SSC CGL Exam Guide 2026

SSC CGL 2026 notification updates and complete exam guide. Check exam dates, vacancies, eligibility criteria, selection process, syllabus, and application details.

📊 Post Details & Salary Structure
Salary
Pay Level 4 to 7
Purpose
To select Group B and C Officers
Category
Government Exams
Exam Mode
Computer-Based Test
Full-Form
Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level
Vacancies
12256
Eligibility
Bachelor's Degree
Exam Stages
Tier I, Tier II
Mode of Exam
Online
Exam Duration
Tier I - 1 hour Tier II (Paper 1) - 2 hours 30 Minutes Tier II (Paper 2) - 2 hours
Level of Exam
National
Exam Help Desk
18003093063
Conducting Body
Staff Selection Commission
Official Website
https://ssc.gov.in
Frequency of Exam
Yearly
Application End Date
22nd June 2026 25th June 2026
Application Start Date
21st May 2026
Last Date for Fee Payment
23rd June 2026 26th June 2026
SSC CGL 2026 Notification
21st May 2026
SSC CGL 2026 Tier 1 Exam Date
August and September 2026
SSC CGL Application Correction Window (Revised)
1st July 2026 - 3rd July 2026
📊 Application Fee & Payment Details
Tier 1 Exam Date
August - September 2026
Tier 2 Exam Date
December 2026
Fee Payment Last Date
22nd June 2026 26th June 2026 (23:00 hours)
Online Application Window
21st May 2026 to 22nd June 2026
SSC CGL Tier 1 Admit Card
July 2026
SSC CGL Recruitment Events
Dates
SSC CGL City Intimation Slip 2026
July 2026
SSC CGL Online Application Reopen
23rd June to 25th June 2026
Application Form Correction Window
1st July 2026 - 3rd July 2026
SSC CGL 2026 Notification Release Date
21st May 2026
📊 Vacancy Trends
YearVacancies
202612256
202515118
202417727
20238415
202237409
20217621
20207035
20198428
201811271
20179276
📊 Post Name & Classification Details
S. No.Name of PostMinistry / Department / Office / CadreClassification
1Assistant Section OfficerCentral Secretariat ServiceGroup "B"
2Assistant Section OfficerIntelligence BureauGroup "B"
3Assistant Section OfficerMinistry of RailwaysGroup "B"
4Assistant Section OfficerMinistry of External AffairsGroup "B"
5Assistant Section OfficerAFHQGroup "B"
6Assistant Section OfficerMinistry of Electronics and Information TechnologyGroup "B"
7Assistant / Assistant Section OfficerOther Ministries / Departments / OrganizationsGroup "B"
8Inspector of Income TaxCBDTGroup "C"
9Inspector (Central Excise)CBICGroup "B"
10Inspector (Preventive Officer)CBICGroup "B"
11Inspector (Examiner)CBICGroup "B"
12Assistant Enforcement OfficerDirectorate of Enforcement, Department of RevenueGroup "B"
13Sub InspectorCentral Bureau of InvestigationGroup "B"
14Inspector PostsDepartment of Posts, Ministry of CommunicationsGroup "B"
15InspectorCentral Bureau of Narcotics, Ministry of FinanceGroup "B"
16Section HeadDirector General of Foreign TradeGroup "B"
17Assistant / Assistant Section OfficerOther Ministries / Departments / OrganizationsGroup "B"
18Executive AssistantCBICGroup "B"
19Research AssistantNational Human Rights Commission (NHRC)Group "B"
20Divisional AccountantOffices under C&AGGroup "B"
21Sub InspectorNational Investigation Agency (NIA)Group "B"
