SSC CHSL Exam Date 2026: Notification, Application Form, Eligibility & Syllabus (Full Guide)
SSC CHSL 2026 notification was released on 7 September 2026 for around 2,536 tentative vacancies (LDC/JSA, DEO, DEO Grade A). Online applications close on 7 October 2026, with fee payment allowed till 8 October. The Tier 1 exam date has not been announced yet – it is widely expected around January – February 2027. The age limit is 18-27 years; the fee is 100 (free for women and reserved categories).
If you’ve been searching for the SSC CHSL Exam Date 2026, here’s the honest picture: the notification is out, applications are open, but the actual exam schedule is still pending. This guide brings together the notification details, application dates, eligibility, age limit, fees, vacancy trends, syllabus, exam pattern, salary, selection process and every commonly asked question – all confirmed from the official SSC notification released this September. Bookmark this page; we’ll update it the moment SSC releases the Tier 1 exam date.
SSC CHSL 2026 Notification – Quick Overview
The Staff Selection Commission released the SSC CHSL 2026 notification on 7 September 2026 for the Combined Higher Secondary (10+2) Level Examination, covering Lower Divisional Clerk (LDC), Junior Secretariat Assistant (JSA), Data Entry Operator (DEO) and DEO Grade ‘A’ posts across central government ministries, departments and offices.
SSC CHSL remains one of the most popular entry-level government exams in India simply because it asks for nothing more than a Class 12 pass. That low eligibility bar is exactly why lakhs of candidates – from fresh 12th-pass students to working professionals looking for a stable government job – apply even for a single year.
| Particular | Detail |
|---|---|
| Exam name | SSC CHSL 2026 (Combined Higher Secondary Level) |
| Conducting body | Staff Selection Commission (SSC) |
| Notification date | 7 September 2026 |
| Total vacancies | ~2,536 (tentative) |
| Posts | LDC/JSA, DEO, DEO Grade A |
| Application mode | Online at ssc.gov.in |
| Educational qualification | Class 12 pass (Science + Maths for specific DEO Grade A posts) |
| Age limit | 18–27 years (as on 1 August 2026) |
| Application fee | ₹100 (Nil for women/SC/ST/PwBD/ESM) |
| Selection stages | Tier 1, Tier 2, Skill/Typing Test, Document Verification |
| Exam mode | Online (Computer-Based Test) for both tiers |
SSC CHSL 2026 Important Dates
This is the part most candidates are searching for – the SSC CHSL notification 2026 last date to apply and everything around it.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification released | 7 September 2026 |
| Online application starts | 7 September 2026 |
| Last date to apply online | 7 October 2026 (11 PM) |
| Last date for fee payment | 8 October 2026 (11 PM) |
| Application correction window | 14–16 October 2026 |
| First correction fee | ₹200 |
| Second correction fee | ₹500 |
| Tier 1 city intimation slip | 8–10 days before exam |
| Tier 1 admit card | 2–3 days before exam |
| Tier 1 exam date | Not announced (expected early 2027) |
| Tier 2 exam date | To be announced |
| Answer key | To be announced |
Don’t wait until the last day to submit your form – the SSC portal typically sees heavy server traffic close to the deadline, and a missed submission cannot be reopened later. If you do spot an error after submitting – a wrong photo upload, a category mismatch, or an incorrect exam – centre preference – the correction window from 14-16 October 2026 lets you fix it, though each correction attempt costs a separate fee (200 for the first, 500 for the second), and this correction fee applies uniformly to every candidate regardless category.
How to Apply for SSC CHSL 2026 – Step-by-Step
If you haven’t applied yet, here is the complete process:
- Visit the official website – ssc.gov.in – or use the SSC mobile app.
- Complete One-Time Registration (OTR) if you’re a first-time applicant. Returning candidates can log in directly with their existing OTR credentials.
- Select “Combined Higher Secondary (10+2) Level Examination 2026” from the list of active notifications.
- Fill in your personal and educational details – name, date of birth, category, educational qualification, and communication address- exactly as they appear on your Class 10/12 certificates.
- Choose up to three exam centres, listed in order of preference, within the same SSC region. Centre choices generally cannot be changed after submission, so choose carefully.
- Upload your photograph and signature – most candidates now take a live photo directly through the application portal rather than uploading an old picture; the signature is typically uploaded as a JPEG within the prescribed size limit.
- Preview your complete application before final submission – check your name, date of birth, category and photograph carefully.
- Pay the application fee (if applicable) via UPI, net banking, or a debit/credit card; women and reserved-category candidates who are fee-exempt can skip this step.
- Download and save the confirmation page/printout of your submitted application for future reference – you’ll need details from it while filling correction forms or checking status updates.
