In short: SSC CHSL 2026 offers approximately 2,536 Group C posts (LDC/JSA, DEO, DEO Grade A) for 12th-pass candidates aged 18–27. Tier 1 is a 100-question, 200-mark CBT with 15-minute sectional timers and −0.50 negative marking; only Tier 2 scores decide final merit. Applications close 7 October 2026, Tier 1 runs 30 November–31 December 2026.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Exam | Combined Higher Secondary Level Examination (SSC CHSL) 2026 |
| Conducted by | Staff Selection Commission (SSC) |
| Vacancies | Approximately 2,536 (tentative) |
| Posts | Lower Division Clerk (LDC) / Junior Secretariat Assistant (JSA), Data Entry Operator (DEO), DEO Grade 'A' |
| Eligibility | Class 12th pass (Science with Mathematics for certain DEO posts); age 18–27 years |
| Apply online | 7 September – 7 October 2026 (up to 11:00 PM) at ssc.gov.in |
| Tier 1 (CBT) | 30 November – 31 December 2026 |
| Tier 2 (CBT + Skill/Typing Test) | To be notified later by SSC |
What Is SSC CHSL 2026?
The Staff Selection Commission released the SSC CHSL Notification 2026 on 7 September 2026, opening applications for approximately 2,536 tentative vacancies for the posts of Lower Division Clerk (LDC) / Junior Secretariat Assistant (JSA), Data Entry Operator (DEO) and DEO Grade 'A' in various ministries, departments and offices of the Government of India. SSC CHSL is the only major central-government recruitment that accepts Class 12th (10+2) pass candidates — no graduation is required — which is why lakhs of aspirants compete for it every year.
Applications are open from 7 September to 7 October 2026 (11:00 PM), the fee payment deadline is 8 October 2026 (11:00 PM), and the application correction window is 14–16 October 2026 (first correction ₹200, second ₹500). The Tier 1 computer-based examination is scheduled for 30 November to 31 December 2026; Tier 2 dates will be notified later.
What Is the SSC CHSL 2026 Exam Pattern?
SSC CHSL 2026 has two tiers followed by document verification. Tier 1 is a screening test — its marks are used only to shortlist candidates for Tier 2 and do not count toward final merit. The final merit list is prepared from the aggregate marks of Tier 2 Section-I and Section-II, subject to qualifying the computer knowledge module and the skill/typing test. Where the exam is conducted in multiple shifts, SSC applies its published normalization formula.
Tier 1 Exam Pattern (Computer Based)
Tier 1 is a single-session objective test of 100 questions carrying 200 marks, to be completed in 60 minutes (80 minutes for eligible PwBD candidates). The 2026 pattern carries the fixed 15-minute sectional timer per subject, and 0.50 marks are deducted for each wrong answer.
| Subject | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language (Basic Knowledge) | 25 | 50 | 15 min |
| General Intelligence | 25 | 50 | 15 min |
| Quantitative Aptitude (Basic Arithmetic Skill) | 25 | 50 | 15 min |
| General Awareness | 25 | 50 | 15 min |
| Total | 100 | 200 | 60 min |
Tier 2 Exam Pattern (Computer Based + Skill/Typing Test)
Tier 2 is conducted in two sessions on the same day. Session 1 (2 hours 15 minutes) covers Section-I, Section-II and the Computer Knowledge module of Section-III. Session 2 (Section-IV) covers the Skill Test / Typing Test. Negative marking of 1 mark per wrong answer applies in Section-I, Section-II and Module-1 of Section-III. The Computer Knowledge module and the Skill/Typing Test are qualifying in nature only.
| Session | Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Session 1 (2h 15m) | Section-I: Mathematical Abilities (30) + Reasoning & General Intelligence (30) | 60 | 180 | 1 hour |
| Session 1 | Section-II: English Language & Comprehension (40) + General Awareness (20) | 60 | 180 | 1 hour |
| Session 1 | Section-III (Module-1): Computer Knowledge Test — qualifying | 15 | 45 | 15 min |
| Session 2 | Section-IV: Skill Test (DEO, 15 min) / Typing Test (LDC/JSA, 10 min) — qualifying | — | — | 10–15 min |
Typing/Skill test standards: LDC/JSA — 35 words per minute in English or 30 wpm in Hindi (Hindi typing in Mangal font); DEO — 15,000 key depressions per hour for specified DEO/DEO Grade 'A' posts and 8,000 key depressions per hour for other DEO posts. The typing medium chosen in the application form is final.
What Is the SSC CHSL 2026 Syllabus?
Tier 1 syllabus (25 questions per subject): General Intelligence covers analogies, classification, coding-decoding, series, blood relations, direction sense, non-verbal reasoning and syllogism; Quantitative Aptitude covers number systems, simplification, percentage, ratio-proportion, average, profit-loss, SI-CI, time-speed-distance, algebra, geometry, mensuration and trigonometry; General Awareness covers static GK (history, polity, geography, economy, science) plus current affairs; English covers comprehension passages, error spotting, fill in the blanks, idioms-phrases, one-word substitution, synonyms-antonyms and sentence improvement.
