SSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) Exam 2026 Notification

Quick Summary: Hello government job aspirants! A massive opportunity is knocking at your doors as the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has just released its much-awaited notification for the Combined Graduate Level (CGL) Examination 2026. This is your golden ticket to secure a prestigious Group 'B' and Group 'C' position across various Ministries, Departments, and Organizations of the Government of India. With an impressive 7500+ vacancies on offer, this recruitment drive promises a rewarding career path for lakhs of graduates nationwide. The application window opens on May 30, 2026, and you have until June 20, 2026, to submit your applications. Don't miss out on this chance to join the central government workforce – dive into the details, prepare meticulously, and embark on a fulfilling journey!

### How to Apply Alright, future government officers! Applying for the SSC CGL 2026 exam is a straightforward process, but you need to pay close attention to details to avoid any last-minute hiccups. The Staff Selection Commission uses a two-part application system: One-Time Registration and then the actual Application Form for each specific exam. Here’s your step-by-step guide: **Part I: One-Time Registration (If you haven't done it before)** 1. **Visit the Official Website**: Head over to the Staff Selection Commission's official portal, ssc.gov.in. 2. **Click 'Register Now'**: On the homepage, you'll find a prominent 'Register Now' link under the 'Login' section. 3. **Basic Details**: You’ll need to provide your Aadhaar Number (or other ID proof), Name, Father's Name, Mother's Name, Date of Birth, Gender, Matriculation (10th) Exam Board, Roll Number, and Year of Passing. Make sure these match your 10th class certificate exactly. 4. **Contact Details**: Enter a valid Mobile Number and Email ID. These will be used for all future communication, so ensure they are active. 5. **Address & Category**: Fill in your permanent and present address, category (UR/OBC/SC/ST/EWS), and nationality. 6. **Review and Save**: Carefully review all the details you've entered. Once satisfied, click 'Save' or 'Submit'. An OTP will be sent to your registered mobile number and email ID for verification. 7. **Login Creation**: After verification, you'll receive a Registration Number and a System Generated Password. You'll be prompted to change this password upon your first login. **Part II: Online Application for CGL 2026** 1. **Login**: Use your Registration Number and newly created password to log in to the SSC portal. 2. **Select CGL Exam**: On your dashboard, find the "Combined Graduate Level Examination 2026" notification and click on the 'Apply' link. 3. **Pre-filled Data**: Your basic details from the One-Time Registration will be pre-filled. Review them carefully. 4. **Preference & Choices**: You'll need to indicate your preferences for exam centres (choose three in order of priority). 5. **Educational Qualification**: Enter details of your highest educational qualification, ensuring accuracy. 6. **Photo & Signature Upload**: Upload your recent passport-sized photograph (taken not more than three months old, without cap or spectacles, file size 20 KB to 50 KB, JPEG format) and signature (file size 10 KB to 20 KB, JPEG format). Ensure the photo date is clearly visible if specified by SSC. 7. **Declaration**: Read the declaration carefully, tick the 'I Agree' box, and enter the captcha code. 8. **Preview Application**: Before final submission, use the 'Preview' option to review your entire application. Make any necessary corrections at this stage. 9. **Payment**: If applicable, proceed to the payment gateway. Pay the examination fee online using BHIM UPI, Net Banking, or by using Visa, Mastercard, Maestro RuPay Credit or Debit cards. SC/ST/PwBD candidates and all women candidates are exempted from paying fees. 10. **Print Application**: After successful submission and payment (if applicable), take a printout of your completed application form for your records. Don't wait until the last day; apply well in advance to avoid server issues! ### Detailed Exam Syllabus The SSC CGL examination is conducted in two tiers for most posts, designed to comprehensively test a candidate's aptitude and knowledge. