SSC Combined Higher Secondary Level (CHSL) 2026 — Complete Guide

The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) conducts the Combined Higher Secondary Level (CHSL) examination to recruit eligible 12th-pass candidates for prestigious ministerial and technical clerical cadres, including Lower Division Clerk (LDC), Junior Secretariat Assistant (JSA), and Data Entry Operator (DEO) across Central Government Ministries, Departments, and Subordinate Offices.

Aspirants preparing for SSC CHSL 2026 can find the complete verified examination framework below, covering the revised two-tier computer-based scheme, post-wise educational qualifications, typing/DEST benchmarks, salary scales, and the online application procedure on ssc.gov.in.

1. SSC CHSL 2026 Overview

Parameter	Official Details
Exam Name	Combined Higher Secondary (10+2) Level Examination 2026 (SSC CHSL)
Conducting Authority	Staff Selection Commission (SSC)
Official Advertisement Ref	Notice No. Notice_of_adv_chsl_2026.pdf (Published 07-09-2026)
Total Tentative Vacancies	Approximately 2,536 Vacancies
Current Application Status	Applications Open (September 7 to October 7, 2026)
Minimum Educational Qualification	Class 12th Pass (10+2) Standard (Science with Maths for specific DEO cadres)
Posts Offered	Lower Division Clerk (LDC), Junior Secretariat Assistant (JSA), Data Entry Operator (DEO / DEO Grade 'A')
Selection Process	Tier-I (Qualifying CBT) → Tier-II (Merit CBT: 360 Marks + Qualifying Computer & Skill/Typing Test)
Official Website	ssc.gov.in

2. SSC CHSL 2026 Important Dates

The official recruitment advertisement published on September 7, 2026 establishes the confirmed operational timetable for CHSL 2026:

Recruitment Event	Official Verified Schedule
Official Notification Release	September 7, 2026 ✅
Online Application Opening Date	September 7, 2026 ✅
Last Date to Apply Online	October 7, 2026 (until 23:00)
Last Date for Online Fee Payment	October 8, 2026 (until 23:00)
Application Correction Window	October 14 to October 16, 2026 (until 23:00)
Tier-I CBT Examination	To be notified later on ssc.gov.in
Tier-I Result Declaration	To be notified post-examination
Tier-II CBT & Skill Test	To be notified following Tier-I results
Final Result & Department Allocation	To be notified upon completion of all stages

Note: Per Section 1 of the official advertisement, exact dates for Tier-I and Tier-II Computer Based Examinations will be announced in due course through separate scheduling notices on ssc.gov.in.

3. Posts Under SSC CHSL 2026

The SSC CHSL examination specifically caters to Group 'C' clerical and data management positions:

Post Title	Allocating Ministries / Offices	Classification	Pay Matrix Level
Lower Division Clerk (LDC) / Junior Secretariat Assistant (JSA)	Central Ministries, Armed Forces HQ, Election Commission, CBDT, CBIC, etc.	Group 'C' Non-Technical	Pay Level 2 (₹19,900 – ₹63,200)
Data Entry Operator (DEO)	Various Central Ministries and Attached / Subordinate Offices	Group 'C' Technical	Pay Level 4 (₹25,500 – ₹81,100) / Level 5 (₹29,200 – ₹92,300)
Data Entry Operator Grade 'A'	Offices of C&AG, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, etc.	Group 'C' Technical	Pay Level 4 (₹25,500 – ₹81,100)

Crucial Cadre Clarification (PA/SA Shift): Historically, Postal Assistant (PA) and Sorting Assistant (SA) posts under the Department of Posts were recruited through SSC CHSL. Starting from the 2022 recruitment cycle onward, the Department of Posts upgraded the minimum entry qualification for PA/SA to a Bachelor's Degree, permanently shifting these posts to the SSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examination (Pay Level 4). PA/SA posts are no longer recruited through SSC CHSL.

4. Eligibility Criteria

Educational Qualification (Reckoned as on Crucial Date)

• For Lower Division Clerk (LDC) / Junior Secretariat Assistant (JSA) and General DEO: Candidates must have passed the 12th Standard (10+2) or equivalent examination from a recognized Board or University.
• For Data Entry Operator (DEO / DEO Grade 'A') in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, and designated departments: Candidates must have passed the 12th Standard in Science stream with Mathematics as a subject from a recognized Board or equivalent.
• Graduates and higher-degree holders are fully eligible to apply, provided they meet the minimum 12th-standard stream requirements.

Age Limit (As on Crucial Date in Official Notice)

• Permissible Age Range: 18 to 27 Years (candidate must be born not before the lower date limit and not later than the upper date limit specified in the notice, standardly reckoned as of August 1 of the exam year).
• Category-wise Upper Age Relaxations:
  • OBC (Non-Creamy Layer): 30 Years (+3 years relaxation)
  • SC / ST: 32 Years (+5 years relaxation)
  • PwBD (Unreserved): 37 Years (+10 years relaxation)
  • PwBD (OBC): 40 Years (+13 years relaxation)
  • PwBD (SC/ST): 42 Years (+15 years relaxation)
  • Ex-Servicemen (ESM): 3 years after deduction of the military service rendered from the actual age as on the crucial date.
  • Compensatory Time for PwBD: 20 minutes compensatory time per hour is provided to candidates eligible for scribe under government guidelines.

