The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has officially released the detailed notification for the Combined Graduate Level (CGL) Examination 2026. SSC CGL is one of the most popular national-level recruitment examinations in India, serving as the gateway to prestigious Group ‘B’ and Group ‘C’ posts across ministries, departments, and constitutional bodies of the Government of India.
With approximately 12,256 tentative vacancies announced, here is a complete breakdown of everything an aspirant needs to know before applying.
1. What is the SSC CGL Examination?
The SSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) Examination recruit’s eligible university graduates into central government civil posts. Key posts filled through this exam include:
- Group ‘B’ Gazetted: Assistant Audit Officer (AAO), Assistant Accounts Officer.
- Group ‘B’ Non-Gazetted: Assistant Section Officer (ASO) in CSS, MEA, Railways, and IB; Inspector of Income Tax (CBDT); Inspector (Central Excise, Preventive Officer, Examiner in CBIC); Sub-Inspector (CBI, NIA, NCB).
- Group ‘C’: Auditor, Accountant, Junior Accountant, Tax Assistant (CBDT & CBIC), Senior Secretariat Assistant (SSA/UDC), and Postal Assistant/Sorting Assistant.
All posts carry All India Service Liability (AISL), meaning appointees may be posted anywhere across India.
2. SSC CGL 2026: Important Dates & Overview
| Event / Parameter | Important Dates & Details |
| Notification Release Date | May 21, 2026 |
| Online Application Period | May 21, 2026 to June 22, 2026 (23:00 hrs) |
| Last Date for Online Fee Payment | June 23, 2026 (23:00 hrs) |
| Application Fees | For General/ OBC/ EWS : ₹ 100/-For Category Female Candidates : ₹ 0/-For PH Candidates : ₹ 0/-Payment Mode (Online) |
| Application Form Correction Window | June 29, 2026 to July 01, 2026 (23:00 hrs) |
| Tier-I Exam Date | 30 September 2026 to 30 October 2026 |
| City Intimation Slip | 10 days before the exam date |
| Admit Card | 2-3 days before the exam date |
| Tier-II Exam Date | December 2026 |
| Tentative Vacancies | Approx. 12,256 posts |
| Result Date | Will Be Update Here Soon |
| Official Website | ssc.gov.in |
How to Download SSC CGL Admit Card 2026
- Visit the official SSC website https://ssc.gov.in/ to download yours admit card.
- Log in to your SSC portal using your registered credentials.
- Enter your Registration Number/User ID and Password/Date of Birth, if required.
- After successful login, go to the Admit Card section.
- Download your admit card from the portal and keep a copy for future reference.
3. Eligibility Criteria (As on 01-08-2026)
A. Age Limit & Cutoff
The crucial date for age calculation is August 1, 2026:
- Minimum Age : 18 Years
- Maximum Age : 32 Years
- SSC provides age relaxation for the CGL position as per their regulations.
Upper Age Relaxation:
- SC / ST: 5 years
- OBC: 3 years
- PwBD (Unreserved): 10 years
- PwBD (OBC): 13 years
- PwBD (SC/ST): 15 years
- Ex-Servicemen (ESM): 3 years after deduction of military service rendered
B. Educational Qualifications
The crucial date for acquiring educational qualifications is August 1, 2026:
| For All General Posts | Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline from a recognized University or equivalent. Candidates appearing in the final year of graduation are eligible to apply, provided the qualifying result is declared on or before August 1, 2026. |
| Junior Statistical Officer (JSO) | Bachelor’s Degree in any subject with at least 60% marks in Mathematics at 12th standard level, OR a Bachelor’s Degree in any subject with Statistics as one of the subjects at degree level. |
| Statistical Investigator Grade-II | Bachelor’s Degree in Statistics, Mathematics, Economics, Demography, Population Studies, Operation Research, IT, Computer Science, Data Science, or Artificial Intelligence. |
| Assistant Audit / Accounts Officer (State Cadre) | Bachelor’s Degree along with certified proficiency in the regional/official language of the State concerned at the matriculation level. |
4. SSC CGL 2026 Exam Pattern
The examination is conducted in two computer-based stages: Tier-I and Tier-II.
Tier-I: Screening / Qualifying Stage
Tier-I features 100 multiple-choice questions totaling 200 marks. It has a total duration of 60 minutes, with a strict sectional timer of 15 minutes per section:
| Section | Subject | Questions | Max Marks | Sectional Timing |
| A | General Intelligence and Reasoning | 25 | 50 | 15 Minutes |
| B | General Awareness | 25 | 50 | 15 Minutes |
| C | Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | 50 | 15 Minutes |
| D | English Comprehension | 25 | 50 | 15 Minutes |
| Total | 100 | 200 | 60 Minutes |
- Marking Scheme: 2 marks per correct answer.
- Negative Marking: 0.50 marks deducted for each wrong answer.
- Evaluation: Marks are normalized across shifts to shortlist candidates for Tier-II. Tier-I marks do not count toward the final merit list.
