Staff Selection Commission Combined Higher Secondary Level

The SSC CHSL 2026 exam is the Staff Selection Commission's recruitment test for 12th-pass candidates who want Group C jobs in central government ministries, departments and offices. CHSL stands for Combined Higher Secondary (10+2) Level, and it fills posts such as Lower Division Clerk (LDC), Junior Secretariat Assistant (JSA) and Data Entry Operator (DEO).

The SSC released the CHSL 2026 notification on 7 September 2026 with 2,536 tentative vacancies, and Tier 1 is scheduled from 30 November to 31 December 2026. This page covers everything you need in one place: dates, vacancies, posts and pay, eligibility, fee, the exam pattern with its new sectional timing, a syllabus summary, previous cut-offs and a practical preparation plan.

SSC CHSL 2026 at a Glance

SSC CHSL 2026 Latest Updates

• Tier 1 schedule confirmed: An SSC notice dated 1 October 2026 fixes the Tier 1 computer-based exam between 30 November and 31 December 2026.

• Sectional timing introduced: Tier 1 now gives each of the four sections a fixed 15-minute window inside the 60-minute paper. This is the biggest change from the previous cycle.

• Application window: Online forms are open until 7 October 2026 (11 PM), and the fee can be paid until 8 October 2026.

• Vacancy breakup pending: The notice gives a tentative total of 2,536. Post-wise and category-wise figures are expected later as departments confirm their requirements.

SSC CHSL Notification 2026: Important Dates

Dates marked tentative follow the usual SSC pattern and can change. Track the notice board on ssc.gov.in and your registered email and mobile number for city slips and admit cards.

SSC CHSL Vacancy 2026

The 2026 notification lists 2,536 tentative vacancies across LDC/JSA, DEO and DEO Grade A posts. The SSC has not yet published the post-wise and category-wise split, and the final number usually changes once departments complete their scrutiny. Recent cycles show how much the number moves from year to year:

Do not read too much into the drop. Vacancy revisions after the notification are common, and your realistic target is the cut-off for your category and post, not the headline number.

SSC CHSL Posts and Pay Level

LDC and JSA roles involve file work, record keeping, drafting routine correspondence and data handling. DEO roles are focused on accurate, fast data entry, which is why the DEO skill test asks for a higher speed than the LDC/JSA typing test.

SSC CHSL Eligibility 2026

Educational Qualification

Candidates must have passed the 12th standard or an equivalent examination from a recognised board or university. For DEO and DEO Grade A posts in a few departments named in the notification, the 12th must be in the Science stream with Mathematics. This is why SSC publishes a separate cut-off list for DEO (Science stream) candidates. Check the post-wise list in the notice before you choose your post preferences.

Age Limit

The age limit is 18 to 27 years as on 1 August 2026, which means you should be born between 2 August 1999 and 1 August 2008 (both dates included). Reserved categories get the following upper age relaxation:

Further relaxations apply to some central government employees and to widowed, divorced or judicially separated women. The full list, with the certificates required, is in the official notification.

Nationality

Candidates must be Indian citizens or belong to the other categories allowed under central government rules, as listed in the notice.

Application Fee and How to Apply

Corrections made during the 14 to 16 October window carry a separate charge: Rs. 200 for the first correction and Rs. 500 for the second, as per usual SSC practice. Steps to apply:

1. Complete One-Time Registration (OTR): Register on ssc.gov.in or the mySSC app if you have not already done so.

2. Log in and open the CHSL 2026 form: Fill in personal details, qualification, post preferences and exam centre choices.

3. Capture a live photograph: The form takes a live photo through your camera. Remove caps, spectacles and masks, and use a plain background with good light.

4. Upload your signature: Follow the size and format given in the notice.

5. Pay the fee and submit: Pay online before 8 October 2026 if you are not exempt, then download and keep the submitted form.

