Odisha Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level
OSSC Combined Graduate Level is a recruitment exam conducted by Odisha Staff Selection Commission, relevant to candidates preparing for state government department recruitment.
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The OSSC CGL exam, officially the Combined Graduate Level Recruitment Examination (CGLRE), is conducted by the Odisha Staff Selection Commission to fill Group B and Group C posts in Odisha government departments. It is open to graduates of any discipline, and the posts range from Assistant CT and GST Officer and Block Social Security Officer to Auditor and Junior Assistant.
The current cycle is CGLRE-2025, notified under Advertisement No. 5751/OSSC dated 12 December 2025. Its prelims and mains are over, and certificate verification is running in phases. This page explains the full process in one place: posts, eligibility, fee, exam pattern, syllabus, selection, pay, previous cut-offs and a practical preparation plan for the next cycle.
Table of Contents
OSSC CGL Exam at a Glance
Particular | Details |
|---|---|
Exam name | Combined Graduate Level Recruitment Examination (CGLRE) |
Conducting body | Odisha Staff Selection Commission (OSSC), Bhubaneswar |
Current cycle | CGLRE-2025, Advertisement No. 5751/OSSC dated 12 December 2025 |
Vacancies | About 1,576 (later reports say 1,578 after revision; indicative) |
Posts | Group B and Group C posts in state departments and offices |
Qualification | Bachelor's degree in any discipline, computer proficiency, knowledge of Odia |
Age limit | 21 to 42 years as on 1 January 2025 (as reported for CGLRE-2025) |
Stages | Preliminary exam, main written exam, Computer Skill Test or Mathematics Test (post-wise), certificate verification |
Pay | Level 9 for Group B and Level 4 for Group C under ORSP Rules, 2017 |
Official website | ossc.gov.in |
Latest Status of OSSC CGLRE-2025
The CGLRE-2025 cycle has moved through almost every stage. The prelims was held on 19 April 2026, and the main written exam, along with the Mathematics Test and Computer Skill Test, was held in early July 2026 after a revised schedule. A provisional list of candidates shortlisted for certificate verification followed in August 2026.
As of mid-October 2026, OSSC has published a notice for the third phase of certificate verification (13 October 2026) and has asked candidates to download their Post Preference Report from their login. No advertisement for a 2026 CGL cycle has appeared on the OSSC advertisements page yet. If you are preparing now, you are preparing for the next notification.
OSSC CGL Important Dates
Event | Date (CGLRE-2025) |
|---|---|
Advertisement released | 12 December 2025 |
Online registration opened | 19 December 2025 |
Last date for registration and submission | Reported as extended to 28 and 31 January 2026 (originally 18 and 21 January 2026) |
Preliminary exam | 19 April 2026 |
Main exam, Mathematics Test and CST | 7 and 8 July 2026 (revised schedule, as reported) |
Certificate verification shortlist | 19 August 2026 (as reported) |
Phase-III certificate verification notice | 13 October 2026 |
Next CGL notification | Not announced yet |
Dates marked "as reported" come from published notices summarised by news portals and should be matched with the original notice. Schedules can change, so track the What's New section on the official site and your registered email.
Posts and Vacancies
CGLRE is a combined exam, so one application covers many posts. After the main exam, shortlisted candidates submit a post preference, and allocation follows merit, category and preference.
Group | Examples of posts in CGLRE-2025 | Pay level |
|---|---|---|
Group B | Assistant CT and GST Officer, Block Social Security Officer, Gram Panchayat Development Officer, Inspector of Supplies, Inspector of Co-operative Societies, Common Cadre Auditor, Local Fund Auditor, Auditor of Co-operative Societies, Junior Correctional Officer | Level 9 |
Group C | Junior Assistant (Heads of Department and district offices), Junior Clerk | Level 4 |
Other posts named in reports | Inspector of Endowments, Estate Supervisor, Sub-divisional Financial Service and Savings Officer | As per notification |
Junior Assistant posts make up the largest share of vacancies. The total of about 1,576 posts, with a part reserved for women, is indicative. Post-wise and category-wise numbers are in the advertisement PDF, and vacancies can be revised before results.
OSSC CGL Eligibility Summary
Educational Qualification
Candidates need a Bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised university. Computer proficiency is also required, covering internet, email, word processing, data analysis and presentation. OSSC has issued a notice (No. 5813/OSSC, 19 December 2025, as reported) on accepted computer qualifications for some Auditor posts, so check the post-wise conditions before you choose your preferences.
Age Limit
For CGLRE-2025 the age limit was reported as 21 to 42 years as on 1 January 2025. The upper limit of 42 follows Odisha's 2025 amendment to its upper age limit rules for most civil posts.
Category | Upper age relaxation |
|---|---|
SC, ST, SEBC | 5 years |
Women | 5 years |
Persons with disabilities | 10 years |
Ex-servicemen | As per Odisha government rules |
Odia Language Requirement
You must be able to read, write and speak Odia. Proof can be a pass in Middle School with Odia as a language, HSC with Odia as a medium or language, Odia as a subject in Class VII or above, or the Odia test conducted by the state government.
Application Fee and How to Apply
Category | Fee (CGLRE-2025) |
|---|---|
UR and SEBC | Rs. 500 (reported as refundable to candidates who appear in the exam) |
SC, ST and PwD | Nil |
Applications are made only online through the OSSC portal. The usual sequence is:
Register: Create an account on ossc.gov.in with a working mobile number and email.
Fill the form: Enter personal, category, qualification and Odia language details exactly as in your certificates.
Upload documents: Add your photograph and signature in the size given in the advertisement.
