| Notification Released | 21 May 2026 (LIVE) — 132-page Notice of Advertisement |
|---|---|
| Total Vacancies | ~12,256 (Tentative) across ~60 post categories · post-wise will be published later by SSC |
| Online Application | 21 May 2026 – 25 June 2026 (extended, upto 2300 hrs) |
| Last Date — Fee Payment | 26 June 2026 (upto 2300 hrs) |
| Correction Window | 1 July – 3 July 2026 (upto 2300 hrs) · ₹200 (1st) / ₹500 (2nd) |
| Tier-I Exam (Tentative) | August – September 2026 · 15-min sectional timer |
| Tier-II Exam (Tentative) | December 2026 · Paper-I + Paper-II (JSO/SI) + Paper-III (AAO/Asst. Accounts Officer) |
| Eligibility | Bachelor's degree from a recognised university |
| Age Limit | 18 – 32 years (post-specific; standard SSC relaxations apply) |
| Selection Process | Tier-I (qualifying) → Tier-II (final merit) |
| Pay Range | ₹25,500 – ₹1,51,100 (7th CPC Pay Levels 4 – 8) |
| Application Fee | ₹100 · Women / SC / ST / PwBD / ESM exempt |
| Toll-free Helpline | 1800 309 3063 (application difficulties) |
| Official Website | ssc.gov.in |
Nine-year history of final allocated vacancies (source: SSC notices). 2026 figure is the tentative 12,256 from the 21-May-2026 Notification (Para 3.1); SSC will release the post-wise breakdown in a separate notice. 2025 final: 15,130.
★ Tentative (Notification). Source: SSC final-vacancy notices (ssc.gov.in).
| Change | CGL 2025 | CGL 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Tier-I sectional timer | No (60 min total) | 15 min per section |
| Tier-II Paper-I Section-I | 60 min total (Math + Reasoning combined) | 30 min Math + 30 min Reasoning (hard split) |
| AAO recruitment (Paper-III) | No | Yes |
| Vacancies | 15,130 (final) · initial 14,582 | 12,256 (tentative) |
Notice of Advertisement (21 May 2026, Para 3.1): ~12,256 tentative vacancies. SSC is still collecting post-wise figures from Indenting Departments and will publish them as a separate notice on ssc.gov.in → For Candidates → Tentative Vacancy. We will mirror that table here within hours.
Note: ESM reservation applies only to Group "C" posts (Para 3.3).
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. General Intelligence & Reasoning | 25 | 50 | 60 minutes total 15-min sectional timer per part |
| B. General Awareness | 25 | 50 | |
| C. Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | 50 | |
| D. English Comprehension | 25 | 50 | |
| Total Tier-I | 100 | 200 | 60 min |
Negative marking: 0.50 marks per wrong answer. Medium: English + Hindi for all sections except English Comprehension. Questions in Parts A, B & D at graduation level; Part C at 10th-standard level.
| Paper | Section / Sub-part | Questions | Marks | Time | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper-I (compulsory · all posts) |
Section-I · A — Mathematical Abilities | 30 | 90 | 30 min | −1 |
| Section-I · B — Reasoning & GI | 30 | 90 | 30 min | −1 | |
| Section-II · A — English Language & Comprehension | 45 | 135 | 40 min | −1 | |
| Section-II · B — General Awareness | 25 | 75 | 20 min | −1 | |
| Section-III — Computer Knowledge Test qualifying | 20 | 60 | 15 min | −1 | |
| Section-IV (Session-II) — DEST qualifying | 1 task | — | 15 min | — | |
| Paper-II JSO / SI only |
Statistics | 100 | 200 | 2 hrs | −0.5 |
| Paper-III AAO / Asst. Accounts Officer |
General Studies — Finance & Economics | 100 | 200 | 2 hrs | −0.5 |
Mandatory to qualify all four Sections of Paper-I separately. Tier-II marks (Paper-I + Paper-II/III where applicable) determine final merit; Tier-I is qualifying only.
Yes. Tier-I has a 15-minute sectional timer per section as confirmed in Para 13.8 of the Notification. After 15 minutes the section auto-closes and you cannot return to its questions. This is new for CGL 2026 — CGL 2025 had no sectional timer (free 60 min for the whole paper).
