SSC CGL 2026: Syllabus, Exam Pattern, Eligibility & Salary
The SSC Combined Graduate Level Examination (SSC CGLE) is conducted by the Staff Selection Commission to recruit candidates for various Group 'B' and Group 'C' posts across Central Government ministries, departments, and offices. The selection procedure consists of a two-tier Computer-Based Examination followed by document verification conducted directly by user departments.
Overview
| Conducting Body | Staff Selection Commission (SSC) |
|---|---|
| Official Portal | https://ssc.gov.in |
| General Educational Qualification | Bachelor's Degree in any discipline from a recognized university |
| Number of Attempts | No restriction or ceiling (subject to meeting age and eligibility limits) |
| Selection Stages | Tier-I (qualifying CBE), Tier-II (scoring CBE with DEST), and Departmental Document Verification |
| Application Fee | ₹100 for General and OBC male candidates (Exempted for Women, SC, ST, PwBD, ESM) |
| Probation Period | Normally 2 years under Central Civil Services rules |
| Negative Marking | 0.50 marks in Tier-I; 1 mark in Tier-II Paper-I; 0.50 marks in Tier-II Paper-II |
Eligibility
- A candidate must be a citizen of India, a subject of Nepal, a subject of Bhutan, or a person of Indian origin migrated from specified countries (Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries, Vietnam) intending to permanently settle in India (eligibility certificate required for non-citizens).
- Bachelor's Degree in any discipline from a recognized university or equivalent institution.
- Candidates appearing in their final year of graduation are eligible to apply, provided they acquire the minimum educational qualification on or before the prescribed cut-off date specified in the notification.
- 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 with Statistics as one of the subjects at degree level.
- Statistical Investigator Grade-II: Bachelor's Degree in any subject with Statistics as one of the subjects for all three years or all six semesters of the degree course.
Age limit
- Post-wise age brackets range between 18–27 years, 20–30 years, 18–30 years, or 18–32 years as of the cut-off date specified in the notice (as per CGLE 2024 / 2026 Notifications).
- SC / ST candidates: Upper age relaxation up to 5 years.
- OBC candidates: Upper age relaxation up to 3 years.
- PwBD candidates: Upper age relaxation of 10 years (UR/EWS), 13 years (OBC), and 15 years (SC/ST).
- Ex-Servicemen (ESM): Upper age relaxation of 3 years after deduction of military service rendered from actual age.
Selection process
- Tier-I: Computer-Based Examination comprising 100 objective questions (qualifying in nature).
- Tier-II Paper-I: Compulsory scoring Computer-Based Examination for all posts, covering Mathematical Abilities, Reasoning, English, General Awareness, a Computer Knowledge Test, and a Data Entry Speed Test (DEST).
- Tier-II Paper-II: Subject paper in Statistics for candidates applying for Junior Statistical Officer (JSO) and Statistical Investigator Grade-II.
- Document Verification: Carried out directly by the respective User Departments/Ministries after final results.
SSC CGL exam pattern
Tier-I Computer-Based Examination
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Intelligence & Reasoning | 25 | 50 | Combined 60 minutes (80 minutes for scri |
| General Awareness | 25 | 50 | Combined 60 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | 50 | Combined 60 minutes |
| English Comprehension | 25 | 50 | Combined 60 minutes |
Total 100 questions, 200 marks. The paper is qualifying in nature. There is a negative marking of 0.50 marks for each incorrect response.
Tier-II Paper-I (Compulsory for all posts)
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section-I (Module-I: Mathematical Abilities & Module-II: Reasoning & General Intelligence) | 60 (30 + 30) | 180 (3 marks per question) | 1 hour |
| Section-II (Module-I: English Language & Comprehension & Module-II: General Awareness) | 70 (45 + 25) | 210 (3 marks per question) | 1 hour |
| Section-III Module-I: Computer Knowledge Test | 20 | 60 (3 marks per question) | 15 minutes (Qualifying in nature) |
| Section-III Module-II: Data Entry Speed Test (DEST) | 1 typing passage (~2,000 key depressions | Qualifying | 15 minutes |
Session-I runs for 2 hours 15 minutes and Session-II for 15 minutes on the same day. Negative marking of 1 mark applies for each wrong answer in Section-I, Section-II, and Section-III Module-I.
Tier-II Paper-II (Only for JSO and Statistical Investigator Grade-II)
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statistics | 100 | 200 (2 marks per question) | 2 hours |
Negative marking of 0.50 marks applies for each wrong answer.
SSC CGL syllabus
General Intelligence & Reasoning
Verbal and non-verbal reasoning · Analogies, similarities, and differences · Space visualization and spatial orientation · Venn diagrams · Problem-solving and analysis · Decision-making and visual memory · Blood relations · Arithmetic number series · Coding-decoding · Statement-conclusion, syllogisms, and critical thinking
Quantitative Aptitude / Mathematical Abilities
Number systems and computation of whole numbers · Decimals and fractions · Percentages, ratio and proportion · Square roots and averages · Simple and compound interest · Profit and loss, discount, and partnership · Mixture and alligation · Time and distance, time and work · Algebra, geometry, and mensuration · Trigonometry · Basic statistics and probability
English Language & Comprehension
Vocabulary and grammar · Sentence structure, synonyms, and antonyms · Spot the error and fill in the blanks · Idioms and phrases · One-word substitution · Sentence improvement · Active/passive voice · Direct/indirect narration · Shuffling of sentence parts · Cloze test and reading comprehension passages
General Awareness
Everyday observations and scientific aspects · Current affairs · History and Indian culture · Geography · Economic scene · General polity · Scientific research · India and neighboring countries
Computer Knowledge Test
Computer basics (CPU, memory, input/output devices, Windows OS) · Software (MS Office, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint) · Working with Internet and emails · Basics of networking and cyber security
Statistics (Tier-II Paper-II)
Collection, classification, and presentation of statistical data · Measures of central tendency · Measures of dispersion · Moments, skewness, and kurtosis · Correlation and regression · Probability theory · Random variables and probability distributions · Sampling theory and statistical inference · Analysis of variance · Time series and index numbers
Salary
- Pay Level 8: ₹47,600 to ₹1,51,100 (Starting Basic Pay: ₹47,600; e.g., Assistant Audit Officer, Assistant Accounts Officer) [CGLE 2024 / 2026 Notifications].
