SSC MTS & Havaldar

SSC Havaldar is the Havaldar post in the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) and the Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN), filled through the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) Multi-Tasking (Non-Technical) Staff and Havaldar (CBIC and CBN) Examination. The post sits in Pay Level-1 of the 7th Pay Matrix and is a Group C, non-gazetted, non-ministerial job under the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance.

This page covers the 2025 cycle, which is the latest one with an official notice. The notice came out on 26 June 2025, the computer based examination ran in February 2026, and the physical stage for shortlisted candidates was scheduled for 24 to 31 August 2026. Use it to check dates, eligibility, pattern, syllabus and selection steps in one place, then move to the detailed pages for each topic.

Table of Contents

At a Glance

Notification Overview

SSC published the notice for the 2025 cycle on 26 June 2025 for two posts together: Multi-Tasking (Non-Technical) Staff, usually called MTS, and Havaldar in CBIC and CBN. Candidates applied once and chose their post and location preferences in the same form. The Havaldar vacancies are filled from the same computer based exam as MTS, but Havaldar candidates also have to clear a physical stage.

The notice stated 1,075 tentative Havaldar vacancies. A tentative vacancy list issued on 9 September 2025 showed 1,211 Havaldar posts, and the 3 August 2026 shortlisting notice carries a different category-wise vacancy line. Vacancy numbers have therefore moved during the cycle. Treat any single figure as indicative and check the latest SSC notice.

A fresh cycle is not confirmed yet. SSC's exam calendar for 2026-27 is reported to list another MTS and Havaldar cycle, but we could not verify a new notification on ssc.gov.in when this page was written. Watch the official site before you assume dates or vacancies.

Important Dates

Dates for the stages after the CBE come from SSC notices and can change. Track the official site and your registered email for updates.

Vacancy Details

Havaldar vacancies are spread across Cadre Controlling Authorities (CCAs) of CBIC, such as Central GST zones and Customs zones, and the Central Bureau of Narcotics. Candidates are considered only for the CCAs they listed as preferences in the application form.

These are not final figures, and horizontal reservations such as ESM and PwBD are counted inside the main categories. The Commission has said it does not decide vacancy numbers, which are reported by the user departments.

Eligibility

Educational qualification

You must have passed Matriculation or an equivalent examination from a recognised board on or before 1 August 2025. A pass result declared by the board by that date is what counts.

Age limit

The age limit for Havaldar is 18 to 27 years as on 1 August 2025. That means candidates born between 2 August 1998 and 1 August 2007. The MTS post has a lower limit of 25 years for most vacancies, so check which post you are applying for.

Other conditions

Candidates must be Indian citizens, or belong to the other groups named in the notice and hold a certificate of eligibility. Havaldar candidates must also meet the physical standards, which are covered below.

Application Fee and How to Apply

The fee was Rs. 100. Women candidates and candidates from SC, ST, PwBD and eligible ex-servicemen categories were exempt. Payment was online by BHIM UPI, net banking, or Visa, Mastercard, Maestro or RuPay debit cards.

Applications were submitted online on ssc.gov.in or through the mySSC mobile app.

1. Register: Complete the one-time registration on the SSC portal with a valid mobile number and email address.

2. Fill the application: Enter personal, education and category details exactly as they appear in your Matriculation certificate.

3. Choose preferences: Select your post-cum-State or CCA preferences in order. They are final and cannot be changed later.

4. Upload and pay: Upload the photograph and signature as specified, then pay the fee if you are not exempt.

5. Submit and save: Submit the form and keep a printout or PDF.

A correction window followed the closing date. Corrections cost Rs. 200 for the first change and Rs. 500 for the second. Common reasons for rejection are an unpaid fee, a date of birth that does not match the Matriculation certificate, and a wrong category claim.

Exam Pattern

The computer based examination has two sessions held on the same day. Both are mandatory, and each lasts 45 minutes.

Session-I has no negative marking. Session-II deducts one mark for each wrong answer. Havaldar merit is based on Session-II only.

• Session-II decides your rank: A strong General Awareness and English score matters most for shortlisting.

• Session-I is a hurdle: You must clear its minimum marks, or Session-II is not evaluated.

• Guess with care in Session-II: Each wrong answer costs a mark on top of the 3 marks you could have earned.

Older pages online may still show previous patterns, so follow the official notice.

Syllabus Summary

The notice gives an indicative syllabus for each part, based on Class 10 level.

Selection Process

1. Computer based examination: Candidates must reach the minimum marks in both sessions: 30% for UR, 25% for OBC and EWS, and 20% for all other categories.

2. Shortlisting for PET/PST: Candidates are shortlisted in the ratio of 1:7 (vacancies to candidates) on normalised Session-II marks, CCA-wise and category-wise.

3. Physical Efficiency Test and Physical Standard Test: These are qualifying. Failing them removes you from the Havaldar list, though your candidature can stay valid for the MTS post.

4. Final merit and allocation: Allocation depends on Session-II marks, your CCA preferences and PET/PST qualification.

5. Document verification: The user departments verify documents after the final result.

The PET asks men to walk 1,600 metres in 15 minutes and women to walk 1 km in 20 minutes. The PST sets a minimum height of 157.5 cm and a chest of 81 cm (fully expanded, with at least 5 cm expansion) for men, and a height of 152 cm and weight of 48 kg for women. Relaxations apply to some groups, as listed in the notice.

Salary and Posting

The post is in Pay Level-1 of the 7th Pay Matrix. The Level-1 pay band starts at Rs. 18,000 basic pay, which comes from the pay matrix and not from the notice. Allowances and in-hand salary vary by city, so this is not an official take-home figure.

Havaldars are posted to the CCA they are allocated. In CBIC they serve in that CCA throughout their service, subject to cadre restructuring, except those placed in the Directorate General of Performance Management, who can be posted anywhere in India. CBN has its headquarters at Gwalior, with branch offices at Neemuch, Lucknow and Kota.

How to Prepare

Plan around the fact that Session-II decides your rank and the physical test decides your selection. Prepare for both from the start.

• Build General Awareness and English first: They carry 150 of the 270 marks and decide shortlisting. Read Class 6 to 10 social science and science, and practise vocabulary and grammar daily.

• Keep maths and reasoning sharp: Session-I is qualifying, so aim for comfortable accuracy rather than speed alone.

• Train for the walk early: Practise 1,600 metres in under 15 minutes and check your height and chest against the standards.

• Revise through error logs: Note every wrong answer and the reason for it.

For timed practice in the current pattern, you can attempt SSC Havaldar online mock tests on Testkart and use the section-wise analysis to plan your revision. Pair them with previous year papers to understand the real difficulty level.

Cut-Off Reference

For the 2025 cycle, SSC fixed CCA-wise and category-wise Session-II cut-offs for the PET/PST shortlist. Cut-offs change every year with difficulty, vacancies and the number of applicants. Treat last year's figures as a benchmark only, and aim for a clear margin above them rather than a bare pass. and the official notice is available on ssc.gov.in.