Staff Selection Commission Junior Engineer - Mechanical Engineering

The SSC JE Mechanical exam is the Staff Selection Commission's route into Group B Junior Engineer (Mechanical) and Junior Engineer (Electrical and Mechanical) posts in central government organisations such as the Central Water Commission, DGQA-Naval, Military Engineer Services and the Border Roads Organisation. It is held once a year through the Junior Engineer Examination, and mechanical candidates attempt the Mechanical part (Part C) in both papers.

The 2026 cycle was notified on 2 September 2026 and Paper I is due in the first week of November 2026. This cycle also brought a major change: Paper I is now qualifying only, and the final merit is based on Paper II alone. This page explains the full SSC JE ME exam for 2026, covering dates, vacancies, eligibility, the revised pattern, syllabus, salary, previous cut-offs and a practical preparation plan.

Table of Contents

SSC JE Mechanical 2026 at a Glance

Latest Updates for SSC JE ME 2026

• Notification released: SSC published the Junior Engineer Examination 2026 notice on 2 September 2026, and the application window closed on 22 September 2026.

• Revised vacancies: The overall tentative count was reported as revised from 1,748 to 1,699 posts in October 2026.

• Paper I schedule: The Paper I CBE for Civil, Electrical and Mechanical candidates is scheduled from 2 to 6 November 2026. City intimation slips were released in late October 2026.

• Pattern change: Paper I is now qualifying in nature, and only normalised Paper II marks decide the final merit list.

SSC JE Mechanical Important Dates 2026

Tentative dates come from the notification schedule and can change. Track the notice board on the official SSC website and your registered email for the final dates.

SSC JE Mechanical Vacancy 2026

The notice announced 1,748 tentative vacancies across all JE posts and Scientific Assistant (IMD). The revised tentative list reported in October 2026 puts the total at 1,699. Mechanical candidates compete for two post groups: JE (Mechanical) and JE (Electrical and Mechanical), which is open to both electrical and mechanical candidates.

These figures are indicative and come from the revised tentative list as reported. Vacancies can change until the final result, so confirm the post-wise list on the SSC website.

Organisations That Recruit SSC JE Mechanical

The list of organisations changes from cycle to cycle. In the 2025 cycle, for example, Farakka Barrage Project had a JE (Mechanical) post, but the 2026 notice lists only Civil and Electrical posts there. For 2026, mechanical candidates can be considered for these posts:

The notice also states that candidates who opt for JE (Mechanical) are eligible for JE (Electrical and Mechanical). CPWD's JE (Electrical) post accepts a diploma in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering, so read the post table in the notice carefully if you hold a mechanical diploma. A detailed post-by-post breakdown is on our SSC JE Mechanical eligibility guide.

SSC JE Mechanical Eligibility Criteria

Educational Qualification

You need a degree or a diploma in Mechanical Engineering from a recognised university, institute or board, as specified for the post. The qualification must be complete, with the result declared, on or before the closing date of the application, which was 22 September 2026 for this cycle. Where experience is required, it must be gained after the qualification. Internships, training and project work done during the course do not count.

Age Limit

Age is calculated as on 1 August 2026. For posts with a 30-year limit, you must be born between 2 August 1996 and 1 August 2008. For posts with a 32-year limit, the window is 2 August 1994 to 1 August 2008.

Other Conditions

• Nationality: Indian citizens can apply, and subjects of Nepal or Bhutan and certain persons of Indian origin can apply with a certificate of eligibility from the Government of India.

• BRO posts: Open only to male candidates, who must also meet the physical and medical standards set by BRO.

• Date of birth: The date recorded in your matriculation or secondary certificate is the one SSC accepts.

Application Fee and How to Apply

The 2026 application window has closed. For the next cycle, the process on the SSC portal usually runs like this:

1. Complete One-Time Registration (OTR) on https://ssc.gov.in/. An OTR made on the old ssc.nic.in site is not valid on the new portal.

2. Log in and open the Junior Engineer Examination application form.

3. Select the post and the subject paper that matches your qualification. For mechanical candidates this is Part C. The subject cannot be changed later.

