Assam Rifles Cook Syllabus 2026–27: Complete Written Test, Trade Test, PET/PST & Selection Process Guide
The most detailed breakdown of the Assam Rifles Cook post recruitment — written exam syllabus (GK, English, Maths, Reasoning), Trade Test tasks, PST/PET standards, NCC bonus marks, physical fitness requirements & expert preparation strategy.
The Assam Rifles Cook Syllabus covers all stages of the recruitment process for the Cook (Tradesman) post under the Office of the Directorate General, Assam Rifles. The Cook post falls under the Technical & Tradesman category (Group C) and requires candidates to clear a rigorous 5-stage selection process — Physical Standard Test, Physical Efficiency Test, Written Examination, Trade Test, and Medical Examination.
The Written Examination for the Cook post carries 100 marks with 100 MCQs across 4 subjects: General Awareness, General English, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning Ability. After clearing the written test, candidates must pass the Trade Test (Skill Test) — a hands-on practical test that evaluates actual cooking knowledge and kitchen skills. This guide covers the complete, topic-wise syllabus for every stage.
Assam Rifles Cook Selection Process 2026–27
The selection process for the Assam Rifles Cook post consists of 5 mandatory stages. Candidates must clear all stages to be placed on the merit list. Merely qualifying in all stages does not guarantee final selection — the final appointment is based solely on merit list position according to available vacancies.
Physical Standard Test (PST) – Qualifying
Height measurement for all candidates. Chest measurement for male candidates only. No marks — purely qualifying. Failure disqualifies from all further stages.
Physical Efficiency Test (PET) – Qualifying
Running test for both male and female candidates. Male: 5 km run within 24 minutes. Female: 1.6 km run within 8 minutes 30 seconds. No marks — qualifying only.
Written Examination – 100 Marks
Offline MCQ-based test of 100 questions (100 marks). Covers General Awareness, General English, Quantitative Aptitude, and Reasoning Ability — 25 questions each. Duration: 2 hours. No negative marking.
Trade Test (Skill Test) – Qualifying
Practical cooking test to evaluate hands-on kitchen skills. Tests food preparation, cooking techniques, hygiene, menu planning, and kitchen management. Qualifying in nature — must pass to proceed to medical.
Detailed Medical Examination (DME) & Review Medical Examination (RME)
Complete medical examination at a designated military hospital. Candidates who are medically unfit at DME may request RME for a second opinion. Final selection is based on the merit list after DME/RME clearance.
Physical Standard Test (PST) – Height & Chest Requirements
The PST is the first gate in the Assam Rifles Cook selection process. Height is checked for all candidates; chest measurement applies to male candidates only. Category-wise relaxations apply as per government norms.
| Category | Male Height | Female Height | Male Chest (Unexpanded) | Male Chest (Expanded) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General / OBC / EWS | 170 cm | 157 cm | 80 cm | 85 cm (min 5 cm expansion) |
| Scheduled Caste (SC) | 170 cm | 157 cm | 80 cm | 85 cm |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) | 162.5 cm | 150 cm | 76 cm | 81 cm (min 5 cm expansion) |
| Gorkha / Hill Areas | 157.5 cm | — | 76 cm | 81 cm |
| North-East States (incl. Assam) | 162.5 cm | 150 cm | 76 cm | 81 cm |
Physical Efficiency Test (PET) – Running Standards
The PET evaluates the physical fitness and endurance of candidates. It is conducted for all candidates who qualify the PST. There are different running standards for male and female candidates. The PET is qualifying only — it carries no marks.
| Event | Distance | Time Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Long Race | 5 km | 24 minutes |
| Short Race | 1.6 km | 7 minutes |
| Event | Distance | Time Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Race | 1.6 km | 8 min 30 seconds |
Written Exam Pattern – Marks & Subject Distribution
The Assam Rifles Cook written examination is an offline, OMR-based MCQ test with 100 questions carrying 100 marks. It is divided into 4 equal sections of 25 questions each. There is no negative marking for wrong answers. The minimum passing mark is 35% for General/EWS and 33% for SC/ST/OBC categories.
| Subject / Section | No. of Questions | Total Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Awareness | 25 | 25 | 2 Hours (120 Minutes) |
| General English | 25 | 25 | |
| Quantitative Aptitude (Mathematics) | 25 | 25 | |
| Reasoning Ability | 25 | 25 | |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 2 Hours |
General Awareness Syllabus (25 Questions)
General Awareness tests candidates’ knowledge of current events, India’s history, geography, polity, and general science. Focus on both static GK and current affairs of the last 6–12 months.
- National & international news (last 6–12 months)
- Government schemes – PM Kisan, Ayushman Bharat, etc.
