SSC Multi-Tasking (Non-Technical) Staff & Havaldar 2026 — Complete Guide

The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) conducts the competitive examination for the recruitment of Multi-Tasking (Non-Technical) Staff (MTS) — a Group 'C' Non-Gazetted, Non-Ministerial post across various Central Government Ministries, Departments, and Attached/Subordinate Offices throughout India. Concurrently, recruitment for the post of Havaldar (Group 'C' Non-Gazetted, Non-Ministerial) under the Department of Revenue (Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs — CBIC, and Central Bureau of Narcotics — CBN) is executed through the same unified notification.

Requiring a basic Class 10 (Matriculation) qualification, SSC MTS & Havaldar represents the most widely accessible employment gateway in the Central Government.

1. SSC MTS 2026 Overview

Parameter	Official Details
Exam Name	Multi-Tasking (Non-Technical) Staff, and Havaldar (CBIC & CBN) Examination 2026
Conducting Authority	Staff Selection Commission (SSC)
Cadre Classifications	Group 'C' Non-Gazetted, Non-Ministerial
Posts Offered	Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS), Havaldar (CBIC & CBN)
Minimum Qualification	Matriculation (Class 10th Pass) from a recognized Board
Selection Stages	Computer Based Examination (Session I + Session II) → PET / PST (Havaldar Posts Only)
Official Portal	ssc.gov.in

2. SSC MTS 2026 Important Exam Dates

The Staff Selection Commission Annual Examination Calendar designates the tentative timeframe for the recruitment cycle:

Recruitment Event	SSC Examination Calendar Timeline	Current Status & Verification Basis
Official Notification Release	June 2026 (Tentative Calendar Slot)	Awaited / Subject to administrative notice on ssc.gov.in
Online Application Window	June – July 2026 (Tentative Window)	Scheduled upon official notification release
Application Correction Window	Approximately 2–3 weeks post application closure	Specific dates notified with application form
CBT Examination Window	September – November 2026 (Tentative Window)	Exact shift schedule to be announced on ssc.gov.in
Provisional Answer Key & Objections	Released post-examination	Candidate portal on ssc.gov.in
CBT Result Declaration	To be notified post-examination	Merit list for MTS; PET/PST shortlist for Havaldar
PET / PST for Havaldar (CBIC/CBN)	Scheduled subsequent to CBT shortlisting	Conducted at designated CAPF / CBIC nodal centers
Final Result & State Allocation	Announced after completion of document verification	Based solely on Session II normalized scores

Verification Note on Schedule & Historical Reference: The official SSC Annual Examination Calendar assigns June–July as the tentative advertisement slot and September–November as the tentative examination window for MTS 2026. Specific calendar dates from prior recruitment cycles (such as the June 27 – July 31 application window and September 30 – November 14 CBT in the 2024 cycle under Notice No. NoticeOfMTSNT_20240627.pdf) reflect historical precedents and must not be treated as confirmed operational dates for 2026 until formally advertised on ssc.gov.in.

3. Post Details — MTS vs Havaldar

While recruited under a single notification, the roles, employing departments, and selection requirements differ significantly:

Parameter	Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS)	Havaldar (CBIC & CBN)
Employing Cadres	Central Ministries, Cabinet Secretariat, CBDT, C&AG, Election Commission, etc.	Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) and Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN)
Job Nature	General administrative assistance, file management, dispatch, office upkeep	Security, entry-control, assisting in customs checks, raid support, escorting goods
Uniform Requirement	Non-uniformed civil post	Uniformed post with prescribed khaki uniform and accoutrements
Physical Test	None (Exempt from PET/PST)	Mandatory Physical Efficiency Test (Walking) and Physical Standard Test (PST)
Age Eligibility	Primarily 18–25 years (select departments accept 18–27 years)	18–25 years for CBN; 18–27 years for CBIC

4. Eligibility Criteria

Educational Qualification (Reckoned as on Crucial Date)

• Candidates must have passed the Matriculation (Class 10th) Examination or equivalent from a recognized Board on or before the crucial date stipulated in the notification.
• Candidates possessing equivalent qualifications from distance education institutes recognized by the Distance Education Council (DEC) / UGC are eligible.