Tier-II Paper-I uses a per-section / per-subject timer. Section-I and Section-II both got tighter splits in 2026:
| Section / Paper | Total | Internal split |
|---|---|---|
| Section-I (Math + Reasoning) | 60 min | 30 min Math + 30 min Reasoning (hard split — NEW) |
| Section-II (English + GA) | 60 min | 40 min English + 20 min GA |
| Section-III (CKT) | 15 min | no internal split |
| Section-IV (Session-II · DEST) | 15 min | after a re-registration break |
| Paper-II (JSO / SI only) | 2 hrs | no internal split |
| Paper-III (AAO only) | 2 hrs | no internal split |
The section closes automatically and any unanswered questions stay unanswered. You cannot revisit a closed section. Time management per section is now mandatory.
Compensatory time of 20 minutes per hour applies:
| Exam | Standard | Scribe-eligible |
|---|---|---|
| Tier-I | 60 min (15 per section) | 1 hr 20 min (15+5 per section) |
| Tier-II Section-I (Math + Reasoning) | 60 min (30+30) | 1 hr 20 min (30+10 per subject) |
| Tier-II Section-II (English + GA) | 60 min (40+20) | 1 hr 20 min (40+15 English / 20+5 GA) |
| Paper-II (JSO / SI) | 2 hrs | 2 hrs 40 min |
| Paper-III (AAO) | 2 hrs | 2 hrs 40 min |
No. Tier-I has only an overall category-wise qualifying cut-off (e.g. UR ≈ 136 / 200 in CGL 2025). There is no per-section minimum at Tier-I — only the total counts.
Yes (Para 13.9.6). Candidates must qualify each section of Paper-I separately. The sections are:
| Section / Paper | Subject(s) | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Section-I | Mathematical Abilities + Reasoning & GI | All posts |
| Section-II | English Language & Comprehension + General Awareness | All posts |
| Section-III | Computer Knowledge Test qualifying | All posts |
| Section-IV | Data Entry Speed Test (DEST) qualifying | All posts |
| Paper-II | Statistics counts in merit | JSO / Statistical Investigator |
| Paper-III | Finance & Economics counts in merit | AAO / Asst. Accounts Officer |
Para 13.9.6 carries over from CGL 2025 (was Para 13.8.6) — not a 2026 change, but often missed by candidates.
SSC sets a category-wise floor on each section (Para 16.1 of the Notification):
| Category | Minimum per section |
|---|---|
| UR | 30% |
| OBC / EWS | 25% |
| SC / ST / PwBD / ESM | 20% |
For posts where Computer Proficiency or typing speed is essential, SSC sets a higher qualifying standard in Section-III (CKT) and Section-IV (DEST):
| Post | Department / Ministry |
|---|---|
| ASO | CSS / MEA / AFHQ |
| Inspector (CGST / Central Excise) | CBIC |
| Inspector (Preventive Officer) | CBIC |
| Inspector (Examiner) | CBIC |
| Executive Assistant | CBIC |
| Assistant (SFIO) | Ministry of Corporate Affairs |
| Assistant (GSI) | Ministry of Mines |
| Assistant | India Meteorological Department |
| Postal Asst / Sorting Asst | Dept. of Posts |
Posts with higher DEST standard only (CKT remains regular): Tax Assistant (CBDT / CBIC), UDC / SSA in Central Bureau of Narcotics. See Notification Para 13.9.9-b and 13.9.10.4.