- Pay Level 7: ₹44,900 to ₹1,42,400 (Starting Basic Pay: ₹44,900; e.g., ASO in CSS/MEA/Railways/IB, Inspector of Income Tax, Inspector Central Excise/Preventive Officer/Examiner, Assistant Enforcement Officer, Sub-Inspector in CBI) [CGLE 2024 / 2026 Notifications].
- Pay Level 6: ₹35,400 to ₹1,12,400 (Starting Basic Pay: ₹35,400; e.g., Executive Assistant in CBIC, Assistant/ASO in other ministries, Sub-Inspector in NIA, Junior Statistical Officer) [CGLE 2024 / 2026 Notifications].
- Pay Level 5: ₹29,200 to ₹92,300 (Starting Basic Pay: ₹29,200; e.g., Auditor, Accountant/Junior Accountant under C&AG, CGDA) [CGLE 2024 / 2026 Notifications].
- Pay Level 4: ₹25,500 to ₹81,100 (Starting Basic Pay: ₹25,500; e.g., Postal Assistant/Sorting Assistant, Senior Secretariat Assistant/UDC, Tax Assistant in CBDT/CBIC) [CGLE 2024 / 2026 Notifications].
- Total gross starting salary consists of the entry basic pay plus Dearness Allowance (DA), House Rent Allowance (HRA), and Transport Allowance (TA) calculated according to the posting city classification [CGLE 2024 / 2026 Notifications].
Application fee
- General and OBC male candidates: ₹100 [CGLE 2024 / 2026 Notifications].
- Women candidates: Exempted (₹0) [CGLE 2024 / 2026 Notifications].
- SC, ST, PwBD, and eligible Ex-Servicemen (ESM): Exempted (₹0) [CGLE 2024 / 2026 Notifications].
Exam calendar
- Notification Release: Typically published around May–June [CGLE 2024 / 2026 Notifications].
- Tier-I Examination: Typically conducted around September–October [CGLE 2024 / 2026 Notifications].
- Tier-II Examination: Typically conducted around December–January [CGLE 2024 / 2026 Notifications].
Preparation tips
- Manage Tier-II sectional time strictly: Section-I (Math and Reasoning) and Section-II (English and GA) are each constrained to exactly 1 hour for their respective combined modules.
- Target precision to counter the steep negative marking: Tier-II Paper-I deducts 1 full mark per incorrect answer, whereas Tier-I penalizes 0.50 marks per wrong answer.
- Do not ignore the Computer Knowledge module: Although qualifying, failing to clear the 20-question (60-mark) Computer Knowledge Test in Tier-II will disqualify your candidature.
- Practice typing speeds early for DEST: Tier-II Session-II requires completing a typing passage of approximately 2,000 key depressions within 15 minutes, which is mandatory and qualifying for all posts.
- Include advanced math topics in quantitative practice: The syllabus covers standard arithmetic along with algebra, geometry, mensuration, trigonometry, and basic statistics/probability.
- Prepare Statistics specifically if applying for JSO or Statistical Investigator Grade-II: This dedicated paper in Tier-II carries 100 questions for 200 marks with a negative marking of 0.50 marks.
FAQs
How many attempts are allowed for the SSC CGL examination?
There is no limit or ceiling on the number of attempts for SSC CGL, as long as the candidate satisfies the prescribed age and educational eligibility requirements.
Can students in their final year of graduation apply for SSC CGL?
Yes, final-year candidates can apply provided they acquire the minimum required educational qualification on or before the cut-off date specified in the official exam notice.
Is the Data Entry Speed Test (DEST) mandatory for every candidate?
Yes, under the CGLE 2024 / 2026 notifications, Section-III Module-II (DEST) is mandatory for all posts and is qualifying in nature.
What is the penalty for incorrect answers across different stages?
Tier-I imposes a negative marking penalty of 0.50 marks per wrong answer. In Tier-II Paper-I (Section-I, Section-II, and Module-I of Section-III), 1 mark is deducted per wrong answer. Tier-II Paper-II penalizes 0.50 marks per wrong answer.
Who conducts the Document Verification stage for selected candidates?
Document Verification is conducted directly by the respective User Departments or Ministries after the declaration of the final exam results.
What is the official website for SSC CGL registrations and updates?
The official portal for One-Time Registration (OTR), application submission, notices, and results is https://ssc.gov.in.
Sources
- ssc.gov.in (ssc.gov.in) Official
- ssc.gov.in (ssc.gov.in) Official
- ssc.gov.in (ssc.gov.in) Official
- ssc.gov.in (ssc.gov.in) Official
- mahendras.org (www.mahendras.org)
Always confirm details in the latest official notification before applying. Spotted an error? Write to prepzen.app@gmail.com.
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