Age Limit (Reckoned as on Crucial Date in Official Notice)

The Staff Selection Commission specifies two separate age categories depending on the user department's recruitment rules:

Cadre Group	Prescribed Age Limit	Applicable Posts
Category 1 (Lower Age Bracket)	18 to 25 Years	Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) in majority of Ministries/Departments, and Havaldar in Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN)
Category 2 (Higher Age Bracket)	18 to 27 Years	Havaldar in Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC), and a few specific MTS posts in certain Ministries

Statutory Upper Age Relaxations:

• OBC (Non-Creamy Layer): 3 Years
• SC / ST: 5 Years
• PwBD (Unreserved): 10 Years (13 years for PwBD-OBC, 15 years for PwBD-SC/ST)
• Ex-Servicemen (ESM): 3 years deduction after subtracting military service from actual age

PwBD Suitability and Exemptions

• MTS Posts: Broadly suitable for PwBD candidates across Orthopedic, Visual, Hearing, and Multiple Disability sub-categories.
• Havaldar Posts: Strictly limited to identified functional categories:
  • CBIC Havaldar: Identified suitable for Hard of Hearing (HH), One Arm (OA), One Leg (OL), One Arm & One Leg (OAL), Leprosy Cured (LC), Dwarfism (Dw), Acid Attack Victims (AAV).
  • PET Exemption for PwBD: Orthopedically handicapped and hearing-impaired candidates qualified for Havaldar are granted exemption from the Physical Efficiency Test (Walking) upon submission of a medical certificate from a designated government authority; however, they must meet the prescribed Physical Standard Test (PST) measurements.

5. SSC MTS Exam Pattern & Syllabus

The Computer Based Examination is conducted in two mandatory sessions on the same day. Failure to attempt either session results in immediate disqualification.

Session I (Qualifying Only — No Negative Marking)

Session I tests foundational reasoning and mathematical ability. Marks scored in Session I are qualifying in nature and are NOT added to the final merit score.

Section	Subject	Questions	Marks	Duration	Negative Marking
1	Numerical and Mathematical Ability	20	60	45 Minutes (combined)	NO negative marking
2	Reasoning Ability and Problem Solving	20	60	(60 mins for scribe)	NO negative marking
Total	Session I Combined	40	120	45 Minutes	Nil (0 marks penalty)

Because Session I carries no negative penalty, candidates should attempt all 40 questions to cross the qualifying threshold comfortably.

Session II (Merit Deciding — Negative Marking Applies)

Session II is the sole determinant of final merit ranking for all MTS posts and for shortlisting to the Havaldar PET/PST stage.

Section	Subject	Questions	Marks	Duration	Negative Marking
1	General Awareness	25	75	45 Minutes (combined)	−1 mark per wrong answer
2	English Language and Comprehension	25	75	(60 mins for scribe)	−1 mark per wrong answer
Total	Session II Combined	50	150	45 Minutes	−1 Mark per Wrong Answer

Final Merit Calculation: The merit list is prepared strictly based on the normalized score achieved out of 150 marks in Session II.

Physical Efficiency Test (PET) — Havaldar (CBIC & CBN) Only

The PET is purely qualifying in nature (pass/fail). Marks are not awarded:

Event	Male Standard	Female Standard	Official Rules
Walking	1,600 meters in 15 minutes	1.0 km in 20 minutes	Continuous walking test conducted on track/road

Official Correction Note: Havaldar PET comprises only Walking. It does NOT include running, long jump, or high jump. Furthermore, the cycling event (which appeared in older recruitment rules) has been officially removed from the examination scheme.

Physical Standard Test (PST) — Havaldar Only

Measurement Parameter	Male Standard	Female Standard	Relaxations Permissible
Height	157.5 cm	152.0 cm	Relaxable by 5 cm for males (2.5 cm for females) for Garhwalis, Assamese, Gorkhas, and members of Scheduled Tribes
Chest (Male Only)	81 cm fully expanded (minimum 5 cm expansion)	Not Applicable	Relaxable by 5 cm for specified hill communities and ST candidates
Weight (Female Only)	Not Applicable	48 kg	Relaxable by 2 kg for specified hill communities and ST candidates

Key Syllabus Topics

• Numerical and Mathematical Ability: Integers and Whole Numbers, LCM and HCF, Decimals and Fractions, Relationship between numbers, Fundamental Arithmetic Operations and BODMAS, Percentages, Ratio and Proportions, Work and Time, Direct and inverse Proportions, Averages, Simple Interest, Profit and Loss, Discount, Area and Perimeter of basic geometric figures, Distance and Time, Lines and Angles, simple Graphs and Data.
• Reasoning Ability and Problem Solving: Alpha-Numeric series, Coding and Decoding, Analogy, Following Directions, Similarities and Differences, Jumbling, Problem Solving and Analysis, Non-verbal reasoning based on diagrams, Age Calculations, Calendar and Clock.
• General Awareness: Broad coverage of Social Studies (History, Geography, Art and Culture, Civics, Economics), General Science, Environmental studies up to 10th Standard level, and Current Affairs (national schemes, summits, sports awards).
• English Language and Comprehension: Basic understanding of English language, vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure, synonyms, antonyms and its correct usage, and simple reading comprehension.

