SSC CGL 2026: Exam Date, Pattern, Eligibility & Fee

The Staff Selection Commission has released the Combined Graduate Level Examination, 2026 notice, dated 21-05-2026, with approx. 12,256 tentative vacancies. Online applications run from 21.05.2026 to 22.06.2026 (23:00 hours). Tier-I is tentatively scheduled for August-September 2026 and Tier-II for December 2026. Always confirm every detail on the official website, https://ssc.gov.in.

What are the important dates for SSC CGL 2026?

The SSC CGL 2026 notice was dated 21-05-2026. Online applications are open from 21.05.2026 to 22.06.2026, and the last time to submit the form is 23:00 hours on 22.06.2026. Online fee payment is allowed until 23.06.2026 (23:00 hours).

If you make a mistake in your form, the Commission provides a 'Window for Application Form Correction' from 29.06.2026 to 01.07.2026 (23:00 hours), including online payment. Use this window carefully, but try to fill the form correctly the first time.

Both exam schedules are tentative. Tier-I is expected in August-September 2026 and Tier-II in December 2026. Exact exam dates will be announced on https://ssc.gov.in.

How many vacancies are there in SSC CGL 2026?

The notice lists approx. 12,256 tentative vacancies. The Commission is still collecting vacancies. Updated figures, along with post-wise and category-wise vacancies, will be published on https://ssc.gov.in under For Candidates > Tentative Vacancy.

The Commission does not collect state-wise or zone-wise vacancies. For those, candidates may approach the concerned User Departments. The notice also says that only male candidates are eligible for vacancies in the Border Roads Organization (BRO), if any are reported.

What is the SSC CGL 2026 age limit and qualification?

Age is counted as on 01-08-2026. Each post falls into one of four age brackets, and the notice prints the allowed birth-date range for each one, as shown below. Relaxation in the upper age limit is available for eligible categories. See the official notice for the category codes and the relaxation allowed.

Among the posts the notice lists, Office Superintendent (CBDT) and Section Head (Directorate General of Foreign Trade) are Group 'B' posts with an age limit of 18-30 years. Auditor posts in offices under C&AG and CGDA are Group 'C' posts with an age limit of 18-27 years. Check the age bracket for your chosen post in the full notice.

Educational qualifications are counted as on 01.08.2026, so you must hold the required qualification by that date. For Assistant Audit Officer (Central Cadre), the essential qualification is a Bachelor's Degree from a recognised University or Institute. Desirable qualifications include CA, CMA, CS, or a Master's in Commerce, Business Studies, Business Administration (Finance) or Business Economics. Direct recruits must also pass the 'Subordinate Audit/ Accounts Service Examination' during probation. For other posts, see the official notice.

What is the SSC CGL 2026 exam pattern?

The Computer Based Examination is held in two tiers. Tier-I has objective, multiple-choice questions set in both English and Hindi, except English Comprehension. There is negative marking of 0.50 marks for each wrong answer. Tier-I lasts 1 hour, with a sectional timer of 15 minutes for each subject. Candidates eligible for a scribe get 1 hour and 20 minutes, with a sectional timer of 20 minutes for each subject.

In Tier-II, one session has Mathematical Abilities and Reasoning and General Intelligence, with 30 questions each. It lasts 1 hour, with a 30-minute sectional timer for each subject, or 40 minutes per subject for scribe-eligible candidates. Another 1-hour session has a 40-minute timer for English Language & Comprehension and a 20-minute timer for General Awareness. See the official notice for the full Tier-II scheme.

How does the SSC CGL 2026 selection process work?

Selection is through a Computer Based Examination held in two tiers, Tier-I and Tier-II. Plan your preparation for both stages from the start rather than treating them separately.

If an exam is held in multiple shifts, scores will be normalised using the procedure the Commission published in its Notice dated 02-06-2025. These normalised scores are used to decide final merit and cut-off marks. For other stages or post-specific requirements, see the official notice.

What is the salary in SSC CGL 2026?

The notice places Auditor posts in offices under C&AG and CGDA at Pay Level-5 (₹ 29200 to 92300). Pay levels for other posts are listed post-wise in the official notice.

Choose your post preferences after checking the pay level, group and age limit of each post in the notice.

What is the SSC CGL 2026 application fee?

The fee is ₹100/- (Rupees one hundred only). Women candidates and candidates from SC, ST, PwBD and ESM categories eligible for reservation do not have to pay the fee.

You can pay online through BHIM UPI, Net Banking, or Visa, Mastercard, Maestro or RuPay Debit cards, up to 23-06-2026 (23:00 hours). Once paid, the fee will not be refunded or adjusted against any other examination or selection.

How to apply for SSC CGL 2026

Apply online on the Commission's website, https://ssc.gov.in, between 21.05.2026 and 22.06.2026 (23:00 hours). Do not wait for the last day, because heavy website traffic can cause delays.

Pay the fee by 23.06.2026 (23:00 hours) if you are not exempt. If you need to fix errors, use the correction window from 29.06.2026 to 01.07.2026 (23:00 hours).

• Visit https://ssc.gov.in and open the CGL 2026 application.
• Fill in your details and check your age and qualification against your chosen posts.
• Pay the ₹100/- fee online if applicable.
• Submit the form and keep a copy for your records.

Which topics appear most in SSC CGL past papers?

Our past-paper counts show clear patterns. In General Awareness, 1128 of 1380 questions (82%) were Current Affairs. In Reasoning, Letter Series made up 400 of 1007 questions (40%). In Quantitative Aptitude, Percentage accounted for 290 questions (23%). In English, Antonyms (272) and Synonyms (235) were the largest named topics.

For preparation, this means regular current affairs reading is essential for General Awareness, and series-based reasoning needs steady practice. In English, build vocabulary through daily antonym, synonym and idiom practice alongside error spotting.