5. SSC CHSL 2026 Exam Pattern & Syllabus

The Staff Selection Commission conducts CHSL in two computerized tiers. The outdated pen-and-paper descriptive paper (Tier-II essay/letter) and separate Tier-III skill test have been completely eliminated.

Tier-I: Computer Based Examination (Qualifying)

Tier-I is an objective computer-based screening test comprising 100 questions for 200 marks. Marks scored in Tier-I are normalized to shortlist candidates for Tier-II and are not counted in the final merit list.

Section	Subject	Questions	Maximum Marks	Duration	Negative Marking
1	English Language (Basic Knowledge)	25	50	—	0.50 marks per wrong answer
2	General Intelligence (Reasoning)	25	50	—	0.50 marks per wrong answer
3	Quantitative Aptitude (Basic Arithmetic Skills)	25	50	—	0.50 marks per wrong answer
4	General Awareness	25	50	—	0.50 marks per wrong answer
Total	4 Sections Combined	100	200	60 Minutes (80 mins for scribe)	0.50 Marks Deduction

Tier-II: Computer Based Examination (Merit + Qualifying Modules)

Tier-II is conducted in two sessions on the same day:

Session I (2 Hours 15 Minutes) — Written CBT Modules

Section	Module	Subject	Questions	Marks	Duration	Marking Scheme
Section-I	Module-I	Mathematical Abilities	30	90	1 Hour (combined Section-I)	+3 marks for correct, −1 mark for wrong
	Module-II	Reasoning & General Intelligence	30	90		+3 marks for correct, −1 mark for wrong
Section-II	Module-I	English Language & Comprehension	40	120	1 Hour (combined Section-II)	+3 marks for correct, −1 mark for wrong
	Module-II	General Awareness	20	60		+3 marks for correct, −1 mark for wrong
Section-III	Module-I	Computer Knowledge Module	15	45	15 Minutes	Qualifying Only (+3 / −1 mark)
Total Session I			135 Qs	405 M	2 Hours 15 Mins

• Final Merit Score Denominator: Final merit ranking is calculated strictly out of 360 marks (Section-I: 180 Marks + Section-II: 180 Marks).
• Computer Knowledge Qualifying Requirement: Module-I of Section-III is mandatory and qualifying. Candidates who fail to secure the minimum qualifying cutoff in Computer Knowledge are disqualified from the final selection, irrespective of their score out of 360.

Session II — Section-III Module-II: Skill Test / Typing Test (Qualifying)

Session II is held on the same day as Session I and is qualifying in nature:

• Part A — Skill Test for DEO / DEO Grade 'A':
  • For DEO in Ministry of Consumer Affairs, etc.: Data entry speed of 15,000 key depressions per hour on computer (approximately 3,750 key depressions in 15 minutes against a printed test passage).
  • For DEO in other Ministries / Departments: Data entry speed of 8,000 key depressions per hour on computer (approximately 2,000 key depressions in 15 minutes).
• Part B — Typing Test for LDC / JSA:
  • Test duration: 10 minutes (15 minutes for eligible PwBD candidates).
  • English medium typing speed: 35 words per minute (wpm) (equivalent to ~10,500 key depressions per hour / ~1,750 key depressions in 10 minutes).
  • Hindi medium typing speed: 30 words per minute (wpm) (equivalent to ~9,000 key depressions per hour / ~1,500 key depressions in 10 minutes).

Detailed Syllabus Topics

• Quantitative Aptitude: Number Systems, Computation of Whole Numbers, Decimals and Fractions, Fundamental Arithmetical Operations (Percentages, Ratio and Proportion, Square roots, Averages, Interest, Profit and Loss, Discount, Partnership Business, Mixture and Alligation, Time and distance, Time and work), Algebra, Basic Geometry (Familiarity with elementary geometric figures and facts, triangle and its various kinds of centres, congruence and similarity of triangles, circle and its chords, tangents), Mensuration, Trigonometry, and Statistical Charts (Histogram, Frequency polygon, Bar-diagram, Pie-chart).
• General Intelligence & Reasoning: Both verbal and non-verbal types: Semantic Analogy, Symbolic/Number Analogy, Figural Analogy, Semantic Classification, Symbolic/Number Classification, Figural Classification, Semantic Series, Number Series, Figural Series, Problem Solving, Word Building, Coding & de-coding, Numerical Operations, Space Orientation, Venn Diagrams, Drawing inferences, Punched hole/pattern-folding & unfolding, Figural Pattern-folding and completion, Embedded figures, Critical thinking, Emotional Intelligence, Social Intelligence.
• English Language: Spot the Error, Fill in the Blanks, Synonyms/Homonyms, Antonyms, Spellings/detecting misspelt words, Idioms & Phrases, One word substitution, Improvement of Sentences, Active/Passive Voice of Verbs, Conversion into Direct/Indirect narration, Shuffling of Sentence parts, Shuffling of Sentences in a passage, Cloze Passage, Comprehension Passage.
• General Awareness: Current events, national/international developments, history, culture, geography, economic scene, general policy, and scientific research.