22Sub-Inspector / Junior IntelligenceNarcotics Control Bureau (MHA)Group "B"
23Junior Statistical OfficerMinistry of Statistics & Programme ImplementationGroup "B"
24Statistical Investigator Grade-IIMinistry of Home AffairsGroup "B"
25Office SuperintendentCBDTGroup "B"
26AuditorOffices under C&AGGroup "C"
27AuditorOffices under CGDAGroup "C"
28AuditorOther Ministry / DepartmentsGroup "C"
29AccountantOffices under C&AGGroup "C"
30AccountantController General of AccountsGroup "C"
31Accountant / Junior AccountantOther Ministry / DepartmentsGroup "C"
32Postal Assistant / Sorting AssistantDepartment of Posts, Ministry of CommunicationsGroup "C"
33Senior Secretariat Assistant / Upper Division ClerksCentral Govt. Offices / Ministries other than CSCS cadresGroup "C"
34Senior Administrative AssistantMilitary Engineering Services, Ministry of DefenceGroup "C"
35Tax AssistantCBDTGroup "C"
36Tax AssistantCBICGroup "C"
37Sub-InspectorCentral Bureau of Narcotics, Ministry of FinanceGroup "C"
📊 Application Fee & Payment Details
CategoryApplication FeePayment Mode
General / OBC₹100BHIM UPI, Net Banking, Visa/Mastercard/Maestro/RuPay Debit Cards
Women CandidatesExemptedNot Applicable
SC / ST / PwBD / ESMExemptedNot Applicable
📊 Post Name & Classification Details
Name of PostMinistry / Department / Office / CadreClassificationAge Limit
Assistant Section OfficerCentral Secretariat ServiceGroup “B”20–30 years
Assistant Section OfficerIntelligence BureauGroup “B”18–30 years
Assistant Section OfficerMinistry of RailwaysGroup “B”20–30 years
Assistant Section OfficerMinistry of External AffairsGroup “B”20–30 years
Assistant Section OfficerAFHQGroup “B”20–30 years
Assistant Section OfficerMinistry of Electronics and Information TechnologyGroup “B”18–30 years
Assistant / Assistant Section OfficerOther Ministries / Departments / OrganizationsGroup “B”18–30 years
Inspector of Income TaxCBDTGroup “C”18–30 years
Inspector (Central Excise)CBICGroup “B”18–30 years
Inspector (Preventive Officer)CBICGroup “B”18–30 years
Inspector (Examiner)CBICGroup “B”18–30 years
Assistant Enforcement OfficerDirectorate of Enforcement, Department of RevenueGroup “B”18–30 years
Sub InspectorCentral Bureau of InvestigationGroup “B”20–30 years
Inspector PostsDepartment of Posts, Ministry of CommunicationsGroup “B”18–30 years
InspectorCentral Bureau of Narcotics, Ministry of FinanceGroup “B”18–30 years
Section HeadDirector General of Foreign TradeGroup “B”18–30 years
Assistant / Assistant Section OfficerOther Ministries / Departments / OrganizationsGroup “B”18–30 years
Executive AssistantCBICGroup “B”18–30 years
Research AssistantNational Human Rights Commission (NHRC)Group “B”18–30 years
Divisional AccountantOffices under C&AGGroup “B”18–30 years
Sub InspectorNational Investigation Agency (NIA)Group “B”18–30 years
Sub-Inspector / Junior IntelligenceNarcotics Control Bureau (MHA)Group “B”18–30 years
Junior Statistical OfficerMinistry of Statistics & Programme ImplementationGroup “B”18–32 years
Statistical Investigator Grade-IIMinistry of Home AffairsGroup “B”18–30 years
Office SuperintendentCBDTGroup “B”18–30 years
