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| + | ====== How to apply for SSC CGL exam — complete 2026 guide ====== | ||
| + | |||
| + | {{ : | ||
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| + | {{page> | ||
| + | |||
| + | <WRAP info> | ||
| + | **Quick answer.** The **SSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) Examination** — the route to Group B and C posts in central government like Income Tax Inspector, Customs Inspector, CBI Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASO), Auditor (CAG), Assistant Section Officer (CSS), Inspector (CGST), Sub Inspector in NIA — is held annually by the Staff Selection Commission. Apply online at **ssc.gov.in** when the notice drops in **April–May 2026**. Fee is **₹100 (General/ | ||
| + | </ | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===== Pooja' | ||
| + | |||
| + | <WRAP center round box 80%> | ||
| + | //Pooja Yadav, 23, B.Com (Hons) from Sri Venkateswara College, Delhi University (2024). From Mahipalpur, Delhi. Lives at home with parents and younger brother.// | ||
| + | |||
| + | > "I started SSC prep in my final year of B.Com. Bought the official notification for SSC CGL 2025 from ssc.gov.in on 9 May 2025. Made my OTR profile on the SSC portal — Aadhaar OTP eKYC, basic details, photo and signature scan. Filled the CGL examination form: chose **Income Tax Inspector** and **Auditor (CAG)** as my top two preferences out of 12. Centre — Delhi (got it). Fee was ₹100 by UPI. Tier 1 CBT was on 12 September 2025 in Dwarka — 100 questions, 60 minutes, 4 sections. I scored 158.75 — well above the General cutoff of 145.31. Tier 2 was a four-paper marathon over two days in October 2025: Paper 1 Quant + English (250 marks each), Paper 2 Statistics, Paper 3 General Studies (Finance & Economics — only for AAO post). I scored 388/450 in Paper 1 (the merit-deciding paper). The merit list dropped on 18 February 2026: **rank 2,847 — Income Tax Inspector**. Document verification at SSC HQ Block 12 CGO Complex on 6 March 2026. Posting at **Mumbai** under CCIT-1, Office of the Pr CCIT, Aayakar Bhavan, Maharshi Karve Road. Joined on 12 August 2026 as Income Tax Inspector, Pay Level 7 (₹44, | ||
| + | |||
| + | —Pooja, August 2026 | ||
| + | </ | ||
| + | |||
| + | For SSC CGL 2024 (the cycle Pooja sat for), **30.69 lakh** candidates registered, **17.86 lakh** appeared in Tier 1, and around **17,727** posts were notified. The post-wise category-wise final cutoffs were published in March 2026. The SSC Examination Notice itself is barely 75 pages, but it controls the next 10 months of your life. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===== What this is — and the legal anchor ===== | ||
| + | |||
| + | The **Staff Selection Commission (SSC)** was constituted by a **Government of India resolution dated 4 November 1975** (later modified) under the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT). It is the central recruitment agency for **Group B (Non-Gazetted) and Group C** posts in **Ministries / Departments of the Government of India** and their **attached / subordinate offices**. | ||
| + | |||
| + | CGL specifically recruits **graduates** for posts under various Ministries: | ||
| + | |||
| + | * **Ministry of Finance** — Income Tax Inspector (CBDT), Inspector / Examiner (CBIC), Sub-Inspector (CBN), Assistant Audit Officer / Assistant Accounts Officer (CAG), Junior Accountant (various) | ||
| + | * **Ministry of Home Affairs** — Sub-Inspector (CBI), Sub-Inspector (NIA), ASO (IB) | ||
| + | * **Ministry of External Affairs** — Assistant Section Officer (MEA) | ||
| + | * **Cabinet Secretariat** — Assistant Section Officer (RAW / Cabinet) | ||
| + | * **Central Secretariat Service (CSS)** — Assistant Section Officer | ||
| + | * **Other Ministries** — Inspector (Posts), Auditor / Accountant (CGDA, CGA, AGCR), Tax Assistant, Senior Secretariat Assistant, etc. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Each post is governed by its own Recruitment Rules (RRs) notified by the parent Ministry under **Article 309** of the Constitution. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===== Step-by-step process ===== | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==== Step 1 — Read the SSC CGL Examination Notice ==== | ||
