SSC CGL 2026 Exam Date, 12256 Vacancies, Notification PDF & Complete Details
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Every year, the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) conducts the SSC CGL (Combined Graduate Level Examination) to recruit graduate candidates for various Group B and Group C posts. For this year, SSC has announced 12,256 vacancies for the SSC CGL 2026 exam, for which lakhs of candidates have applied. Read this article for exam dates, eligibility, selection process, exam pattern, salary, how to apply, and a month-wise preparation strategy.
What is the SSC CGL Exam?
The Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level Examination (SSC CGL) is a national-level competitive examination conducted by the Staff Selection Commission of India for various Group B and Group C posts in various ministries, departments and organisations of the central government under the Government of India. The SSC CGL Exam is conducted in two tiers – Tier 1 (qualifying) and Tier 2 (scoring).
Selected candidates are posted to prestigious departments like the Income Tax Department (CBDT), Customs & Excise (CBIC), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate, National Investigation Agency (NIA) and many more.
Latest Update: The registration process concludes and now the aplied caniddates are waiting for the announcement of SSC CGL Exam Date 2026 which is expected to be released soon.
SSC CGL 2026 Exam – Overview
With more than 20 lakh candidates applied for the exam this year, the competition is very high. Therefore, candidates planning to appear for the exam must not waste their time and start their preparation now. Before that, have a look at the summary of the SSC CGL Exam 2026.
| SSC CGL 2026 Exam—Summary | |
| Exam Name | SSC CGL 2026 |
| Full Form | Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level |
| Notification No. | F. No. HQ-C11018/1/2026-C-1 |
| Conducting Body | Staff Selection Commission (SSC) |
| SSC CGL Vacancy 2026 | 12256 |
| Mode of Exam | Online |
| Exam Dates | August-September 2026 |
| Exam Type | National Level |
| Qualification | Bachelor's Degree (Graduation) |
| Age Limit | 18 to 32 Years |
| Selection Process |
|
| Application Fee | Rs. 100 (Women/SC/ST/PwBD/ESM exempted) |
| Salary | Varies post-wise (Pay Level 4 to 7) |
| Official Website | www.ssc.gov.in |
| Helpline (Toll Free) | 1800 309 3063 |
| Notification PDF | Download Link (Official) |
What's New in SSC CGL 2026?
- AAO posts are back- Assistant Audit Officer (Central & State Cadre) and Assistant Accounts Officer (State Cadre) have been included again, with pay scale Rs. 47,600–1,51,100.
- Sectional timing introduced in Tier 1- Each section now has a separate 15-minute time limit. Candidates cannot switch between sections mid-section.
- New Paper 3 in Tier 2- A new Paper-III (General Studies – Finance & Economics) has been added exclusively for AAO/AAAO posts in Tier 2.
- Local Language rule for AAO State Cadre- Candidates selected for AAO State Cadre posts must be able to read, write, speak, and understand the local language of the allotted state.
- Statistical Investigator eligibility expanded- AI, Data Science, and IT graduates are now eligible for Statistical Investigator Grade II post.
SSC CGL Exam Date 2026
As mentioned in the official notification, the Tier 1 Exam will be held in August-September 2026, while Tier 2 will be held in December 2026. Only the registered candidates whose applications will be accepted will appear for the exam.
SSC CGL 2026 Important Dates
The important dates for the SSC CGL 2026 exam have been released along with the notification. Check all important dates below.
| Events | Dates |
| Notification Release Date | 21st May 2026 |
| SSC CGL Apply Online Starts | 21st May 2026 |
| Application Reopened | 23rd June 2026 (11 pm) |
| Last Date to Apply Online | 25th June 2026 (23:00 hours) |
| Fee Payment Last Date | 26th June 2026 (23:00 hours) |
| Application Form Correction Dates | 1st to 3rd July 2026 (23:00 hours) |
| SSC CGL Tier 1 Exam Date | August-September 2026 |
| SSC CGL Tier 2 Exam Date | December 2026 |
SSC CGL Vacancy 2026 Details
SSC CGL 2026 has officially announced 12,256 vacancies across 40 Group B and Group C posts. This year, Assistant Audit Officer and Assistant Accounts Officer vacancies have been released again.
