SSC CGL 2026 Notification Latest Update: Release Date, Eligibility & Exam Schedule

SSC CGL 2026 notification released on 31 March. Check eligibility, exam dates, selection process, syllabus, and latest updates for SSC CGL exam here.

SSC CGL 2026 Notification Latest Update: Release Date, Eligibility & Exam Schedule

SSC CGL Recruitment 2026

SSC CGL 2026 exam-related information for the Group B and Group C posts has been provided in the table. It is expected that the official notification expected in April 2026 (Delayed from 31 March)

SSC CGL 2026 Exam Overview
Details Information
Exam Name SSC CGL 2026
Conducting Body SSC (Staff Selection Commission)
Post Name Group 'B' (Gazetted & Non-Gazetted) and Group 'C' Posts
Vacancies 12256
Application Mode Online
Educational Qualification Bachelor's Degree (Graduation) in any discipline
Age Limit 18 – 32 years (varies by post)
Official Notification Click Here
Official Websites ssc.gov.in

SSC CGL Exam 2026 Important Dates

The SSC CGL 2026 official notification outlines key timelines for the recruitment process. Candidates should mark these dates to ensure timely submission and preparation.​​

Important Dates
Event Date
Notification Date 21 May 2026
Application Start Date 21 May 2026
Application End Date 22 June 2026
Last Date for Fee Payment 23 June 2026
Modification Window 29 June to 1 July 2026
Exam Date (Tier I) August - September 2026
Exam Date (Tier II) December 2026

SSC CGL 2026 Qualification

Candidates applying for the SSC CGL Examination must meet the prescribed educational qualifications specified in the official notification. The required qualification varies depending on the post, with certain positions requiring subject-specific degrees, specialized knowledge, or relevant work experience. The detailed post-wise educational eligibility criteria for SSC CGL are provided in the table below.

Post Educational Qualification
Junior Statistical Officer (JSO) Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline from a recognized university or institute with at least 60% marks in Mathematics at Class 12 level, OR a Bachelor’s Degree with Statistics as one of the subjects at the degree level.
Statistical Investigator Grade-II Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline with Statistics as one of the subjects from a recognized university or institute. Candidates must have studied Statistics in all parts/semesters of the degree course, not as a single paper only.
Research Assistant in NHRC Bachelor’s Degree from a recognized university/institute along with a minimum of one year of research experience in a recognized university or research institution.
All Other Posts Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline from a recognized university.

SSC CGL Post Name, Department, and Classification

SSC CGL posts are broadly classified into Group B and Group C categories based on their pay level, responsibilities, and nature of work. Group B posts generally hold higher administrative and supervisory responsibilities, while Group C posts mainly include clerical, assistant, and technical roles. These positions are offered across various ministries, departments, and government organizations under the Government of India. The list of SSC CGL posts is provided below.

S. No. Post Name Ministry / Department / Office Classification
1 Assistant Section Officer Central Secretariat Service Group B
2 Assistant Section Officer Intelligence Bureau Group B
3 Assistant Section Officer Ministry of Railways Group B
4 Assistant Section Officer Ministry of External Affairs Group B
5 Assistant Section Officer AFHQ Group B
6 Assistant Section Officer Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology Group B
7 Assistant / Assistant Section Officer Other Ministries / Departments / Organizations Group B
8 Inspector of Income Tax CBDT Group C
9 Inspector (Central Excise) CBIC Group B
10 Inspector (Preventive Officer) CBIC Group B
11 Inspector (Examiner) CBIC Group B
12 Assistant Enforcement Officer Directorate of Enforcement, Department of Revenue Group B
13 Sub Inspector Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Group B
14 Inspector Posts Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications Group B
15 Inspector Central Bureau of Narcotics, Ministry of Finance Group B
16 Section Head Director General of Foreign Trade Group B
17 Assistant / Assistant Section Officer Other Ministries / Departments / Organizations Group B
18 Executive Assistant CBIC Group B
19 Research Assistant National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Group B
20 Divisional Accountant Offices under C&AG Group B
21 Sub Inspector National Investigation Agency (NIA) Group B
22 Sub-Inspector / Junior Intelligence Officer Narcotics Control Bureau (MHA) Group B
23 Junior Statistical Officer Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation Group B
24 Statistical Investigator Grade-II Ministry of Home Affairs Group B
25 Office Superintendent CBDT Group B
26 Auditor Offices under C&AG Group C
27 Auditor Offices under CGDA Group C
28 Auditor Other Ministries / Departments Group C
29 Accountant Offices under C&AG Group C
30 Accountant Controller General of Accounts Group C
31 Accountant / Junior Accountant Other Ministries / Departments Group C
32 Postal Assistant / Sorting Assistant Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications Group C
33 Senior Secretariat Assistant / Upper Division Clerk Central Government Offices / Ministries Group C
34 Senior Administrative Assistant Military Engineering Services, Ministry of Defence Group C
35 Tax Assistant CBDT Group C
36 Tax Assistant CBIC Group C
37 Sub-Inspector Central Bureau of Narcotics, Ministry of Finance Group C

SSC CGL Application Fee 2026

Candidates applying for the SSC CGL examination are required to pay the prescribed application fee through online payment modes. The fee can be paid using BHIM UPI, Net Banking, or Debit Cards such as Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, and RuPay. However, candidates belonging to reserved categories and women applicants are exempted from paying the application fee.