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what you need to master: **Tier-I: Computer Based Examination (CBE)** This is a qualifying stage, but scores count towards the final merit list. * **Mode**: Online, Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) * **Duration**: 60 minutes (1 hour) * **Total Marks**: 200 * **Negative Marking**: 0.50 marks for each wrong answer. | Subject | Number of Questions | Max Marks | | :----------------------- | :------------------ | :-------- | | General Intelligence & Reasoning | 25 | 50 | | General Awareness | 25 | 50 | | Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | 50 | | English Comprehension | 25 | 50 | * **General Intelligence & Reasoning**: Analogies, similarities and differences, spatial visualization, spatial orientation, problem-solving, analysis, judgment, decision making, visual memory, discrimination, observation, relationship concepts, arithmetical reasoning, figural classification, arithmetical number series, non-verbal series, coding and decoding, statement conclusion, syllogistic reasoning etc. * **General Awareness**: Questions designed to test the candidate’s general awareness of the environment around him/her and its application to society. Questions will also be designed to test knowledge of current events and of such matters of everyday observations and experience in their scientific aspect as may be expected of any educated person. The test will also include questions relating to India and its neighbouring countries especially pertaining to History, Culture, Geography, Economic Scene, General Policy & Scientific Research. * **Quantitative Aptitude**: Whole Numbers, Decimals, Fractions and relationships between Numbers, Percentage, Ratio & Proportion, Square roots, Averages, Interest (Simple and Compound), Profit & Loss, Discount, Partnership Business, Mixture and Allegation, Time & distance, Time & Work, Basic algebraic identities, Graphs of Linear Equations, Triangle, Quadrilaterals, Regular Polygons, Circle, Right Prism, Right Circular Cone, Right Circular Cylinder, Sphere, Hemispheres, Rectangular Parallelepiped, Regular Right Pyramid with triangular or square base, Trigonometric Ratio, Degree and Radian Measures, Standard Identities, Complementary Angles, Heights and Distances, Histogram, Frequency polygon, Bar diagram & Pie chart. * **English Comprehension**: Spot the Error, Fill in the Blanks, Synonyms/Homonyms, Antonyms, Spellings/Detecting misspelt words, Idioms & Phrases, One word substitution, Improvement of Sentences, Active/Passive Voice of Verbs, Conversion into Direct/Indirect narration, Shuffling of Sentence parts, Shuffling of Sentences in a passage, Cloze Passage, Comprehension Passage. **Tier-II: Computer Based Examination (CBE)** This tier consists of three papers. Paper-I is compulsory for all posts. Paper-II (Junior Statistical Officer) and Paper-III (Assistant Audit Officer/Assistant Accounts Officer) are only for specific posts. * **Mode**: Online, Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) * **Negative Marking**: Paper-I: Module-I of Section-I, Section-II and Module–I of Section-III: 1 mark for each wrong answer. Paper-II & Paper-III: 0.50 marks for each wrong answer. **Paper-I (Compulsory for all posts)** This paper has three sections, each with two modules. * **Section-I: Module-I (Mathematical Abilities) & Module-II (Reasoning and General Intelligence)** * 30 Questions from Mathematical Abilities (3 marks each) = 90 Marks * 30 Questions from Reasoning & General Intelligence (3 marks each) = 90 Marks * Total: 60 Questions, 180 Marks. Duration: 1 hour. * **Section-II: Module-I (English Language and Comprehension) & Module-II (General Awareness)** * 45 Questions from English Language & Comprehension (3 marks each) = 135 Marks * 25 Questions from General Awareness (3 marks each) = 75 Marks * Total: 70 Questions, 210 Marks. Duration: 1 hour. * **Section-III: Module-I (Computer Knowledge Test) & Module-II (Data Entry Speed Test)** * Module-I: 20 Questions from Computer Knowledge (3 marks each) = 60 Marks. Duration: 15 minutes. (Qualifying in nature) * Module-II: Data Entry Speed Test (DEST) - One data entry task for about 15 minutes. (Qualifying in nature) **Paper-II (For Junior Statistical Officer (JSO) only)** * **Subject**: Statistics * **Number of Questions**: 100 * **Max Marks**: 200 (2 marks each) * **Duration**: 2 hours * **Syllabus**: Collection, Classification, and Presentation of Statistical Data, Measures of Central Tendency, Measures of Dispersion, Moments, Skewness, Kurtosis, Correlation and Regression, Probability Theory, Random Variable and Probability Distributions, Sampling Theory, Statistical Inference, Analysis of Variance, Time Series Analysis, Index