Topic-wise syllabus carries over from CGL 2025. Full indicative syllabus: Para 13.10 (Tier-I) and Para 13.11 (Tier-II) of the Notification.
| General Intelligence & Reasoning | Analogies; similarities & differences; space visualization; problem-solving; analysis & judgement; visual memory; observation & discrimination; relationship concepts; arithmetical reasoning; verbal & figure classification; arithmetical & non-verbal series; coding & decoding; statement-conclusion; syllogistic reasoning. |
|---|---|
| General Awareness | India & its neighbours — History, Culture, Geography, Economic Scene, General Polity, Scientific Research, and Current Affairs (2025–26 window). |
| Quantitative Aptitude | Number systems; fundamental arithmetic (percentages, ratio & proportion, square roots, averages, interest, profit & loss, discount, partnership, mixture & allegation, time & distance, time & work); basic algebra; geometry (triangles, circles); mensuration; trigonometry; statistical charts. |
| English Comprehension | Vocabulary (synonyms, antonyms, one-word substitution); spelling; idioms & phrases; sentence improvement & error spotting; cloze test; comprehension passages; active-passive; direct-indirect; fill-in-the-blanks. |
| Paper-I · Section-I | Mathematical Abilities (number systems, fundamental arithmetic, algebra, geometry, mensuration, trigonometry, statistics & probability) + Reasoning & General Intelligence (verbal, non-verbal, semantic). |
|---|---|
| Paper-I · Section-II | English Language & Comprehension (vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure, RC) + General Awareness (history, geography, polity, economy, science, current affairs). |
| Paper-I · Section-III | Computer Knowledge Test — computer fundamentals, organisation of computer, MS-Office, internet & email, networking, e-governance. 20 Q × 3 = 60 marks · 15 min. |
| Paper-I · Session-II | Data Entry Speed Test (DEST) — qualifying only; ~2,000 key-depressions in 15 minutes. |
| Paper-II (JSO / SI) | Statistics — collection, classification & presentation of data; measures of central tendency; dispersion & moments; correlation & regression; probability & distributions; sampling theory; statistical inference; analysis of variance; time series; index numbers. |
Indian citizen, Nepali / Bhutanese subject, Tibetan refugee (entered India before 01-01-1962), or a person of Indian origin migrated from Pakistan / Burma / Sri Lanka / East-African countries with the intent of permanently settling in India.
Bachelor's degree from a recognised university for all posts. Specific post-wise additions:
| Age 18–27 | Tax Assistant (CBDT/CBIC), Auditor, Accountant, JSO, Compiler, Statistical Investigator Gr-II, UDC |
|---|---|
| Age 18–30 | ASO (CSS/IB/MEA/AFHQ/Railways/EPFO/CAT etc), Inspector (Central Excise / Income Tax / Preventive Officer / Examiner), Executive Assistant, Office Superintendent, Inspector of Posts |
| Age 20–30 | Assistant Audit Officer (AAO), Sub-Inspector (CBI / NIA) |
| Age 18–32 | Section Head (DGFT) and a few other senior-level posts |
Age relaxation: SC/ST 5 years, OBC 3 years, PwBD 10–15 years, Ex-servicemen as per rules, departmental candidates up to 40 years (UR) / 45 years (SC/ST).
CGL Tier-II has two qualifying-only skill components inside Paper-I: Section-III (Computer Knowledge Test, 20 Q × 3 = 60 marks, 15 min) and Section-IV (Data Entry Speed Test, ~2,000 key depressions in 15 min). For specific posts, SSC sets a higher qualifying cut-off in these sections; treating them as effectively non-qualifying for that post group. The lists below come from the CGL 2025 notification (§13.8.9 and §13.8.10.4) and carry over to CGL 2026.
| Post | Department / Ministry |
|---|---|
| Assistant Section Officer (ASO) | CSS, MEA, AFHQ |
| Assistant | Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), Ministry of Corporate Affairs |
| Assistant (GSI) | Ministry of Mines |
| Assistant | India Meteorological Department, Ministry of Earth Sciences |
| Inspector (CGST & Central Excise) | CBIC |
| Inspector (Preventive Officer) | CBIC |
| Inspector (Examiner) | CBIC |
| Executive Assistant | CBIC |
| Postal Assistant / Sorting Assistant | Department of Posts |
For these posts, the candidate must clear the Computer Knowledge Test (Section-III) at a higher standard than ordinary qualifying, AND also clear DEST (Section-IV) at the higher standard.
| Post | Department / Ministry |
|---|---|
| Tax Assistant | CBIC |
| Tax Assistant | CBDT |
| UDC / Senior Secretariat Assistant | Central Bureau of Narcotics, Ministry of Finance |
For these posts, only the DEST cut-off is set higher. The Computer Knowledge Test remains at the regular qualifying standard.
