About SSC CGL
The Combined Graduate Level Examination (CGL) is held by the Staff Selection Commission (SSC), which works under the Department of Personnel and Training, Government of India. It is one of the biggest recruitment exams in the country for graduates.
Through one exam, SSC fills many Group B and Group C posts in central ministries, departments, constitutional bodies, statutory bodies and tribunals. These include Assistant Section Officer, Inspector of Income Tax, Inspector in CBIC (Central Excise, Preventive Officer, Examiner), Assistant Enforcement Officer, Sub-Inspector in CBI and NIA, Junior Statistical Officer, Auditor, Accountant, Postal Assistant/Sorting Assistant, Upper Division Clerk and Tax Assistant.
The exam is held once a year. You write one set of papers and then choose the posts you want in order of preference. Your final post depends on your rank and the preferences you give.
SSC CGL at a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Conducting body | Staff Selection Commission (SSC) |
| Level | National (central government jobs) |
| Posts | Group B (gazetted and non-gazetted) and Group C posts in central ministries and departments |
| Qualification | Bachelor's degree from a recognised university (some posts need specific subjects) |
| Age limit | 18–27, 18–30, 20–30 or 18–32 years, depending on the post |
| Stages | Tier-I (computer based) and Tier-II (computer based, with computer test and data entry test), then document verification |
| Mode | Online, computer based, objective type |
| Frequency | Once a year |
| Official website | ssc.gov.in |
Eligibility
Educational qualification
- Most posts: a bachelor's degree from a recognised university or equivalent.
- Junior Statistical Officer: a bachelor's degree in any subject with at least 60% marks in Mathematics in Class 12, or a bachelor's degree with Statistics as one of the subjects.
- Statistical Investigator Grade-II: a bachelor's degree in Statistics, Mathematics, Economics, Demography, Population Studies, Operation Research, IT, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Computer Applications, Data Science or Artificial Intelligence.
- Assistant Audit Officer / Assistant Accounts Officer: a bachelor's degree. CA, CMA, CS, M.Com, MBA (Finance) and similar degrees are listed as desirable. For State Cadre posts you also need a Class 10 level certificate in the regional or official language of that state.
Final-year students can apply, but they must have the degree by the cut-off date given in the notification.
Age limit
Age is counted on a fixed date given in each notification (1 August of the exam year in the 2026 notice). The upper age limit depends on the post:
- 18–27 years: Pay Level 4 and Level 5 posts such as Auditor, Accountant, Postal Assistant, Upper Division Clerk and Tax Assistant.
- 18–30 years: most Level 6, 7 and 8 posts, such as Inspector of Income Tax, Inspector in CBIC, Assistant Audit Officer and Sub-Inspector in NIA.
- 20–30 years: Assistant Section Officer in CSS, Ministry of Railways, Ministry of External Affairs and AFHQ, and Sub-Inspector in CBI.
- 18–32 years: Junior Statistical Officer.
Age relaxation
| Category | Relaxation in upper age limit |
|---|---|
| SC / ST | 5 years |
| OBC | 3 years |
| PwBD (General / EWS) | 10 years |
| PwBD (OBC) | 13 years |
| PwBD (SC / ST) | 15 years |
| Ex-Servicemen | 3 years after deducting military service from actual age |
| Central Govt. civilian employees with 3 years' regular service (Group C posts) | Up to 40 years (45 years for SC/ST) |
| Widows, divorced women and judicially separated women not remarried (Group C posts) | Up to 35 years (40 years for SC/ST) |
Nationality
You must be a citizen of India, or a subject of Nepal or Bhutan, or a person of Indian origin who migrated from certain listed countries to settle permanently in India. Candidates in the last three groups need a certificate of eligibility from the Government of India.
Physical standards for some posts
A few posts, such as Inspector (Central Excise, Preventive Officer, Examiner), Sub-Inspector in CBI, NIA and NCB, and Inspector/Sub-Inspector in the Central Bureau of Narcotics, have their own physical and medical standards. These are checked by the department after final selection. Read the annexures on physical and medical standards before you list these posts in your preferences, because a post once allotted is not changed if you fail these tests.
Selection process
- Tier-I (Computer Based Examination): a screening test. Your marks decide whether you are called for Tier-II. Tier-I marks are not added to the final merit.