AuditorOffices under C&AGGroup “C”18–27 years
AuditorOffices under CGDAGroup “C”18–27 years
AuditorOther Ministry / DepartmentsGroup “C”18–27 years
AccountantOffices under C&AGGroup “C”18–27 years
AccountantController General of AccountsGroup “C”18–27 years
Accountant / Junior AccountantOther Ministry / DepartmentsGroup “C”18–27 years
Postal Assistant / Sorting AssistantDepartment of Posts, Ministry of CommunicationsGroup “C”18–27 years
Senior Secretariat Assistant / Upper Division ClerksCentral Govt. Offices / Ministries other than CSCS cadresGroup “C”18–27 years
Senior Administrative AssistantMilitary Engineering Services, Ministry of DefenceGroup “C”18–27 years
Tax AssistantCBDTGroup “C”18–27 years
Tax AssistantCBICGroup “C”18–27 years
Sub-InspectorCentral Bureau of Narcotics, Ministry of FinanceGroup “C”18–27 years
📊 Application Fee
OBC
3 years
SC/ST
5 years
Category
Age Relaxation
Ex-Servicemen (OBC)
6 years
Ex-Servicemen (SC/ST)
8 years
Ex-Servicemen (General)
3 years
Physically Handicapped (OBC)
13 years
Physically Handicapped (SC/ST)
15 years
Physically Handicapped (General)
10 years
Defence Personnel Disabled in hostilities-OBC
8 years
Central Govt. Civilian Employees (OBC-Group B)
8 years
Central Govt. Civilian Employees (OBC-Group C)
Up to 43 years of age
Defence Personnel Disabled in hostilities-SC/ST
10 years
Central Govt. Civilian Employees (SC/ST-Group B)
10 years
Central Govt. Civilian Employees (St/SC-Group C)
Up to 45 years of age
Defence Personnel Disabled in hostilities-General
5 years
Central Govt. Civilian Employees (General Group C)
Up to 40 years of age
Central Govt. Civilian Employees (General-Group B)
5 years
Candidates domiciled in the State of Jammu & Kashmir (OBC)
8 years
Candidates domiciled in the State of Jammu & Kashmir (SC/ST)
10 years
Candidates domiciled in the State of Jammu & Kashmir (General/UR)
5 years
Widows/Divorced Women/Women Judicially separated and who are not remarried-Group C/OBC
Up to 38 years of age
Widows/Divorced Women/Women Judicially separated and who are not remarried-Group C/SC&ST
Up to 40 years of age
Widows/Divorced Women/Women Judicially separated and who are not remarried-Group C/General
Up to 35 years of age
📊 Exam Pattern & Marking Scheme
PostEducational Qualification
Junior Statistical Officer (JSO)Bachelor’s Degree in any subject from a recognized University or Institute with at least 60% marks in Mathematics at 12th standard level OR Bachelor’s Degree in any subject with Statistics as one of the subjects at degree level.
Statistical Investigator Grade-IIBachelor’s Degree in any subject with Statistics as one of the subjects from a recognized University or Institute. The candidate should have studied Statistics at the degree level in Part-I, Part-II, and Part-III or in all six semesters of a three-year degree course, not just a single paper.
Research Assistant in NHRCBachelor’s Degree from a recognized university/institute and at least one year of research experience in a recognized university or research institution.
All Other PostsBachelor’s Degree in any discipline from a recognized university.
