APSSB CGLE 2026 – Combined Graduate Level Examination Recruitment for UDC, Librarian & Personal Assistant

APSSB CGLE 2026 (Combined Graduate Level Examination 2026) has been officially notified by the Arunachal Pradesh Staff Selection Board (APSSB), Itanagar, vide Advertisement No. 03/2026 dated 09/03/2026. Online applications are invited from eligible candidates for recruitment to Group ‘C’ posts across various departments and offices of the Government of Arunachal Pradesh. The application window opens on 24 March 2026 (10:00 AM) and closes on 16 April 2026 (03:00 PM) at www.apssb.nic.in. The tentative written examination date is 31 May 2026 (Sunday).

This recruitment covers three distinct post codes — Post Code 12/26: Personal Assistant (Stenographer Gr-III), Post Code 13/26: Librarian, and Post Code 14/26: Upper Division Clerk (UDC) — across a wide range of Government of Arunachal Pradesh departments from the AP Civil Secretariat and Hydropower to Public Health Engineering, Women and Child Development, and multiple District Collector offices. The total tentative vacancy count is 132 across all three post codes and all categories. All three posts carry Level-5 pay (₹29,200 – ₹92,300) and share the same age limit and written examination pattern, but have different educational qualification requirements.

One strategic point every applicant must understand: APSSB CGLE 2026 uses a post and department preference system. Candidates indicate their preferred post and department/office in the application itself — and once submitted, this preference is final and cannot be changed. The merit list for each post is prepared based on the candidate’s indicated preference order. This means thoughtful preference selection during application is as important as exam performance. Candidates who do not carefully select their preferred departments risk being allocated against a low-preference option even if they score well.

Recruitment Overview

The Arunachal Pradesh Staff Selection Board (APSSB), headquartered at Itanagar, is the statutory body responsible for recruitment to Group ‘C’ and Group ‘B’ posts in the Government of Arunachal Pradesh. The Combined Graduate Level Examination (CGLE) is APSSB’s flagship recruitment event for graduate-level clerical, administrative, and technical posts across all state government departments. CGLE 2026 is particularly significant as it covers vacancies across more than 25 distinct offices and departments — from state-level secretariat posts (AP Civil Secretariat) to district-level offices (DC Bichom, DC Changlang, DC Lohit, DC Namsai, DC Siang, DC Tawang, DC Upper Subansiri, DC Lower Dibang Valley) — offering candidates a genuine choice of preferred deployment locations within Arunachal Pradesh.

Important Dates

The APSSB CGLE 2026 timeline is compact — the application window is just 23 days, and the written examination is scheduled just 6 weeks after the closing date. Candidates must apply early and ensure all documents are ready before the window opens on 24 March 2026. The Stenography Proficiency Test for Post Code 12/26 is scheduled in the 4th week of April 2026 — before the written examination — meaning Personal Assistant applicants must prepare for the shorthand test immediately. The written examination (Stage 2 for all posts) is on 31 May 2026. Applications received through any mode other than the online portal at apssb.nic.in will be summarily rejected.

Application Fee

The application fee for APSSB CGLE 2026 is category-based and is significantly lower than most central government examinations. APST (Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribe) candidates pay ₹150, while Unreserved (UR) candidates pay ₹200. Persons with Disabilities (PwD) are fully exempt from the application fee. The fee is non-refundable and must be paid online only — no other mode of fee payment is accepted. Candidates are advised to complete payment before the closing date and retain proof of successful transaction.

Age Limit

The age limit for all three post codes under APSSB CGLE 2026 is 18 to 35 years, determined as on the closing date of application (16 April 2026). Age relaxation is provided to APST (Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribe) candidates and PwBD (Persons with Benchmark Disabilities) candidates. APST candidates get an upper age relaxation of 5 years (maximum age 40). PwBD candidates get 10 years upper age relaxation (maximum age 45), with an additional relaxation taking the PwBD + APST maximum to 15 years above the general limit (maximum age 50). No age relaxation details for Ex-Servicemen (beyond the 1 reserved vacancy) are separately specified — candidates should verify from the official notification.

Eligibility Criteria

The educational qualification requirements differ across the three post codes. All candidates must be Indian citizens. Qualification, age, and experience are determined as on the closing date of application. Each post code has at least one mandatory additional qualification beyond the basic graduation — a Stenography Diploma for PA (12/26), a Library Science Degree/Diploma for Librarian (13/26), and a Computer Application Diploma for UDC (14/26). Missing any of these additional qualifications makes a candidate ineligible for that specific post code even if they hold a valid graduation degree.

