SSC CGL 2026 Notification — 15,000+ Vacancies, Exam Date, Eligibility & Apply Online
SSC CGL 2026 notification (released 31 March 2026): 15,000+ Group B & C vacancies, Tier 1 exam in May–June 2026. Eligibility, age limit, salary (₹25,500–₹1,42,400), syllabus, posts and apply-online steps at ssc.gov.in.
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Quick summary. The Staff Selection Commission released the SSC CGL 2026 notification on 31 March 2026 for 15,000+ Group B and Group C vacancies across central government ministries, departments and organisations. Tier 1 (CBE) is scheduled for May–June 2026, Tier 2 in September 2026. Eligibility: graduate, age 18–32 (post-wise), Indian citizen. Application fee: ₹100 (free for women, SC/ST/PwBD/ESM). Pay scale ranges from Level 4 (₹25,500–₹81,100) to Level 7 (₹44,900–₹1,42,400) plus DA, HRA and TA. Apply online at ssc.gov.in.
The Combined Graduate Level (CGL) Examination is the SSC’s flagship recruitment route into central government civilian posts at Group B and Group C levels. It feeds candidates into roles ranging from Assistant Section Officer (ASO) in CSS, Income Tax Inspector (ITI) in CBDT, Excise Inspector in CBIC, Sub-Inspector in CBI and NIA, Auditor / Accountant in CAG, to Tax Assistant and Upper Division Clerk — across more than 25 ministries and 30+ posts.
For 2026, the SSC has retained the four-stage selection process introduced in CGL 2022 (Tier 1 + Tier 2 + Document Verification + Skill / Medical) and continues the fully Computer-Based Examination (CBE) mode. Tier 3 (Descriptive) was discontinued from CGL 2022 onwards; some posts now have a Tier 2 Module 3 typing / data-entry skill test instead.
CGL 2026 at a glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Conducting body | Staff Selection Commission (SSC) |
| Notification date | 31 March 2026 |
| Online application window | 31 March – 30 April 2026 (window 1) |
| Total vacancies | 15,000+ (final figure expected ~15,130–18,000) |
| Pay levels | Level 4 to Level 7 (Pay Matrix) |
| Tier 1 (CBE) | May–June 2026 |
| Tier 2 (CBE) | September 2026 |
| Selection mode | Tier 1 + Tier 2 + DV + Skill/Medical |
| Application fee | ₹100 (free for women, SC, ST, PwBD, ESM) |
| Apply mode | Online via ssc.gov.in |
| Official portal | ssc.gov.in |
Vacancies and posts (indicative)
| Post | Department | Pay Level | Approx vacancies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assistant Section Officer (ASO) | CSS / MEA / IB / AFHQ | Level 7 | 2,000+ |
| Inspector (Income Tax) | CBDT | Level 7 | 1,500+ |
| Inspector (Central Excise / Preventive Officer / Examiner) | CBIC | Level 7 | 2,500+ |
| Sub-Inspector | CBI / NIA | Level 7 | 200+ |
| Assistant Enforcement Officer | Directorate of Enforcement | Level 7 | 100+ |
| Auditor | CAG / CGDA / Other Min | Level 5 | 2,500+ |
| Accountant / Junior Accountant | Various | Level 5 | 2,000+ |
| Senior Secretariat Assistant / UDC | Central Government Offices | Level 4 | 1,500+ |
| Tax Assistant | CBDT / CBIC | Level 4 | 1,500+ |
| Postal Inspector | Department of Posts | Level 7 | 200+ |
| Other Group B & C posts | Various | Level 4–6 | Remaining |
Final post-wise vacancy is published with the tentative vacancy notice and updated again before final result. Always verify on ssc.gov.in.
Who is eligible?
Educational Qualification
Bachelor's degree (Graduate) from any recognised university — completed or final-year by 1 August 2026 (post-wise variations apply)
Age Limit (As on 1 August 2026)
18 to 32 Years
Other Requirements
- Nationality: Indian citizen (or specified Nepal/Bhutan/Tibetan refugee/Indian-origin migrant from listed countries — verify in notification)
- Age limit varies post-wise: 18–27 (Auditor, Tax Assistant, Sr. SA, UDC), 18–30 (ASO/Inspector posts in most departments), 20–30 (Sub-Inspector CBI), 18–32 (some specialised posts)
- Age relaxation: SC/ST +5 years, OBC +3 years, PwBD +10 (UR) / +13 (OBC) / +15 (SC/ST) years, Ex-Servicemen +3 years (after deduction of military service)
- For Statistical Investigator Grade-II: graduation must include Statistics as a subject in at least one paper, or a degree in Statistics/Mathematics/Economics
- For Compiler post (RGI office): graduation with Economics / Statistics / Mathematics as a compulsory subject
- For JSO (DGEPP): MA/MSc in Economics/Statistics OR PG diploma in Statistics
- Physical standards apply for posts like Inspector (CBIC Preventive/Examiner), SI in CBI, AEO — height/chest/vision criteria as per notification
In simple terms. Any graduate aged 18–32 (with post-wise narrower bands) is eligible. Even final-year students can apply, provided they produce the degree certificate at Document Verification.