📊 Exam Pattern & Marking Scheme
SubjectNumber of QuestionsMaximum MarksTime Allowed
General Intelligence and Reasoning25501 hour (with sectional timer of 15 minutes for each subject) (1 hour and 20 minutes (with sectional timer of 15+5=20 minutes for each subject) for the candidates eligible for scribe
General Awareness2550
Quantitative Aptitude2550
English Comprehension2550
📊 Exam Pattern & Marking Scheme
PaperSessionSections & SubjectsNo. of QuestionsMarksTime Allowed
Paper-ISession-ISection-I: A. Mathematical Abilities B. Reasoning & General Intelligence30 + 30 = 6060 × 3 = 1801 hour (with sectional timer of 30 minutes for each subject) 1 hours and 20 minutes (with sectional timer of 30+10=40 minutes for each subject) for the candidates eligible for scribe
Paper-ISession-ISection-II: A. English Language & Comprehension B. General Awareness45 + 25 = 7070 × 3 = 2101 hour (with sectional timer of 40 minutes for Subject A i.e. English Language & Comprehension and 20 minutes for Subject B i.e. General Awareness) 1 hours and 20 minutes(with sectional timer of 40+15=55 minutes for Subject A i.e. English Language & Comprehension and 20+5=25 minutes for Subject B i.e. General Awareness) for the candidates eligible for scribe
Paper-ISession-ISection-III: Computer Knowledge Test2020 × 3 = 6015 mins / 20 mins for scribes
Paper-ISession-IISection-IV: Data Entry Speed Test (One Data Entry Task)15 mins / 20 mins for scribes
Paper-IIStatistics100100 × 2 = 2002 hours / 2 hr 40 mins for scribes
📊 Post Name & Classification Details
General Intelligence and ReasoningGeneral Awareness/ GKQuantitative AptitudeEnglish Comprehension
Coding-DecodingCurrent AffairsAveragesSpellings
ClassificationStatic General Knowledge (Indian History, Culture etc.)SimplificationReading Comprehension
AnalogyScienceInterestFill in the Blanks
Word FormationSportsPercentageIdioms and Phrases
SeriesIndian GeographyMensurationCloze Test
MatrixBooks and AuthorsRatio and ProportionOne word Substitution
Important SchemesProblem on AgesSentence Correction
Non-VerbalCurrent CM & GovernorsDISynonyms & Antonyms
📊 Post Name & Classification Details
Pay Level & Salary RangeName of PostMinistry / Department / Office / Cadre
Pay Level-7 (₹ 44,900 to 1,42,400)Assistant Section OfficerCentral Secretariat Service
Pay Level-7 (₹ 44,900 to 1,42,400)Assistant Section OfficerIntelligence Bureau
Pay Level-7 (₹ 44,900 to 1,42,400)Assistant Section OfficerMinistry of Railways
Pay Level-7 (₹ 44,900 to 1,42,400)Assistant Section OfficerMinistry of External Affairs
Pay Level-7 (₹ 44,900 to 1,42,400)Assistant Section OfficerAFHQ
Pay Level-7 (₹ 44,900 to 1,42,400)Assistant Section OfficerMinistry of Electronics and Information Technology
Pay Level-7 (₹ 44,900 to 1,42,400)Assistant / Assistant Section OfficerOther Ministries / Departments / Organizations
Pay Level-7 (₹ 44,900 to 1,42,400)Inspector of Income TaxCBDT
Pay Level-7 (₹ 44,900 to 1,42,400)Inspector (Central Excise)CBIC
Pay Level-7 (₹ 44,900 to 1,42,400)Inspector (Preventive Officer)CBIC
Pay Level-7 (₹ 44,900 to 1,42,400)Inspector (Examiner)CBIC
Pay Level-7 (₹ 44,900 to 1,42,400)Assistant Enforcement OfficerDirectorate of Enforcement, Department of Revenue
Pay Level-7 (₹ 44,900 to 1,42,400)Sub InspectorCentral Bureau of Investigation
Pay Level-7 (₹ 44,900 to 1,42,400)Inspector PostsDepartment of Posts, Ministry of Communications
Pay Level-7 (₹ 44,900 to 1,42,400)InspectorCentral Bureau of Narcotics, Ministry of Finance
Pay Level-7 (₹ 44,900 to 1,42,400)Section HeadDirector General of Foreign Trade
Pay Level-6 (₹ 35,400 to 1,12,400)Assistant / Assistant Section OfficerOther Ministries / Departments / Organizations
Pay Level-6 (₹ 35,400 to 1,12,400)Executive AssistantCBIC
Pay Level-6 (₹ 35,400 to 1,12,400)Research AssistantNational Human Rights Commission (NHRC)
Pay Level-6 (₹ 35,400 to 1,12,400)Divisional AccountantOffices under C&AG
Pay Level-6 (₹ 35,400 to 1,12,400)Sub InspectorNational Investigation Agency (NIA)
Pay Level-6 (₹ 35,400 to 1,12,400)Sub-Inspector / Junior IntelligenceNarcotics Control Bureau (MHA)