Year-wise Vacancy Trend
Check how SSC CGL vacancies have fluctuated over the years:
| Year | Vacancies |
| 2026 | 12256 |
| 2025 | 14582 |
| 2024 | 18174 |
| 2023 | 8415 |
| 2022 | 37409 |
| 2021 | 7621 |
| 2020 | 7035 |
| 2019 | 8428 |
| 2018 | 11271 |
| 2017 | 9276 |
SSC CGL Posts Classification
The Staff Selection Commission of India recruits for Group B and Group C posts in various government ministries, departments, and organisations through the SSC CGL Exam. The list of SSC CGL Posts and their classification, along with the related Department/Ministry, is tabulated below.
| SSC CGL Posts List | ||
| SSC CGL Post | Classification of Post | Department/Ministry |
| Assistant Audit Officer (Central Cadre) | Group “B” | Officer (Central Cadre), Indian Audit & Accounts Dept. under C&AG |
| Assistant Audit Officer (State Cadre) | Indian Audit & Accounts Dept. under C&AG | |
| Assistant Accounts Officer (State Cadre) | Indian Audit & Accounts Dept. under C&AG | |
| Assistant Section Officer | Central Secretariat Service, Intelligence Bureau, Ministry of Railway, Ministry of External Affairs, AFHQ | |
| Assistant | Other Ministries/Departments/Organisations | |
| Inspector (Central Excise) | CBIC | |
| Assistant Enforcement Officer | Directorate of Enforcement, Department of Revenue | |
| Sub Inspector | Central Bureau of Investigation | |
| Inspector | Central Bureau of Narcotics | |
| Junior Statistical Officer | M/o Statistics & Programme Implementation | |
| Statistical Investigator Grade-II | Registrar General of India | |
| Inspector of Income Tax | Group “C” | CBDT |
| Auditor | Offices under C&AG, CGDA | |
| Accountant/Junior Accountant | Other Ministry/ Departments | |
| Senior Secretariat Assistant/Upper Division Clerks | Central Govt. Offices/ Ministries other than CSCS cadres | |
| Tax Assistant | CBDT/ CBIC | |
SSC CGL 2026 Eligibility Criteria
The commission has set certain parameters for eligibility criteria in terms of educational qualifications, age limit, and nationality. The SSC CGL Eligibility Criteria, as mentioned in the official notification is as follows-
Education Qualification (as on 01/08/2026)
- For Assistant Audit Officer / Assistant Accounts Officer: Bachelor's Degree (Essential). Desirable: Chartered Accountant, Cost & Management Accountant, Company Secretary, Master's in Commerce, MBA, or Master's in Business Studies.
- For Junior Statistical Officer (JSO) – Bachelor’s Degree from any recognised University with a minimum 60% in Mathematics in Class 12
or in any discipline with statistics as one of the subjects in graduation. - For Statistical Investigator Grade II: Graduation degree from any recognised university with economics, statistics, or mathematics as a compulsory or elective subject.
- For Research Assistant in National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) – Bachelor’s Degree from a recognised university or institute with a minimum of one year of research experience in any recognised university or recognised research institution.
- For remaining posts – Bachelor’s Degree in any subject from a recognised university.
📱 Free SSC CGL Tier 1 Live Test with Sectional Timing
(Sat 9AM–Sun 10PM)
Age Limit (as on 01/08/2026)
The candidates must fall in the age group of 18 to 32 years. Candidates can check the post-wise age limit by checking the table below.
