SSC CHSL Recruitment 2026 — Combined Higher Secondary Level, 2536 Posts

The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has opened applications for the Combined Higher Secondary Level (CHSL) Examination 2026, with about 2,536 tentative vacancies for Lower Division Clerk (LDC)/Junior Secretariat Assistant (JSA) and Data Entry Operator (DEO)/DEO Grade 'A' posts across Central Government Ministries and Departments. Candidates who've passed Class 12 (or are awaiting a declared result) and are 18-27 years old can apply online from 7 September 2026 to 7 October 2026.

Who Should Apply

• Lower Division Clerk (LDC)/Junior Secretariat Assistant (JSA) — 12th pass or equivalent from a recognised Board, plus a Typing Test in the exam's final stage.
• Data Entry Operator (DEO)/DEO Grade 'A' in most Departments — 12th pass or equivalent, plus a mandatory Skill Test on computer.
• DEO/DEO Grade 'A' specifically in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, SSC itself, and the Ministry of Culture — 12th pass in the Science stream with Mathematics as a subject.

Eligibility & Age Limit

Age must be 18-27 years as on 01.08.2026 (born between 02.08.1999 and 01.08.2008). Only a declared Class 12 result counts by the cut-off date of 07.10.2026 — a result "under process" does not meet the requirement, though candidates awaiting their result can still apply provisionally. Age relaxation: 5 years for SC/ST, 3 years for OBC, 10 years for PwBD, 13 years for PwBD-OBC, 15 years for PwBD-SC/ST, 3 years for Ex-servicemen (after deducting military service rendered), and up to 40 years for Central Government civilian employees with 3+ years of regular service (45 years if also SC/ST). Widows, divorced, or judicially separated women who haven't remarried get relaxation up to 35 years (40 years if SC/ST). Only male candidates are eligible for any vacancies reported in the Border Roads Organization (BRO).

See every current 12th Pass opening.

Salary & Pay Scale

LDC/JSA is placed on Pay Level-2 (₹19,900-63,200). DEO is placed on Pay Level-4 (₹25,500-81,100) or Level-5 (₹29,200-92,300) depending on the post. DEO Grade 'A' is placed on Pay Level-4 (₹25,500-81,100). The notification gives only these basic pay-matrix figures — it does not specify in-hand or gross salary, so don't assume a take-home number without accounting for allowances separately.

Important Dates

Application Fee

• General/OBC/EWS (male candidates): ₹100
• Women (all categories): Exempted
• SC/ST/PwBD/Ex-servicemen: Exempted

Fee is payable online via BHIM UPI, Net Banking, or Visa/MasterCard/Maestro/RuPay debit cards, up to 08 October 2026. It's non-refundable and can't be adjusted against any other exam. An application left "Incomplete" due to non-receipt of fee is summarily rejected — no late fee payment is entertained afterward.

How to Apply

1. Visit ssc.gov.in (the new SSC website) or the "my SSC" mobile app — a One-Time Registration (OTR) from the old website (ssc.nic.in) will not work here; you must create a fresh OTR.
2. Log in and fill out the SSC CHSL 2026 application form.
3. Consider Aadhaar-based authentication during OTR — it simplifies photo/ID requirements at the exam venue and protects you from rejection over photo/signature quality issues.
4. Capture your photograph live through the application module when prompted (no cap, mask, or spectacles) — you cannot upload a pre-existing photo.
5. Upload your scanned signature in JPEG format (10-20 KB, about 6.0cm width x 2.0cm height).
6. Pay the application fee online, if applicable, before 8 October 2026.
7. Preview your form carefully, submit, and keep a printout for your records.

Since exact signature file size and dimensions are specified, you can resize your photo and signature to the exact spec before uploading, and use the age calculator to confirm your exact age as on the 01.08.2026 cut-off.

How Are Candidates Selected

Tier-I (Computer Based Examination) — 60 minutes, 100 objective questions across English Language, General Intelligence, Quantitative Aptitude, and General Awareness (25 questions/50 marks each). There's negative marking of 0.50 marks per wrong answer. Minimum qualifying marks: 30% for UR, 25% for OBC/EWS, 20% for all other categories.