Pay Level-6 (₹ 35,400 to 1,12,400)Junior Statistical OfficerMinistry of Statistics & Programme Implementation
Pay Level-6 (₹ 35,400 to 1,12,400)Statistical Investigator Grade-IIMinistry of Home Affairs
Pay Level-6 (₹ 35,400 to 1,12,400)Office SuperintendentCBDT
Pay Level-5 (₹ 29,200 to 92,300)AuditorOffices under C&AG
Pay Level-5 (₹ 29,200 to 92,300)AuditorOffices under CGDA
Pay Level-5 (₹ 29,200 to 92,300)AuditorOther Ministry / Departments
Pay Level-5 (₹ 29,200 to 92,300)AccountantOffices under C&AG
Pay Level-5 (₹ 29,200 to 92,300)AccountantController General of Accounts
Pay Level-5 (₹ 29,200 to 92,300)Accountant / Junior AccountantOther Ministry / Departments
Pay Level-4 (₹ 25,500 to 81,100)Postal Assistant / Sorting AssistantDepartment of Posts, Ministry of Communications
Pay Level-4 (₹ 25,500 to 81,100)Senior Secretariat Assistant / Upper Division ClerksCentral Govt. Offices / Ministries other than CSCS cadres
Pay Level-4 (₹ 25,500 to 81,100)Senior Administrative AssistantMilitary Engineering Services, Ministry of Defence
Pay Level-4 (₹ 25,500 to 81,100)Tax AssistantCBDT
Pay Level-4 (₹ 25,500 to 81,100)Tax AssistantCBIC
Pay Level-4 (₹ 25,500 to 81,100)Sub-InspectorCentral Bureau of Narcotics, Ministry of Finance
📊 Exam Centre
Examination CentresSSC Region & States Covered
Agra, Allahabad, Bareilly, Gorakhpur, Kanpur, Lucknow, Meerut, Varanasi, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, PatnaCentral Region (CR) / Uttar Pradesh & Bihar
Gangtok, Ranchi, Barasat, Berhampore (WB), Chinsurah, Jalpaiguri, Kolkata, Malda, Midnapore, Siliguri, Berhampore (Odisha), Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Keonjhargarh, Sambalpur, Port BlairEastern Region (ER) / West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Sikkim, Andaman & Nicobar
Bangalore, Dharwad, Gulbarga, Mangalore, Mysore, Kochi, Kozhikode, Thiruvananthapuram, ThrissurKarnataka Kerala Region (KKR) / Karnataka, Kerala & Lakshadweep
Bhopal, Chhindwara, Guna, Gwalior, Indore, Jabalpur, Khandwa, Ratlam, Satna, Sagar, Ambikapur, Bilaspur, Jagdalpur, Raipur, DurgMadhya Pradesh Sub-Region (MPR) / Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh
Almora, Dehradun, Haldwani, Srinagar (UK), Haridwar, Delhi, Ajmer, Alwar, Bharatpur, Bikaner, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Sriganganagar, UdaipurNorthern Region (NR) / Delhi, Rajasthan & Uttarakhand
Anantnag, Baramulla, Jammu, Leh, Rajouri, Srinagar (J&K), Kargil, Doda, Hamirpur, Shimla, Bathinda, Jalandhar, Patiala, Amritsar, ChandigarhNorth Western Sub-Region (NWR) / Punjab, Haryana, J&K, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh
Guntur, Kurnool, Rajahmundry, Tirupati, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchirapalli, Tirunelveli, Puducherry, Hyderabad, Nizamabad, WarangalSouthern Region (SR) / Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Puducherry
Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Rajkot, Surat, Bhavnagar, Kutch, Amravati, Aurangabad, Kolhapur, Mumbai, Nagpur, Nanded, Nashik, Pune, Thane, Bhandara, Chandrapur, Akola, Jalgaon, Ahmednagar, Alibaug, PanajiWestern Region (WR) / Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu
Itanagar, Dibrugarh, Guwahati, Jorhat, Silchar, Kohima, Shillong, Imphal, Churachandpur, Ukhrul, Agartala, AizawlNorth Eastern Region (NER) / Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura
📊 Exam Pattern & Marking Scheme
CategoryCut-off MarksCandidates Available
SC252.07111
ST241.03180
OBC271.012591
EWS265.07244
UR287.06384*
ESM223.01145
OH234.0504
HH172.0478
VH228.0328
Pwd-Other143.0308
Total39,273
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📅 10 Sept 2026
📌 Our Topics Covered
  • SSC CGL Eligibility Criteria & Age Limit 2026
  • SSC CGL Exam Pattern & Selection Process
  • SSC CGL Educational Qualification & Attempts
  • SSC CGL Salary Structure & Pay Scale
  • SSC CGL Syllabus & Preparation Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1.When was the SSC CGL Notification 2026 released?