Pay the fee: Pay online if your category is not exempt.
Submit and save: Download the submitted form and keep it for certificate verification.
Most rejections come from mismatched names or dates of birth, a missing category certificate, or a computer or Odia qualification that does not meet the notified wording. Check these before you submit.
OSSC CGL Exam Pattern
The OSSC CGL exam pattern has a screening prelims, a merit-deciding main exam, and post-wise qualifying tests. All questions are objective with negative marking.
Preliminary Exam
Test | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
Arithmetic, data interpretation, reasoning, current events, computer awareness, Odisha GK | 150 | 150 | 150 minutes |
Main Written Exam
Test | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
Paper I: Language (Odia and English) | 100 (50 Odia, 50 English) | 100 | 120 minutes |
Paper II: General Studies | 100 | 100 | 90 minutes |
Total | 200 | 200 | - |
Qualifying Tests
Test | Marks | Time | Qualifying mark | Required for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Computer Skill Test | 50 | 60 minutes | 25 | Auditor, Inspector of Supplies, Estate Supervisor, BSSO, Junior Assistant, Junior Clerk |
Mathematics Test | 100 | 120 minutes | 50 | Auditor posts |
Each wrong answer costs 0.25 marks. Main exam timings above are from the revised CGLRE-2025 schedule as reported; older pages still show two papers of 2.5 hours each with descriptive questions, so follow the latest official notice.
What this means for you:
Prelims is a filter: Its marks get you into the mains but do not decide final rank, so aim for a safe margin rather than perfection.
Mains decides rank: Every mark in Paper I and Paper II counts, and the Odia half of Paper I is often the deciding area for many candidates.
Do not ignore the CST: Failing it closes the door to the largest group of posts, including Junior Assistant.
See the full OSSC CGL exam pattern for marking and time strategy.
OSSC CGL Syllabus Summary
Subject | Stage | Important topics |
|---|---|---|
Arithmetic and data interpretation | Prelims | Percentage, ratio, profit and loss, interest, time and work, speed and distance, mensuration, tables and charts |
Reasoning and mental ability | Prelims | Series, coding-decoding, blood relations, direction, syllogism, puzzles, seating arrangement |
Current events | Prelims | National and international events, Odisha news, schemes, awards, sports |
Computer and internet awareness | Prelims and CST | Hardware, software, MS Office, internet, networking, cyber security basics |
Odisha geography, heritage and culture | Prelims | Rivers, climate, history, temples, art forms, festivals, tribes |
Odia and English language | Mains Paper I | Comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, usage, idioms |
General Studies | Mains Paper II | Constitution, Indian and Odisha economy, geography, history of India and Odisha, environment |
OSSC describes the syllabus at the level of subjects and standards, such as Class 10 arithmetic and Plus Two English comprehension. The topic lists here are built from the advertisement and previous papers. Use the detailed OSSC CGL syllabus as a working checklist.
Selection Process
Preliminary exam: Screening only. OSSC fixes the qualifying mark and calls a multiple of the vacancies for the mains.
Main written exam: Paper I and Paper II, 200 marks, form the merit list.
Computer Skill Test or Mathematics Test: Qualifying only, and needed only for the posts that require them.
Certificate verification: Candidates are called based on mains merit and post preference, reportedly about 1.5 times the vacancies.
Final selection: Category-wise merit, post preference and the qualifying test results decide allocation.
Salary and Pay Level
Post group | Pay level (ORSP 2017) | Pay range |
|---|---|---|
Group B | Level 9, Cell 1 | Rs. 35,400 to Rs. 1,12,000 |
Group C (Junior Assistant and similar) | Level 4, Cell 1 | Rs. 19,900 to Rs. 63,200 |
Allowances such as dearness allowance and house rent allowance are added as per Odisha government rules. In-hand pay depends on posting and current DA rates, so treat any in-hand figure you see online as an estimate, not an official number.
Previous Year Cut-off
Category | Prelims cut-off, CGLRE-2025 (out of 150) | CV shortlist marks, CGLRE-2025 (based on mains) |
|---|---|---|
UR | 106.5 | 156 |
SEBC | 104.25 | 153.75 |
SC | 84.75 | 138 |
ST | 66.25 | 125.25 |
These figures are indicative and come from result summaries published in 2026, not from a cut-off PDF we could open on the official site. Cut-offs change with difficulty, vacancies and the number of applicants, so treat them as a benchmark and aim for a clear margin above them.
How to Prepare for the OSSC CGL Exam
Build the Base (Months 1 to 3)
Start with arithmetic and reasoning, because they carry marks in the prelims and the Mathematics Test. Alongside, read one Odia and one English newspaper daily and keep monthly current affairs notes with a separate Odisha section.
Cover Odisha and General Studies (Months 2 to 5)
Odisha history, geography, culture and economy appear in both stages. Build compact notes on rivers, dynasties, temples, art forms, tribes, schemes and the state budget. For Paper II, add the Constitution, Indian economy and environment.
Practise Language and Computer Skills
Odia grammar: Practise sandhi, samasa, synonyms, idioms and error spotting from Class 10 textbooks.
English comprehension: Read one passage a day and note new words with their usage.
Computer basics: Revise MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint functions and shortcuts, since both the prelims and the CST test them.
Mock Tests and Revision
From the third month, add sectional tests, then move to full-length mocks in the final eight to ten weeks. Analyse every mock the same day: mark wrong answers, slow questions and questions you skipped but could have solved, and log them in an error notebook.
For revision, short notes work better than rereading textbooks. For official notices and the advertisement PDF, always refer to the OSSC advertisements page.