4. Choose up to three exam centres in the same region, in order of preference.

5. Capture a live photograph, upload your signature and pay the fee online through UPI, net banking or a debit card.

6. Submit the form and save a copy for your records.

SSC JE Mechanical Exam Pattern 2026

Both papers are computer-based, objective-type tests set in Hindi and English. The standard of the engineering questions is roughly that of a diploma in engineering.

Paper I

Paper I lasts 2 hours in a single sitting, or 2 hours 40 minutes for candidates eligible for a scribe.

Paper II

Paper I deducts 0.25 marks for each wrong answer. Paper II deducts 1 mark for each wrong answer, against 3 marks for a correct one. The minimum qualifying marks in Paper I are 30% for UR, 25% for OBC and EWS, and 20% for other categories.

What this means for you:

• Paper I is a gate, not a score: You need to clear the qualifying marks and rank high enough in your category to be shortlisted, but these marks are not added to your final total.

• Paper II decides everything: Each Paper II question is worth three times a Paper I question, and the whole merit list rests on this one 300-mark paper.

• Guessing is costly in Paper II: One wrong answer cancels a third of a correct one, so attempt only what you can narrow down to one or two options.

Older pages may still show final merit based on Paper I plus Paper II out of 500, which applied up to the 2025 cycle, or a descriptive Paper II from earlier years. Follow the 2026 notice. The full breakdown is on our SSC JE Mechanical exam pattern page.

SSC JE Mechanical Syllabus Summary

Paper I and Paper II share the same 11 mechanical subject headings, and the notice gives more detail for Paper II. Studying the engineering part once serves both papers. See the topic-wise list on our SSC JE Mechanical syllabus page.

Selection Process

1. Paper I (qualifying): Candidates are shortlisted for Paper II category-wise on the basis of normalised Paper I marks, subject to the minimum qualifying marks.

2. Paper II (merit): The final merit list is drawn only from normalised Paper II marks. Mechanical and Electrical scores are also normalised against each other, because the two papers differ.

3. Post allocation: Posts are allotted on merit and the post preferences you submit. SSC draws a combined merit list for Electrical and Mechanical posts, separate from the Civil list.

4. Document verification and medical: Selected candidates must produce original certificates. BRO candidates also face a physical efficiency test and medical standards.

SSC JE Mechanical Salary and Career Growth

In-hand pay is not an official figure. It varies with the city of posting (HRA), the current DA rate and deductions, so treat any single in-hand number you see as an estimate.

Previous Year Cut-Off Reference

SSC publishes Paper I cut-offs for Electrical and Mechanical candidates together. The table below shows the Paper I cut-off from the 2025 cycle result notice dated 6 March 2026 (out of 200, normalised).

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. Final cut-offs by post are on our SSC JE Mechanical cut-off page.

How to Prepare for SSC JE Mechanical

Preparing for Paper I

• Treat reasoning as scoring time: Fifty reasoning questions reward daily practice. Aim to finish this section quickly so you have more time for engineering.

• Keep general awareness light but regular: Spend 20 to 30 minutes a day on current affairs and static GK, and revise monthly notes.

• Use Part C to protect your shortlist: The 100 mechanical questions carry half of Paper I, and the same study prepares you for Paper II.

Preparing for Paper II

• Go deep in high-frequency subjects: Thermal engineering, fluid mechanics and hydraulic machines, strength of materials and theory of machines have historically drawn many questions. Cover them conceptually, not just through formulas.

• Practise numericals daily: Paper II is objective, but many questions need quick calculation. Keep a formula sheet and test yourself on it every week.

• Train your accuracy: With a full 1-mark penalty, track your accuracy in every practice set and avoid blind attempts.

Mock Tests and Previous Papers

SSC does not publish a JE-specific mock test. It offers a general CBT familiarisation mock test on its official website, which helps you learn the interface but is not a practice paper. Official SSC website: https://ssc.gov.in/

For real practice, you can attempt SSC JE Mechanical online tests on Testkart and use the section-wise analysis to see where marks are slipping. Pair them with previous year papers to understand the actual difficulty level of each paper. In the final weeks, take full-length mocks in exam timing, analyse each one on the same day, and revise from your error log.