- Tier-II (Computer Based Examination): Paper-I is compulsory for everyone. Paper-II (Statistics) is only for candidates shortlisted for JSO and Statistical Investigator. Paper-III (General Studies – Finance and Economics) is only for those shortlisted for Assistant Audit Officer and Assistant Accounts Officer.
- Document verification: original certificates are checked.
- Final selection: made on Tier-II marks and the post preferences you submit online.
Exam pattern
Tier-I
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General Intelligence and Reasoning | 25 | 50 |
| General Awareness | 25 | 50 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | 50 |
| English Comprehension | 25 | 50 |
| Total | 100 | 200 |
Time: 1 hour, with a sectional timer of 15 minutes for each subject (80 minutes for candidates eligible for a scribe). Negative marking: 0.50 mark for each wrong answer. Questions are in English and Hindi, except the English section.
Tier-II Paper-I (compulsory for all)
| Section | Subject | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Section-I | Mathematical Abilities; Reasoning and General Intelligence | 30 + 30 | 180 | 1 hour |
| Section-II | English Language and Comprehension; General Awareness | 45 + 25 | 210 | 1 hour |
| Section-III | Computer Knowledge Test (qualifying) | 20 | 60 | 15 minutes |
| Section-IV | Data Entry Speed Test (qualifying) | One data entry task | – | 15 minutes |
Each question carries 3 marks, and 1 mark is cut for each wrong answer in Sections I, II and III. You must qualify every section separately. The Data Entry Speed Test asks you to type a passage of about 2,000 key depressions in 15 minutes. Higher standards in the computer test and the data entry test are set for posts such as ASO in CSS/MEA/AFHQ, Inspectors in CBIC, Tax Assistant and Postal Assistant.
Tier-II Paper-II and Paper-III
| Paper | For which posts | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper-II: Statistics | JSO and Statistical Investigator Grade-II | 100 | 200 | 2 hours |
| Paper-III: General Studies (Finance and Economics) | Assistant Audit Officer / Assistant Accounts Officer | 100 | 200 | 2 hours |
Negative marking in Paper-II and Paper-III is 0.50 mark per wrong answer.
Minimum qualifying marks
In Tier-I and in each scored section/paper of Tier-II you need at least 30% (UR), 25% (OBC/EWS) or 20% (all other categories). Reaching these marks only makes you eligible; the actual cut-off is usually higher.
Syllabus
Main topics as per the latest notification (indicative syllabus):
Quantitative Aptitude / Mathematical Abilities
- Number system: whole numbers, decimals, fractions
- Arithmetic: percentage, ratio and proportion, square roots, averages, simple and compound interest, profit and loss, discount, partnership, mixture and alligation, time and distance, time and work
- Algebra: basic identities, surds, graphs of linear equations
- Geometry: triangles and their centres, congruence and similarity, circles, chords and tangents
- Mensuration: 2D figures, prism, cone, cylinder, sphere, hemisphere, cuboid, pyramid
- Trigonometry: ratios, identities, heights and distances
- Data and statistics: histogram, frequency polygon, bar and pie charts; in Tier-II also mean, median, mode, standard deviation and simple probability
Reasoning and General Intelligence
- Analogy, classification and series (word, number and figure)
- Coding-decoding, numerical and symbolic operations
- Venn diagrams, drawing inferences, syllogism
- Space orientation, paper folding and cutting, embedded figures
- Critical thinking, emotional and social intelligence
English
- Spot the error, fill in the blanks, synonyms, antonyms, spellings
- Idioms and phrases, one-word substitution, sentence improvement
- Active/passive voice, direct/indirect speech
- Sentence and paragraph rearrangement, cloze test, reading comprehension
General Awareness
- Current events and everyday science
- History, culture and geography of India and its neighbours
- Economy, general policy and scientific research
Computer Knowledge (Tier-II)
- Computer basics: CPU, memory, input/output devices, ports, keyboard shortcuts
- Windows and MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Internet, e-mail and e-banking
- Networking basics and cyber security threats
Paper-II (Statistics) covers data collection and presentation, central tendency, dispersion, moments, correlation and regression, probability, distributions, sampling, statistical inference, analysis of variance, time series and index numbers. Paper-III covers financial accounting (80 marks) and economics and governance (120 marks), including the role of CAG and the Finance Commission, micro-economics, the Indian economy, money and banking, and IT in governance.