The SSC CGL Notification 2026 was released on 21st May 2026 on the official SSC website.
Q2.How many SSC CGL Vacancy 2026 posts have been announced?
Around 12,256 tentative vacancies have been announced under SSC CGL Vacancy 2026 for various Group B and Group C posts.
Q3.What is the level 7 salary in SSC?
The Gazetted/Non-Gazetted Group 'B' posts like ASO and Inspectors receive a level 7 salary in SSC CGL, with a basic pay of ₹44,900 per month.
Q4.Can I crack SSCCGL 2026 in 30 days?
To clear the SSC CGL exam in 30 days, a candidate must have a well-managed and organised study plan, dedicating at least 16 hours a day to preparation. The time must be divided equally among all the subjects and topics.
Q5.What is the last date to apply for SSC CGL Recruitment 2026?
The Commission has reopened the SSC CGL Application window. Candidates can apply from 23rd June 2026 to 25th June 2026.
Q6.What are SSC CGL jobs?
The SSC CGL examination is conducted by the Staff Selection Commission to recruit eligible candidates for various posts across the departments of the Central Government. Some of the SSC CGL jobs include - Assistant Audit Officer, Assistant Accounts Officer, Inspector (Central Excise), Inspector (Examiner), etc.
Q7.What is the SSC CGL qualification?
The basic SSC CGL qualification is that the aspirant needs to possess a bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognized university. For some posts like Statistical Investigator Grade-II, you need a degree with Statistics as one of the subjects. For Assistant Audit Officer/Assistant Accounts Officer, a degree plus additional qualifications like CA/CS/MBA (Finance) or M.Com is preferred but not mandatory.
Q8.What is the SSC CGL salary?
There are several posts for which the candidates are recruited through the SSC CGL examination. The recruited candidates are paid as per Level 8, level 7, level 6, level 5, and level 4 of the CPC. To know the details of the salary specific to a given post, you can give the above article a read.
Q9.Is SSC CGL easy to pass on the first attempt?
Yes. However, to pass the SSC CGL exam in the first attempt requires a good preparation strategy coupled with a study schedule, consistent efforts, and dedication from the aspirant.
Q10.What is the highest post in SSC?
The highest post in the SSC is of the Assistant Audit Officer or Assistant Accounts Officer which falls under Group B of the Gazetted post.
Q11.Which SSC post has the highest salary?
The post that has the highest-paid salary is of the Assistant Audit Officer (AAO).
Q12.Is SSC CGL tough?
SSC CGL Exam is a competitive examination and can be a tough nut to crack, given the tough competition it has due to the limited vacancies available. However, it is not difficult to crack if you have a good preparation strategy.
Q13.When will the SSC CGL Tier 1 Exam 2026 be conducted?
The SSC CGL Tier 1 Exam 2026 is tentatively scheduled to be held in August and September 2026.
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