SSC CGL 2026: Vacancies, Salary and Eligibility

12,256 vacancies are now open under the Staff Selection Commission’s Combined Graduate Level Examination 2026, covering Group B and Group C posts in ministries, departments and constitutional bodies across India. SSC CGL 2026 in-hand salary after deductions varies by pay level – from approximately ₹29,000 per month for Pay Level 4 posts up to ₹77,000 for Pay Level 8 posts in metro cities. Any graduate can apply; final-year students appearing in their graduation exam are also eligible provided they complete the degree by 01 August 2026. Applications open from 21 May 2026 on the new SSC portal ssc.gov.in.

Based on official notification released by Staff Selection Commission (HQ). Verified: May 2026.

Quick Eligibility Check

For JSO and Statistical Investigator Grade-II posts, an additional requirement applies: 60% in Mathematics at Class 12 level, or Statistics as a subject at degree level.

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Important Dates

The SSC portal historically experiences heavy load on the final 2–3 days; submitting early avoids payment gateway failures. A correction window (₹200 for first change, ₹500 for second) is available from 29 June to 01 July.

Vacancy and Category Analysis

Category-wise breakdown by post has not been released in the official notification. Post-wise and category-wise vacancies will be published separately on ssc.gov.in under “For Candidates > Tentative Vacancy.” Standard Government of India reservation norms – OBC: 27%, SC: 15%, ST: 7.5%, EWS: 10% – typically apply across all posts.

With approximately 12,256 total vacancies and an expected applicant pool upwards of 30–35 lakh based on SSC CGL 2024–25 participation data, the selection ratio stands at roughly 1 in 245. OBC candidates benefit from 3 years of age relaxation and a lower qualifying cut-off (25% versus 30% for UR) making their effective competition pool somewhat smaller. ESM reservation is available only for Group C posts in this examination.

Salary and In-Hand Calculation

Approximate deductions on a Level 7 (Inspector / ASO) salary illustrate the in-hand calculation clearly. Basic Pay: ₹44,900. Dearness Allowance at current 55% rate: ₹24,695. HRA in X-class cities (27%): ₹12,123; Y-class (18%): ₹8,082; Z-class (9%): ₹4,041. Transport Allowance (Level 7): approximately ₹3,600 plus DA on TA. Gross in X-class city: approximately ₹87,000. Deductions include NPS contribution (~10% of Basic + DA = ₹6,960), CGHS (₹250), and miscellaneous (₹300–₹500). Approximately ₹77,000–₹80,000 per month take-home in X-class cities; ₹68,000–₹72,000 in Y-class; and ₹61,000–₹64,000 in Z-class cities after all standard deductions.

For Level 4 posts (Tax Assistant / UDC), the approximate in-hand after deductions works out to ₹29,000–₹34,000 in Z-class cities and ₹36,000–₹40,000 in X-class cities.

Compared to IBPS PO 2025 (Pay Scale: ₹36,000–₹63,840, in-hand approximately ₹52,000–₹55,000 in metro postings), SSC CGL Level 7 posts offer a meaningfully higher take-home due to the Central Government DA rate and NPS benefits, while Level 4 posts offer comparable salary to IBPS Clerk Grade.

Candidates posted in X-class cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru) receive approximately ₹4,041–₹8,082 more per month in HRA than Z-class city postings – a difference of ₹48,000–₹97,000 annually at the Level 7 pay grade.

Application Fee

Fee payment window closes on 23 June 2026 at 23:00 hours – one day after the application deadline. A common mistake on the SSC portal is submitting the application form but leaving fee payment pending; the application status will show “Incomplete” and will be summarily rejected without refund.

Age Limit

Age is reckoned as on 01 August 2026. An OBC candidate born on 02 August 1993 would be 32 years 364 days old on the cut-off date – eligible for posts with a 30-year limit + 3-year OBC relaxation (upper age 33). The same candidate would not be eligible for posts where the base age limit is 27 years even with OBC relaxation (max 30 years), unless serving as a Central Government employee qualifying for the Group C relaxation.

Eligibility Criteria

Final-year students may apply but must possess the essential qualification by 01 August 2026 – the result must be formally declared by the institution by that date, not merely processed. Equivalent qualifications from foreign universities require an equivalence certificate at the Document Verification stage; the final call rests with the appointing authority.

Selection Process

Tier-I (Computer Based Examination)

Consists of 100 objective-type MCQs across four subjects (General Intelligence, General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude, English Comprehension) carrying 200 marks, to be completed in 60 minutes. Negative marking of 0.50 per wrong answer applies. Tier-I is qualifying and merit-based; candidates are shortlisted category-wise for Tier-II based on Tier-I scores. Focus on speed and accuracy; the 15-minute sectional timer makes section-skipping impossible.

Tier-II (Computer Based Examination)

Paper-I (compulsory for all) covers Mathematical Abilities, Reasoning, English Language, General Awareness, Computer Knowledge Test, and Data Entry Speed Test across two sessions. Paper-II (Statistics, 200 marks) is only for JSO and Statistical Investigator candidates; Paper-III (General Studies – Finance and Economics, 200 marks) is only for AAO/Assistant Accounts Officer candidates. Final merit is based on Tier-II aggregate only. Negative marking is 1 mark per wrong answer in Sections I–III of Paper-I.

Document Verification

Conducted by User Departments after final result. Candidates must submit post preferences via the Online Option Form before this stage – preferences once submitted are final and irreversible.

