-government

• Economy: basics of the Indian economy, economic development

• General science: everyday science, Physics, Chemistry and Biology up to Class 10, environmental science

Quantitative aptitude: number system, simplification, decimals and fractions, HCF and LCM, percentage, ratio and proportion, average, profit and loss, simple interest, mensuration, time and work, time, speed and distance, basic data interpretation.

Reasoning: verbal (analogy, classification, series, coding-decoding, blood relations, direction sense, order and ranking) and non-verbal (pattern recognition, figure analogy, figure classification, mirror and water images).

Basic computer literacy: basics of computers, hardware and software, operating systems, input and output devices, MS Office basics, internet and email, digital payments, cyber safety, social media awareness, basic government digital services.

B. Special paper: Constable (Communication)

Physics: electrostatics; current electricity; magnetic effects of current and magnetism; electromagnetic induction and alternating current; electromagnetic waves; ray and wave optics; dual nature of radiation and matter; atoms and nuclei; semiconductor electronics; communication systems.

Computer Science: computer fundamentals; hardware and software; operating systems; data representation and number systems; programming fundamentals; algorithms and flowcharts; problem solving; basic data structures (arrays, stacks, queues); database concepts (tables, keys, queries); networks and internet; cyber and information security; digital communication systems.

C. Special paper: Driver PMT and Firefighting Driver

• Vehicle parts and systems: engine, fuel system, transmission, brakes, steering and suspension, electrical and dashboard

• Lubrication: types and grades, process, periodic check-up; minor defects: pre-driving checks, tyres, troubleshooting

• Traffic signals and road markings, hand signals; mandatory, cautionary and informatory signs

• Road rules: right of way, defensive driving, the Motor Vehicles Act 1988 and Odisha Motor Vehicle Rules 1993, penalties

The practical driving test for HMV and LMV follows the skills tested for a driving licence; details come on the OUSSSC website before the test.

OUSSSC has not published cut-off marks for this exam yet. They will be added here after the 2026 result.

The Commission may set minimum marks for moving to the next stage. For the physical tests, about 7 times the vacancies in each category are called in order of written-exam merit.

Pay as per the ORSP Rules 2017, with dearness and other allowances as sanctioned by the Government of Odisha.

Starting basic pay: Level 5: ₹21,700 per month; Level 4: ₹19,900 per month, plus dearness and other allowances.

Cadre: Constable (Civil) is a district post, Constable OISF a battalion post, and the other posts are state cadre.