| # | Stage | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tier-I (CBE) | Qualifying only. Shortlists candidates for Tier-II at a ratio decided by the Commission (typically 1:20 to 1:30 of vacancies per post). |
| 2 | Tier-II Paper-I (CBE) | Compulsory for all posts. Determines the final merit and cut-off. |
| 3 | Tier-II Paper-II (CBE) | Only for JSO / Statistical Investigator. Combined Paper-I + Paper-II score used for their merit. |
| 4 | Tier-II Paper-III (CBE) | Only for AAO / Asst. Accounts Officer. Combined Paper-I + Paper-III score used for their merit. |
| 5 | Data Entry Speed Test (DEST) | Qualifying for posts where typing is essential. Higher standard for Tax Asst / UDC posts. |
| 6 | Document Verification (DV) | Post-result, conducted by Regional Offices. |
| 7 | Physical / Medical Standards Test | For Inspector (Central Excise / Preventive Officer / Examiner) and Sub-Inspector posts. PMT/PST per CBIC / CBI norms. |
| 8 | Final Allocation | Based on overall merit, post preference, category and medical/PMT clearance where applicable. |
| Fee Payable | ₹100/- (carried over from CGL 2025; subject to confirmation in the CGL 2026 notification) |
|---|---|
| Exempt Categories | Women, SC, ST, PwBD and ESM candidates eligible for reservation |
| Payment Modes | BHIM UPI, Net Banking, Visa / Mastercard / Maestro / RuPay debit cards (online only) |
7th CPC pay scales. Gross monthly pay depends on city class (X/Y/Z HRA tier). Figures below are X-city entry gross (27% HRA + current DA), before deductions.
| Pay Level | Basic Pay Band | Gross (X-city, entry) | Posts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 8 | ₹47,600 – ₹1,51,100 | ≈ ₹78,000 – ₹85,000 | Assistant Audit Officer (AAO) — C&AG |
| Level 7 | ₹44,900 – ₹1,42,400 | ≈ ₹73,000 – ₹80,000 | Inspector (CGST / Income Tax / Preventive Officer / Examiner), ASO (CSS / IB / MEA / AFHQ / Railways / EPFO), Office Superintendent, Inspector of Posts |
| Level 6 | ₹35,400 – ₹1,12,400 | ≈ ₹58,000 – ₹64,000 | Junior Statistical Officer (JSO), Statistical Investigator Gr-II, Sub-Inspector (CBI / NIA), Assistant (some cadres) |
| Level 4 | ₹25,500 – ₹81,100 | ≈ ₹42,000 – ₹46,000 | Tax Assistant (CBDT / CBIC), Auditor, Accountant, Senior Secretariat Assistant (UDC), Compiler |
Salary excludes performance-linked allowances, NPS contributions, and city-specific premiums (e.g. Delhi/Mumbai island postings). Pay-band auto-progresses after 4 / 5 / 13 years per cadre MACP rules.
Latest completed cycle: CGL 2025. Tier-I rows = SSC final qualifying cut-off (4-Dec-2025). Tier-II rows = last-selected candidate marks after FRTA & Sliding (14-May-2026). No AAO row: SSC did not recruit AAO in CGL 2025. Full breakdown on the dedicated cut-off page.
| Category | CGL 2025 |
|---|---|
| UR | 136.40 |
| OBC | 130.37 |
| EWS | 127.42 |
| SC | 115.03 |
| ST | 106.39 |
| Post | CGL 2025 |
|---|---|
| Inspector of Income Tax — CBDT (B15) | 342 |
| ASO — CSS / DoPT (B16) | 331 |
| Inspector (Central Excise) — CBIC (B04) | 319 |
| Tax Assistant — CBIC (D43) | 308 |
| Tax Assistant — CBDT (D55) | 309 |
| Auditor — CGDA (D39) | 312 |
Tier-I cuts are SSC's official "Other Posts" qualifying figures. Tier-II cuts are last-selected candidate marks (UR). AAO has a separate, higher cut-off published in a dedicated SSC notice.
