SSC CGL 2026 – Combined Graduate Level Recruitment (12,256 Posts)
Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has released the Combined Graduate Level (CGL) 2026 notification for 12,256 tentative vacancies across Central Government ministries, departments, and organisations. SSC CGL is India's most popular central government competitive exam, covering high-profile Group B and Group C posts like Inspector Income Tax, Sub-Inspector CBI, Assistant Section Officer, Junior Statistical Officer, Auditor, Tax Assistant, and many more. The exam is conducted in two tiers — Tier-I (screening) and Tier-II (mains).
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|
| Notification Released | 21 May 2026 |
| Application Start | 21 May 2026 |
| Application Last Date | 22 June 2026 (11:00 PM) |
| Fee Payment Last Date | 23 June 2026 (11:00 PM) |
| Application Correction Window | 29 June – 01 July 2026 (₹200 for 1st change, ₹500 for 2nd) |
| Tier-I CBT (Tentative) | August – September 2026 |
| Tier-II CBT (Tentative) | December 2026 |
| Age Calculated as on | 01 August 2026 |
Application Fee
| Category | Fee |
|---|
| General / OBC / EWS (Male) | ₹100 |
| SC / ST / PwBD / Ex-Servicemen | Nil |
| Female Candidates (All Categories) | Nil |
| Payment Mode | BHIM UPI, Net Banking, Visa / Mastercard / Maestro / RuPay Debit Card |
Total Vacancies: 12,256 (Tentative)
Post-wise and category-wise vacancies will be updated on SSC's website. The posts span Pay Level 4 to Level 8. Key posts include:
| Pay Level | Basic Pay | Posts (Key) | Age Limit |
|---|
| Level-8 | ₹47,600–₹1,51,100 | Assistant Audit Officer, Assistant Accounts Officer | 18–30 yrs |
| Level-7 | ₹44,900–₹1,42,400 | ASO (CSS/MEA/Railways/IB), Inspector Income Tax, Inspector Excise/Customs, Asst. Enforcement Officer, SI CBI, Inspector Posts, SI Narcotics | 18–30 / 20–30 yrs |
| Level-6 | ₹35,400–₹1,12,400 | ASO (Other Depts), Junior Statistical Officer (JSO), SI NIA, Statistical Investigator Gr-II, Divisional Accountant | 18–30 / 18–32 yrs |
| Level-5 | ₹29,200–₹92,300 | Auditor (C&AG / CGDA / Other), Accountant (C&AG / CGA) | 18–27 yrs |
| Level-4 | ₹25,500–₹81,100 | Postal/Sorting Assistant, Senior Secretariat Assistant, Tax Assistant (CBDT/CBIC), Sub-Inspector CBN | 18–27 yrs |
Educational Qualification
- All posts (general): Bachelor's Degree from a recognized University. Qualification must be as on 01 August 2026.
- Junior Statistical Officer (JSO): Bachelor's Degree + 60% in Mathematics at Class 12 level OR Bachelor's Degree with Statistics as one of the subjects.
- Statistical Investigator Grade-II: Bachelor's Degree in Statistics / Mathematics / Economics / Demography / Computer Science / Data Science / AI from a recognized university.
- Assistant Audit/Accounts Officer: Bachelor's Degree (essential) + Desirable: CA / CMA / CS / MCom / MBA (Finance) / MBE.
Age Limit (as on 01/08/2026)
| Post Group | Age Limit |
|---|
| Auditor / Accountant / Level-4 posts | 18–27 years |
| ASO (CSS/MEA/Railways/IB), SI CBI, Inspector Posts | 20–30 years |
| Most Level-6 and Level-7 posts | 18–30 years |
| Junior Statistical Officer (JSO) | 18–32 years |
Age Relaxation
| Category | Relaxation |
|---|
| SC / ST | 5 years |
| OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) | 3 years |
| PwBD (General) | 10 years |
| PwBD (OBC) | 13 years |
| PwBD (SC/ST) | 15 years |
| Ex-Servicemen | 3 years (after deducting military service from actual age) |
| Central Govt. Employees (3+ years service) | Up to 40 years (SC/ST: up to 45 years) |
| Widows / Divorced Women (not remarried) | Up to 35 years (SC/ST: up to 40 years) |
Exam Pattern – Tier-I (Computer Based Test)
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|
| General Intelligence & Reasoning | 25 | 50 |
| General Awareness | 25 | 50 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | 50 |
| English Comprehension | 25 | 50 |
| Total | 100 | 200 |
Duration: 1 hour (sectional timer: 15 min per subject) | Negative marking: 0.50 marks per wrong answer | Bilingual (Hindi & English) except English Comprehension
Exam Pattern – Tier-II (Computer Based Test)
Paper-I (Mandatory for ALL posts) — Session-I (2 hrs 15 min):
| Section | Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|
| Section-I | Mathematical Abilities + Reasoning & General Intelligence | 60 | 180 |
| Section-II | English Language + General Awareness | 70 | 210 |
| Section-III | Computer Knowledge Test (CKT) — qualifying | 20 | 60 |
| Section-IV | Data Entry Speed Test (DEST) — qualifying, Session-II 15 min | 1 task | Qualifying |
Negative marking: 1 mark per wrong answer (Sections I, II, III) | Merit based on Section-I + Section-II only for most posts | Section-III & IV are qualifying only
Paper-II (for JSO & Statistical Investigator Gr-II only): 100 questions × 2 marks = 200 marks, 2 hours, negative marking 0.50/wrong.
Paper-III (for AAO & Assistant Accounts Officer only): 100 questions × 2 marks = 200 marks, 2 hours, negative marking 0.50/wrong. Split: Part A Finance & Accounts = 80 marks; Part B Economics & Governance = 120 marks.
Selection Process
- Tier-I CBT — Screening exam (Aug–Sep 2026). Category-wise cutoffs for shortlisting to Tier-II
- Tier-II CBT — Paper-I mandatory all; Paper-II for JSO/SI Grade-II; Paper-III for AAO/AAcO (Dec 2026)
- Post Preference Form — Candidates fill post preferences before FRTA declaration
- First Round of Tentative Allocation (FRTA) — Merit-cum-preference based
- Document Verification (DV) — By User Departments after final result
- Physical / Medical Exam — For specific posts (Inspector CBIC, SI CBI/NIA/NCB) conducted by User Department
How to Apply
- Complete OTR (One-Time Registration) at ssc.gov.in if not already registered
- Login with OTR credentials and click "Apply" for SSC CGL 2026
- Upload live photo via webcam or SSC mobile app (available on Google Play)
- Fill application — select post preferences, educational details
- Pay ₹100 fee (Gen/OBC) before 23 June 2026 (11 PM)
- Correction window available 29 June – 01 July 2026 (₹200 for 1st, ₹500 for 2nd correction)
Important Links