Everything below is taken from the Staff Selection Commission's examination notice for CGL 2026 (dated 21 May 2026) and a later SSC notice on the Tier-I schedule. SSC states that the schedule in the notice is tentative, so check ssc.gov.in for changes.
Stages at a glance
| Stage | Mode | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Tier-I | Computer-based, objective | Shortlisting for Tier-II (not counted in final merit) |
| Tier-II | Computer-based; Paper-I for all, Paper-II or Paper-III for some posts | Final merit |
| Document verification | After final selection by the user department | Eligibility check; some posts also have physical or medical standards |
Dates (per SSC): application window 21 May to 22 June 2026 (a re-opening was announced on 23 June 2026). Tier-I 30 September to 30 October 2026. Tier-II tentatively December 2026.
Tier-I scheme
| Subject | Questions | Marks | Sectional timer |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Intelligence and Reasoning | 25 | 50 | 15 minutes |
| General Awareness | 25 | 50 | 15 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | 50 | 15 minutes |
| English Comprehension | 25 | 50 | 15 minutes |
| Total | 100 | 200 | 1 hour |
- Multiple-choice, with 2 marks per question.
- Negative marking: 0.50 per wrong answer.
- Questions are in English and Hindi, except English Comprehension.
- Each subject has its own 15-minute timer. Time does not carry from one subject to the next.
- Candidates eligible for a scribe get 1 hour 20 minutes (20 minutes per subject).
- Where Tier-I runs in several shifts, scores are normalised using the procedure SSC published on 2 June 2025. The normalised score decides cut-offs. Our blog post on normalisation explains the method.
Tier-II Paper-I (all candidates)
Paper-I runs in two sessions on the same day.
Session-I (2 hours 15 minutes)
| Section | Parts | Questions | Marks | Time and sectional timer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | A: Mathematical Abilities; B: Reasoning and General Intelligence | 30 + 30 = 60 | 180 (3 each) | 1 hour; 30 minutes per part |
| II | A: English Language and Comprehension; B: General Awareness | 45 + 25 = 70 | 210 (3 each) | 1 hour; 40 minutes for English, 20 for General Awareness |
| III | Computer Knowledge Test | 20 | 60 (3 each) | 15 minutes |
Session-II (15 minutes)
| Section | Content | Time |
|---|---|---|
| IV | Data Entry Speed Test (about 2,000 key depressions) | 15 minutes |
- Negative marking: 1 mark per wrong answer in Sections I, II and III.
- You must qualify every section of Paper-I separately.
- Sections III and IV are qualifying. A higher standard applies to posts that prescribe computer proficiency (for example ASO in CSS, MEA and AFHQ; Inspector in CBIC; Postal Assistant) or DEST (for example Tax Assistant in CBIC and CBDT).
- Questions are in English and Hindi, except the English Language part.
Tier-II Paper-II and Paper-III (specific posts)
| Paper | For | Questions | Marks | Time | Negative marking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper-II: Statistics | Junior Statistical Officer, Statistical Investigator Gr-II | 100 | 200 | 2 hours | 0.50 |
| Paper-III: General Studies (Finance and Economics) | Assistant Audit Officer, Assistant Accounts Officer | 100 | 200 | 2 hours | 0.50 |
Paper-III has Finance and Accounts (80 marks) and Economics and Governance (120 marks). Papers are held in separate shifts or days.
Qualifying standards
| Category | Minimum marks (Tier-I; Paper-I Sections I-III; Paper-II and III) | Maximum errors allowed in DEST |
|---|---|---|
| UR | 30% | 20% |
| OBC and EWS | 25% | 25% |
| All other categories | 20% | 30% |
These are only the floor. Tier-I shortlisting is category-wise on separate cut-offs. See cut-offs.
How the final merit list is built
According to the notice, the merit list is based on Tier-II only:
- Most posts: aggregate marks in Sections I and II of Paper-I (a maximum of 390 under the 2026 scheme), subject to qualifying Section III and Section IV.
- JSO and Statistical Investigator Gr-II: Sections I and II of Paper-I plus Paper-II.
- AAO and AO: Sections I and II of Paper-I plus Paper-III.
- Posts with DEST or computer proficiency prescribed: same aggregate, but with higher qualifying standards in the skill sections.
Allotment follows merit and the post preferences you submit online. The notice says the preference, once submitted, is final and cannot be changed, so order it carefully. See our post preference guide.
Tie-breaks (applied in order):
- Most posts: marks in Section I of Paper-I, then date of birth (older candidate first), then alphabetical order.
- AAO and AO: Paper-III marks, then Section I of Paper-I, then date of birth, then alphabetical order.
- JSO and SI Gr-II: Paper-II marks, then Section I of Paper-I, then date of birth, then alphabetical order.
What this means for your attempt strategy
- Tier-I: a correct answer gains 2 and a wrong answer loses 0.5, so an answer is worth attempting once you estimate a better than 1-in-5 chance of being right. In Tier-II Sections I to III, the figures are +3 and −1, so the break-even is 1-in-4. These are arithmetic consequences of the marking scheme, not SSC advice.
- Tier-I time per question: 15 minutes for 25 questions is 36 seconds each. Tier-II Section I: 60 seconds per question. Section II English: about 53 seconds, General Awareness: 48 seconds.
- Because each section is timed separately, you cannot borrow time from a strong subject. Practise each subject against its own clock. See preparation strategy.
Practise in this format: a free 10-question mini-mock is available to try. Full CBT-pattern mocks, previous-year papers and topic practice are Pro. Typing practice for DEST is on the typing test.
Related: Syllabus · Cut-offs · Preparation strategy