Numbers. **Paper-III (For Assistant Audit Officer (AAO) and Assistant Accounts Officer (AAO) only)** * **Subject**: General Studies (Finance and Economics) * **Number of Questions**: 100 * **Max Marks**: 200 (2 marks each) * **Duration**: 2 hours * **Syllabus**: * **Part A: Finance and Accounts**: Fundamental principles and basic concepts of Accounting, Financial Accounting (Nature & Scope, Limitations, Basic Concepts), Bills of Exchange, Bank Reconciliation Statement, Depreciation, Inventory Valuation, Non-profit organisations, Receipts & Payments A/c, Income & Expenditure A/c & Balance Sheet. * **Part B: Economics & Governance**: Comptroller & Auditor General of India, Finance Commission, Basic Concept of Economics and introduction to Micro Economics, Theory of Demand and Supply, Theory of Production and cost, Forms of Market and Price Determination in different markets, Indian Economy, Economic Reforms in India, Money and Banking, Role of Information Technology in Governance. Understand that a good grasp of the syllabus is your first step towards cracking this exam! ### Preparation Tips Cracking the SSC CGL exam requires dedication, a smart strategy, and consistent effort. It's not just about how much you study, but how effectively you study. Here are some high-scoring tips to help you ace the CGL 2026: 1. **Understand the Exam Pattern Thoroughly**: Before you even pick up a book, thoroughly understand the revised exam pattern, detailed syllabus for both Tier-I and Tier-II, and marking scheme. This will help you allocate your study time wisely. 2. **Start Early, Stay Consistent**: Given the vast syllabus, starting your preparation early is non-negotiable. Develop a realistic study plan and stick to it religiously. Consistency is key – even short study sessions daily are more effective than sporadic long ones. 3. **Master Your Basics**: For Quantitative Aptitude, build a strong foundation in arithmetic and advanced math topics. Don't shy away from NCERT textbooks for classes 9th and 10th for this. For English, focus on grammar rules, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. 4. **Practice Reasoning Daily**: General Intelligence and Reasoning is often seen as scoring. Practice various types of questions daily to improve your speed and accuracy. Puzzles, series, coding-decoding, and syllogisms need regular attention. 5. **Current Affairs & Static GK**: For General Awareness, keep yourself updated with daily news from reputable sources. Focus on important national and international events, government schemes, awards, sports, and key dates. Simultaneously, revise static GK topics like History, Geography, Polity, and Science regularly. Make short notes for quick revision. 6. **Read and Improve English**: Reading newspapers, magazines, and novels will significantly improve your vocabulary, grammar, and comprehension skills, which are crucial for the English section in both tiers. Practice cloze tests and reading comprehension passages regularly. 7. **Mock Tests are Your Best Friends**: Once you've covered a significant portion of the syllabus, start attempting full-length mock tests regularly. Analyze your performance after each test. Identify your strong and weak areas, and work on improving them. Time management is critical, and mocks help you perfect it. 8. **Previous Year Papers Analysis**: Solve previous year's question papers. This gives you an authentic feel of the exam, helps you understand the types of questions asked, and allows you to practice under timed conditions. 9. **Revision, Revision, Revision**: Consistent revision is often the differentiator. Make short, crisp notes while studying, which can be quickly revised before the exam. Use flashcards for vocabulary and formulas. 10. **Stay Healthy & Positive**: Don't underestimate the importance of a healthy diet, adequate sleep, and regular breaks. A fresh mind performs best. Stay positive and believe in your abilities. **Recommended Books (General):** * **Quantitative Aptitude**: R.S. Aggarwal, Kiran Publication SSC Quantitative Aptitude * **English**: Plinth to Paramount by Neetu Singh, Objective General English by S.P. Bakshi * **Reasoning**: R.S. Aggarwal, Kiran Publication SSC Reasoning * **General Awareness**: Lucent's General Knowledge, Pratiyogita Darpan (for current affairs) * **Computer Knowledge**: Lucent's Computer, Objective Computer Knowledge & Literacy by Kiran Prakashan Remember, success in SSC CGL is a marathon, not a sprint. Stay persistent, stay focused, and you will achieve your dream!