Salary structure (7th Pay Commission Pay Matrix)
| Pay Level | Pay scale | Posts (examples) | In-hand (approx, metro, after deductions) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 7 | ₹44,900 – ₹1,42,400 | ASO, Inspector (IT/Excise), SI CBI, AEO | ₹65,000 – ₹78,000 |
| Level 6 | ₹35,400 – ₹1,12,400 | Assistant in CGA / SSO | ₹54,000 – ₹62,000 |
| Level 5 | ₹29,200 – ₹92,300 | Auditor, Accountant, Junior Accountant | ₹46,000 – ₹52,000 |
| Level 4 | ₹25,500 – ₹81,100 | UDC, Sr. SA, Tax Assistant | ₹40,000 – ₹46,000 |
In addition: Dearness Allowance (DA) ~50% of basic, HRA 8/16/24% (X/Y/Z cities), Travel Allowance (TA), plus ministry-specific allowances (cash allowance, special-duty allowance for certain posts), and 6th-month-onwards CGHS / pension benefits under NPS.
Selection process — four stages
| Stage | Mode | Marks | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | CBE — objective | 200 | 60 min | General Intelligence + GA + Quantitative Aptitude + English (25 Q × 4 sections × 2 marks = 200) |
| Tier 2 — Paper 1 (Module 1+2) | CBE — objective | 360 | 2h 15m | Mathematical Abilities + Reasoning + English + GA + Computer Knowledge |
| Tier 2 — Paper 1 Module 3 | Skill — Data Entry | Qualifying | 15 min | Mandatory; speed test (DEST) at 15 minutes for 2,000 key depressions |
| Tier 2 — Paper 2 | CBE — objective | 200 | 2 hr | Statistics — only for JSO post |
| Tier 2 — Paper 3 | CBE — objective | 200 | 2 hr | General Studies (Finance & Economics) — only for AAO and Asst. AO |
| Document Verification + Medical | Offline | — | — | Final |
Negative marking: Tier 1 and Tier 2 (objective) — 0.5 marks for each wrong answer (1 mark for Module 2 of Tier 2 Paper 1).
The final merit list is based on Tier 2 marks only (Tier 1 is qualifying for Tier 2). Hence, Tier 2 prep is the high-leverage stage.
Documents required
While filling online form
- Live photograph (recent, taken within 3 months — Tier 1 day photo will be matched against this)
- Scanned signature in running script (JPEG, 10–20 KB)
- Aadhaar card / Aadhaar enrolment receipt (mandatory from CGL 2024 onwards for OTRS verification)
- Email ID and active mobile number for OTP and intimation
- Caste certificate (SC/ST/OBC) — for fee waiver and reservation
- PwBD / EWS / ESM certificate — if claiming reservation
How to apply for SSC CGL 2026 online
Step 1 — One-Time Registration (OTR)
If you don’t already have an SSC OTR profile, register at ssc.gov.in:
- Click Register Now → fill basic details (name, DoB, parents’ names, Aadhaar) exactly as on Class 10 certificate.
- Verify mobile + email via OTP.
- Upload live photograph (camera capture) and signature.
- Generate the Registration Number + password — note them down.
Step 2 — Apply for SSC CGL 2026
- Log in to ssc.gov.in with OTR credentials.
- From the dashboard, open Latest Notifications → Combined Graduate Level Examination 2026 → Apply.
- Pre-fill auto-loads from OTR. Add: educational qualification, post preference (optional rank-order), centre preference (3 centres, in order), category and reservation claims.
- Pay fee ₹100 via BHIM-UPI, net banking, debit/credit card or SBI challan. Free for women, SC, ST, PwBD and Ex-Servicemen.
- Cross-verify and Submit Final. Save the registration ID + PDF acknowledgement.
- Window 2 (correction window) typically opens for ~3 days after closing — use it for any error correction (₹200 first time, ₹500 second time).
⏰ Last Date: 30 April 2026 (verify latest from ssc.gov.in/notice)
Apply at ssc.gov.inClicking this button will take you to the official government portal.
Important dates
| Event | Tentative date |
|---|---|
| Notification release | 31 March 2026 ✅ done |
| Online application start | 31 March 2026 ✅ |
| Online application close | 30 April 2026 |
| Window 2 — correction window | First week of May 2026 |
| Tier 1 Admit card | 1–2 weeks before exam |
| Tier 1 (CBE) | May–June 2026 |
| Tier 1 result | July 2026 (tentative) |
| Tier 2 (CBE) | September 2026 |
| Final result + DV / Medical | Dec 2026 – Feb 2027 |
Always cross-check exact dates from the Calendar of Examinations on ssc.gov.in — windows can shift by 1–2 weeks.
Frequently asked questions
1. When was the SSC CGL 2026 notification released?
2. How many vacancies are there in SSC CGL 2026?
3. What is the eligibility for SSC CGL 2026?
4. What is the SSC CGL 2026 application fee?
5. What is the salary in SSC CGL?
6. What are the best posts under SSC CGL 2026?
7. What is the SSC CGL exam pattern in 2026?
8. Is there negative marking in SSC CGL 2026?
9. Can final-year graduation students apply for SSC CGL 2026?
10. What is the syllabus for SSC CGL Tier 1?
Latest updates (2026)
- OTRS (One-Time Registration System) mandatory for all SSC exams; Aadhaar verification at OTR is now compulsory.
- Tier 3 descriptive paper remains discontinued for CGL since 2022; not reintroduced for CGL 2026.
- Normalisation across shifts continues — equi-percentile method published with the result.
- Region preference + post preference can be edited within the correction window.
- Tier 2 result-based final merit is unchanged for CGL 2026 — Tier 1 is purely qualifying.
Official links
Disclaimer. SarkariBaba is an independent information publisher. We are not affiliated with the Staff Selection Commission. Always verify the latest notification, exam calendar, vacancy figures and post-wise eligibility from the official SSC portal at ssc.gov.in before applying.