Document you’ll need Before You Start
Keep these ready before you begin the online form, since the application session can time out if you take too long searching for documents midway:
- Class 10 certificate (for date-of-birth verification – SSC only accepts this document for age proof)
- Class 12 marksheet/certificate (proff of qualifying education)
- A recent passport – size photograph (as per the specified format and size)
- A scanned signature
- Category certificate (SC/ST/OBC/EWS/PwBD), if applicable
- Aadhaar details, since Aadhaar-based authentication is being used this cycle to simplify photo/signature verification issues
SSC CHSL Application Fees 2026
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| General / OBC / EWS (male) | ₹100 |
| SC / ST / PwBD / Ex-Servicemen | Nil |
| All women candidates | Nil |
Fees can be paid online via UPI, net banking, or debit/credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, RuPay). Once paid, the fee is non-refundable under any circumstances, so double-check your category selection and payment details before final submission.
Is SSC CHSL Free for Girls?
Yes – but specifically the application fee is waived for all women candidates, regardless of category. This doesn’t mean the exam itself, any coaching, study material, or travel to the exam centre is free; it’s a few exemption on the 100 registration charges, applied the same way it is for SC/ST/PwBD/Ex-Serviceman candidates. Many first-time applicants confuse “fee waiver” with “free exam,” so it’s worth being precise: women pay nothing to submit the form, but everything else about preparing for and appearing in the exam works exactly the same as for any other candidate.
SSC CHSL Eligibility Criteria 2026
To apply for SSC CHSL 2026, you need to meet three broad conditions:
| Eligibility Criteria | Details |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Candidates must be Indian citizens. Subjects of Nepal or Bhutan and certain Indian-origin candidates who migrated from specified countries with the intention of permanently settling in India may also be eligible, subject to producing the required eligibility certificate. |
| Educational Qualification | Candidates must have passed Class 12 (10+2) or an equivalent examination from a recognised board or university. Candidates appearing for Class 12 exams and awaiting results are generally not eligible; they must have passed by the specified cut-off date. |
| Special Requirement for DEO Grade A | For DEO Grade ‘A’ posts in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Staff Selection Commission, or Ministry of Culture, candidates must have passed Class 12 in the Science stream with Mathematics as a subject. |
| LDC/JSA & General DEO Posts | The Science stream with Mathematics requirement does not apply to standard LDC/JSA or general DEO posts. |
There is no restriction based in state or region of residence – candidates from any state or union territory in India can apply, regardless of which SSC region they choose for their exam centre.
SSC CHSL Age Limit 2026
The SSC CHSL age limit 2026 is 18 to 27 years, reckoned as on 1 August 2026 – meaning you must be born between 1 August 1999 and 1 August 2008 to qualify under the unreserved category. SSC calculates your age strictly using the date for birth recorded in your Matriculation (Class 10) certificate; no other document is accepted for age verification, and a later request to change your recorded date of birth is not entertained.
| Category | Age relaxation |
|---|---|
| SC/ST | 5 years |
| OBC | 3 years |
| PwBD (General) | 10 years |
| PwBD + OBC | 13 years |
| PwBD + SC/ST | 15 years |
| Ex-Servicemen | 3 years (after deducting length of military service) |
| Central Govt. civilian employees with 3+ years of service | Up to 40 years |
| Same as above (SC/ST) | Up to 45 years |
| Widows/Divorced/Judicially separated women (not remarried) | Up to 35 years |
| Same as above (SC/ST) | Up to 40 years |
If you’re claiming any category or relaxation benefit, keep the relevant certificate (caste certificate, non-creamy-layer certificate for OBC, disability certificate for PwBD, discharge certificate for Ex-Serviceman) ready in the prescribed format, since document verification at a later stage checks these carefully.
SSC CHSL Total Vacancy 2026
SSC has announced approximately 2,536 tentative vacancies for 2026 – noticeably lower than 2025’s 3,131 and below the 2021 peak of 4,893. This dip partly reflects broader multi-year trends: SSC CHSL vacancies have generally declined since 2022, in part because Postal Assistant (PA) and sorting Assistant (SA) posts – once filled through CHSL – have largely moved to other recruitment routes. Category-wise and post-wise splits are expected to follow in a separate notice closer to the result stage, as is standard SSC practice.
| Year | Total vacancies |
|---|---|
| 2026 | ~2,536 |
| 2025 | 3,131 |
| 2024 | 3,712 |
| 2023 | 1,600 |
| 2022 | 4,726 |
| 2021 | 4,893 |
| 2020 | 5,789 |
| 2019 | 6,789 |
| 2018 | 3,259 |
SSC CHSL Selection Process 2026
SSC CHSL follows a multi-stage selection process, and there is no interview involved at any point:
| Stage | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Tier 1 (Computer-Based Test) | Screening stage – shortlists candidates for Tier 2; marks not counted in final merit |
| Tier 2 (Computer-Based Test) | Decides final merit through Sections I and II |
| Skill Test (for DEO posts) / Typing Test (for LDC/JSA) | Qualifying in nature – doesn’t add to merit, but must be cleared |
| Document Verification | Final eligibility check before appointment |
Understanding this sequencing matters for how you prepare: since Tier 1 is purely a screening round, over-optimising for Tier 1 alone at the cost of Tier 2 preparation is a common mistake among first-time candidates. Tier 2 is where your final rank is actually decided.