| + | |||
| + | Drops **late April / first week of May** each year on **ssc.gov.in** as a single PDF (~70-80 pages). | ||
| + | |||
| + | Read carefully: | ||
| + | |||
| + | * **Annexure-I** — list of posts, ministries, vacancies (year-wise), | ||
| + | * **Annexure-II** — eligibility (age, education, physical) post-wise. | ||
| + | * **Annexure-III** — exam scheme (Tier 1, 2, 3, 4). | ||
| + | * **Annexure-IV** — application fee + payment modes. | ||
| + | * **Annexure-XV** — photo + signature specifications. | ||
| + | * **Important Instructions** — dress code, prohibited items, exam-day rules. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==== Step 2 — Check your eligibility ==== | ||
| + | |||
| + | * **Citizenship: | ||
| + | * **Age (as on 1 August of exam year):** Varies by post: | ||
| + | * **18 – 27 years:** Most posts (Auditor, Accountant, Tax Assistant, UDC) | ||
| + | * **18 – 30 years:** Income Tax Inspector, Inspector (CBIC), Inspector (CBN), Inspector (Posts), ASO (CSS, MEA, AFHQ) | ||
| + | * **20 – 30 years:** Sub-Inspector (CBI), Sub-Inspector (NIA), Sub-Inspector (NCB) | ||
| + | * **18 – 32 years:** Junior Statistical Officer (JSO) | ||
| + | * **Relaxations: | ||
| + | * **Educational qualification: | ||
| + | * **JSO:** Bachelor' | ||
| + | * **AAO/AAuO (CAG):** Bachelor' | ||
| + | * **Inspector (CBN), Sub-Inspector (CBI):** plus **physical standards** (see Step 3). | ||
| + | * **Number of attempts:** No cap. Apply every year till the age limit. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==== Step 3 — Check physical standards (only if you're choosing an " | ||
| + | |||
| + | * **Inspector (CBIC, CBN), Sub-Inspector (CBI):** | ||
| + | * **Male:** Height 157.5 cm, Chest 81 cm (5 cm expansion). | ||
| + | * **Female:** Height 152 cm, Weight 48 kg. | ||
| + | * **Sub-Inspector (NIA):** similar to CBI. | ||
| + | * Concessions for hill / tribal / specified categories — see notice. | ||
| + | * Physical Endurance Test (PET) for some posts (CBN, CBI) — walking 1.6 km in 15 min (male), 1 km in 20 min (female), cycling, etc. | ||
| + | * Don't tick a post you can't physically clear — you'll be eliminated at PET stage and the rank goes waste. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==== Step 4 — Create / login to SSC OTR ==== | ||
| + | |||
| + | The portal is **ssc.gov.in** (legacy: ssconline.nic.in still redirects). Since **2024**, SSC mandates a **One-Time Registration (OTR)** profile that survives across all SSC exams (CGL, CHSL, MTS, CPO, JE, GD Constable, Stenographer, | ||
| + | |||
| + | * " | ||
| + | * Provide: name, DOB, gender, parents, mobile, email, permanent + correspondence address. | ||
| + | * Educational: | ||
| + | * Upload: **photograph** (20-50 KB, JPG, 3.5 cm × 4.5 cm, taken **within last 3 months**, with date stamp visible in photo as per 2024 rule), **signature** (10-20 KB, JPG, 4 cm × 2 cm, in black ink). | ||
| + | * After OTR, you get a **Registration Number** + password — **save it**. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==== Step 5 — Fill the CGL examination form ==== | ||
| + | |||
| + | When the CGL notice opens (May): | ||
| + | |||
| + | * Login → " | ||
| + | * Pre-filled: personal + educational details from OTR. Verify carefully — once submitted, only one **Correction Window** (3-7 days, with fee) is allowed. | ||
| + | * **Choice of post preferences** — ranking up to 12-15 posts. **THE single most important section.** Once final, no change. Pooja put Income Tax Inspector at #1; you must put what you actually want first because allocation is by merit + first-vacant-preference. | ||
| + | * **Choice of exam centre** — Tier 1 has separate centre options from Tier 2; you choose Tier 1 centre at this stage. Tier 2 centre is auto-allocated based on Tier 1 region. | ||