Vacancy Details

The total tentative vacancies under APSSB CGLE 2026 are 132 — comprising APST: 94, UR: 28, PwD: 07, and Ex-SM: 01. The UDC (Post Code 14/26) has the largest share of vacancies at 122, spread across more than 25 departments and offices. Personal Assistant (12/26) has 30 vacancies across two departments (AP Civil Secretariat: 23, Hydropower: 7). Librarian (13/26) has 2 vacancies under the Directorate of Medical Education, Training & Research. The vacancy numbers are provisional and subject to change.

Selection Process

The selection process differs between Post Code 12/26 (Personal Assistant) and Post Codes 13/26 and 14/26 (Librarian and UDC). For Librarian and UDC, the selection process has only one stage — the Written Examination (Stage 2). For Personal Assistant, there are two stages: a Stenography Proficiency Test (Stage 1) followed by the Written Examination (Stage 2). The final merit list for all post codes is prepared on the basis of the Stage 2 Written Examination only — the Stenography Proficiency Test for PA is qualifying only and does not contribute to the final merit score.

Stage 1: Stenography Proficiency Test — Post Code 12/26 (PA) Only

The Stenography Proficiency Test (SPT) will be conducted in the 4th week of April 2026. It is a qualifying test only — passing it is mandatory to appear in Stage 2, but SPT marks are not counted in the final merit list. The test is conducted on computer. Candidates take dictation at 80 words per minute for 5 minutes followed by transcription in English for 45 minutes. An average of 5 key depressions per word is used as the counting standard. Permissible mistakes are 8% for General/UR candidates and 10% for APST candidates. A trial passage is provided before the actual test passage to help candidates acclimatise to the dictator’s accent and speed.

Stage 2: Written Examination — All Post Codes

The written examination is the primary and decisive stage for all three post codes. It is an objective-type multiple choice question paper of 200 marks, completed in 2 hours. There are four sections — General Awareness, General Intelligence & Reasoning Ability, Arithmetical & Numerical Ability, and Test of English Language and Comprehension — each carrying 50 marks (25 questions of 2 marks each). There is no negative marking, and there is no sectional cut-off. The minimum qualifying aggregate is 33% — candidates scoring below 33% are not eligible for selection regardless of rank. The final merit list for each post is determined by marks in the written examination, subject to the preference order indicated by the candidate.

Exam Syllabus & Pattern

Written Examination Pattern (Stage 2 — All Posts)

Section-wise Syllabus

General Awareness (50 marks): Current Events; History; Polity; Constitution; Sports; Art & Culture; Geography; Economics; Everyday Science; Scientific Research; National/International Organisations and Institutions. State-specific questions related to Arunachal Pradesh may also be asked.

General Intelligence & Reasoning Ability (50 marks): Verbal and non-verbal reasoning — analogies, similarities and differences, space visualisation, problem solving, analysis, judgment, decision making, visual memory, discrimination, observation, relationship concepts, arithmetical reasoning, verbal and figure classification, arithmetical number series, abstract ideas and symbols, arithmetical computation, and other analytical functions.

Arithmetical & Numerical Ability (50 marks): Number Systems; Simplification; Decimals; Data Interpretation; Fractions; LCM and HCF; Ratio & Proportion; Percentage; Average; Profit & Loss; Discount; Simple & Compound Interest; Mensuration; Time & Work; Time & Distance; Tables & Graphs.

Test of English Language and Comprehension (50 marks): Spotting the error; Filling in the blanks; Synonyms; Antonyms; Spelling/detecting misspelled words; Idioms & phrases; One word substitution; Improvement of sentences; Active/Passive voice of verbs; Direct/Indirect narration conversion; Shuffling of sentence parts; Shuffling of sentences in a passage; Cloze passage; Comprehension passage.

Stenography Proficiency Test Pattern (Stage 1 — Post Code 12/26 Only)

Salary & Pay Scale

All three post codes under APSSB CGLE 2026 carry the same Level-5 pay under the Arunachal Pradesh Pay Matrix — ₹29,200 to ₹92,300 per month. In addition to the basic pay, government employees in Arunachal Pradesh receive DA (Dearness Allowance), HRA (House Rent Allowance), TA (Travel Allowance), and other allowances as per Arunachal Pradesh Government service conditions applicable to Group ‘C’ employees. The estimated total in-hand salary at entry level — including DA and standard allowances — typically ranges between ₹38,000 and ₹48,000 per month for Group ‘C’ Level-5 employees in Arunachal Pradesh, though the exact amount varies based on posting location (HRA varies by city classification) and applicable allowances.

