SSC CHSL 2026 Notification: Exam Dates, Eligibility, Age Limit & Pattern

The SSC CHSL exam is held annually, offering prestigious government job opportunities to 12th-pass candidates. Officially known as the Staff Selection Commission Combined Higher Secondary Level (10+2) Examination, the SSC conducts this multi-stage selection process to recruit staff for various ministries, departments, and organizations across the Government of India. The primary roles filled through the CHSL exam include:

• Data Entry Operator (DEO)
• Lower Divisional Clerk (LDC)/ Junior Secretariat Assistant (JSA)
• Data Entry Operator (Grade A)

SSC CHSL 2026 Exam- Overview

The Staff Selection Commission organizes the Combined Higher Secondary Level (CHSL) exam every year for various subordinate service posts. For the 2026-27 cycle, the official SSC CHSL Notification 2026 will be released, detailing essential exam guidelines, at www.ssc.gov.in. Refer to the table below for a summary of key information.

When will SSC CHSL Notification 2026 be released?

Thousands of aspirants are eagerly anticipating the release of the SSC CHSL (10+2) notification; while an exact release date is pending, official updates will be published at www.ssc.gov.in. We will provide the official PDF immediately upon release, so be sure to bookmark this page for the latest developments, including eligibility requirements, age limits, educational qualifications, exam dates, syllabus, and test patterns.

📱 Free SSC CHSL Tier 1 Live Mock Test (Available Tue 9 AM – Wed 10 PM)

SSC CHSL Recruitment 2026- Timeline

The application portal is expected to remain open for one month, with the Computer-Based Test (CBT) tentatively scheduled for October 2026. Keep track of the vital dates for the upcoming SSC CHSL 2026 cycle:

Eligibility Criteria for the SSC CHSL 2026 Exam

To qualify for the SSC CHSL 2026 exam, candidates must meet three essential eligibility criteria. These key parameters are outlined below:

Nationality

Candidates must satisfy one of the following nationality requirements:

(a) A citizen of India, or
(b) A subject of Nepal or Bhutan, or
(d) A Tibetan refugee who settled permanently in India before January 1, 1962, or
(e) A person of Indian origin who migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, and Vietnam) with the intention of permanently settling in India.

Age Limit

The prescribed age limit for SSC CHSL positions is 18–27 years. Only candidates born between 02-01-1999 and 01-01-2008 are eligible to apply. Specific age relaxations apply to candidates from reserved categories as per government norms.

Check Detailed SSC CHSL Eligibility & Age Relaxation Rules

Educational Qualification

For Data Entry Operator (DEO) Grade 'A' (Selected Ministries): Aspirants applying for these roles must have successfully completed their 12th Standard or an equivalent examination from a recognized educational board or university.

For LDC/JSA and DEO (General): Candidates must have passed the 12th Standard in the Science stream with Mathematics as a compulsory subject from a recognized board or equivalent institution.

What is the limit on SSC CHSL attempts?

There is no specific limit on the number of attempts for the SSC CHSL (10+2) exam, provided the candidate remains within the specified age brackets:

1. General: Up to 27 years
2. OBC: Up to 30 years
3. SC/ST: Up to 32 years

Candidates may appear for the exam as many times as they qualify based on their age.

SSC CHSL Vacancy 2026

The tentative vacancy count for 2026 will be officially declared in the recruitment notification PDF. Following the previous year's recruitment of 3,131 personnel for LDC, JSA, and DEO roles, it is anticipated that more than 3,000 vacancies will be announced. Review the post-wise and category-wise vacancy breakdowns once available.

We provide a comprehensive year-over-year comparison of vacancy trends to assist your preparation. See the breakdown of recruitment data from the last eight years below:

Year-wise SSC CHSL (10+2) Vacancy Comparison

Which posts are included in SSC CHSL 2026?

The SSC CHSL exam recruits for roles such as Lower Division Clerk (LDC), Junior Secretariat Assistant (JSA), Postal Assistant, Sorting Assistant, and Data Entry Operator (DEO). Selection involves a rigorous computer-based examination, followed by a skill or typing test as required by the post.

SSC CHSL 2026 Application Fee

• The standard application fee for General category candidates appearing for SSC CHSL 2026 is Rs. 100/-.

• Fee Exemption: Female candidates, along with those belonging to SC, ST, PwD (Physically Handicapped), and Ex-Servicemen categories, are exempted from paying the application fee.

SSC CHSL 2026 Exam Pattern

The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) conducts the Combined Higher Secondary Level (CHSL) examination across two distinct tiers to streamline the recruitment process:

Before diving into your studies, it is crucial to stay updated on the latest exam syllabus and structure. Key changes and details regarding the SSC CHSL Exam Pattern 2026 are highlighted below:

• The SSC CHSL 2026 Tier 1 examination will be conducted exclusively in an online, computer-based format.

• A descriptive test worth 100 marks is part of the overall selection, to be completed within 60 minutes.

• The time duration for the Tier-I examination has been adjusted to 60 minutes.

• Tier II consists of objective-type multiple-choice questions, supplemented by mandatory Skill or Typing tests.

• The Tier 1 exam includes negative marking; each incorrect answer incurs a penalty of 0.5 marks across all sections.

• A compensatory time allowance is provided for visually impaired candidates, extending the exam duration to 75 minutes.

The Tier 1 exam is an objective-style online test. It features 100 questions covering four subjects, totaling 200 marks. Review the subject-wise weightage below:

SSC CHSL 2026 Exam Syllabus

The Tier 1 syllabus for the SSC CHSL 2026 consists of four core subjects: General Intelligence, General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude (Basic Arithmetic), and English Language (Basic Comprehension).

For the comprehensive syllabus guide, visit our SSC CHSL 2026 Syllabus Page

SSC CHSL Salary Structure (Pay Scale)

The salary and compensation package for various posts under the SSC CHSL exam are detailed below:

Click Here to View SSC CHSL Salary Structure

SSC CHSL Salary after 7th Pay Commission

Following the 7th Pay Commission, the salary structure for all SSC CHSL posts has been updated to align with current government guidelines. See the current pay scale information below:

Download SSC CHSL Previous Year Question Papers (PDF)

SSC CHSL 2026 Cut Off

To better understand the expected competition, analyzing past cut-offs is essential. Get an overview of the previous year's trends for the Tier I exam:

Access Official SSC CHSL Previous Year Cut-Off Marks