Common reasons for rejection include a blurred or covered live photo, mismatched names across documents, and choosing a DEO post that needs Science with Mathematics when your 12th was in another stream.

SSC CHSL Selection Process

1. Tier 1 (CBT): A screening test. Candidates are shortlisted for Tier 2 category-wise and post-wise based on Tier 1 marks.

2. Tier 2, Session I (CBT): Sections I and II decide your merit. The Computer Knowledge module in Section III is qualifying.

3. Tier 2, Session II (skill or typing test): Qualifying. DEO candidates take a skill test; LDC/JSA candidates take a typing test.

4. Document verification: Final allocation depends on merit, post preference and documents.

SSC CHSL Exam Pattern 2026

Tier 1 Exam Pattern

Each correct answer earns 2 marks and each wrong answer costs 0.50 marks. Candidates eligible for a scribe get 80 minutes in total. Marks are normalised because the exam runs in several shifts.

Tier 2 Exam Pattern

In Tier 2, each correct answer earns 3 marks and each wrong answer costs 1 mark in Sections I, II and the Computer Knowledge module.

What This Means for You

• Plan in 15-minute blocks: In Tier 1 you can no longer borrow time from a strong section to rescue a weak one. Practise each section against its own timer.

• Do not bury General Awareness: GA has its own 15 minutes now, so a well-prepared candidate can score heavily here while others rush.

• Guessing is costlier in Tier 2: A wrong answer costs one-third of a question's value. Attempt only when you can eliminate at least two options.

• Typing is not optional: The skill or typing test is qualifying, so start daily practice early rather than after the Tier 2 result.

Older pages may still show Tier 1 as a single 60-minute block without sectional timing, so follow the 2026 notification. The SSC CHSL exam pattern page breaks down marking and timing in more detail.

SSC CHSL Syllabus Summary

The four core subjects repeat across both tiers, so one preparation cycle serves both stages.

SSC CHSL Salary and Career Growth

Your salary depends on the post and pay level. The basic pay starts at Rs. 19,900 for LDC/JSA (Level 2), Rs. 25,500 for DEO at Level 4 and Rs. 29,200 for DEO at Level 5. On top of basic pay, employees receive Dearness Allowance (DA), House Rent Allowance (HRA) based on city class, and Transport Allowance, while National Pension System (NPS) contributions are deducted.

The exact in-hand amount changes with DA revisions and your posting city, so treat any fixed in-hand figure you see online as an estimate rather than an official number. Over time, LDCs can move to Upper Division Clerk and then to Assistant or Section Officer level through departmental promotions and exams.

SSC CHSL Previous Year Cut-Off (Tier 1, 2025)

For CHSL 2025, the SSC declared the Tier 1 result on 27 February 2026 with three separate lists. Figures below are out of 200 and rounded to two decimals.

Cut-offs change every year with difficulty, vacancies and the number of applicants. Treat these figures as a benchmark only, and aim for a clear margin above them rather than a bare pass.

How to Prepare for SSC CHSL 2026

With Tier 1 starting on 30 November, most candidates have around eight weeks. Use them in phases rather than covering everything at once.

• Weeks 1 to 3, fix the basics: Revise arithmetic formulas, grammar rules and reasoning question types. Read one current affairs source daily and keep short monthly notes.

• Weeks 3 to 5, topic and sectional tests: Take 15-minute sectional tests for each subject to build a feel for the new timer. Log every mistake in an error notebook.

• Weeks 6 to 8, full-length mocks: Attempt at least three full mocks a week in the exact Tier 1 format, then spend as long analysing each mock as you spent taking it.

• Daily typing practice: Give 15 to 20 minutes a day to typing so that the skill test does not become a last-minute worry.

If you are also targeting graduate-level exams later, much of this preparation carries over to the SSC CGL exam. For now, focus on securing a strong Tier 1 score under the new SSC CHSL 2026 pattern, and keep checking ssc.gov.in for the vacancy breakup and admit card updates.