6. Salary & Career Prospects

MTS and Havaldar employees are placed in Pay Level 1 of the 7th CPC Pay Matrix:

Pay Component	Metro Class 'X' (e.g., Delhi, Mumbai)	Class 'Y' Cities	Class 'Z' (Rural / Small Towns)
Basic Pay	₹18,000	₹18,000	₹18,000
Dearness Allowance (DA ~50%+)	₹9,000+	₹9,000+	₹9,000+
House Rent Allowance (HRA)	₹5,400 (30%)	₹3,600 (20%)	₹1,800 (10%)
Transport Allowance (TA + DA)	₹2,025	₹1,350	₹1,350
Gross Monthly Pay	₹34,425	₹31,950	₹30,150
Estimated Net In-Hand Take-Home	₹29,000 – ₹31,000	₹27,000 – ₹29,000	₹25,000 – ₹27,000

Havaldars in CBIC/CBN also receive standard uniform allowances and risk allowances when deployed on enforcement operations.

Career Advancement:

• MTS personnel can advance to Lower Division Clerk (LDC) / Junior Secretariat Assistant through Departmental Competitive Examinations after 3 years of regular service, and subsequently to Upper Division Clerk (UDC) and Assistant Section Officer (ASO).
• Havaldars advance to Head Havaldar, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI), and Sub-Inspector in executive field branches of CBIC and CBN.

7. How to Apply for SSC MTS 2026

1. One-Time Registration (OTR): Register or log in at ssc.gov.in.
2. Select Examination: Go to "Apply" → Click on "Multi-Tasking (Non-Technical) Staff, and Havaldar (CBIC & CBN) Examination, 2026".
3. Capture Live Photo: SSC mandates a live web camera photograph captured directly on the portal or via the MySSC app. Scanned static photo uploads are invalid. Stand against a plain white/light background with good illumination, keeping face uncovered without eyeglasses or caps.
4. Upload Signature: Upload your scanned signature in JPG/JPEG format (10 KB to 20 KB).
5. Cadre & State Preferences: Submit state-wise and cadre-wise preferences (MTS states and Havaldar CCAs) carefully; preferences once submitted cannot be altered after the application window.
6. Application Fee: Pay the ₹100 fee via online banking, UPI, or debit/credit card. Female candidates and SC, ST, PwBD, and Ex-Servicemen are completely exempt from fee payment.
7. Submit & Print: Review all entered details on the preview screen, submit, and print the confirmation receipt.

8. Preparation Strategy

• Prioritize Session II: Since Session II (General Awareness + English) exclusively determines your merit rank out of 150 marks, dedicate 70% of your preparation time to current affairs, static GK (polity, modern history, geography), and English grammar/vocabulary.
• Session I Maximization: In Session I, attempt every single question because there is zero negative marking. Strong accuracy in arithmetic and basic reasoning ensures effortless qualification.
• Havaldar Walking Practice: Candidates opting for Havaldar should practice brisk walking for 20 minutes daily. The 1,600m in 15 minutes requirement is easily cleared with basic physical fitness.
• Recommended Books:
  • General Knowledge: Lucent's General Knowledge (Latest Edition)
  • English: Objective General English by S.P. Bakshi
  • Mathematics: Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by R.S. Aggarwal
  • Reasoning: Non-Verbal & Verbal Reasoning by R.S. Aggarwal
  • Practice Sets: Kiran SSC MTS Chapter-wise Solved Papers

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Official Links for SSC MTS 2026

Resource	Official Portal Link
Staff Selection Commission Portal	ssc.gov.in
Candidate Login & Online Application	ssc.gov.in/login
Recruitment Notices & Corrigenda	SSC Notices Board
Official Examination Syllabus	SSC Syllabus Directory
Previous Question Papers	SSC Question Papers

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Last Updated: September 11, 2026 | Source: Staff Selection Commission (SSC) Annual Examination Calendar & Department of Revenue Service Rules, ssc.gov.in