| Step | Action | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Register OTR | One-Time Registration on the new ssc.gov.in portal (skip if already registered). Old ssc.nic.in OTRs are no longer valid. |
| 2 | Open the CGL 2026 application | Notification is LIVE since 21 May 2026 under Notice Board → Latest Updates. Log in and click Apply next to "Combined Graduate Level Examination, 2026". |
| 3 | Fill personal + post + centre details | Post preferences (in order of priority), centre preferences (up to 3 within the same SSC Region), upload photo + signature per SSC's specs. |
| 4 | Pay fee | ₹100 via BHIM UPI / Net Banking / Visa / Mastercard / Maestro / RuPay debit card. Women / SC / ST / PwBD / ESM exempt. Fee window closes 26 June 2026 (2300 hrs). |
| 5 | Submit + download | Submit before 25 June 2026 (2300 hrs). Download the final acknowledgement PDF. |
| 6 | Correction window (optional) | 1 July – 3 July 2026 (2300 hrs). First correction ₹200, second correction ₹500. Maximum 2 corrections. |
The latest completed SSC CGL cycle is CGL 2025. The full official notification (113 pages) was released on 09-Jun-2025 and the Final Result with Revised Cutoff after FRTA was published on 14-May-2026. Reference links:
SSC CGL 2026 fills Group B and Group C posts across CBDT, CBIC, DoPT (Central Secretariat Service ASO), C&AG (Assistant Audit Officer), CGDA (Auditor), the Ministry of Statistics (JSO), MEA, Railways, IB, EPFO, NCB, NIA, CBI and CAT.
The SSC CGL 2026 full Notification of Advertisement (21 May 2026, File No. HQ-C11018/1/2026-C-1) confirms ~12,256 tentative vacancies across approximately 60 post categories. SSC has stated (Para 3.1) that the post-wise and category-wise breakdown is being collected from Indenting Departments and will be published as a separate notice on ssc.gov.in → For Candidates → Tentative Vacancy. Key 2026 changes: sectional timing in Tier-I (15 min per section) is now mandatory; AAO / Assistant Accounts Officer posts return to the CGL cycle after being absent in CGL 2025, so Tier-II Paper-III (General Studies — Finance & Economics, 200 marks) is back in the schedule; OTR on the new ssc.gov.in portal is required (earlier ssc.nic.in OTRs are no longer valid).
The exam stays two-tier and computer-based: Tier-I qualifying (100 Q × 2 = 200 marks, 60 min) and Tier-II for final merit. A 15-minute sectional timer per part in Tier-I is confirmed for CGL 2026 (Para 13.8 of Notification). Eligibility is a Bachelor's degree, with subject add-ons for JSO, Auditor and Statistical Investigator. Age range runs 18–32 by post. Fee stays ₹100, with SC, ST, women, PwBD and ESM exempt.
We update this page within hours of every fresh SSC notice or department release. The download button at the top of this page now carries the official Notice of Advertisement PDF (132 pages, 21 May 2026). The post-wise vacancy table will be added the day SSC publishes it as a separate notice on ssc.gov.in.
SSC released the Notice of Advertisement on 21 May 2026 (F.No. HQ-C11018/1/2026-C-1, 132 pages). Download PDF. Apply 21 May – 25 June 2026. Fee till 26 June; correction window 1 July – 3 July 2026.
Approximately 12,256 tentative vacancies across ~60 posts (Notification 21 May 2026, Para 3.1). SSC will publish post-wise figures as a separate notice on ssc.gov.in. We will mirror it here within hours.
Yes. Tier-I has a 15-minute sectional timer per section (Para 13.8). After 15 min the section auto-closes. New in 2026 — CGL 2025 had no sectional timer.
No. Tier-I has only an overall qualifying cut-off (category-wise — UR / OBC / EWS / SC / ST). No per-section minimum at Tier-I.
Yes (Para 13.9.6). Candidates must qualify each section of Paper-I separately. Minimum per section: 30% (UR), 25% (OBC/EWS), 20% (SC/ST/PwBD/ESM). Same rule applied in CGL 2025 (was Para 13.8.6).
