SSC CHSL Syllabus 2026: Tier 1 and Tier 2 Subject-Wise Guide

The SSC CHSL syllabus 2026 covers four core subjects in Tier 1 (English, General Intelligence, Quantitative Aptitude and General Awareness) and the same four subjects plus Computer Knowledge and a skill or typing test in Tier 2. The Staff Selection Commission publishes the topic-wise syllabus as part of the CHSL notification, released this year on 7 September 2026.

This page turns that official syllabus into a working checklist. For every subject you get the topics to cover, where to start, and how Tier 1 and Tier 2 overlap so you can study each topic once. It also explains what the new 15-minute sectional timing in Tier 1 means for the way you prepare.

SSC CHSL Syllabus and Exam Pattern

Tier 1 has a negative marking of 0.50 per wrong answer; Tier 2 deducts 1 mark per wrong answer. For marking rules and merit calculation.

Key Changes to Know in 2026

• Sectional timing in Tier 1: Each of the four sections now has a fixed 15-minute window. The syllabus is unchanged, but speed has to be built subject by subject.

• Same topics, different depth: Tier 1 Quantitative Aptitude stops at data interpretation through charts, while Tier 2 Mathematical Abilities adds statistics and probability.

• Computer Knowledge stays qualifying: It does not add to your merit score, but failing to clear it ends your Tier 2 candidature.

• Outdated tables online: Older pages may still show Tier 1 as one 60-minute block or Tier 2 as a descriptive paper. Both are no longer correct, so follow the 2026 notification.

SSC CHSL Tier 1 Syllabus

Tier 1 is a screening test, but it decides who moves to Tier 2, so every mark counts. Here is a subject-wise checklist built from the official syllabus.

The highest-scoring areas for most candidates are English grammar, reasoning analogies and series, and arithmetic chapters such as percentage, profit and loss and time and work. In General Awareness, history, polity and general science together usually carry a large share of the static questions, while current affairs fills the rest.

Why the Tier 1 Timer Changes Your Topic Priority

With 15 minutes for 25 questions, you have about 36 seconds per question in each section. In Quantitative Aptitude, that pushes lengthy geometry and mensuration problems to the end of your attempt. In English, comprehension passages should come after the quick grammar and vocabulary questions. Practise each subject against its own clock, not just full papers.

SSC CHSL Tier 2 Syllabus

Tier 2 decides your final merit. The core subjects repeat from Tier 1, but questions are fewer per minute, carry 3 marks each and test topics in more depth.

Mathematical Abilities

• Number systems: Whole numbers, decimals, fractions and the relationship between numbers.

• Arithmetic: Percentage, ratio and proportion, square roots, averages, interest, profit and loss, discount, partnership, mixture and alligation, time and distance, time and work.

• Algebra: School-level algebraic identities, elementary surds and graphs of linear equations.

• Geometry: Triangles and their centres, congruence and similarity, circles, chords, tangents and angles subtended by chords.

• Mensuration: Triangles, quadrilaterals, regular polygons, circles, prisms, cones, cylinders, spheres, hemispheres, cuboids and pyramids.

• Trigonometry: Ratios, complementary angles, standard identities and simple heights and distances.

• Statistics and probability: Tables and graphs, measures of central tendency (mean, median, mode), standard deviation and simple probability.

Reasoning and General Intelligence

The topic list largely mirrors Tier 1, so your Tier 1 preparation is the base. Tier 2 tends to test it with longer statements and multi-step puzzles.

English Language and Comprehension

• Vocabulary: Synonyms, antonyms, homonyms, one-word substitution, idioms and phrases, spelling errors.

• Grammar and usage: Error spotting, fill in the blanks, sentence improvement, active and passive voice, direct and indirect speech.

• Sentence structure: Rearranging parts of a sentence and sentences in a passage.

• Reading: Cloze passages and comprehension passages.

English carries 120 marks in Tier 2, the single largest module. Build reading speed early, because 40 questions with passages must fit inside the one hour you share with General Awareness.

General Awareness

The scope is the same as Tier 1: current events, everyday science, and India and its neighbouring countries across history, culture, geography, economy, general policy and scientific research. Tier 2 has only 20 GA questions but each carries 3 marks, so accuracy matters more than coverage. Revise your current affairs notes again before Tier 2, because the gap between the two tiers adds several months of new events.

Computer Knowledge Module

This module is qualifying, with 15 questions in 15 minutes. Two to three weeks of steady revision is usually enough, with extra focus on MS Office functions and keyboard shortcuts.

SSC CHSL Skill Test and Typing Test

Session II of Tier 2 is a practical test on a computer. It has no written syllabus, only a speed and accuracy standard.

You choose the typing test language (English or Hindi) in the application form. Eligible PwBD candidates get compensatory time as per the notice. The speed bar is not high, but accuracy errors reduce your net speed, so practise on a plain text editor without autocorrect.

Overlap Between Tier 1 and Tier 2

Where to Study Each Subject From

• General Awareness: NCERT textbooks of Classes 6 to 10 for history, geography, polity and science give you the static base. Add one monthly current affairs compilation and official sources such as Press Information Bureau releases for schemes and appointments.

• Quantitative Aptitude: Class 9 and 10 mathematics covers algebra, geometry, mensuration and trigonometry at the level SSC asks. Use a standard arithmetic practice book for speed.

• English: A basic grammar book for rules, plus daily reading of an English newspaper editorial for vocabulary and comprehension speed.

• Reasoning: Previous year questions are the best teacher here, because SSC repeats question types closely.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Skipping General Awareness: With its own 15-minute window in Tier 1, GA is no longer a section you can rush at the end. Weak GA now costs marks directly.

• Ignoring the "everyday science" line: Basic physics, chemistry and biology questions appear regularly, and NCERT science covers most of them.

• Leaving typing for later: Many candidates clear Tier 2 Session I and then struggle with the qualifying typing or skill test.

• Studying Tier 2 extras too early: Statistics, probability and Computer Knowledge can wait until Tier 1 is done.

How to Cover the SSC CHSL Syllabus

1. Weeks 1 to 3, core concepts: Cover the "start with" topics in the Tier 1 table for all four subjects. Read one current affairs source daily for 30 to 40 minutes and keep monthly notes.

2. Weeks 3 to 5, topic tests: After each chapter, attempt a short topic test. Add 15-minute sectional tests to get used to the new timer.

3. Weeks 6 to 8, full-length practice: Take full mocks in the exact Tier 1 format, analyse every wrong and skipped question, and revise from your error notebook.

4. After Tier 1, Tier 2 additions: Add statistics and probability, the Computer Knowledge module and longer English passages, while keeping typing practice daily.

To practise each subject in the current pattern, you can attempt SSC CHSL topic-wise and sectional tests on Testkart and use the section-wise analysis to spot weak chapters early. Solving SSC CHSL previous year papers also shows which topics in this syllabus SSC asks most often. Keep short revision sheets of formulas, grammar rules and current affairs with SSC CHSL study notes, and check the SSC CHSL 2026 exam overview for dates and eligibility.

The SSC CHSL syllabus 2026 is broad but predictable. Cover the high-weight topics first, practise against the 15-minute section timer, and keep revising, and the same preparation will carry you through both tiers.