| + | * Declaration tick-box (truthful information; | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==== Step 6 — Pay the fee and submit ==== | ||
| + | |||
| + | * **Fee:** ₹100 (General + OBC + EWS male candidates). **NIL** (SC, ST, PwBD, Ex-servicemen, | ||
| + | * Modes: net banking, debit / credit card, UPI, BHIM, SBI Challan (offline cash). | ||
| + | * After successful payment, the form locks. Print acknowledgement (1 page; carries your Registration Number + Roll Number once allotted). | ||
| + | * Use the **Correction Window** (announced after application closes; 3-7 days) for any name / DOB / category changes — fee ₹200 for first correction, ₹500 for second. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==== Step 7 — Download Tier 1 admit card ==== | ||
| + | |||
| + | * Released **7-15 days before Tier 1 exam** (typically late August / early September). | ||
| + | * Login → " | ||
| + | * Carry: printout (preferably colour) + **original photo ID** (Aadhaar / Voter ID / Driving Licence / PAN / Passport) + 2 passport-size photos (matching OTR). | ||
| + | * Reach centre 90 minutes before reporting time. **Biometric capture** (fingerprint + photo) at gate; bring no electronics, | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==== Step 8 — Write the four tiers ==== | ||
| + | |||
| + | * **Tier 1 (CBT, ~September): | ||
| + | * General Intelligence & Reasoning (25 Q × 2 = 50) | ||
| + | * General Awareness (25 × 2 = 50) | ||
| + | * Quantitative Aptitude (25 × 2 = 50) | ||
| + | * English Comprehension (25 × 2 = 50) | ||
| + | * Negative marking: −0.50 per wrong. | ||
| + | * **Qualifying** for Tier 2 (cutoff per category). | ||
| + | * **Tier 2 (CBT, ~October-November): | ||
| + | * **Paper 1 (compulsory for all):** 3 sections — Mathematical Abilities + Reasoning & GI + English (60 + 60 + 90 Q × 3 marks; 2.5 hrs); negative −1. | ||
| + | * **Paper 2 (Statistics — only JSO):** 100 Q × 2 = 200; 2 hrs. | ||
| + | * **Paper 3 (Finance & Economics — only AAO/ | ||
| + | * **Module on Computer Knowledge** (qualifying for ASO posts in CSS / MEA / AFHQ). | ||
| + | * **Data Entry Speed Test (DEST):** typing speed test — qualifying for Tax Assistant. | ||
| + | * **Tier 3 (Descriptive, | ||
| + | * **Tier 4 (Skill Test, ~January): | ||
| + | * **DEST:** Tax Assistant — 2,000 key depressions / 15 min. | ||
| + | * **CPT (Computer Proficiency Test):** ASO (CSS, MEA) — Word / Excel / Slides — qualifying. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==== Step 9 — Document Verification + Final Allocation ==== | ||
| + | |||
| + | * Provisional merit list: **late February / March** (next year). | ||
| + | * **Document Verification (DV)** at SSC Regional Office — bring originals: matric, intermediate, | ||
| + | * **Allocation** by **CGL Final Result** — published by SSC HQ; post + ministry assigned strictly by merit + post preference + category vacancies. | ||
| + | * **Joining letter** sent by the parent Ministry / department within 3-6 months. Pooja' | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===== Sample fee + age + post table ===== | ||
| + | |||
| + | < | ||
| + | +-------------------------------+--------+--------------+--------------------+ | ||
| + | | Post | Pay | Age (1 Aug | Physical reqd? | | ||
| + | | | Level | of exam yr) | | | ||
| + | +-------------------------------+--------+--------------+--------------------+ | ||
| + | | Assistant Section Officer | ||
| + | | (CSS / MEA / AFHQ / Cab Sec) | | | | | ||
| + | +-------------------------------+--------+--------------+--------------------+ | ||
| + | | Income Tax Inspector (CBDT) | ||
| + | +-------------------------------+--------+--------------+--------------------+ | ||
| + | | Inspector (CBIC) / | L-7 | 18 – 30 | YES — 157.5 cm | | ||
| + | | Inspector (CBN) | ||
| + | +-------------------------------+--------+--------------+--------------------+ | ||
| + | | Sub-Inspector (CBI) | ||
| + | | | ||
| + | +-------------------------------+--------+--------------+--------------------+ | ||
| + | | Sub-Inspector (NIA) | ||
| + | +-------------------------------+--------+--------------+--------------------+ | ||
