SSC CGL 2026 exam pattern and syllabus: Tier-I, Tier-II marks, negative marking and qualifying marks

The SSC Combined Graduate Level Examination 2026 (CGL 2026) is a two-tier computer based exam. Tier-I has 100 questions for 200 marks in 1 hour, with 0.50 marks cut for each wrong answer. Tier-II Paper-I is compulsory for every post: Section-I (180 marks) and Section-II (210 marks) decide your merit, while the Computer Knowledge Test (60 marks) and the Data Entry Speed Test (about 2,000 key depressions in 15 minutes) are only qualifying. In Tier-II Paper-I, every wrong answer costs 1 full mark. The final merit list is made on Tier-II only — Tier-I marks are not added. SSC scheduled Tier-I from 30.09.2026 to 30.10.2026; the notice gives Tier-II as December 2026 (tentative). Every number below is taken from the SSC notice dated 21.05.2026.

What is the SSC CGL 2026 exam pattern at a glance?

CGL 2026 fills Group ‘B’ and Group ‘C’ posts in central ministries and departments. The selection runs in two computer based tiers, followed by post preference, document verification and, for some posts, physical and medical checks by the department.

Stage	Papers / sections	Questions	Marks	Time	Counts for final merit?
Tier-I	Reasoning, General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude, English	100	200	1 hour	No (screening only)
Tier-II Paper-I, Section-I	Mathematical Abilities + Reasoning	60	180	1 hour	Yes
Tier-II Paper-I, Section-II	English + General Awareness	70	210	1 hour	Yes
Tier-II Paper-I, Section-III	Computer Knowledge Test	20	60	15 minutes	Qualifying
Tier-II Paper-I, Section-IV	Data Entry Speed Test	1 task	—	15 minutes	Qualifying
Tier-II Paper-II	Statistics (JSO / SI Grade-II only)	100	200	2 hours	Yes, for those posts
Tier-II Paper-III	General Studies, Finance and Economics (AAO only)	100	200	2 hours	Yes, for those posts

The tier-wise dates and your exam city are covered in our page on the SSC CGL 2026 exam city and admit card.

How is SSC CGL 2026 Tier-I structured?

Tier-I has four parts, each with 25 questions and 50 marks (2 marks per question):

• A. General Intelligence and Reasoning
• B. General Awareness
• C. Quantitative Aptitude
• D. English Comprehension

The total time is 1 hour, with a sectional timer of 15 minutes for each subject. Candidates eligible for a scribe get 1 hour 20 minutes (20 minutes per subject). Questions come in both English and Hindi, except English Comprehension. The notice says Parts A, B and D are at graduation level and Part C (Quantitative Aptitude) is at 10th standard level.

Tier-I is used only to shortlist candidates category-wise for Tier-II. Separate Tier-I cut-offs are fixed for JSO / Statistical Investigator posts, for Assistant Audit Officer / Assistant Accounts Officer, and for all other posts.

How does Tier-II Paper-I work on exam day?

Paper-I runs in two sessions on the same day.

Session-I (2 hours 15 minutes) has three sections back to back:

1. Section-I (1 hour): Mathematical Abilities (30 questions) and Reasoning and General Intelligence (30 questions) — 60 questions x 3 marks = 180 marks, with a 30-minute timer for each part.
2. Section-II (1 hour): English Language and Comprehension (45 questions, 40 minutes) and General Awareness (25 questions, 20 minutes) — 70 questions x 3 marks = 210 marks.
3. Section-III (15 minutes): Computer Knowledge Test, 20 questions x 3 marks = 60 marks, qualifying only.

Each section closes automatically when its time ends. After Session-I you get a break to register again for Session-II, which is the 15-minute Data Entry Speed Test (DEST). You must qualify all four sections separately.

Is there negative marking in SSC CGL 2026?

Yes. The notice sets three rates:

Paper	Marks per question	Cut per wrong answer
Tier-I (all four parts)	2	0.50
Tier-II Paper-I, Sections I, II and III	3	1
Tier-II Paper-II and Paper-III	2	0.50

In practice, one wrong answer in Tier-II Paper-I wipes out one-third of a correct answer. Leaving a question blank costs nothing. If an exam runs in several shifts, SSC normalises the marks using its procedure notified on 02.06.2025, and those normalised scores are used for merit and cut-offs. There is no re-evaluation or re-checking of scores at any stage.

What is the SSC CGL 2026 syllabus?

The notice gives an indicative syllabus.

