SSC CGL 2026: exam date, pattern, syllabus and how to apply

SSC CGL, the Combined Graduate Level Examination, is how the Staff Selection Commission fills Group B and Group C posts for graduates in the ministries, departments and offices of the Government of India. The question most students have right now is the date: SSC CGL 2026 Tier-I is being held from 30 September to 30 October 2026, and SSC's notice gives December 2026 as the tentative month for Tier-II (both checked on ssc.gov.in on 20 October 2026). This guide covers the dates, how applying works, the pattern, the syllabus and a plan for the weeks that are left.

SSC CGL at a glance

SSC CGL 2026 exam date

As of 20 October 2026, these are the dates on SSC's own notices:

Your own Tier-I day, shift and centre are on your admit card, not in the notice. The exact Tier-II days will come in a separate SSC notice after the Tier-I result, so if your Tier-I is already behind you, Tier-II is the exam to prepare for now. Our SSC CGL exam dates page is updated when SSC announces them.

How to apply

Applications for SSC CGL 2026 closed on 22 June 2026, so this is for the next cycle. SSC publishes one notice a year, and the steps have stayed the same:

1. Read the notice on ssc.gov.in for the posts, the age limit of each post and the eligibility dates.
2. Complete the One-Time Registration (OTR) on ssc.gov.in or the mySSC app. An OTR made on the old ssc.nic.in website does not work on the new one.
3. Choose Aadhaar authentication if you can. SSC's notices say applications made this way are not rejected over the photograph or signature.
4. Fill in the form, including your post preferences, and let the application take your live photograph with the camera. Do not photograph an old photo: the notice says such applications are rejected.
5. Upload your signature, pay the fee by the last date, and keep the printout.
6. Use the correction window, if the notice gives one, for any mistakes.

Keep ready: your Class 10 certificate (for date of birth), your degree or final-year marksheets, a category or disability certificate if you claim one, a working mobile number and email, and a scan of your signature. You need a bachelor's degree by the date the notice sets. Age limits differ by post: the 2026 notice lists ranges such as 18–30 and 20–30 years, with relaxations for reserved categories.

Exam pattern

Tier-I decides who goes to Tier-II:

Each section has its own timer: it ends only when its 15 minutes are up, and you cannot go back. A right answer earns 2 marks and a wrong one costs 0.5.

Tier-II Paper I is where the final merit is made:

In Paper I a right answer earns 3 and a wrong one costs 1, and every section must be qualified. Paper II (Statistics) is only for candidates shortlisted for Junior Statistical Officer and Statistical Investigator posts, and Paper III (General Studies, Finance and Economics) only for Assistant Audit and Accounts Officer posts.

Syllabus

• Reasoning: analogies, classification, series, coding-decoding, blood relations, directions, Venn diagrams, figure questions.
• General Awareness: static GK (history, polity, geography, economy, science) and current affairs of the last 12 to 18 months.
• Quantitative Aptitude: arithmetic (percentages, ratio, profit and loss, interest, time and work, time and distance), algebra, geometry, mensuration, trigonometry and data interpretation.
• English: vocabulary, grammar, sentence improvement, cloze and comprehension passages.

The full topic list, section by section, is on our SSC CGL syllabus page.

A plan for the weeks that are left

If your Tier-I is still ahead (before 30 October):

• Sit one full SSC CGL Tier-I mock every second day, with the 15-minute section timers, and analyse it the same day.
• Spend the days in between on the two weakest topics each mock showed, and on General Awareness revision.
• In the last two days, no new topics: one mock and your mistake notebook.

If Tier-I is done (about six weeks to a December Tier-II):

• Weeks 1–2: rebuild maths to Tier-II level (algebra, geometry, trigonometry) and do 45-question English sets for speed.
• Weeks 3–4: one full SSC CGL Tier-II mock a week, plus timed 30-question maths and reasoning sets. With −1 for a wrong answer, track your accuracy, not just attempts.
• Weeks 5–6: two Tier-II mocks a week, General Awareness revision daily, and a short computer knowledge revision so the qualifying module is safe.

Our SSC CGL Tier-I strategy explains how to use each 15-minute section.

Useful links

• SSC: One-Time Registration and applications (ssc.gov.in)
• SSC CGL 2026 notice (PDF, ssc.gov.in)
• SSC notice of 12 September 2026: Tier-I dates (PDF)
• Free SSC CGL Tier-I mock tests and Tier-II mock tests
• SSC CGL syllabus
• SSC CGL exam dates
• SSC CGL vs SSC CHSL
• How to calculate your SSC CGL score from the answer key

Frequently asked questions

When is the SSC CGL 2026 Tier-II exam?

SSC's CGL 2026 notice gives December 2026 as the tentative month. The exact days come in a separate notice after the Tier-I result; watch ssc.gov.in and our exam dates page.

Is there negative marking in SSC CGL?

Yes. In Tier-I a wrong answer costs 0.5 marks against 2 for a right one; in Tier-II it costs 1 against 3. Our article on negative marking works out when a guess is worth it.

Can final-year students apply for SSC CGL?

Yes. The 2026 notice let students in the final year of graduation apply, provided they held the degree on 1 August 2026. Check the cut-off date in the notice for your year.

Do Tier-I marks count in the final merit?

No. Tier-I shortlists candidates for Tier-II, category-wise; the 2026 notice sets minimum qualifying marks of 30% for UR, 25% for OBC/EWS and 20% for others. The final merit comes from the aggregate of Sections I and II of Tier-II Paper I (with Paper II or III for the posts that need them).

Can I go back to an earlier section in Tier-I?

No. Each section has its own 15-minute timer and closes when the time is up. Practise with timed mocks so the rhythm is automatic on the day.