Category Application Fee Payment Mode
General / OBC ₹100/- BHIM UPI, Net Banking, Visa / Mastercard / Maestro / RuPay Debit Cards
Women Candidates Exempted Not Applicable
SC / ST / PwBD / ESM Exempted Not Applicable

Post-Wise Age Limit (As on 1/8/2026)

The age limit is different for different posts, and relaxations are provided to reserved category candidates.

Age Limit Posts Covered
18 – 27 Years Auditor, Accountant, Junior Accountant, Postal Assistant, Sorting Assistant, Senior Secretariat Assistant, Upper Division Clerk (UDC), Senior Administrative Assistant, Tax Assistant, Sub-Inspector (CBN)
18 – 30 Years Assistant Audit Officer (AAO), Assistant Accounts Officer (AAO), Assistant Section Officer (ASO), Inspector of Income Tax, Inspector (Central Excise), Inspector (Preventive Officer), Inspector (Examiner), Assistant Enforcement Officer (AEO), Inspector Posts, Executive Assistant, Research Assistant, Divisional Accountant, Sub Inspector (NIA), Junior Intelligence Officer, Statistical Investigator Grade-II, Office Superintendent, Section Head
20 – 30 Years Assistant Section Officer (CSS, Railways, MEA, AFHQ), Sub Inspector (CBI)
18 – 32 Years Junior Statistical Officer (JSO)

Age Relaxation

Given below in the table are the upper-age relaxations provided to different categories in the SSC CGL 2026 Exam.

Category Age Relaxation
SC / ST 5 Years
OBC 3 Years
PwBD 10 Years
PwBD (OBC) 13 Years
PwBD (SC / ST) 15 Years
Ex-Servicemen (ESM) 3 Years after deduction of military service
Defence Personnel disabled in operation 3 Years
Defence Personnel disabled in operation (SC / ST) 8 Years
Central Government Civilian Employees Up to 40 Years
Central Government Civilian Employees (SC / ST) Up to 45 Years
Widows / Divorced Women / Women judicially separated Up to 35 Years
Widows / Divorced Women / Women judicially separated (SC / ST) Up to 40 Years

SSC CGL 2026 Selection Process

SSC CGL Selection Process comprises of the two stages of the exam, followed by the skill test, depending on the posts available in the recruitment.

  • Tier I – Preliminary Examination
  • Tier II – Main Examination
  • Document Verification (DV)
  • Final Selection

SSC CGL 2026 Exam Pattern

Understanding the SSC CGL exam pattern is essential for candidates to prepare effectively for the examination. The SSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) Examination is conducted in multiple tiers, including Tier-I and Tier-II. Each tier consists of different sections designed to evaluate candidates on reasoning, quantitative aptitude, English language skills, general awareness, computer knowledge, and subject-specific expertise.

Candidates should carefully review the detailed exam pattern, marking scheme, and time duration for each section before starting their preparation. The complete SSC CGL 2026 Tier-I and Tier-II exam pattern is provided below.

SSC CGL Tier-I Exam Pattern

The SSC CGL Tier-I Examination consists of four sections with 25 questions in each section. Each question carries 2 marks. The total duration of the examination is 1 hour with a sectional timer for each subject.

Subject Number of Questions Maximum Marks Time Allowed
General Intelligence and Reasoning 25 50 1 Hour
(15 minutes sectional timer for each subject)
1 Hour 20 Minutes for candidates eligible for scribe
(20 minutes sectional timer for each subject)
General Awareness 25 50
Quantitative Aptitude 25 50
English Comprehension 25 50
SSC CGL Tier-II Exam Pattern

The SSC CGL Tier-II Examination consists of multiple papers, sessions, and sections. Candidates can check the detailed section-wise exam pattern, marks distribution, and duration in the table below.