Reasoning (Tier-I and Tier-II): analogies (semantic, number, figural), classification, series, coding-decoding, Venn diagrams, punched hole and paper folding, embedded figures, critical thinking, emotional and social intelligence. Tier-I also lists indexing, address matching and date & city matching.

Quantitative Aptitude / Mathematical Abilities: number system, percentage, ratio and proportion, averages, simple and compound interest, profit and loss, discount, partnership, mixture and alligation, time and distance, time and work, basic algebra and surds, graphs of linear equations, geometry of triangles and circles, mensuration, trigonometry with heights and distances, and data charts. Tier-II adds statistics and probability (mean, median, mode, standard deviation, simple probability).

English: vocabulary, grammar, spot the error, fill in the blanks, synonyms, antonyms, spellings, idioms, one-word substitution, sentence improvement, active/passive, direct/indirect speech, sentence shuffling, cloze test and comprehension. The notice says at least one comprehension passage will be a simple one based on a book or a story.

General Awareness: current events, everyday science, and India and its neighbours — history, culture, geography, economy, general policy and scientific research.

Computer Knowledge: computer basics (CPU, memory, input/output devices, ports, keyboard shortcuts), Windows and MS Office, internet and e-mail, e-banking, networking and cyber security basics.

What is the Data Entry Speed Test and who needs higher standards?

The DEST is a typing-type skill test: a passage of about 2,000 key depressions in 15 minutes. It is mandatory for all posts but only qualifying. The maximum share of errors allowed is 20% for UR, 25% for OBC/EWS and 30% for all others.

Higher DEST standards apply to posts where DEST is prescribed, such as Tax Assistant (CBIC and CBDT) and UDC/SSA in the Central Bureau of Narcotics. Higher standards in both the Computer Knowledge Test and DEST apply to posts where computer proficiency is prescribed, such as Assistant Section Officer (CSS, MEA, AFHQ), Inspector posts in CBIC, Executive Assistant in CBIC and Postal / Sorting Assistant.

PwBD-OH candidates certified as permanently unfit for typing can be exempted from DEST, but not for those higher-standard posts (except Tax Assistant in CBDT). Scribe-eligible candidates get 5 extra minutes in the DEST.

What are the qualifying marks and how is the final merit made?

The minimum qualifying marks in Tier-I and in Sections I-III of Paper-I, Paper-II and Paper-III are:

Category	Minimum qualifying marks
UR	30%
OBC / EWS	25%
All other categories	20%

These are minimums, not cut-offs. The actual cut-off is fixed category-wise by SSC after each tier.

The merit list is prepared on Tier-II only. For most posts it is the total of Section-I and Section-II of Paper-I (out of 390), provided you qualify Sections III and IV. JSO and Statistical Investigator merit adds Paper-II (200); Assistant Audit Officer and Assistant Accounts Officer merit adds Paper-III (200). Posts are then allotted by merit and the preferences you give in the online Option Form — if you do not submit preferences in time, you are not considered for any post.

Who can sit the exam: age, degree and fee?

Age is counted as on 01.08.2026. Depending on the post, the limit is 18-27, 20-30, 18-30 or 18-32 years. For posts with the 18-27 limit you must be born between 02.08.1999 and 01.08.2008. Upper age relaxation is 5 years for SC/ST, 3 years for OBC and 10 years for PwBD.

The basic qualification is a Bachelor’s degree from a recognised university or institute, with extra conditions for some posts listed in the notice.

The fee was ₹100; women and SC, ST, PwBD and Ex-servicemen candidates eligible for reservation were exempted. Applications closed in June 2026, so no new candidates can join this cycle. Posts range from Pay Level-4 (₹25,500-81,100) to Pay Level-8 (₹47,600-1,51,100). Post-wise vacancy numbers are in our CGL 2026 tentative vacancy page.

What does the official notice not say?

• Exact Tier-II dates: the notice only says December 2026 (tentative). SSC will announce the real dates on ssc.gov.in.
• Cut-off marks: the notice gives minimum qualifying percentages, not cut-offs. The 2026 cut-offs will come with the Tier-I result.
• The higher CKT standard: for computer-proficiency posts the higher cut-off is ‘as decided by the Commission’; the number is not published.
• Previous-year cut-offs or a topic weightage: neither is part of this notice. Any ‘chapter-wise weightage’ you see elsewhere is not official.

Answer keys: SSC puts tentative answer keys online after each exam, and objections cost ₹100 per question, non-refundable. For the other SSC exams this winter, see the SSC exam schedule for November-December 2026.