How to Apply Online – Step by Step

1. Visit the official APSSB portal at www.apssb.nic.in from 24 March 2026 (10:00 AM). Applications through any other mode are rejected outright.
2. Register on the portal and create your applicant account with a valid email ID and mobile number.
3. Fill the application form carefully with accurate personal, educational, and eligibility details. Select the post code(s) you are applying for.
4. Indicate your post and department preference carefully. This is the most critical step — you must indicate your preferred post as well as your preferred Department/Office from the available vacancies for which you are eligible. Preference once submitted is final and cannot be changed under any circumstances. The merit list is determined as per the order of preference indicated.
5. Upload all required documents as specified — photograph, signature, graduation documents, relevant diploma (Stenography for 12/26, Library Science for 13/26, Computer Application for 14/26), and category certificates. Stenography Diploma upload is mandatory for Post Code 12/26 at the application stage.
6. Provide your Photo Identity Document details (Aadhaar/Voter ID/Driving Licence/PAN Card). The name and details on your ID must match your admit card — carry the same ID to the examination centre.
7. Pay the application fee online (₹150 for APST, ₹200 for UR, ₹0 for PwD). Retain the payment confirmation.
8. Submit the application and download/save the confirmation. Do not edit the application after submission — no modifications are allowed after the closing date.
9. Download your admit card from www.apssb.nic.in when notified. Individual admit cards are not sent by post — carry the downloaded admit card along with the same Photo ID to the examination centre.

Important Instructions for Candidates

Expert Tips to Crack APSSB CGLE 2026

Get Your Department Preference Strategy Right Before Applying

The preference system in APSSB CGLE 2026 is unique — your order of preference for posts and departments directly determines your merit list placement for that specific preference. For UDC (Post Code 14/26), with 122 vacancies across 25+ departments, carefully research which departments have the most vacancies (Public Health Engineering and Water Supply with 22 vacancies is the largest single department for UDC) and rank departments by their vacancy count and your willingness to be posted there. Candidates who treat the preference section as an afterthought often find themselves allocated to a low-priority posting despite excellent exam scores. Finalise your preference order before opening the application form — and do not change it carelessly.

Post Code 12/26 Applicants Must Begin Stenography Practice Immediately

The Stenography Proficiency Test (SPT) for Personal Assistant (Post Code 12/26) is scheduled in the 4th week of April 2026 — just 4–5 weeks after the application window opens. This leaves very little time to build stenography speed if you have not been practising regularly. The requirement is dictation at 80 WPM for 5 minutes with English transcription in 45 minutes on computer. Permissible mistake rates are tight — 8% for General and 10% for APST. Any candidate applying for Post Code 12/26 should begin timed shorthand dictation practice from the day they submit their application. Speed tests at 80 WPM are achievable for trained stenographers but require regular computer-based transcription practice to build typing accuracy under timed conditions.

No Negative Marking Is a Major Strategic Opportunity

APSSB CGLE 2026 written examination has no negative marking — this is an important strategic differentiator from most central government examinations. With 100 questions of 2 marks each and no penalty for wrong answers, the optimal strategy is to attempt all 100 questions without leaving any blank. Candidates should complete questions they are confident about first, then use remaining time to make educated guesses on uncertain questions. Even a random guess gives a 25% chance of earning 2 marks with zero downside risk. This means your target should be maximising total marks rather than minimising wrong answers.

Prepare Arunachal Pradesh State-Specific GK Separately

The General Awareness section explicitly states that state-specific questions related to Arunachal Pradesh may also be asked. This is a frequently overlooked preparation area — most candidates prepare only from national-level GK resources and miss questions on Arunachal Pradesh’s geography, tribal culture, administrative structure, festivals, elected officials, state-specific government schemes, and historical events. Prepare a dedicated Arunachal Pradesh GK capsule covering the state’s tribes and languages, geographical features (highest peaks, rivers, national parks), administrative divisions (districts, state capital), major government schemes, and recent developments in the state. This dedicated preparation can earn 3–5 additional marks in GK that other candidates typically miss.

Secure the Computer Application Diploma Validity for Post Code 14/26

The UDC (Post Code 14/26) requires a minimum 6-month Diploma in Computer Application from an institution recognised by the Arunachal Pradesh Council for Technical Education (APCTE) or AICTE. This is a stricter recognition requirement than most state SSC Computer Diploma conditions — the institution must specifically be APCTE/AICTE-approved. Candidates who hold computer diplomas from private institutes that are not on the APCTE/AICTE approved list will be ineligible even if the institute is otherwise reputed. Verify your diploma’s institutional recognition status before applying. The document verification stage will require the original Computer Application Diploma certificate — ensure it is accessible and the institution’s recognition status can be confirmed.