Tier 2 syllabus: Section-I Module A (Mathematical Abilities) advances the Tier 1 arithmetic topics with data interpretation; Module B (Reasoning & General Intelligence) mirrors Tier 1 reasoning with harder sets; Section-II Module A (English Language & Comprehension) is reading-comprehension heavy; Module B (General Awareness) widens current-affairs coverage; the Computer Knowledge Test covers computer fundamentals, MS Word/Excel/PowerPoint, internet, email and basic cyber security concepts.
Who Is Eligible for SSC CHSL 2026?
Educational qualification: Class 12th (10+2) pass from a recognized board. Candidates applying for certain DEO and DEO Grade 'A' posts must additionally have Science stream with Mathematics in Class 12th. Age limit: 18 to 27 years as on the cut-off date, with standard age relaxation for reserved categories. Application fee: ₹100 for General/OBC/EWS; exempted (Nil) for Women, SC, ST, PwBD and Ex-Servicemen candidates. Minimum qualifying marks are 30% for UR and 25% for OBC/EWS in Tier 1 and in Tier 2's merit-deciding sections.
What Is the SSC CHSL Salary in 2026?
| Post | Pay Level | Pay Scale (Monthly) |
|---|---|---|
| LDC / JSA | Level-2 | ₹19,900 – ₹63,200 |
| DEO | Level-4 & Level-5 | ₹25,500 – ₹92,300 |
| DEO Grade 'A' (e.g. C&AG) | Level-8 | ₹47,600 – ₹1,51,100 |
In-hand salary is higher than basic pay once Dearness Allowance, House Rent Allowance and Transport Allowance are added, and it varies by posting city (X/Y/Z classification).
How to Prepare for SSC CHSL 2026? (7-Point Strategy)
- Respect the sectional timers: With only 15 minutes per Tier 1 section, practice each subject in 15-minute blocks, not 60-minute mixed papers.
- Keep attempts safe: −0.50 in Tier 1 and −1 in Tier 2 punish blind guessing — attempt only questions you can narrow down to at most two options.
- Quant is the differentiator: Speed arithmetic (squares, cubes, percentage-fraction conversions) decides both Tier 1 and Tier 2 Section-I; give maths a daily slot.
- English compounds over time: Tier 2 Section-II has 40 English questions worth 180 marks in total with GA — daily reading plus previous-year vocab lists pays off.
- Don't ignore the qualifying tests: The Computer Knowledge Test and the typing/skill test can knock you out even with a great written score — practice typing to the exact 35/30 wpm standard from week one.
- Current affairs window: Cover the last 6 months of current affairs for Tier 1 GA and widen it for Tier 2 Section-II Module B.
- Mock with normalization in mind: Take full-length CBT mocks in one sitting, review every wrong answer, and aim for a normalized-score buffer above last year's cut-off.
FAQs on SSC CHSL 2026
What is the SSC CHSL 2026 exam pattern for Tier 1?
The SSC CHSL 2026 Tier 1 pattern is a computer-based objective test of 100 questions carrying 200 marks — 25 questions each from English Language, General Intelligence, Quantitative Aptitude and General Awareness — to be completed in 60 minutes with a fixed 15-minute sectional timer per subject. There is 0.50 negative marking per wrong answer.
Does SSC CHSL 2026 Tier 1 decide the final merit?
No. In SSC CHSL 2026, Tier 1 marks are used only for shortlisting candidates for Tier 2. The final merit list is prepared from the aggregate marks of Tier 2 Section-I and Section-II (360 marks), subject to qualifying the Computer Knowledge module and the Skill/Typing Test.
What is the SSC CHSL 2026 Tier 2 exam pattern?
The SSC CHSL 2026 Tier 2 exam is held in two sessions on the same day. Session 1 (2 hours 15 minutes) covers Section-I (Mathematical Abilities + Reasoning, 180 marks, 1 hour), Section-II (English + General Awareness, 180 marks, 1 hour) and the Computer Knowledge Test (45 marks, 15 minutes, qualifying). Session 2 covers the Skill Test/Typing Test, which is qualifying in nature. Negative marking is 1 mark per wrong answer in Sections I, II and the Computer module.
What typing speed is required for SSC CHSL 2026?
For SSC CHSL 2026, LDC/JSA candidates must qualify a typing test of 35 words per minute in English or 30 words per minute in Hindi (Hindi typing in Mangal font). DEO candidates must qualify a skill test of 15,000 key depressions per hour for specified posts, or 8,000 key depressions per hour for other DEO/DEO Grade 'A' posts.
What are the important dates of SSC CHSL 2026?
The SSC CHSL 2026 notification was released on 7 September 2026; online applications are open from 7 September to 7 October 2026 (11:00 PM), the fee payment deadline is 8 October 2026 (11:00 PM), the correction window is 14–16 October 2026, Tier 1 is scheduled for 30 November–31 December 2026, and Tier 2 dates will be notified later.
What is the eligibility and application fee for SSC CHSL 2026?
SSC CHSL 2026 eligibility is Class 12th (10+2) pass from a recognized board (Science with Mathematics required for certain DEO posts), with an age limit of 18–27 years. The application fee is ₹100 for General/OBC/EWS candidates and is exempted for Women, SC, ST, PwBD and Ex-Servicemen candidates.
How many vacancies are there in SSC CHSL 2026?
SSC has announced approximately 2,536 tentative vacancies under SSC CHSL 2026 for the posts of LDC/JSA, DEO and DEO Grade 'A'. The post-wise and category-wise break-up is released separately by the Commission.
Last updated: 7 October 2026
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