Tier-II: Merit Selection Stage
Final selection and department allocations are based entirely on marks obtained in Tier-II.
| Paper | Eligibility / Posts | Session / Timing | Section / Subject Module | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks | Duration | Nature & Evaluation |
| Paper-I | Compulsory for all posts | Session-I | Section-I• Module 1: Mathematical Abilities• Module 2: Reasoning & General Intelligence | 30 + 30 = 60 | 90 + 90 = 180 | 1 Hour(30 min per module) | Merit-determiningNegative marking: –1 mark for each wrong answer |
| Section-II• Module 1: English Language & Comprehension• Module 2: General Awareness | 45 + 25 = 70 | 135 + 75 = 210 | 1 Hour(40 min English + 20 min GA) | Merit-determiningNegative marking: –1 mark for each wrong answer | |||
| Section-III• Computer Knowledge Test (CKT) | 20 | 60 | 15 Minutes | Qualifying only | |||
| Session-II | Section-IV• Data Entry Speed Test (DEST) | 1 Passage(~2,000 key depressions) | — | 15 Minutes | Mandatory & Qualifying for all posts |
| Paper-II | Only for Junior Statistical Officer (JSO) & Statistical Investigator Grade-II | Separate Shift / Day | Statistics | 100 | 200 | 2 Hours | Merit-determining for statistical postsNegative marking: –0.50 mark for each wrong answer |
| Paper-III | Only for Assistant Accounts Officer (AAO) posts | Separate Shift / Day | General Studies (Finance & Economics) | 100 | 200 | 2 Hours | Merit-determining for AAO postsNegative marking: –0.50 mark for each wrong answer |
5. Subject-Wise Syllabus Breakdown
Tier-I Syllabus
- General Intelligence & Reasoning: Analogies, similarities and differences, spatial visualization, problem solving, analysis, visual memory, relationship concepts, arithmetical reasoning, number series, coding-decoding, statement-conclusion, syllogisms, and Venn diagrams.
- General Awareness: Current events, Indian History, Culture, Geography, Economic Scene, Indian Polity/Constitution, and General Scientific Research.
- Quantitative Aptitude: Computation of whole numbers, decimals, fractions, percentages, ratio & proportion, square roots, averages, interest (simple and compound), profit and loss, discount, time and distance, time & work, algebra, basic geometric identities, triangles, circles, trigonometric ratios, heights and distances, and data representation (histograms, pie-charts).
- English Comprehension: Candidate’s ability to understand correct English, error detection, fill in the blanks, vocabulary, spellings, idioms and phrases, sentence improvement, and reading comprehension passages.
Tier-II Syllabus
- Mathematical Abilities: Advanced arithmetic, Number Systems, Algebra, Geometry, Mensuration, Trigonometry, plus Statistics and Probability (mean, median, mode, standard deviation, and simple probabilities).
- Reasoning and General Intelligence: Verbal and non-verbal reasoning, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, social intelligence, coding-decoding, and pattern folding/unfolding.
- English Language and Comprehension: Sentence rearrangement, cloze passage, active/passive voice, direct/indirect conversion, and comprehension passages based on current affairs/editorials.
- Computer Knowledge Test: Basics of CPU, input/output devices, memory organization, Windows OS, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), web browsing, search engines, emails, network basics, and cyber threats (viruses, worms, trojans).
6. Application Process & Important Guidelines
- New OTR Platform: Registration must be completed on the new portal (https://ssc.gov.in) or via the official “my SSC” app. OTR records from the deprecated ssc.nic.in website are not recognized.
- Live Photo Requirement: Pre-existing scanned passport photos are no longer permitted. The portal uses a live webcam/mobile capture system. Candidates must pose in front of a plain background with good lighting, keeping eyes directly at camera level without wearing caps, spectacles, or masks.
- Application Fee: ₹100 online. Women candidates and candidates belonging to SC, ST, PwBD, and eligible Ex-Servicemen are exempt from paying fees.
- Correction Window: Available from June 29 to July 01, 2026. SSC charges ₹200 for the first correction and ₹500 for the second correction.
- Departmental Document Verification: Document Verification (DV) is conducted after the final result by the allotted User Ministry/Department, not directly by SSC.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. What is the educational qualification cutoff date for SSC CGL 2026?
The cutoff date is August 1, 2026. Candidates must have their qualifying degree or final result officially declared on or before this date.
Q2. Can final-year college students apply for SSC CGL 2026?
Yes, final-year students are eligible to apply provided their final result is declared before August 1, 2026.
Q3. Is there sectional timing in SSC CGL Tier-I?
Yes, Tier-I includes a sectional timer of 15 minutes for each of the four sections.
Q4. Are the Computer Knowledge Test (CKT) and DEST typing tests compulsory?
Yes, Section-III (Computer Knowledge Test) and Section-IV (DEST) of Paper-I are compulsory for all posts. Both modules are qualifying in nature.
Q5. How is the final merit list calculated in SSC CGL 2026?
The final merit list is calculated exclusively from marks obtained in Tier-II Paper-I (Section-I and Section-II), subject to qualifying Section-III (CKT) and Section-IV (DEST). For candidates applying for JSO or AAO, marks from Paper-II (Statistics) or Paper-III (Finance and Economics) are included respectively. Tier-I marks are not considered in the final selection ranking.