| + | | Assistant Audit Officer | ||
| + | | (CAG) | ||
| + | +-------------------------------+--------+--------------+--------------------+ | ||
| + | | Auditor (CAG / CGDA / CGA) | L-5 | 18 – 27 | No | | ||
| + | +-------------------------------+--------+--------------+--------------------+ | ||
| + | | Tax Assistant (CBDT / CBIC) | ||
| + | +-------------------------------+--------+--------------+--------------------+ | ||
| + | | Junior Statistical Officer | ||
| + | | (M/o Statistics & PI) | ||
| + | +-------------------------------+--------+--------------+--------------------+ | ||
| + | |||
| + | Application fee: ₹100 General/ | ||
| + | Correction window fee: ₹200 (first), ₹500 (second). | ||
| + | RTI fee to PIO SSC: ₹10 by IPO. BPL = free. | ||
| + | </ | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===== Common reasons your SSC CGL application gets stuck ===== | ||
| + | |||
| + | * **Photograph rejected** — selfie, dark glasses, headgear (other than religious), face less than 50%, blurry, or **without the required date stamp** (rule introduced 2024 — photo must show the date in lower margin proving it was taken within last 3 months). | ||
| + | * **Signature rejected** — in CAPITALS, in print, partial. Must be in **black ink, full signature**, | ||
| + | * **Aadhaar eKYC failure** — name in Aadhaar differs from your matric. Update Aadhaar **first** (UIDAI portal — uidai.gov.in), | ||
| + | * **Payment debited but not reflected** — wait 24-72 hours. Check " | ||
| + | * **Existing OTR profile errors** — OTR locks once submitted. Use SSC's **OTR Update** facility (limited fields editable; permanent fields like DOB / category need a corrigendum from the Regional Director). | ||
| + | * **Post preference saved wrong** — review the order **before** final submission. Pooja' | ||
| + | * **Centre full** — Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad fill in 48 hours. Apply on Day 1 of the window. | ||
| + | * **Physical standards not met for Inspector posts** — failure at PST/PET wastes the rank; you cannot " | ||
| + | * **Document mismatch at DV** — name in graduation differs from matric; date of birth in OTR differs from school leaving certificate. Rectify with affidavit + gazette notification well before DV date. | ||
| + | * **EWS / OBC certificate format / year** — must be central format (Annexure prescribed in notice), issued in the **current financial year** for EWS, within last 3 years for OBC NCL with NCL declaration. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===== If stuck — the escalation ladder ===== | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==== Rung 1 — SSC Helpdesk ==== | ||
| + | |||
| + | * **011-24368068** / **011-24365263** (10 am – 5 pm, Mon-Fri). | ||
| + | * Online ticket: **https:// | ||
| + | * SSC Regional Offices (9 regions: Delhi-NR, Allahabad-CR, | ||
| + | * Best for: payment failure, login lockout, admit card not generated, last-day glitch. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==== Rung 2 — SSC Online Grievance ==== | ||
| + | |||
| + | * https:// | ||
| + | * Or write to: **rectt@ssc.gov.in** (recruitment) / **dirssc-dop@nic.in** (Director SSC, DoPT). | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==== Rung 3 — CPGRAMS ==== | ||
| + | |||
| + | * https:// | ||
| + | * Higher visibility. Often gets routed to a Director–level SSC officer. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==== Rung 4 — Right to Information (RTI) ==== | ||
| + | |||
| + | SSC is a **public authority** under **§2(h) of the RTI Act 2005**. The Central Public Information Officer is: | ||
| + | |||
| + | > //The CPIO, Staff Selection Commission, Block No. 12, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi – 110003.// | ||
| + | |||
| + | Each Regional Director also has a CPIO for region-specific matters. | ||
| + | |||
| + | **RTI helps here when:** | ||
| + | |||
| + | * **Mark sheet not yet released** — SSC publishes per-tier mark sheets ~30-45 days after each tier result. RTI gets your individual marks faster. Established by **Aditya Bandopadhyay v. CBSE (2011) 8 SCC 497** and applied to SSC by CIC orders. | ||