SSC CHSL Exam Pattern 2026 – Tier 1
Tier 1 is a fully objective, computer-based rest covering four sections. This year, SSC has introduced a notable change: instead of one overall 60-minute window you can manage freely across sections, each of the four subjects now has its own fixed 15-minute sectional timer.
| Subject | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 25 | 50 | 15 minutes |
| General Intelligence | 25 | 50 | 15 minutes |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | 50 | 15 minutes |
| General Awareness | 25 | 50 | 15 minutes |
| Total | 100 | 200 | 60 minutes |
Negative marking of 0.50 marks applies for every wrong answer in Tier 1. Because Tier 1 is purely a qualifying/screening round, your Tier 1 score itself is not added to your final merit – it only determines whether you move on to Tier 2.
SSC CHSL Exam Pattern 2026 – Tier 2
Tier 2 is conducted across two sessions on the same day and is what actually decides your final rank.
| Session | Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Session I | Section I: Mathematical Abilities + Reasoning & General Intelligence | 30 + 30 = 60 | 180 | 1 hour |
| Session I | Section II: English Language & Comprehension + General Awareness | 40 + 20 = 60 | 180 | 1 hour |
| Session I | Section III: Computer Knowledge Test (qualifying) | 15 | 45 | 15 minutes |
| Session II | Skill Test / Typing Test (qualifying, post-dependent) | — | Qualifying only | 10–15 minutes |
Negative marking of 1 mark applies for every wrong answer in Sections 1 ,2 and 3 of Tier 2. Final merit is prepared using marks from Tier 2 Sections 1 and 2 only – the Computer Knowledge Test and the Skill/Typing Test are qualifying in nature, meaning you must clear them, but the marks scored there don’t add to your bank.
Qualifying Marks
| Category | Minimum qualifying percentage |
|---|---|
| Unreserved (UR) | 30% |
| OBC / EWS | 25% |
| All other reserved categories | 20% |
Skill Test / Testing Test Requirements
| Test | Applicable post | Medium | Required speed | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skill Test (Part A) | DEO/DEO Grade A in specified departments | English | 15,000 key depressions/hour | 15 minutes |
| Skill Test (Part B) | DEO/DEO Grade A, other departments | English | 8,000 key depressions/hour | 15 minutes |
| Typing Test (Part C) | LDC/JSA | English | 35 words/minute | 10 minutes |
| Typing Test (Part C) | LDC/JSA | Hindi | 30 words/minute | 10 minutes |
FAQs
Q1. What is the SSC CHSL 2026 notification date?
The notification was released on 7 September 2026.
Q2. What is the last date to apply for SSC CHSL 2026?
7 October 2026 (11 PM), with fee payment allowed until 8 October 2026.
Q3. What is the SSC CHSL Exam Date 2026?
Not officially announced yet. Tier 1 is expected around January-February 2027; always confirmed on sss.gov.in.
Q4. What is the SSC CHSL application fee?
100 for General/OBC candidates; Free for women, SC, ST, PwBD and Ex-Serviceman.
Q5. What is the SSC CHSL age limit 2026?
18 to 27 years as on 1 August 2026, with standard category-wise relaxation.
Q6. What is the total SSC CHSL vacancy 2026?
Approximately 2,536 tentative vacancies; SSC does not release a state-wise breakdown.
Q7. Is SSC CHSL free for girls?
The application fee is waived for women candidates; the exam itself has no separate “free” category beyond this fee exemption.
Q8. Is SSC CHSL harder than CGL?
CGL’s syllabus is more advanced, but CHSL’s cut-offs are pushed up by much higher applicant numbers – so difficulty depends on whether you mean content or competition.
Q9. Is there an interview for SSC CHSL selection?
No. Selection is entirely through Tier 1, Tier 2, a qualifying Skill/Typing Test, and Documents Verification – there is no interview stage.
Next Step
Complete your SSC CHSL 2026 application before 7 October 2026 at SSC.gov.in, and bookmark this page – it will update the moment SSC announces the Tier 1 exam date.
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