The first step towards a stable career in the government is to crack the Staff Selection Commission Combined Higher Secondary Level exam. The journey begins with SSC CHSL Syllabus that is a roadmap for the entire selection process. Breaking down complex topics into manageable chunks can help you plan your studies effectively for the objective Tier 1 round and the comprehensive Tier 2 round. 

This article provides a stage-wise breakdown of the syllabus – what is tested in Tier 1, what changes in Tier 2 and what is expected from you in the Skill/Typing Test – so that you can build a study plan around facts and not guesswork.

SSC CHSL Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2026

The SSC CHSL 2026 exam consists of two major levels, referred to as Tier 1 and Tier 2. Both are conducted online and test your knowledge across different subjects. The first level is a screening/qualifying test, and the second level determines your final merit.

StagesModeSubject AreasQuestionsMarks
Tier 1 Objective (CBT) English, Quant, Reasoning, GA100200
Tier 2Objective + Skill TestMath, Reasoning, English, GA, Computer135405

Important- Tier 1 marks are NOT counted in the final merit list; selection is based solely on Tier 2 performance

Subject-Wise SSC CHSL Tier 1 Syllabus

General Awareness Syllabus (25 Questions)

This section is broad but very important. It covers history, geography, and polity. You should also be aware of current events from the last 6 to 9 months.

  1. History
  2. India and its neighbouring countries
  3. Culture
  4. Geography
  5. Economic Scene
  6. General Policy
  7. Scientific Research
  8. Awards and Honours
  9. Books and Authors
  10. Current Affairs
  11. Sports GK
  12. Indian GK
  13. Indian Polity

General Intelligence Syllabus (25 Questions)

Reasoning is like exercising your brain. The SSC CHSL syllabus for this section comprises verbal and non-verbal puzzles – blood relations, seating arrangement, and coding-decoding.

  1. Semantic Analogy
  2. Symbolic operations
  3. Symbolic/ Number Analogy
  4. Trends
  5. Figural Analogy
  6. Space Orientation
  7. Semantic Classification
  8. Venn Diagrams
  9. Number Series
  10. Embedded figures
  11. Figural Series
  12. Critical Thinking
  13. Problem Solving
  14. Symbolic/ Number Classification
  15. Drawing inferences
  16. Figural Classification
  17. Punched hole/ pattern folding & unfolding
  18. Semantic Series
  19. Figural Pattern-folding and completion
  20. Emotional Intelligence
  21. Word Building, Social Intelligence
  22. Coding and de-coding
  23. Other sub-topics if any Numerical operations.

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English Language Syllabus (25 Questions)

This section checks how well you use the English language in daily communication. You'll see questions on grammar, such as spotting errors and filling in the blanks.

  1. Spot the Error
  2. Fill in the Blanks
  3. Synonyms/ Homonyms
  4. Antonyms
  5. Spellings/ Detecting misspelt words
  6. Idioms and Phrases
  7. One Word Substitution
  8. Improvement of Sentences
  9. Active and Passive Voice
  10. Conversion into Direct/Indirect narration
  11. Shuffling of Sentence parts
  12. Shuffling of Sentences in a passage
  13. Cloze Passage
  14. Comprehension Passage

Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus (25 Questions)

This is often the most time-consuming part of the SSC CHSL syllabus. It covers basic math like percentages, profit and loss, and time and work. You'll also need to be comfortable with algebra, geometry, and trigonometry at a school level.

  1. Number Systems: Computation of Whole Numbers, Decimals, and Fractions, Relationship between Numbers.
  2. Fundamental arithmetical operations: Percentages, Ratio and Proportion, Square roots, Averages, Interest (Simple and Compound), Profit and Loss, Discount, Partnership Business, Mixture and Allegation, Time and distance, Time and work.
  3. Mensuration: Triangle, Quadrilaterals, Regular Polygons, Circle, Right Prism, Right Circular Cone, Right Circular Cylinder, Sphere, Hemispheres, Rectangular Parallelepiped, Regular Right Pyramid with triangular or square Base.
  4. Algebra: Basic algebraic identities of School Algebra and Elementary surds (simple problems) and Graphs of Linear Equations.
  5. Geometry: Familiarity with elementary geometric figures and facts: Triangle and its various kinds of centres, Congruence and similarity of triangles, Circle and its chords, tangents, angles subtended by chords of a circle, common tangents to two or more circles.
  6. Trigonometry: Trigonometry, Trigonometric ratios, Complementary angles, Height and distances (simple problems only) Standard Identities like sin2 πœƒ + Cos2 πœƒ=1 etc.
  7. Statistical Charts: Use of Tables and Graphs: Histogram, Frequency polygon, Bar-diagram, Pie-chart.