| + | * **Final answer key for Tier 1 / Tier 2** — SSC releases tentative answer keys within 7 days of the exam (with a window for paid challenges at ₹100/ | ||
| + | * **Your evaluated answer script (Tier 3 descriptive)** — available post-final-result; | ||
| + | * **Tie-breaker rule application** — SSC's tie-breaker order: Tier 2 Paper 1 marks → Tier 1 marks → DOB (older first) → alphabetical. RTI to know how the rule was applied between you and the candidate just above you. | ||
| + | * **Reason for rejection at DV / Medical** — if the rejection note on the portal is one line (" | ||
| + | * **Cutoff details + category-wise vacancy fill** — for transparency / preparation analysis. | ||
| + | |||
| + | See: [[: | ||
| + | |||
| + | **RTI does NOT help here when:** | ||
| + | |||
| + | * **You want SSC to revise your marks** — RTI gets information; | ||
| + | * **You want another candidate' | ||
| + | * **You disagree with the post preference allocation rule** — the post-allocation policy is laid down in the notice itself; not an " | ||
| + | * **Question paper " | ||
| + | * **You want SSC to add a post mid-cycle** — ministries notify vacancies; SSC compiles. Not an RTI matter. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===== FAQs ===== | ||
| + | |||
| + | **Q. I'm in the final year of B.A. Can I apply?**\\ | ||
| + | Yes — but only if your degree result will be declared **before 1 August of the exam year**. SSC accepts a provisional certificate / final mark sheet at DV. If your university is delayed beyond 1 August, your candidature is liable to be cancelled even if you cleared all tiers. | ||
| + | |||
| + | **Q. I made a mistake in post preference. Can I fix it?**\\ | ||
| + | Use the SSC **Correction Window** (3-7 days, announced after applications close). Fee: ₹200 for first correction, ₹500 for second. After the correction window, no change is possible — your initial preference stands. | ||
| + | |||
| + | **Q. I cleared Tier 1 but my Tier 2 admit card is not appearing.**\\ | ||
| + | Check the SSC region you wrote Tier 1 in (admit cards are released region-wise). Login with the **same credentials** as Tier 1. If not visible after 7 days of Tier 2 admit-card release announcement, | ||
| + | |||
| + | **Q. SSC OTR shows wrong DOB. Now what?**\\ | ||
| + | DOB is a **permanent** field once OTR is created. You cannot edit it via OTR Update. Write to your **SSC Regional Director** with: (a) representation, | ||
| + | |||
| + | **Q. I cleared CGL last year but didn't get joining yet. Should I apply again?**\\ | ||
| + | Yes — apply again. Many candidates apply year after year until their joining is finalised, since vacancy notification, | ||
| + | |||
| + | **Q. My height is 156 cm. Can I apply for Inspector (CBIC)?**\\ | ||
| + | For male General candidates, the minimum is 157.5 cm. You'd be eliminated at PST. Apply for non-physical posts (Auditor, Tax Assistant, ASO, AAO) instead. | ||
| + | |||
| + | **Q. Can SSC OTR be used for IBPS bank exams or UPSC?**\\ | ||
| + | No. Each agency has its own profile. SSC OTR is only for SSC-conducted exams (CGL, CHSL, MTS, CPO, JE, GD, Stenographer, | ||
| + | |||
| + | **Q. I belong to OBC but my caste isn't on the central list. Can I claim OBC?**\\ | ||
| + | No. OBC reservation in central recruitment requires the caste to be on the **Central List of OBCs** (maintained by NCBC — ncbc.nic.in). State-list OBC is not enough. If your caste is on the state list only, you must apply as General. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===== Related on RTI Wiki ===== | ||
| + | |||
| + | * [[: | ||
| + | * [[: | ||
| + | * [[: | ||
| + | * [[: | ||
| + | * [[: | ||
| + | * [[: | ||
| + | * [[: | ||
| + | |||
| + | //Last reviewed: 26 April 2026 by RTI Wiki editorial team. SSC CGL notice dates, post lists and physical standards change every year — verify on ssc.gov.in or write to admin@bighelpers.in if you spot a stale figure.// | ||
| + | |||
| + | {{tag> | ||