Exam Details
SSC CGL 2026: Exam Pattern, Syllabus, Eligibility & Selection Process
SSC CGL 2026 Exam Overview
| Exam Conducting Authority | Staff Selection Commission (SSC) |
Posts Offered | Group B & Group C (ASO, Inspector, Auditor, Accountant, etc.) |
| Application Mode | Online |
| Exam Mode | Computer-Based Test CBT |
| Selection Process | Tier-I → Tier-II |
| Educational Qualification | Graduation in any discipline |
| Age Limit | 18 to 32 years (post-wise variation) |
| Salary Range | ₹25,500 – ₹1,51,100 (Pay Level 4 to Level 8) |
| Official Website | ssc.gov.in |
Eligibility
SSC CGL 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Age Limit, Qualification & Nationality
- An Indian citizen, or
- A subject of Nepal or Bhutan, or
- A Person of Indian Origin (PIO) with eligibility certificate issued by the Government of India.
SSC CGL 2026 Age Limit (Post-wise)
| Age Limit (Years) | Posts |
| 18–27 | ASO (CSS/IB/Railways/MEA/AFHQ), AEO, Inspector (IT/CBIC), Assistant, AAO |
| 18–30 | SI (CBI, NIA), Inspector (CBN) |
| 18–30 | Assistant Audit Officer, Assistant Accounts Officer |
| 18–25 | Auditor, Accountant, Jr. Accountant, UDC, Tax Assistant |
| 18–20 | LDC / JSA |
SSC CGL 2026 Age Relaxation (Category-wise):
In addition to the prescribed age limit, category - wise age relaxation is applicable as per Government of India Rules
| Category | Age Relaxation |
| SC / ST | 5 Years |
| OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) | 3 Years |
| Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) | 10 Years |
| Ex-Servicemen | 3 Years |
| Candidates affected by 1984 riots | 5 Years |
SSC CGL 2026 Educational Qualification:
Junior Statistical Officer (JSO):
Statistical Investigator Grade-II:
Exam Pattern
SSC CGL 2026 Exam Pattern
The SSC CGL exam is conducted in two stages, namely Tier I and Tier II (as applicable). You must qualify each stage to be considered for the final merit list of SSC CGL 2026.
SSC CGL 2026 Tier I Exam Pattern
| Section | No. of Questions | Marks |
| General Intelligence & Reasoning | 25 | 50 |
| General Awareness | 25 | 50 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | 50 |
| English Comprehension | 25 | 50 |
| Total | 100 | 200 |
SSC CGL Tier I Marking Scheme
For every correct answer, you get 2 marks, for each wrong answer, 0.50 marks are deducted as negative marking, and no marks are deducted for unattempted questions.
SSC CGL 2026 Tier II (Mains) Exam Pattern
SSC CGL Tier II (Mains) is conducted in computer based/online mode. It consists of three papers:
- Paper I (mandatory for all candidates)
- Paper II Statistics Paper only for the candidates who applied for the position of Junior Statistical Officer and Statistical Investigator Grade.
- Paper III of Finance & Economics only for the candidates who applied for the position of Assistant Audit Officer (AAO).
SSC CGL Tier II Sectional Time Limit for Paper I
The SSC CGL Tier II (Mains) exam is a Computer-Based Test (CBT) and plays a decisive role in the final merit list. All questions in SSC CGL Tier II are objective type (MCQs), with four options for each question, except the Data Entry Speed Test (DEST), which is qualifying in nature. The details of the is given below:
| Session | Sections | Subjects Covered | Time Limit |
| Session I | Section I | Mathematical Abilities + Reasoning & General Intelligence | 60 Minutes |
| Section II | English Language & Comprehension + General Awareness | 60 Minutes | |
| Section III | Computer Knowledge Test | 15 Minutes | |
| Session II | Section IV | Data Entry Speed Test | 15 Minutes |
SSC CGL Tier II Paper I - Marking Scheme
For every correct answer, you get 3 marks, for every wrong answer, 1 mark is deducted, no marks are deducted for unattempted questions, and the Data Entry Speed Test (DEST) is only qualifying and does not add to your final score.
Minimum Qualifying Marks for Tier-I & Tier-II
These percentages represent the minimum score required in Tier-I, as well as Section-I, II, and III of Tier-II (Paper-I and Paper-II). Candidates falling below these benchmarks will be disqualified.
| Category | Minimum Percentage |
| UR | 30% |
OBC/ EWS | 25% |
All other categories | 20% |
SSC CGL Tier II DEST: Minimum Qualifying Standards
DEST is a qualifying assessment in which one has to maintain minimum standards, and SSC has set a limit on maximum errors allowed, which is as follows:
| Category | Maximum Error Allowed |
| UR | 20% |
OBC/ EWS | 25% |
All other categories | 30% |
Selection Process
SSC CGL 2026 Selection Process – Explained by Aptitude360
Let Aptitude360 help you understand the entire SSC CGL selection process through the table below
| Stage | Exam Name | Nature of Exam | Maximum Marks | Counted in Final Merit List |
| Tier I | Preliminary Exam | Qualifying (CBT) | 200 marks | No |
| Tier II | Section I and II | Merit-based (CBT) | 390 marks | Yes |
| Tier II | Section III | Qualifying (CBT) | 60 marks | No |
| Tier II | Data Entry Speed Test | Qualifying (CBT) | 100 marks | No |
Total Marks Considered for Final Merit - 390 marks
However, in cases where the candidate has appeared for Paper-II or Paper-III, the score of that subject will also be considered while creating the merit list.
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