Topic-wise Weightage for SSC CHSL Tier 1

SubjectsHigh Weightage TopicsExpected No. of Questions
English LanguageReading Comprehension & Cloze Test7 to 10 questions
Error Spotting & Sentence Improvement3 to 5 questions
Synonyms and Antonyms3 to 4 questions
Quantitative AptitudeData Interpretation (DI)3 to 5 questions
Percentage, Ratio & Proportion, Profit & Loss5 to 7 questions
Combined Algebra & Geometry3 to 5 questions
General Intelligence & ReasoningNumber/Alphabet Series & Coding-Decoding4 to 6 questions
Analogy & Classification3 to 4 questions
Blood Relations & Syllogism3 to 4 questions
General AwarenessCurrent Affairs (National and International)5 to 7 questions
General Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology)5 to 7 questions
Static GK (Festivals, Dances, Indian History & Polity)4 to 6 questions

SSC CHSL Tier 2 Syllabus

If you clear Tier 1, the SSC CHSL Tier 2 syllabus becomes your primary focus. This stage is more academic and is divided into sessions- it's the most important part because these marks decide your final selection.

Negative Marking in Tier 2: 1 mark is deducted for each wrong answer in Section 1, Section 2, and Module 1 of Section 3. No negative marking in the Skill/Typing Test.

SessionSectionModulesSubjectsNo. of QuestionsMarksTime
Session-ISection 1Module-1Mathematical Abilities309060 min
Module-2Reasoning and General Intelligence3090
Section 2Module-1English Language and Comprehension4012060 min
Module-2General Awareness2060
Section 3Module-1Computer Knowledge Module154515 min
Session-IISection 3Module-2Skill Test/ Typing Test Module-
Part A- Skill Test for DEOs in Department/ Ministry
Part B: Skill Test for DEOs except in Department/ Ministry
Part C: Typing Test for LDC/ JSA
----
15 min 
15 min
10 min

Module I of Session I (Mathematical Abilities Syllabus)

Module I of Session I (Mathematical Abilities)
ChapterTopics
Number Systems
  1. Computation of Whole Number
  2. Decimal and Fractions
  3. Relationship between numbers
Fundamental arithmetical operations
  1. Percentages
  2. Ratio and Proportion
  3. Square roots
  4. Averages
  5. Interest (Simple and Compound)
  6. Profit and Loss
  7. Discount
  8. Partnership Business
  9. Mixture and Alligation
  10. Time and distance
  11. Time and work
Algebra
  1. Basic algebraic identities of School Algebra and Elementary surds (simple problems)
  2. Graphs of Linear Equations
Geometry

Familiarity with elementary geometric figures and facts: 

  1. Triangle and its various kinds of centres
  2. Congruence and similarity of triangles
  3. Circle and its chords
  4. Tangents
  5. Angles subtended by chords of a circle
  6. Common tangents to two or more circles.
Mensuration
  1. Triangle
  2. Quadrilaterals
  3. Regular Polygons
  4. Circle
  5. Right Prism
  6. Right Circular Cone
  7. Right Circular Cylinder
  8. Sphere
  9. Hemispheres
  10. Rectangular Parallelepiped
  11. Regular Right Pyramid with triangular or square Base
Trigonometry
  1. Trigonometry
  2. Trigonometric ratios
  3. Complementary angles
  4. Height and distances (simple problems only) Standard Identities like sin2πœƒ + Cos2πœƒ=1 etc.
Statistics and probability

Use of Tables and Graphs

  1. Histogram
  2. Frequency polygon
  3. Bar-diagram
  4. Pie-chart
  5. Measures of central tendency: mean, median, mode, standard deviation
  6. calculation of simple probabilities

Module II of Section I (Reasoning and General Intelligence Syllabus)

Module-II of Section-I (Reasoning and General Intelligence):

Verbal and non-verbal type

  1. Semantic Analogy
  2. Symbolic operations
  3. Symbolic/ Number Analogy
  4. Trends, Figural Analogy
  5. Space Orientation
  6. Semantic Classification
  7. Venn Diagrams
  8. Symbolic/ Number Classification
  9. Drawing inferences
  10. Figural Classification
  11. Punched hole/ pattern-folding & unfolding
  12. Semantic Series
  13. Figural Pattern-folding and completion
  14. Number Series
  15. Embedded figures
  16. Figural Series
  17. Critical Thinking
  18. Problem Solving
  19. Emotional Intelligence
  20. Word Building
  21. Social Intelligence
  22. Coding and de-coding
  23. Numerical operations

Module-I of Section-II (English Language And Comprehension Syllabus)

Module-I of Section-II (English Language And Comprehension)
  1. Vocabulary
  2. Grammar
  3. Sentence structure
  4. Synonyms/Homonyms
  5. Antonyms
  6. Spot the Error
  7. Fill in the Blanks
  8. Spellings/ Detecting mis-spelt words
  9. Idioms and Phrases
  10. One-word substitution
  11. Improvement of Sentences
  12. Active/ Passive Voice of Verbs
  13. Conversion into Direct/ Indirect narration
  14. Shuffling of Sentence parts
  15. Shuffling of Sentences in a passage
  16. Cloze Passage
  17. Comprehension Passage

Module-II of Section-II (General Awareness Syllabus)

Module-II of Section-II (General Awareness)

Questions are also designed to test knowledge of current events and of such matters of everyday observation 
and experience in their scientific aspect as may be expected of an educated person.