| Posts | Age Limit |
| Pay Level-8 (Rs. 47,600 – Rs. 1,51,100) | |
| Assistant Audit Officer (Central Cadre) in Indian Audit & Accounts Dept. under C&AG | 18-30 years |
| Assistant Audit Officer (State Cadre) in Indian Audit & Accounts Dept. under C&AG | |
| Assistant Accounts Officer (State Cadre) in Indian Audit & Accounts Dept. under C&AG | |
| Pay level-7 (Rs. 44900 to Rs. 142400) | |
| Assistant Section Officer in the Intelligence Bureau | 18–30 years |
| Assistant Section Officer in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology | |
| Assistant Section Officer in Other Ministries/Dept./Org. | |
| Assistant/Assistant Section Officer in Other Ministries/Dept./Org. | |
| Inspector of Income Tax in CBDT | |
| Inspector (Central Excise) in CBIC | |
| Inspector (Preventive Officer) in CBIC | |
| Inspector (Examiner) in CBIC | |
| Asst. Enforcement Officer, Dept. of Revenue | |
| Inspector Posts in DOP | |
| Inspector in the Central Narcotics Bureau | |
| Section Head in the Director General of Foreign Trade | |
| Sub-Inspector in CBI | 20–30 years |
| Assistant Section Officer in Central Secretariat Service | |
| Assistant Section Officer in the Ministry of Railways | |
| Assistant Section Officer in the Ministry of External Affairs | |
| Assistant Section Officer in AFHQ | |
| Pay level- 6 (Rs. 35400 to Rs. 112400) | |
| Assistant/Assistant Section Officer in Other Ministries/Dept./Org | 18-30 years |
| Executive Assistant in CBIC | |
| Research Assistant in NHRC | |
| Divisional Accountant in Offices C & AG | |
| Sub-Inspector in NIA | |
| Sub-Inspector in NCB- MHA | |
| Statistical Investigator Grade-II in MHA | |
| Office Superintendent in CBDT | |
| Junior Statistical Officer in the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation | 18–32 years |
| Pay level- 5 (Rs. 29200 to Rs. 92300) | |
| Auditor in C & AG | 18–27 years |
| Auditor in Other Ministries/Dept. | |
| Auditor in CGDA | |
| Accountant in C & AG | |
| Accountant in the Controller General of Accounts | |
| Accountant/Junior Accountant in Other Ministry Dept. | |
| Pay level- 4 (Rs. 25500 to Rs. 81100) | |
| Postal Assistant/Sorting Assistant | 18–27 years |
| Sr. Secretariat Assistant/Upper Division Clerks in CGO/CSOs | |
| Senior Administrative Assistant | |
| Tax Assistant in CBDT | |
| Tax Assistant in CBIC | |
| Sub Inspector in CBN | |
Upper Age Relaxation
Below, we have discussed the upper-age relaxation provided to various categories in the SSC CGL 2026 Exam.
| SSC CGL Age Relaxation | |
| Categories | Age relaxation |
| SC/ ST | 5 years |
| OBC | 3 years |
| PwD + General | 10 years |
| PwD + OBC | 13 years |
| PwD + SC/ ST | 15 years |
| Candidates domiciled in the State of Jammu & Kashmir between 1st January, 1980, to 31st December, 1989 | 5 years |
| Ex-Servicemen | 3 years |
| Defence personnel who are disabled in any hostile military activity | 3 years |
| SC/ST Defence Personnel who are disabled during any hostile military activity | 8 years |
Nationality
A candidate must be a citizen/subject of either India/Nepal/Bhutan or a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African Countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania (Formerly Tanganyika and Zanzibar), Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam to permanently settle in India.
Why Choose SSC CGL?
The SSC CGL is one of the most coveted government examinations for candidates with a graduate degree. This is why lakhs of aspirants target it every year:
- Prestigious postings: Work with CBI, Income Tax, Customs, Enforcement Directorate and Ministry of External Affairs – some of the most respected departments in the Central Government.
- Wide range of posts: 40+ diverse Group B and Group C posts including finance, investigation, audit, statistics, secretarial work etc. suitable for various interests and strengths.
- Attractive salary: Starting salary ranging from Rs. 25,500 to Rs. 47,600 basic pay (Level 4 to Level 8), plus DA, HRA, TA, and other Central Government perks. In-hand gross salary ranges from approximately Rs. 35,000 to Rs. 70,000+ per month.
- Career growth: Clear promotion path through departmental exams (LDCE) and time-scale promotions in each ministry/department.