- Awards & Honours – Padma, Bharat Ratna, Nobel Prize
- Sports events – Olympics, Commonwealth, Asian Games
- Appointments – PM, Cabinet Ministers, RBI Governor, Army Chief
- Important summits, treaties, and bilateral agreements
- Ancient India – Indus Valley, Maurya, Gupta Empire
- Medieval India – Delhi Sultanate, Mughal Empire
- Modern India – British rule, Reform Movements
- Indian Freedom Struggle – key leaders and events
- Post-Independence – Constitution adoption, major events
- Physical features – Himalayas, Deccan Plateau, plains
- Major rivers – Ganga, Yamuna, Brahmaputra
- Climate and seasons of India
- Soils, forest types, and natural resources
- States, capitals, and Union Territories
- Famous places – monuments, tourist sites
- Constitution – Preamble, Fundamental Rights & Duties
- Parliament – Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha structure
- President, Vice-President, Prime Minister – roles
- Judiciary – Supreme Court, High Courts
- Election Commission and electoral process
- Important Amendments to the Constitution
- Physics – laws of motion, light, electricity, magnetism
- Chemistry – acids, bases, salts, periodic table basics
- Biology – human body systems, diseases, nutrition
- Scientific inventions and their inventors
- Space science – planets, ISRO missions, NASA
- Environment and ecology – conservation
- Indian economy – GDP, sectors, agriculture, industry
- National symbols – flag, anthem, animal, bird, flower
- Armed Forces – Army, Navy, Air Force structure
- Assam Rifles – history, role, major operations
- Defence exercises – bilateral and multilateral
- Important borders and their significance
General English Syllabus (25 Questions)
The English section tests basic to intermediate-level English grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. Questions are at the Class 10 (HSLC) standard — functional and practical rather than literary.
- Parts of Speech – Noun, Pronoun, Verb, Adjective, Adverb
- Tenses – all forms (Present, Past, Future)
- Subject-Verb Agreement
- Articles (a / an / the) – correct usage
- Prepositions and Conjunctions
- Active and Passive Voice
- Direct and Indirect Speech
- Synonyms and Antonyms
- One-Word Substitution
- Idioms and Phrases
- Spelling Correction
- Confusing word pairs (affect/effect, then/than)
- Word meanings in context
- Spotting Errors in sentences
- Sentence Correction and Improvement
- Fill in the Blanks (grammar and vocabulary based)
- Para Jumbles – sentence rearrangement
- Cloze Test / Fill in the blank passage
- Short unseen passage with 4–5 questions
- Direct question answers from the passage
- Vocabulary from the passage (word meanings)
- Identifying the main idea or title
Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus (25 Questions)
The Maths section tests basic numerical ability and applied arithmetic at the Class 10 level. Questions focus on fast calculation, shortcuts, and real-world application rather than advanced theory.
- Number System – LCM, HCF, fractions, decimals
- BODMAS / Simplification
- Percentage – increase, decrease, word problems
- Profit, Loss and Discount
- Simple Interest and Compound Interest
- Ratio and Proportion
- Average
- Time and Work
- Time, Speed and Distance
- Pipes and Cisterns
- Problems on Ages
- Mixture and Alligation
- Partnership (basic)
- Linear Equations (one and two variables)
- Basic algebraic identities
- Area and Perimeter – triangles, rectangles, circles
- Volume – cubes, cuboids, cylinders
- Pythagoras Theorem
- Degrees of angles and basic trigonometry
- Reading data from tables
- Bar graphs and pie charts
- Line graphs (basic)
- Simple statistical calculations from given data
- Mean, Median, Mode
Reasoning Ability Syllabus (25 Questions)
Reasoning tests logical thinking, pattern recognition, and problem-solving ability. Questions are at a moderate level — similar to SSC MTS / GD constable reasoning standard.
- Number Series – complete the series
- Letter Series – complete the pattern
- Analogies – word, number, and letter pairs
- Odd One Out / Classification
- Coding – Decoding
- Blood Relations
- Direction and Distance
- Ranking and Ordering
- Syllogisms – All, Some, No (basic)
- Statement and Conclusion
- Statement and Assumption (basic)
- Cause and Effect
- Venn Diagrams (basic)
- Seating Arrangement – linear (single row)
- Circular Arrangement (basic)
- Scheduling / Calendar problems
- Missing number in matrix / table
- Figure Series – next figure in sequence
- Mirror and Water Image
- Pattern Completion
- Paper Folding and Cutting (basic)
- Counting figures (squares, triangles)
Trade Test (Skill Test) – Cooking Topics for Cook Post
The Trade Test is the most distinctive part of the Assam Rifles Cook selection. It is a practical hands-on assessment conducted by a panel of Assam Rifles officers and kitchen supervisors. The test evaluates whether the candidate possesses actual, functional cooking skills required for preparing food in a military environment — for large numbers of personnel, under field conditions.