Questions relating to India and its neighbouring countries especially pertaining to

  1. History
  2. Culture
  3. Geography
  4. Economic Scene
  5. General policy
  6. Scientific research

Module I of Section III of Paper I (Computer Proficiency Syllabus)

Module-I of Section-III of Paper-I (Computer Proficiency)
ChaptersTopics
Computer Basics
  1. Organization of a computer
  2. Central Processing Unit (CPU)
  3. Input/ output devices
  4. Computer memory
  5. Memory organization
  6. Back- up devices
  7. PORTs
  8. Windows Explorer
  9. Keyboard shortcuts
SoftwareWindows Operating system including basics of 
Microsoft Office like MS word, MS Excel and Power Point etc
Working with Internet and e-mails
  1. Web Browsing & Searching
  2. Downloading & Uploading
  3. Managing an E-mail Account
  4. e-Banking
Basics of networking and cyber security
  1. Networking devices and protocols
  2. Network and information security threats (like hacking, virus, worms, Trojan etc.) and preventive measures.

SSC CHSL Syllabus PDF Download

Download the SSC CHSL Syllabus PDF to keep with your study material and go through it daily until you've memorised the whole syllabus β€” it helps a great deal in mapping your preparation strategy and identifying subjects that carry lower exam weightage.

Download SSC CHSL Syllabus PDF

SSC CHSL Skill Test & Typing Test

The skill/typing test is a qualifying stageβ€”candidates must pass it to be considered for their post. It does not contribute marks to the merit list.

PostTest TypeSpeed RequiredDuration
DEO (Ministry/Department)Skill Test (Data Entry)15,000 Key Depressions per hour15 minutes (~3700–4000 key depressions)
DEO (Other Departments)Skill Test (Data Entry)8,000 Key Depressions per hour15 minutes (~2000–2200 key depressions)
LDC / JSATyping TestEnglish: 35 wpm  |  Hindi: 30 wpm10 minutes

Tip: Practice on a physical keyboard daily β€” both speed and accuracy matter in the skill test. Aim to exceed the minimum speed by at least 20% as a buffer.

SSC CHSL Minimum Qualifying Marks

Minimum qualifying marks in Tier-I, Section-I, Section-II & Module-I of Section-III of Tier-II Examination are as follows:

  1. UR: 30%
  2. OBC/ EWS: 25%
  3. All other categories: 20%

Along with syllabus analysis, using the right structured preparation resources can make revision and practice more efficient. CareerPower's free study material and mock tests can support your preparation through organised subject coverage, concept explanations, practice questions, and exam-oriented material.

Study Resources for SSC CHSL 2026 Exam

Choosing the right study material for the 2026 exam makes preparation more structured and effective. Good resources should combine concept building, question practice, revision support, and exam-oriented strategy.

Tips to Prepare for SSC CHSL 2026 Exam

  1. Gather all key resources β€” SSC CHSL Syllabus, Previous Year Papers, Mock Tests, and study material β€” before starting your preparation.
  2. Use the SSC Calendar to calculate how many months remain and allocate time based on your strengths and weaknesses.
  3. Focus extra time on English and Quantitative Aptitude β€” they carry the most weight in Tier 2 and directly impact your final merit.
  4. Practice as many mock tests as possible. After each test, spend time reviewing what went right and wrong to improve consistently.
  5. Seek mentorship from experienced teachers or seniors who have cleared the exam and can guide you based on the current pattern.
  6. Stay consistent and give your 100%. Each chapter you complete takes you closer to a stable government career.

By following the SSC CHSL Syllabus step-by-step, you turn a massive competition into a series of achievable goals. Each chapter you finish brings you one step closer to your goal of a stable government career.

Related Links
SSC CHSL Salary, Perks & AllowancesSSC Exam Calendar 2026
FAQs

es, the written exam topics are the same for all posts like LDC, JSA, and DEO. However, the typing speed and skill test requirements vary depending on the specific job you've applied for.

Tier I consists of 100 objective-type questions (25 from each of the four subjects) for a total of 200 marks.

General Intelligence (Reasoning) is generally considered the easiest and most scoring section compared to others.

No. Tier 1 marks are only used to qualify you for Tier 2. Your final selection is based solely on your Tier 2 performance and the qualifying skill test.

Absolutely. Many candidates succeed using the official syllabus PDF and free online resources. Consistency and regular practice of previous year papers are the key factors.

Yes. In Tier 1, each wrong answer deducts 0.5 marks. In Tier 2, the penalty is 1 mark per wrong answer in the objective modules.

Important Links