Paper Session Sections & Subjects No. of Questions Marks Time Allowed
Paper-I Session-I Section-I
A. Mathematical Abilities
B. Reasoning & General Intelligence
30 + 30 = 60 180 1 Hour
(30 minutes sectional timer for each subject)
1 Hour 20 Minutes for candidates eligible for scribe
(40 minutes sectional timer for each subject)
Paper-I Session-I Section-II
A. English Language & Comprehension
B. General Awareness
45 + 25 = 70 210 1 Hour
(40 minutes for English and 20 minutes for General Awareness)
1 Hour 20 Minutes for candidates eligible for scribe
(55 minutes for English and 25 minutes for General Awareness)
Paper-I Session-I Section-III
Computer Knowledge Test
20 60 15 Minutes / 20 Minutes for scribes
Paper-I Session-II Section-IV
Data Entry Speed Test (DEST)
15 Minutes / 20 Minutes for scribes
Paper-II Statistics 100 200 2 Hours / 2 Hours 40 Minutes for scribes

SSC CGL 2026 Salary

The SSC CGL salary structure varies depending on the post, pay level, and department to which a candidate is appointed. Selected candidates receive attractive salaries along with various allowances and government benefits as per the 7th Pay Commission.

The table below provides detailed information about the SSC CGL post-wise salary structure, including the post name, ministry/department, pay level, and salary range offered under SSC CGL Recruitment 2026.

Name of Post Ministry / Department / Office / Cadre Pay Level Salary Range
Assistant Section Officer Central Secretariat Service Pay Level-7 ₹44,900 – ₹1,42,400
Assistant Section Officer Intelligence Bureau Pay Level-7 ₹44,900 – ₹1,42,400
Assistant Section Officer Ministry of Railways Pay Level-7 ₹44,900 – ₹1,42,400
Assistant Section Officer Ministry of External Affairs Pay Level-7 ₹44,900 – ₹1,42,400
Assistant Section Officer AFHQ Pay Level-7 ₹44,900 – ₹1,42,400
Assistant Section Officer Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology Pay Level-7 ₹44,900 – ₹1,42,400
Assistant / Assistant Section Officer Other Ministries / Departments / Organizations Pay Level-7 ₹44,900 – ₹1,42,400
Inspector of Income Tax CBDT Pay Level-7 ₹44,900 – ₹1,42,400
Inspector (Central Excise) CBIC Pay Level-7 ₹44,900 – ₹1,42,400
Inspector (Preventive Officer) CBIC Pay Level-7 ₹44,900 – ₹1,42,400
Inspector (Examiner) CBIC Pay Level-7 ₹44,900 – ₹1,42,400
Assistant Enforcement Officer Directorate of Enforcement, Department of Revenue Pay Level-7 ₹44,900 – ₹1,42,400
Sub Inspector Central Bureau of Investigation Pay Level-7 ₹44,900 – ₹1,42,400
Inspector Posts Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications Pay Level-7 ₹44,900 – ₹1,42,400
Inspector Central Bureau of Narcotics, Ministry of Finance Pay Level-7 ₹44,900 – ₹1,42,400
Section Head Director General of Foreign Trade Pay Level-7 ₹44,900 – ₹1,42,400
Assistant / Assistant Section Officer Other Ministries / Departments / Organizations Pay Level-6 ₹35,400 – ₹1,12,400
Executive Assistant CBIC Pay Level-6 ₹35,400 – ₹1,12,400
Research Assistant National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Pay Level-6 ₹35,400 – ₹1,12,400
Divisional Accountant Offices under C&AG Pay Level-6 ₹35,400 – ₹1,12,400
Sub Inspector National Investigation Agency (NIA) Pay Level-6 ₹35,400 – ₹1,12,400
Sub-Inspector / Junior Intelligence Narcotics Control Bureau (MHA) Pay Level-6 ₹35,400 – ₹1,12,400
Junior Statistical Officer Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation Pay Level-6 ₹35,400 – ₹1,12,400
Statistical Investigator Grade-II Ministry of Home Affairs Pay Level-6 ₹35,400 – ₹1,12,400
Office Superintendent CBDT Pay Level-6 ₹35,400 – ₹1,12,400
Auditor Offices under C&AG Pay Level-5 ₹29,200 – ₹92,300
Auditor Offices under CGDA Pay Level-5 ₹29,200 – ₹92,300
Auditor Other Ministry / Departments Pay Level-5 ₹29,200 – ₹92,300
Accountant Offices under C&AG Pay Level-5 ₹29,200 – ₹92,300
Accountant Controller General of Accounts Pay Level-5 ₹29,200 – ₹92,300
Accountant / Junior Accountant Other Ministry / Departments Pay Level-5 ₹29,200 – ₹92,300
Postal Assistant / Sorting Assistant Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications Pay Level-4 ₹25,500 – ₹81,100
Senior Secretariat Assistant / Upper Division Clerks Central Govt. Offices / Ministries other than CSCS cadres Pay Level-4 ₹25,500 – ₹81,100
Senior Administrative Assistant Military Engineering Services, Ministry of Defence Pay Level-4 ₹25,500 – ₹81,100
Tax Assistant CBDT Pay Level-4 ₹25,500 – ₹81,100
Tax Assistant CBIC Pay Level-4 ₹25,500 – ₹81,100
Sub-Inspector Central Bureau of Narcotics, Ministry of Finance Pay Level-4 ₹25,500 – ₹81,100