SSC CHSL 2026: exam date, pattern, syllabus and how to apply
SSC CHSL, the Combined Higher Secondary (10+2) Level Examination, is how the Staff Selection Commission recruits Lower Division Clerks and Junior Secretariat Assistants (Pay Level-2) and Data Entry Operators (Pay Level-4 and 5) for the Government of India, from candidates who have passed Class 12. The date most students are looking for: SSC CHSL 2026 Tier-I is proposed for 30 November to 31 December 2026, in SSC's notice of 1 October 2026 (checked on ssc.gov.in on 20 October 2026). That leaves about six weeks to the first possible exam day. This guide covers the dates, applying, the pattern, the syllabus and a plan for those weeks.
SSC CHSL at a glance
| Conducting body | Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Government of India |
| What it is for | LDC/JSA and Data Entry Operator posts in central government offices |
| Eligibility | Class 12 or equivalent; age 18 to 27 on 1 August 2026, with relaxations |
| Mode | Computer-based test at an SSC exam centre, in two tiers |
| Tier-I | 100 questions in 60 minutes, 15 minutes for each of four subjects |
| Marking | Tier-I +2 / −0.5; Tier-II +3 / −1 |
| Languages | English and Hindi, except English Language |
| How often | Once a year |
| Official website | ssc.gov.in |
SSC CHSL 2026 exam date
As of 20 October 2026, SSC's own notices give:
| Stage | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Online applications | 7 September to 7 October 2026 (closed) | CHSL 2026 notice |
| Application correction window | 14 to 16 October 2026 (closed) | CHSL 2026 notice |
| Tier-I (CBE) | 30 November to 31 December 2026 (proposed) | SSC notice of 1 October 2026 |
| Tier-II | Not announced yet | — |
These are proposed dates, and SSC can change them. Your own day, shift and centre will be on your admit card, which SSC issues shortly before the exam. Tier-II dates will come in a later notice. Our SSC CHSL exam dates page follows the announcements.
How to apply
Applications for CHSL 2026 closed on 7 October 2026. For the next cycle, the 2026 notice sets out the steps:
- Read the notice on ssc.gov.in: posts, eligibility, age limit and dates.
- Complete the One-Time Registration (OTR) on ssc.gov.in or the mySSC app. An OTR made on the old ssc.nic.in site does not work on the new one.
- Opt for Aadhaar authentication if you can: the notice says such applications are not rejected over the photograph or signature.
- Fill in the form. The application takes your live photograph through the camera; sit in good light against a plain background, without a cap or glasses.
- Upload your signature (JPEG, 10 to 20 KB, about 6 cm × 2 cm), choose the typing test medium (it cannot be changed later), and pay the fee by the last date.
- Check the preview before you submit, and use the correction window if needed.
Keep ready: your Class 10 certificate for date of birth, your Class 12 marksheet, a category or disability certificate if you claim one, a working mobile number and email, and a scan of your signature. For DEO posts in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, SSC and the Ministry of Culture, Class 12 must be in the Science stream with Mathematics.
Exam pattern
Tier-I (shortlists for Tier-II):
| Subject | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 25 | 50 | 15 minutes |
| General Intelligence | 25 | 50 | 15 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude (basic arithmetic) | 25 | 50 | 15 minutes |
| General Awareness | 25 | 50 | 15 minutes |
| Total | 100 | 200 | 60 minutes |
A wrong answer costs 0.5 marks. The minimum qualifying marks are 30% for UR, 25% for OBC/EWS and 20% for others, and Tier-I marks do not count in the final merit.
Tier-II (one day, two sessions):
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section-I: Mathematical Abilities, Reasoning | 30 + 30 | 180 | 1 hour |
| Section-II: English Language and Comprehension, General Awareness | 40 + 20 | 180 | 1 hour |
| Section-III: Computer Knowledge | 15 | 45 | 15 minutes, qualifying |
| Session-II: Skill Test (DEO) or Typing Test (LDC/JSA) | one passage | — | 15 or 10 minutes, qualifying |
Every question in Tier-II is worth 3 marks, with 1 taken off for a wrong answer. The final merit is the total of Sections I and II (out of 360). The Typing Test asks for 35 words a minute in English or 30 in Hindi.
Syllabus
- English: error spotting, fill in the blanks, synonyms and antonyms, spellings, idioms, one-word substitution, sentence improvement, voice and narration, sentence shuffling, cloze and comprehension.
- General Intelligence: analogy, classification, series, coding-decoding, Venn diagrams, figure folding and embedded figures, space orientation.
- Quantitative Aptitude: number systems, percentages, ratio, averages, interest, profit and loss, time and work, time and distance, basic algebra, geometry, mensuration, trigonometry and statistical charts.
- General Awareness: current events, history and culture, geography, economy and policy, everyday science.
The full list is on our SSC CHSL syllabus page.
A plan for the six weeks left
- Weeks 1–2: sit one full SSC CHSL mock to find your level. Then spend most days on arithmetic (percentages, ratio, profit and loss, averages) and English grammar, with 20 minutes of General Awareness daily.
- Weeks 3–4: two full mocks a week with the 15-minute timers, each analysed the same day. Fix the two weakest topics each mock shows. Start 10 minutes of typing practice a day if you want LDC/JSA, because Tier-II follows soon after.
- Week 5: three mocks. Revise static GK and your vocabulary list.
- Week 6: one or two mocks, your mistake notebook, no new topics. Check your admit card and centre.
With +2 / −0.5, four wrong answers cancel one right one. Our article on negative marking shows when a guess is worth it.
Useful links
- SSC: One-Time Registration and applications (ssc.gov.in)
- SSC CHSL 2026 notice (PDF, ssc.gov.in)
- SSC notice of 1 October 2026: Tier-I dates (PDF)
- Free SSC CHSL mock tests
- SSC CHSL syllabus
- SSC CHSL exam dates
- SSC CGL vs SSC CHSL
- How to analyse a mock test
Frequently asked questions
When is the SSC CHSL 2026 exam?
SSC's notice of 1 October 2026 proposes Tier-I from 30 November to 31 December 2026. The dates can change; your own date will be on your admit card.
Is there negative marking in SSC CHSL?
Yes. In Tier-I a wrong answer costs 0.5 marks against 2 for a right one. In Tier-II it costs 1 mark against 3.
What is the age limit for SSC CHSL 2026?
18 to 27 years on 1 August 2026, with the relaxations for reserved categories that the notice lists.
Do Tier-I marks count in the final SSC CHSL merit?
No. Tier-I only shortlists for Tier-II. The final merit comes from Sections I and II of Tier-II, and Tier-I marks are used only to break ties after Tier-II Section-I marks.
Is the typing test compulsory in SSC CHSL?
For LDC/JSA, yes: the Typing Test must be qualified, at 35 words a minute in English or 30 in Hindi. Data Entry Operators take a Skill Test of data entry speed instead. Neither adds marks to the merit.