Recruitment Alert

SSC CHSL 2026 Notification Out: 2,536+ Vacancies Announced, Eligibility, Dates, and Exam Pattern

Published: September 2026 • SSC Recruitment Updates • 5 min read

The Staff Selection Commission has officially published the competitive recruitment notice for the Combined Higher Secondary (10+2) Level Examination, 2026[cite: 2]. Offering approximately 2,536 vacancies across central ministries, constitutional authorities, and attached departments, this examination represents a premier opportunity for higher-secondary qualified candidates[cite: 2, 3].

Key Takeaway: Tier-I now incorporates strict 15-minute sectional timers per subject, making preparation and time allocation critical[cite: 17].

1. Important Dates & Deadlines

• Online Application Window: September 7, 2026 – October 7, 2026 (23:00 hrs)[cite: 2]
• Fee Payment Deadline: October 8, 2026 (23:00 hrs)[cite: 2]
• Application Correction Window: October 14, 2026 – October 16, 2026 (23:00 hrs)[cite: 2]
• Tier-I Examination: To be notified later[cite: 2]
• Tier-II Examination: To be notified later[cite: 2]

2. Posts, Pay Scales, and Vacancies

The commission has reported tentative recruitment across the following pay levels[cite: 2, 3]:

• Lower Division Clerk (LDC) / Junior Secretariat Assistant (JSA): Pay Level-2 (Rs 19,900 – Rs 63,200)[cite: 2]
• Data Entry Operator (DEO): Pay Level-4 (Rs 25,500 – Rs 81,100) and Level-5 (Rs 29,200 – Rs 92,300)[cite: 2]
• Data Entry Operator, Grade 'A': Pay Level-4 (Rs 25,500 – Rs 81,100)[cite: 2]

3. Eligibility Criteria

Age Limit (As of August 1, 2026)

Applicants must be between 18 and 27 years (born between August 2, 1999, and August 1, 2008)[cite: 5]. Permissible upper-age concessions apply[cite: 5]:

• OBC: 3 years[cite: 5]
• SC / ST: 5 years[cite: 5]
• PwBD: 10 to 15 years (depending on category)[cite: 5]
• Ex-Servicemen: 3 years deduction after military service rendered[cite: 5]

Educational Qualifications (As of October 7, 2026)

• DEO / DEO Grade 'A' (Ministry of Consumer Affairs, SSC, and Ministry of Culture): 12th standard pass in the Science stream with Mathematics from a recognized Board or equivalent[cite: 11].
• LDC / JSA and other DEO posts: 12th standard pass or equivalent examination from a recognized Board or University[cite: 11].

4. Examination Structure

Tier-I (Computer Based Examination)

Comprises 100 multiple-choice questions for 200 marks, carrying a negative marking deduction of 0.50 marks per incorrect attempt[cite: 17, 18].

Section	Subject	Questions	Marks	Duration
Part-I	English Language (Basic Knowledge)	25	50	15 Minutes[cite: 17]
Part-II	General Intelligence	25	50	15 Minutes[cite: 18]
Part-III	Quantitative Aptitude (Basic Arithmetic Skill)	25	50	15 Minutes[cite: 17, 18]
Part-IV	General Awareness	25	50	15 Minutes[cite: 18]

Tier-II Examination

Tier-II is conducted in two sessions on the same day and forms the sole basis for merit ranking[cite: 20, 29]:

• Session-I (2 Hours 15 Minutes):
  • Section-I: Mathematical Abilities (30 Qs) + Reasoning & General Intelligence (30 Qs) — 180 Marks (1 Hour duration with 30-minute subject timers)[cite: 18].
  • Section-II: English Language & Comprehension (40 Qs) + General Awareness (20 Qs) — 180 Marks (1 Hour duration: 40 min English, 20 min GA)[cite: 19].
  • Section-III: Computer Knowledge Test (15 Qs / 45 Marks) — 15 Minutes (Mandatory, qualifying in nature)[cite: 19, 20].
  • Negative Marking: 1 mark is deducted for every incorrect response in Sections I, II, and III[cite: 20].
• Session-II (Skill / Typing Test):
  • Data Entry Operator: Speed test of 8,000 or 15,000 key depressions per hour depending on post/ministry (15 Minutes)[cite: 21].
  • LDC / JSA: Typing speed of 35 words per minute in English or 30 words per minute in Hindi (Mangal font) (10 Minutes)[cite: 21, 22].

5. Key Application Instructions

• Fresh Registration: All candidates must complete One-Time Registration (OTR) on the new official portal (https://ssc.gov.in) or via the mySSC mobile application[cite: 12]. Old portal profiles are obsolete[cite: 12].
• Live Photograph Capture: No physical scanned photos are to be uploaded[cite: 12, 13]. Applications require taking a live capture through a webcam or smartphone camera against a clean, plain background[cite: 12, 13, 54].
• Fee Details: Rs 100 payable online[cite: 14]. Women, SC, ST, PwBD, and eligible Ex-Servicemen candidates are exempted from payment[cite: 14].

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Candidates should complete their submissions on ssc.gov.in ahead of the deadline to avoid technical congestion on the portal[cite: 13, 33].