Yes. Assistant Audit Officer (Central + State Cadre) and Assistant Accounts Officer (State Cadre) under Pay Level-8 are in CGL 2026. These posts were not recruited in CGL 2025, so they are back this year.
Paper-III is General Studies (Finance & Economics) — 100 Q × 2 marks = 200 marks · 2 hours · 0.50 negative marking. Mandatory only for AAO / Assistant Accounts Officer applicants. Not new — Paper-III runs whenever AAO is part of the cycle.
4 sections × 25 Q × 2 marks = 200 marks total. Sections: Reasoning, GA, Quantitative Aptitude, English. Total time 60 minutes with 15-min sectional timer per section. Negative marking: 0.50 per wrong answer.
Tier-II structure:
Negative marking: 1 mark per wrong in Paper-I Section-I/II/III; 0.50 in Paper-II and Paper-III.
Bachelor's degree from a recognised university. Age by post: 18–27 (Tax Asst / JSO / Auditor / Accountant); 18–30 (ASO / Inspector / Executive Asst); 20–30 (AAO); 18–32 (DGFT Section Head etc.). Relaxations: SC/ST +5, OBC +3, PwBD +10–15.
Calculated as on 01 August 2026 (Para 5.1). Post-specific brackets:
Relaxations: SC/ST +5 yrs, OBC +3, PwBD +10–15, ex-servicemen / departmental candidates as per rules (Para 5.2).
₹100 (Para 10). Women, SC, ST, PwBD and ESM (eligible for reservation) pay nothing. Pay online via BHIM UPI / Net Banking / Visa / Mastercard / Maestro / RuPay by 26 June 2026 (2300 hrs).
1 July – 3 July 2026 (2300 hrs), Para 11. Maximum 2 corrections — first costs ₹200, second costs ₹500. Charges are non-refundable.
No. Fee and correction charges are non-refundable and cannot be adjusted against any other SSC examination (Notification Para 10.6 and 11.6).
Yes. Section-III of Paper-I — CKT (20 Q × 3 = 60 marks, 15 min) — is mandatory for all posts (Para 13.9.9-a). Qualifying only for most posts, but higher standard required for ASO (CSS/MEA/AFHQ), Inspector (CGST/PO/Examiner), Executive Asst (CBIC), Asst (SFIO/GSI/IMD), Postal Asst.
Per Para 13.9.10.4:
Yes. Scribe / assistive technology is available for (Para 7.1–7.3):
Compensatory time: 20 minutes per hour of examination. Own scribe needs OTR + Aadhaar; scribe qualification must be one step below candidate.
Choose 3 centres in order of priority within the same SSC Region (Para 12.2). No change later. SSC reserves the right to add new centres or divert candidates. Each centre has a unique 4-digit code listed in Notification Para 12.1.
Aadhaar Based Authentication is strongly recommended (Para 9.3) but not strictly mandatory. Benefits: application is not rejected for photo / signature standard issues; no need to bring physical photo ID to the exam centre.
Two CBE tiers. Tier-I is qualifying only — it shortlists candidates for Tier-II at a ratio decided by SSC. Tier-II decides final merit. Document Verification follows. AAO, JSO, Income Tax Inspector and CBI Sub-Inspector posts also need Medical / PMT clearance before allotment.
Tier-I admit card typically releases 7–10 days before the exam. With Tier-I tentatively in Aug-Sep 2026, expect admit cards from late July / August 2026. SSC will announce on ssc.gov.in.
At DV you must produce:
Topic-wise, the Tier-I syllabus carries over from CGL 2025 (Reasoning, GA, QA, English). 2026 changes: (a) 15-min sectional timer in Tier-I; (b) Paper-III (Finance & Economics) returns for AAO / Asst. Accounts Officer; (c) sectional timing inside Tier-II Paper-I sections. Full syllabus: Para 13.10 (Tier-I) / 13.11 (Tier-II).
The Notification PDF (132 pages) has been live on ssc.gov.in since 21 May 2026. Download from QMaths CDN (faster). SSC will release the post-wise vacancy table as a separate notice and we will mirror it here.