Salary and posts
| Pay Level (7th CPC) | Pay range | Example posts |
|---|---|---|
| Level 8 | ₹47,600 – ₹1,51,100 | Assistant Audit Officer, Assistant Accounts Officer |
| Level 7 | ₹44,900 – ₹1,42,400 | ASO (CSS, IB, Railways, MEA, AFHQ), Inspector of Income Tax, Inspector (CBIC), Assistant Enforcement Officer, Sub-Inspector (CBI), Inspector Posts |
| Level 6 | ₹35,400 – ₹1,12,400 | Assistant/ASO (other ministries), Executive Assistant, Divisional Accountant, Sub-Inspector (NIA), JSO, Statistical Investigator |
| Level 5 | ₹29,200 – ₹92,300 | Auditor, Accountant, Junior Accountant |
| Level 4 | ₹25,500 – ₹81,100 | Postal/Sorting Assistant, UDC/SSA, Tax Assistant, Sub-Inspector (CBN) |
The first figure is the starting basic pay. On top of basic pay, employees get Dearness Allowance, House Rent Allowance or government housing, Transport Allowance and other benefits as per central government rules. All posts carry an all-India service liability, so you can be posted anywhere in India.
How to apply
- Go to ssc.gov.in and complete One-Time Registration (OTR) if you have not done it before.
- Log in and open the CGL application form when the notice is out.
- Fill in your details, qualification, category and exam centre choices.
- Upload your photograph and signature as instructed.
- Pay the fee online (UPI, net banking or debit card) and submit the form before the last date.
- Keep a printout of the submitted form.
Application fee: ₹100. Women, SC, ST, PwBD and Ex-Servicemen eligible for reservation do not pay any fee. The fee is not refunded.
Exam calendar
SSC publishes a tentative calendar of exams every year on its website. The usual order is (usual, may change):
- Notification – in recent years between March and June.
- Application window of about one month, followed by a correction window.
- Tier-I – a few months after the notification.
- Tier-I result, then Tier-II – usually around the end of the year.
- Option form for post preferences, final result and document verification.
The live status box on this page shows the latest notification, admit card and result as soon as they are out.
Preparation tips
These are general study tips, not official rules:
- Read the latest notification fully, especially the post-wise age limits and qualifications, before you apply.
- Tier-II decides the final merit, so plan your study for Tier-II from the start. The two exams share most of the syllabus.
- Practise full mock tests on a computer with sectional timers; there is negative marking in both tiers.
- Give daily time to English reading and vocabulary, because English carries 45 questions in Tier-II.
- Practise typing regularly so that the Data Entry Speed Test is not a problem.
- Think carefully about your post preferences; once given, they cannot be changed.
SSC CGL FAQs
What is the age limit for SSC CGL?
It depends on the post: 18–27, 18–30, 20–30 or 18–32 years, with relaxation for SC/ST (5 years), OBC (3 years), PwBD and other categories.
Can final-year students apply for SSC CGL?
Yes, but they must have passed their degree by the cut-off date given in the notification.
How many stages are there in SSC CGL?
Two computer-based tiers (Tier-I and Tier-II), followed by document verification. Final merit is based on Tier-II only.
Is there negative marking in SSC CGL?
Yes. 0.50 mark per wrong answer in Tier-I, 1 mark per wrong answer in Sections I–III of Tier-II Paper-I, and 0.50 mark in Paper-II and Paper-III.
What is the salary of SSC CGL posts?
Posts range from Pay Level 4 (starting basic pay ₹25,500) to Pay Level 8 (starting basic pay ₹47,600), plus allowances.
Is there a limit on attempts?
The notification does not fix a number of attempts. You can appear as long as you meet the age limit and other conditions.
Is typing required for SSC CGL?
Yes. The Data Entry Speed Test in Tier-II is compulsory for all posts but is qualifying. Some posts need a higher standard.
Always confirm the details in the official notification of the year you apply for.
SSC CGL: all notifications on this site
| Recruitment | Posts | Last date | Admit card / result |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSC CGL 2025 Notification for 14,582 posts! | 14,582 Posts | 04 Jul 2025 | Result |
| SSC CGL 2025 | Staff Selection Commission latest notificationOpen | General/OBC (Male):... | – | Result |