🍳 What the Trade Test Evaluates
The Trade Test for the Cook post is qualifying in nature — you either pass or fail. It is not scored on marks. Candidates who fail the Trade Test are eliminated and cannot proceed to Medical Examination, regardless of their written exam score. The test panel evaluates practical cooking skill, hygiene, knife work, and knowledge of military cooking standards.
- Preparation of dal, sabzi, rice, roti, chapati
- Tadka / tempering methods for curries
- Pressure cooking and slow cooking techniques
- Deep frying, shallow frying, dry roasting
- Steaming and boiling methods
- Preparation of common Indian desserts (halwa, kheer)
- Cooking for large batches (bulk cooking)
- Following standardised military recipes and portions
- Maintaining cooking schedule (breakfast, lunch, dinner, tea)
- Preparation of egg dishes – boiled, scrambled, omelette
- Cooking chicken, mutton, and fish curries
- Preparing tea, coffee, and beverages in bulk
- Personal hygiene while handling food
- Proper storage of raw and cooked food
- Cleaning and maintaining kitchen utensils
- Safe handling of LPG cylinders and equipment
- Prevention of food contamination and spoilage
- FSSAI basic food safety standards
- Basic knowledge of nutritional value of food
- Planning a balanced diet for armed forces personnel
- Understanding of calorie requirements for physical duty
- Seasonal and regional menu variation
- Substitute ingredients for restricted/unavailable items
- Accurate measurement of ingredients (kg, g, litre, ml)
- Scaling recipes up for large groups
- Ration calculation and stock management
- Estimating cooking time for multiple dishes
- Waste management and food portion control
- Preparation of bread, puri, paratha
- Basic baking – cakes and biscuits (where applicable)
- Pickle, chutney, and condiment preparation
- Knowledge of spices – their names, uses, and quantities
- Salad preparation and presentation
NCC Certificate Bonus Marks
Candidates holding valid NCC certificates receive bonus marks added to their written examination score. This is a significant advantage in the final merit list preparation — especially when cutoffs are very close. Only one certificate (the highest grade) is applicable per candidate.
Subject-Wise Marks Distribution at a Glance
| Section | Questions | Marks | % of Paper | Key Focus Topics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Awareness | 25 | 25 | 25% | Current Affairs, History, Geography, Science |
| General English | 25 | 25 | 25% | Grammar, Vocabulary, Error Spotting, RC |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | 25 | 25% | Percentage, SI/CI, Time-Work, DI |
| Reasoning Ability | 25 | 25 | 25% | Series, Analogies, Coding, Syllogisms |
| Total (Written) | 100 | 100 | 100% | No Negative Marking | 35% / 33% Pass Mark |
| NCC Bonus | — | Max +5 | — | Added to Written Marks (A=2, B=3, C=5) |
| Trade Test | — | Qualifying | — | Practical Cooking — Must Pass to Proceed |
Preparation Tips & Strategy for Assam Rifles Cook 2026–27
Start Physical Training Immediately
The PET (5 km in 24 min for males) eliminates many candidates before the written exam. Start running daily. Build up from 2 km to 5 km over 2–3 months with consistent pace training.
All Sections Are Equal — Balance Preparation
All 4 written exam sections carry 25 marks each. Don’t over-prepare one section and neglect others. A balanced score of 18–20 in each section comfortably clears the 35% qualifying mark.
No Negative Marking = Attempt All
With no penalty for wrong answers, never leave a question blank. Use your best guess on uncertain questions — you have a 25% chance of being right on every MCQ you attempt.
GK: Read Daily Current Affairs
Spend 15–20 minutes daily on current affairs. Focus on defence news, central government schemes, sports results, and important appointments. Assam Rifles often tests defence-specific GK.
Reasoning: Learn Techniques, Not Answers
Solve 20 reasoning questions daily across different types. Master the shortcut method for each topic type. Reasoning can be the fastest section to attempt if techniques are memorised.
Trade Test: Cook Daily, Cook for Groups
The Trade Test is the most distinctive stage. Practice cooking a full 3-course meal (dal, sabzi, roti/rice) in under 45–60 minutes. Practice scaling recipes for 20–50 people. Work on cleanliness and speed simultaneously.
Maths: Master the 5 Core Topics
Percentage, Profit-Loss, SI/CI, Time-Work, and Time-Speed-Distance together make up 60–70% of Quantitative Aptitude questions. Master these 5 areas before moving to other topics.
Documents: Prepare in Advance
Prepare a complete document folder before the rally — original + 3 sets of self-attested photocopies of all certificates (educational, caste, domicile, NCC if applicable). Missing documents on rally day leads to rejection.