6. Salary & Career Prospects

Salaries for SSC CHSL posts are structured according to the 7th CPC Pay Matrix:

Post	Pay Matrix Level	Basic Pay	Estimated Gross Monthly (Metro 'X')	Estimated Net In-Hand Take-Home
LDC / JSA	Level 2	₹19,900	₹33,000 – ₹38,000	₹28,000 – ₹33,000
DEO / DEO Grade 'A'	Level 4	₹25,500	₹43,000 – ₹48,000	₹37,000 – ₹42,000
DEO (Specialized)	Level 5	₹29,200	₹49,000 – ₹54,000	₹42,000 – ₹47,000

Allowances include Dearness Allowance (DA at 50%+ of Basic Pay), House Rent Allowance (HRA: 30% for Class X cities, 20% for Class Y, 10% for Class Z), Transport Allowance (TA), CGHS medical insurance, and pension contributions under NPS.

Promotional Hierarchy:

• LDC/JSA: Promoted to Upper Division Clerk (UDC) / Senior Secretariat Assistant (SSA) in Pay Level 4 through departmental tests or seniority after 5 years, followed by promotion to Assistant Section Officer (ASO) in Pay Level 7.
• Data Entry Operator: Moves to DEO Grade B (Level 5), DEO Grade C (Level 6), and Systems Analyst / Supervisory Data Manager roles.

7. How to Apply for SSC CHSL 2026

The application process must be completed online via the unified SSC portal:

1. One-Time Registration (OTR): Navigate to ssc.gov.in. If you have not registered on the new portal, complete your One-Time Registration using Aadhaar/voter ID, active mobile number, and email.
2. Accessing Application Form: Log in using your OTR Registration Number and Password. Under "Live Examinations", locate "Combined Higher Secondary (10+2) Level Examination, 2026" and select "Apply".
3. Real-time Live Photo Capture: The portal requires a live photo capture using a webcam or the official MySSC Android application. Uploading old static scanned photographs is not accepted. Stand against a plain white or light background in proper lighting without spectacles, hats, or masks.
4. Signature Upload: Upload your scanned signature in JPEG format (file size 10 KB to 20 KB, dimensions 4.0 cm width × 2.0 cm height).
5. Post & Centre Preferences: Select 3 preferred examination centres within the same SSC regional jurisdiction.
6. Application Fee Payment: Pay the application fee of ₹100 via UPI, Net Banking, or Credit/Debit Card. Women candidates and candidates belonging to SC, ST, PwBD, and Ex-Servicemen eligible for reservation are 100% fee-exempt.
7. Form Verification & Printout: Review the preview page carefully, submit the application, and download the acknowledgement form for future reference.

8. Preparation Guide

• Tier-II English & Maths Weightage: In Tier-II, English Language carries 120 marks and Maths carries 90 marks out of the 360-mark merit total. Daily practice of reading comprehension, grammar rules, and arithmetic calculation speed is critical.
• Early Typing Practice: Do not postpone typing practice until after Tier-I results. Spend at least 20 minutes daily on keyboard drills targeting 40+ wpm in English or 35+ wpm in Hindi to easily clear the 35/30 wpm exam threshold under pressure.
• Computer Knowledge Competence: Since Computer Knowledge is a mandatory eliminator in Tier-II, study MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint shortcuts), networking basics, internet protocols, and cybersecurity terms.
• Recommended Reference Material:
  • Mathematics: Quantitative Aptitude by R.S. Aggarwal / Fast Track Objective Arithmetic by Rajesh Verma
  • English Language: Objective General English by S.P. Bakshi / English for General Competitions by Neetu Singh
  • Reasoning: A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning by R.S. Aggarwal
  • General Awareness: Lucent's General Knowledge & NCERT summary notes
  • Previous Year Questions: Kiran SSC CHSL Chapter-wise Solved Papers (Tier-I & Tier-II)

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Official Links for SSC CHSL 2026

Resource	Official Link
SSC Official Website	ssc.gov.in
Candidate Portal / Apply Online	ssc.gov.in/login
Official Notices & Corrigenda	SSC Notices
Official Scheme & Syllabus	SSC Syllabus
Previous Question Papers	SSC Question Papers

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Last Updated: September 11, 2026 | Source: Staff Selection Commission (SSC) Notice of CHSL 2026 (Notice_of_adv_chsl_2026.pdf), ssc.gov.in