- Job Security: Regular Central Government Job with NPS pension, medical benefits and leave entitlements under CCS rules.
- All India transfer: Transfer all over the country. During the allocation process, candidates can indicate location preferences for the regions they prefer.
- Graduate eligible: Most positions are open to any bachelor’s degree in any discipline.
- Very inclusive: Most vacancies do not require an engineering or professional degree.
- Unlimited attempts: Candidates can appear every year within the age limit giving multiple chances to qualify.
SSC CGL 2026 Selection Process
SSC conducts a two-tier SSC CGL selection process to shortlist candidates for various Group B and C posts under the SSC CGL 2026.
Stage 1 Tier-I: Computer-Based Examination (Qualifying in nature).
Stage 2 Tier-II: Paper I (Compulsory for all posts), Paper-II for candidates who apply for the posts of Junior Statistical Officer (JSO) in the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, and Paper-III for candidates who apply for the posts of Assistant Audit Officer (AAO) and Assistant Accounts Officer (AAO).
Final selection is based on merit-cum-preference of posts given by the candidate. Once a post is allotted, no change will be made by the Commission.
Q. How many attempts are allowed in the SSC CGL examination?
Ans.- There is no fixed number of attempts for SSC CGL Exam unless the candidate exceed the upper age limit.Q. Is 140 a good score in SSC CGL?
Ans.- As the cut off marks generally ranges between 150-160, so saying 140 a good score is not justifying. This score can be considered as “Decent Score”.
SSC CGL 2026 Exam Pattern Revised
The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has revised the SSC CGL Exam Pattern in terms of timings. The Examination will be conducted in 2 tiers as indicated below:
| Tier | Type | Mode |
| Tier – 1 (Qualifying) | Objective Multiple Choice | Computer-Based (online) |
| Tier – 2 (Paper 1, 2, 3) |
| Computer-Based (online) |
Tier-I Examination
Tier I consists of objective-type, multiple-choice questions set in both English and Hindi (except English Comprehension). Negative marking: 0.50 marks per wrong answer. The Sectional timing of 15 minutes for each subject has been introduced this year.
| Subjects | No. of Questions | Marks | Timings |
| General Intelligence & Reasoning | 25 | 50 | 15 minutes |
| General Awareness | 25 | 50 | 15 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | 50 | 15 minutes |
| English Comprehension | 25 | 50 | 15 minutes |
| Total | 100 | 200 | 60 minutes |
SSC CGL Tier 2 Exam Pattern (Revised)- Click to Check
SSC CGL 2026 Syllabus
The major sections asked in the SSC CGL Preliminary Exam are General Awareness, Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude and English Language. The SSC CGL Syllabus overview of the SSC CGL Tier-1 exam is given below.
| General Intelligence and Reasoning | General Awareness/ GK | Quantitative Aptitude | English Comprehension |
| Classification | Static General Knowledge (Indian History, Culture etc.) | Simplification | Reading Comprehension |
| Analogy | Science | Interest | Fill in the Blanks |
| Coding-Decoding | Current Affairs | Averages | Spellings |
| Series | Indian Geography | Mensuration | Cloze Test |
| Non-Verbal | Current CM & Governors | DI | Synonyms & Antonyms |
| Word Formation | Sports | Percentage | Idioms and Phrases |
| Matrix | Books and Authors | Ratio and Proportion | One word Substitution |
| Important Schemes | Problem on Ages | Sentence Correction |
Check Detailed SSC CGL Syllabus for Tier-1 & 2 Exams
SSC CGL Salary Structure
The in-hand salary (gross) ranges from approximately Rs. 35,000 to Rs. 65,000 per month, depending on the post and city of posting (HRA varies). The salary of candidates selected for various SSC CGL posts is as per the 7th Pay Commission.
