According to the data received this year, a total of 2,815,445 candidates have submitted applications for the SSC CGL Exam 2025, which is being held for 14582 vacancies. This results in an average of 193 candidates competing for each seat. The Staff Selection Commission Graduate Level Examination 2025 is the largest recruitment exam conducted by the SSC annually, providing the opportunity for thousands of candidates to pursue their dreams.
SSC CGL 2025 Applicants Data
In 2024, the number of applicants was the highest in the past decade, with 3,483,411 candidates applying for the SSC CGL 2024 for 18236 vacancies. Out of these, 1,813,060 candidates actually appeared for the Tier 1 exam. Based on historical trends, it is anticipated that between 1.3 to 1.4 million candidates will appear for the exam, which is scheduled to take place in September 2025
Last 10 Years Applicants and Vacancies Date for SSC CGL Exam
While the candidates’ data is yet to be released for the year 2025, the SSC CGL has consistently remained one of the most competitive government exams in India. Let’s take a look at the last 10 years’ statistics for a clearer picture of trends in vacancies, applicants, and competition levels.
Vacancies: Highest in 2022 (36,012), lowest in 2021 (7,621).
Registered Candidates: Peaked in 2024 (34.83 lakh), lowest in 2021 (19.63 lakh).
Appeared Candidates: Maximum in 2017 (15.43 lakh) among the years where data is available; 2025 data yet to be released.
Competition (Per Seat): Toughest in 2017 (360 candidates per seat), least in 2022 (93 candidates per seat).
Tier 1 Qualified: Highest in 2022 (3.60 lakh), lowest in 2023 (81,752).
The registered vs. appeared gap, observing a 10-year trend, shows a significant drop each year.
| Year | Vacancies | Registered Candidates | Appeared Candidates | Per Seat Competition |
| 2025 | 14582 | 28,15,445 | — | 193 |
| 2024 | 18236 | 34,83,411 | 18,13,060 | 191 |
| 2023 | 8415 | 24,74,030 | 12,36,202 | 294 |
| 2022 | 36012 | 33,55,194 | 16,16,687 | 93 |
| 2021 | 7621 | 19,63,324 | 7,80,380 | 257 |
| 2020 | 7108 | 22,09,867 | 7,16,408 | 310 |
| 2019 | 8428 | 21,77,843 | 9,79,215 | 258 |
| 2018 | 11105 | 25,97,431 | 8,36,501 | 233 |
| 2017 | 8121 | 29,28,826 | 15,43,962 | 360 |
| 2016 | 10661 | 38.04 lakh | 14.82 lakh | 356 |