Your first 7 days after applying:

1. Download and save a printout of your submitted application form immediately after fee payment confirmation.
2. Note the correction window dates (29 June – 01 July) and review your form carefully before it opens.
3. Begin Tier-I preparation with the official syllabus topics for General Intelligence and Quantitative Aptitude.
4. Arrange all supporting documents now: graduation certificate/marksheet, category certificate, ID proof – these must match your OTR details exactly.
5. Bookmark ssc.gov.in and the Regional Office website under whose jurisdiction your exam centre falls – admit cards are issued there first.

Exam Syllabus

Tier-I Exam Pattern

Tier-I Syllabus

General Intelligence & Reasoning

• Semantic Analogy, Symbolic/Number Analogy, Figural Analogy
• Semantic and Figural Classification and Series
• Number Series, Coding & Decoding, Venn Diagrams
• Space Orientation, Space Visualization, Punched Hole/Pattern Folding
• Critical Thinking, Emotional Intelligence, Social Intelligence

General Awareness

• Current Events, History, Culture, Geography, General Policy
• India and its neighbouring countries, Scientific Research
• Economic Scene and everyday scientific observations

Quantitative Aptitude

• Number Systems, Percentages, Ratio and Proportion, Averages
• Interest (Simple and Compound), Profit and Loss, Time and Distance, Time and Work
• Algebra, Geometry (Triangle, Circle), Mensuration, Trigonometry
• Histogram, Frequency Polygon, Bar Diagram, Pie Chart (10th standard level)

English Comprehension

• Spot the Error, Fill in the Blanks, Synonyms, Antonyms, Spellings
• Idioms and Phrases, One Word Substitution, Sentence Improvement
• Active/Passive Voice, Direct/Indirect Speech, Cloze Passage, Comprehension

Tier-II Paper-I Pattern (All Posts)

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How to Apply

1. Visit ssc.gov.in and click “Login or Register.” Complete One-Time Registration (OTR) – use your new SSC website OTR; old ssc.nic.in OTR is not valid on the new portal.
2. Authenticate via Aadhaar-based biometric (recommended) – this waives the photo and signature upload requirements and prevents rejection on those grounds.
3. After OTR, login and click the “Apply” link under “Combined Graduate Level Examination, 2026” in Latest Notifications.
4. Capture your live photograph using the application module’s camera (no pre-existing photo; no cap or spectacles; plain background, good light).
5. Upload your scanned signature in JPEG format, 10–20 KB, dimensions approximately 6.0 cm × 2.0 cm.
6. Select your three examination centres (in priority order) from within the same SSC Region.
7. Preview all entered details carefully before final submission – particularly name, date of birth and father’s/mother’s name as per your Matriculation certificate.
8. Pay the application fee of ₹100 (if applicable) via BHIM UPI, Net Banking, or Debit Card before 23 June 2026 (23:00 hrs) to complete the application.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the approximate in-hand salary for SSC CGL 2026 after deductions?

Under 7th Pay Commission, in-hand salary ranges from approximately ₹29,000–₹34,000 per month for Level 4 posts (Tax Assistant, UDC) in Z-class cities to ₹77,000–₹80,000 for Level 7 posts (Inspector, ASO) in X-class cities, after deducting NPS (~10% of Basic+DA), CGHS, and other standard deductions. HRA is the biggest variable – X-class city postings add ₹8,000–₹12,000 monthly over Z-class for the same post.

What is the last date to apply for SSC CGL 2026?

The online application deadline is 22 June 2026 at 23:00 hours, and fee payment closes one day later on 23 June 2026 at 23:00 hours. Candidates are advised to submit at least 4–5 days early given the SSC portal’s history of heavy traffic near the closing date.

How many total vacancies are there in SSC CGL 2026?

Approximately 12,256 vacancies have been announced on a tentative basis. SSC is still collecting vacancy reports from indenting departments; the final post-wise and category-wise vacancy list will be published separately on ssc.gov.in under “For Candidates > Tentative Vacancy.” This is among the largest CGL vacancy announcements in recent cycles.

What is the minimum educational qualification for SSC CGL 2026?

A Bachelor’s Degree from any recognised university or equivalent is the essential qualification for all posts except JSO (requires 60% in Maths at Class 12 or Statistics at degree level) and Statistical Investigator Gr-II (requires degree in Statistics, Maths, Economics, or allied data science fields). Open and Distance Learning degrees are accepted if the university was UGC-approved for the period of study.

What is the age limit for General category in SSC CGL 2026?

Age is reckoned as on 01 August 2026. For most Group B posts (Inspector, ASO), the limit is 18–30 years; for Level 4–5 posts (Auditor, Accountant, Tax Assistant), it is 18–27 years; and uniquely for JSO the limit is 18–32 years. For the 30-year limit, a General candidate must have been born between 02 August 1996 and 01 August 2008.

What is the age relaxation for OBC, SC, and ST candidates?

As per notification, OBC candidates receive 3 years of relaxation above the upper age limit, SC and ST candidates receive 5 years, and PwBD candidates receive 10 years (13 years for PwBD-OBC and 15 years for PwBD-SC/ST). OBC candidates must ensure their certificate confirms non-creamy layer status valid as on the closing date of application (22 June 2026).

What is the application fee for SSC CGL 2026?

The application fee is ₹100 for General, OBC, and EWS candidates. Women candidates, SC, ST, PwBD, and Ex-Servicemen eligible for reservation are fully exempted from fee payment. The fee can be paid via BHIM UPI, Net Banking, or Visa/Mastercard/RuPay Debit Cards up to 23 June 2026 at 23:00 hours.

Can final-year graduation students apply for SSC CGL 2026?

Candidates appearing in their final year examination may apply, but they must possess the essential qualification – meaning the degree result must be formally declared by 01 August 2026. Mere submission of the university result or result processing does not fulfill the educational qualification requirement; the official declaration is mandatory.