| Posts | Level | Pay Scale | Grade Pay | Initial Pay | Gross Salary |
| Assistant Audit Officer (Central Cadre) | Level 8 | ₹ 47,600 to ₹ 1,51,100 | ₹ 4800 | ₹ 47,600 | ₹63,000 - ₹70,000 |
| Assistant Section Officer (CSS) | Level 7 | ₹44,900 - ₹1,42,400 | ₹4600 | ₹44,900 | ₹55,000 - ₹65,000 |
| Inspector (Income Tax) | |||||
| Inspector (Central Excise) | |||||
| Inspector (Preventive Officer) | |||||
| Inspector (Examiner) | |||||
| Sub Inspector (CBI) | |||||
| Junior Statistical Officer (JSO) Sub Inspector (NIA) Divisional Accountant | Level 6 | ₹35,400 - ₹1,12,400 | ₹4200 | ₹35,400 | ₹45,000 - ₹55,000 |
| Auditor & Accountant/Junior Accountant | Level 5 | ₹29,200 - ₹92,300 | ₹2800 | ₹29,200 | ₹40,000 - ₹50,000 |
| Tax Assistant (CBEC) & Tax Assistant (CBDT) | Level 4 | ₹25,500 - ₹81,100 | ₹2400 | ₹25,500 | ₹35,000 - ₹45,000 |
SSC CGL 2026 Cut Off
Along with the results, the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) releases cut-off marks both category-wise and post-wise. Candidates planning to appear for the upcoming exam can go through last year's tier 1 cut off marks from the table below.
| SSC CGL Previous Year Cut Off | ||||
| Categories | Finance/AAO | JSO | Statistical Investigator Gr.II | All Other Posts |
| General | 169.67168 | 168.53975 | 172.36025 | 150.04936 |
| EWS | 167.18331 | 166.06750 | 158.76802 | 143.44441 |
| OBC | 166.28763 | 165.86857 | 152.42184 | 145.93743 |
| SC | 154.29292 | 148.50911 | -- | 126.68201 |
| ST | 148.98918 | 146.65109 | 127.32602 | 118.16655 |
| OH | 147.95269 | 132.72381 | -- | 115.98466 |
| HH | 126.86400 | 80.99998 | 49.14875 | 77.72754 |
| Others-PWD | 109.82718 | -- | 40.00000 | 57.45303 |
| VH | -- | 114.60998 | 82.56201 | 121.59662 |
| ESM | -- | -- | -- | 100.29326 |
SSC CGL Preparation Tips
Candidates must focus on the strategic approach when beginning the preparation for the SSC CGL Exams. The candidates who scored well in the exams and secured the positions in previous years have shared a few SSC CGL Preparation Tips that every candidate must follow-
Step 1- Study the official syllabus & exam pattern before anything else. Know what's tested and how.
Step 2- Create a 90-day study plan. Give 6–8 hours daily to your studies. Focus more on the subjects that you are weak at.
Step 3- Practice with previous year papers after completing the syllabus. Identify repeating topics and question patterns.
Step 4- Take at least 2 full-length mock tests per week to analyse your weak areas. This helps in improving your speed & accuracy.
Step 5- Read a newspaper daily. 25 questions in Tier 1 come from General Awareness & Current Affairs.
Step 6- Practice with sectional timing (NEW for 2026). Each section is now time-bound — adjust your strategy.