Monitor apssb.nic.in Regularly Throughout the Process

All communications including admit cards, result notifications, and document verification call letters are published exclusively on www.apssb.nic.in. Individual documents are not sent by post. The Board may also make amendments to the examination scheme, centre allocations, or date changes through the website without individual notice. Bookmark www.apssb.nic.in and check it at minimum every 2–3 days from the date you submit your application through the exam date of 31 May 2026. Given that APSSB is a state-level board with limited digital outreach compared to central government bodies, missing a notice posted on the website could mean missing your admit card download or a critical exam date change.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. What is APSSB CGLE 2026 and which posts are included?

APSSB CGLE 2026 is the Combined Graduate Level Examination 2026 conducted by the Arunachal Pradesh Staff Selection Board for recruitment to three Group ‘C’ posts: Personal Assistant / Stenographer Gr-III (Post Code 12/26), Librarian (Post Code 13/26), and Upper Division Clerk / UDC (Post Code 14/26). Total tentative vacancies are 132.

Q2. What is the last date to apply for APSSB CGLE 2026?

The last date for online application is 16 April 2026 at 03:00 PM at www.apssb.nic.in. Applications through any other mode are not accepted.

Q3. What are the educational qualifications required for APSSB CGLE 2026?

All three posts require a Bachelor’s Degree from a recognised university. Post Code 12/26 additionally requires a Diploma in Stenography from a recognised institution. Post Code 13/26 requires a Degree/Diploma in Library Science. Post Code 14/26 requires a minimum 6-month Computer Application Diploma from an APCTE/AICTE-recognised institution.

Q4. What is the age limit for APSSB CGLE 2026?

18 to 35 years as on the closing date (16 April 2026). APST candidates get 5 years upper age relaxation (max 40). PwBD candidates get 10 years relaxation (max 45). PwBD + APST candidates get 15 years relaxation (max 50).

Q5. What is the application fee for APSSB CGLE 2026?

₹150 for APST candidates; ₹200 for Unreserved (UR) candidates; PwD candidates are fully exempt. Fee must be paid online only and is non-refundable.

Q6. What is the written examination pattern for APSSB CGLE 2026?

200 marks, 2 hours, 100 MCQs (4 sections × 25 questions × 2 marks each): General Awareness, General Intelligence & Reasoning, Arithmetical & Numerical Ability, and English Language. No negative marking. Minimum qualifying marks: 33% aggregate (66 out of 200). No sectional cut-off.

Q7. What is the Stenography Proficiency Test for Post Code 12/26?

The SPT is a qualifying test conducted in the 4th week of April 2026. Dictation at 80 WPM for 5 minutes, transcription in English on computer for 45 minutes. Permissible mistakes: 8% (General/UR) and 10% (APST). Only SPT qualifiers proceed to the written examination. SPT marks are not counted in the final merit list.

Q8. What is the preference system in APSSB CGLE 2026?

Candidates must indicate their preferred posts and Department/Office in the application form itself. Preference once submitted is final and irrevocable — no changes are allowed. The merit list for each post is prepared based on the candidate’s indicated preference order for that specific post and department.

Q9. What is the pay scale for APSSB CGLE 2026 posts?

All three posts — Personal Assistant, Librarian, and UDC — carry Level-5 of the Pay Matrix: ₹29,200 – ₹92,300 per month. Additional DA, HRA, TA, and other allowances are paid as per Arunachal Pradesh Government service conditions.

Q10. How many examination centres are available for APSSB CGLE 2026?

12 examination centres are available across Arunachal Pradesh: Tawang, Bomdila, Seppa, Itanagar Capital Region, Papum Pare, Ziro, Aalo, Pasighat, Tezu, Namsai, Changlang, and Khonsa. Candidates must give 3 centre preferences in priority order. No change of centre is permitted after submission.

Q11. Is there negative marking in APSSB CGLE 2026 written examination?

No. There is no negative marking in the APSSB CGLE 2026 written examination. There is also no sectional (subject-wise) cut-off. The only qualifying condition is a minimum 33% aggregate score (66 out of 200 marks).

Q12. What documents are required during APSSB CGLE 2026 document verification?

Shortlisted candidates must produce: recent passport photo; Matriculation certificate (DOB proof); Graduation certificate and mark sheet; Stenography Diploma (12/26); Library Science Degree/Diploma (13/26); Computer Application Diploma (14/26); APST Certificate (if applicable); Permanent Resident Certificate (if applicable); PwD certificate (if applicable); Intimation letter to HoD (for current Govt. servants); Admit card and printout of online application form; and any other relevant documents. No additional time is given for document production at verification.