Tier-II (Computer Based Examination) — conducted in two sessions on the same day. Session-I covers Section-I (Mathematical Abilities + Reasoning & General Intelligence), Section-II (English Language & Comprehension + General Awareness), and Section-III (Computer Knowledge Test, qualifying only). Session-II covers Section-IV, the Skill Test (for DEO posts, testing 15,000 or 8,000 key depressions per hour depending on department) or Typing Test (for LDC/JSA, 35 w.p.m. in English or 30 w.p.m. in Hindi). Negative marking of 1 mark per wrong answer applies in Sections I and II. It's mandatory to qualify every section of Tier-II — final merit is based only on Section-I and Section-II marks combined, subject to qualifying the other two.

Document Verification — conducted by the User Department after the final result, where original certificates for education, category, and any claimed relaxation are checked.

Why This Job Matters

SSC CHSL is one of the largest recruitment routes into Central Government clerical and data-entry roles straight after Class 12, feeding into Ministries, Departments, and Constitutional/Statutory Bodies across India. With around 2,536 tentative vacancies in this cycle and All India Service Liability on every post, this is a genuine early entry point into government service for 12th-pass candidates, though the exact posting location depends entirely on which User Department and zone you're eventually allotted to.

The FreshersLike Take

Best fit: a strong option for 12th-pass candidates who want to start a Central Government career early, are comfortable with a two-tier computer-based exam, and don't mind being posted anywhere in India. Who should think twice: All India Service Liability means you could be posted far from home with no guarantee of your preferred state or department, and once you exercise your post/department preference online, it's final and irreversible — no changes later even if you regret the order you picked. Practical tip: your final merit only counts Tier-II Section-I and Section-II marks, but you still must clear the qualifying Skill Test or Typing Test (Section-IV) to be selected at all — so don't leave typing speed practice (35 w.p.m. English / 30 w.p.m. Hindi for LDC/JSA) until after the written sections; start now alongside your Tier-I prep.

Documents Required

• Matriculation/Secondary Certificate
• Class 12 (or equivalent) mark sheet and certificate — or proof the qualifying result was declared by 07.10.2026, if awaiting the physical certificate
• Caste/Category Certificate, if claiming a reserved category
• Persons with Benchmark Disabilities Certificate in the prescribed format, if applicable
• Ex-Servicemen documents (Undertaking, Discharge Certificate) where applicable
• Any certificate needed to support a claimed age relaxation
• No Objection Certificate, if already employed in Government/Government undertakings
• Two passport-size recent colour photographs and one original Photo ID proof, carried to the exam (not required if you completed Aadhaar-based authentication)

What Happens After Selection

Selected candidates are placed on 2 years' probation, during which they must complete any training or pass any examinations the Controlling Authority prescribes; on successful completion, they're confirmed to their post. All posts carry All India Service Liability, meaning candidates can be posted anywhere in India, and the allotted State/UT/Zone may require candidates to acquire proficiency in the local language for confirmation to that post.

Contact & Helpline

SSC Headquarters toll-free helpline: 1800 309 3063. Regional office numbers are also listed in the notification for Central, Eastern, Karnataka-Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, North Eastern, Northern, North Western, Southern, and Western regions. This is the only official channel for exam-related queries — SSC will not contact candidates through any other number for payment or personal details.

Important Links

Common Questions

What is the last date to apply for SSC CHSL 2026?

7 October 2026 (23:00 hours) for the application, and 8 October 2026 (23:00 hours) for fee payment.

How many vacancies are there?

Approximately 2,536, tentative. Final and post-wise/category-wise numbers will be released later on the SSC website under Candidate's Corner > Tentative Vacancy.

Can a candidate awaiting their Class 12 result apply?

Yes, but the result must be officially declared (not just "under process") on or before the cut-off date of 07.10.2026.

Is there an application fee?

Yes, ₹100, but women candidates and SC/ST/PwBD/Ex-servicemen candidates are fully exempted.

Is the exam computer-based?

Yes, both Tier-I and Tier-II are Computer Based Examinations, and Tier-II also includes a computer-based Skill Test or Typing Test.

Do I need a specific typing speed for LDC/JSA?

Yes — 35 words per minute in English, or 30 words per minute in Hindi (using Mangal Font only for Hindi), tested over a 10-minute passage.

Is there a correction window if I make a mistake in my application?

Yes, from 14 to 16 October 2026, with up to 2 corrections allowed. Correction charges are ₹200 for the first correction and ₹500 for the second.

Once selected, can I request a specific posting location?

No. All posts carry All India Service Liability, and post/department preferences, once submitted online, are final and cannot be changed later under any circumstances.

Browse every current Central Government opening.