SSC CGL 2026 Exam Centres
SSC will be conducting the SSC CGL 2026 exam across the country in different centres. You can choose your nearest exam centre while filling out the application form. The examination centre of a candidate will be mentioned on the admit card, which will be released one week before the examination. The list of online examination centres is given below:
| Examination Centers | SSC Regions and States | Address of the Regional Offices/ Website |
| Agra, Allahabad, Bareilly, Gorakhpur, Kanpur, Lucknow, Meerut, Varanasi, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Patna | Central Region (CR)/ Bihar and Uttar Pradesh | Regional Director (CR), Staff Selection Commission, 21-23, Lowther Road, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh-211002. (http://www.ssc-cr.org) |
| Gangtok, Ranchi, Barasat, Berhampore (WB), Chinsurah, Jalpaiguri, Kolkata, Malda, Midnapur, Siliguri, Berhampore(Odisha), Bhubaneshwar, Cuttack, Keonjhargarh, Sambalpur, Port Blair | Eastern Region (ER)/ Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Jharkhand, Odisha, Sikkim and West Bengal | Regional Director (ER), Staff Selection Commission, 1st MSO Building,(8th Floor), 234/4, Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Road, Kolkata, West Bengal-700020 (www.sscer.org) |
Bangalore, Dharwar, Gulbarga, Mangalore, Mysore, Kochi, Kozhikode(Calicut), Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur | Karnataka, Kerala Region (KKR)/ Lakshadweep, Karnataka and Kerala | Regional Director (KKR), Staff Selection Commission, 1st Floor, “E” Wing, Kendriya Sadan, Koramangala, Bengaluru, Karnataka-560034 (www.ssckkr.kar.nic.in) |
| Bhopal, Chindwara, Guna, Gwalior, Indore, Jabalpur, Khandwa, Ratlam, Satna, Sagar, Ambikapur, Bilaspur Jagdalpur, Raipur, Durg | Madhya Pradesh Sub-Region (MPR)/ Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh | Dy. Director (MPR), Staff Selection Commission, J-5, Anupam Nagar, Raipur, Chhattisgarh-492007 (www.sscmpr.org) |
Almora, Dehradun, Haldwani, Srinagar (Uttarakhand), Haridwar, Delhi, Ajmer, Alwar, Bharatpur, Bikaner, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Sriganganagar, Udaipur | Northern Region (NR)/ NCT of Delhi, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand | Regional Director (NR), Staff Selection Commission, Block No. 12, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110003 (www.sscnr.net.in) |
| Anantnag, Baramulla, Jammu, Leh, Rajouri, Srinagar(J&K), Kargil, Dodda, Hamirpur, Shimla, Bhathinda, Jalandhar, Patiala, Amritsar, Chandigarh | North Western Sub-Region (NWR)/ Chandigarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab | Dy. Director (NWR), Staff Selection Commission, Block No. 3, Ground Floor, Kendriya Sadan, Sector-9, Chandigarh 160009 (www.sscnwr.org) |
| Guntur, Kurnool, Rajahmundry, Tirupati, Vishakhapatnam, Vijaywada, Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchirapalli, Tirunelveli, Puducherry, Hyderabad, Nizamabad, Warangal | Southern Region (SR)/ Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and Telangana. | Regional Director (SR), Staff Selection Commission, 2nd Floor, EVK Sampath Building, DPI Campus, College Road, Chennai, Tamil Nadu-600006 (www.sscsr.gov.in) |
| Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Rajkot, Surat, Bhavnagar, Kutch, Amravati, Aurangabad, Kolhapur, Mumbai, Nagpur, Nanded, Nashik, Pune, Thane, Bhandara, Chandrapur, Akola, Jalgaon, Ahmednagar, Alibaug, Panaji | Western Region (WR)/ Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Goa, Gujarat and Maharashtra | Regional Director (WR), Staff Selection Commission,1st Floor, South Wing, Pratishtha Bhawan, 101, Maharshi Karve Road, Mumbai, Maharashtra-400020 (www.sscwr.net) |
| Itanagar, Dibrugarh, Guwahati(Dispur), Jorhat, Silchar, Kohima, Shillong, Imphal, Churachandpur, Ukhrul, Agartala, Aizwal | North Eastern Region (NER)/ Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura. | Regional Director (NER), Staff Selection Commission, Housefed Complex, Last Gate-Basistha Road, P. O. Assam Sachivalaya, Dispur, Guwahati, Assam 781006 (www.sscner.org.in) |
SSC CGL 2026 Online Form
The registration process for the SSC CGL 2026 exam was conducted at the official SSC website www.ssc.gov.in. The application window was extended and reopened till 25th June 2026 (11 PM). Candidates who have already applied can check their application status by logging in using their Registration ID and date of birth.
SSC CGL 2026 Application Fee
Candidates must pay Rs. 100/- as the application fee while submitting their online application form. The fee can be paid online through BHIM UPI, Net Banking, or Visa/Mastercard/Maestro/RuPay Debit cards. Fee once paid is non-refundable.