If you are preparing for the Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level (SSC CGL) Examination 2026, the first thing you need on your wall is the SSC CGL 2026 exam date. The notification was released on 21 May 2026 for 12,256 tentative vacancies, applications have closed, and the Tier 1 Computer Based Test is scheduled for August–September 2026. Tier 2 follows in December 2026.
On this page you will find the official schedule, all important dates, the revised exam pattern, the selection process, admit card details, a preparation plan — and direct links to free SSC CGL previous year question papers and full-length mock tests you can start solving today.
SSC CGL 2026 Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification release | 21 May 2026 |
| Online application starts | 21 May 2026 |
| Last date to apply | 22 June 2026 (23:00 hrs) |
| Application window reopened | 23 – 25 June 2026 |
| Application correction window | 1 – 3 July 2026 |
| Date-wise / shift-wise schedule | To be announced on ssc.gov.in |
| City intimation slip | Approx. 10–14 days before the exam |
| Admit card release | Approx. 7–10 days before the exam |
| Tier 1 exam | August – September 2026 |
| Tier 2 exam | December 2026 (tentative) |
SSC CGL 2026 Notification
The SSC CGL 2026 notification was released on 21 May 2026 for 12,256 tentative Group B and Group C vacancies. More than 28 lakh applications were received this cycle. The notification PDF contains complete details of:
- Eligibility criteria and educational qualification
- Age limit and category-wise age relaxation
- Reservation rules
- Post-wise vacancy details
- Exam pattern and syllabus
- Selection process
- Application fee
- Important instructions for candidates
Read the notification carefully before Tier 1 — several eligibility and post-preference details are decided at this stage and carried forward to document verification.
SSC CGL 2026 Tier 1 Exam Date
The SSC CGL Tier 1 examination will be conducted in August–September 2026. It is held as a Computer Based Test in multiple shifts over several days at examination centres across India.
Because each shift gets a different question paper, SSC applies a normalisation formula so that candidates are not penalised for sitting a comparatively tougher shift. Your normalised score, not your raw score, decides the Tier 1 cutoff.
- Sectional timing of 15 minutes per section has been introduced in Tier 1 — you cannot carry unused time from one section into another.
- Tier 1 remains qualifying in nature; final merit is decided by Tier 2.
The exact date allotted to you is printed on your admit card. Until the date-wise schedule is released, treat the last week of August as your target — that is the safest planning assumption.
SSC CGL 2026 Tier 2 Exam Date
Candidates who clear the Tier 1 cutoff become eligible for Tier 2. As per the SSC examination calendar, the Tier 2 examination is scheduled for December 2026, subject to any revision by the Commission.
Only candidates who qualify Tier 1 will be issued a Tier 2 admit card. Tier 2 is the merit-deciding stage, so most of your revision effort after Tier 1 should shift to Paper 1 Mathematical Abilities and English.
SSC CGL 2026 Admit Card and City Intimation Slip
SSC releases the city intimation slip roughly a fortnight before the exam, and the region-wise admit card about 7–10 days before your exam date, through the regional SSC websites.
What the admit card contains
- Candidate's name, roll number and registration number
- Exam date and shift timing
- Reporting time
- Examination centre address
- Instructions specific to your centre
What to carry on exam day
- Printed admit card (with photograph pasted, if instructed)
- Valid original photo identity proof — Aadhaar, PAN, Voter ID, Driving Licence or Passport
- Passport-size photographs, if the admit card asks for them
SSC CGL 2026 Selection Process
The SSC CGL recruitment runs in these stages:
- Tier 1 — Computer Based Test: qualifying stage; shortlists candidates for Tier 2.
- Tier 2 — Computer Based Test: merit-deciding stage, including a Data Entry Speed Test / Computer Proficiency Test for the relevant posts.
- Document Verification: shortlisted candidates are called for verification before final appointment.
There is no interview. Final selection depends entirely on your Tier 2 performance and post preferences.
SSC CGL 2026 Exam Pattern
Tier 1 pattern
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Intelligence & Reasoning | 25 | 50 | 15 min |
| General Awareness | 25 | 50 | 15 min |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | 50 | 15 min |
| English Comprehension | 25 | 50 | 15 min |
| Total | 100 | 200 | 60 min |
Negative marking: 0.50 marks are deducted for every incorrect answer in Tier 1.
Tier 2 pattern
Tier 2 covers the following areas across its papers:
- Mathematical Abilities
- Reasoning and General Intelligence
- English Language and Comprehension
- General Awareness
- Computer Knowledge Test
- Data Entry Speed Test (for applicable posts)
Separate papers apply to JSO and AAO/AAO-equivalent candidates. The detailed section-wise pattern, marks and negative marking for each module are given in the official notification.
How to Prepare for SSC CGL 2026
With the Tier 1 window already open, the phase for learning new concepts is largely over. What decides your score now is speed, accuracy and exam temperament. Build those with practice, not with fresh theory.
- Solve previous year question papers regularly — they are the closest thing to the real paper.
- Attempt at least one full-length mock test every week, and two per week in the final month.
- Revise formulas, shortcuts and static GK notes daily rather than in long weekend sessions.
- Analyse every mock: log which questions you got wrong and why — concept gap, silly error, or over-attempt.
- Practise section-wise tests in 15-minute blocks to match the new sectional timing.
- Read current affairs consistently, covering the last 8–10 months before your exam date.
A workable weekly plan
- 2–3 hours of focused practice on Quant and Reasoning each day.
- 45 minutes daily on English — vocabulary, error spotting, cloze test.
- 30 minutes daily on General Awareness and current affairs.
- One full-length mock plus a detailed analysis session every week.
- One revision day per week for formulas and short notes.
Consistency beats intensity. Six focused days a week will take you further than one twelve-hour Sunday.
Practice Free SSC CGL Previous Year Questions
Previous year questions tell you exactly what SSC asks and how it asks it. Working through them shows you the real difficulty level, the topics that repeat year after year, and where your time actually goes during a paper. A large share of questions in every SSC shift is built on concepts that have already appeared in earlier papers.
On TrickySSC you can solve SSC CGL previous year papers paper-wise and chapter-wise, free of cost, in a real CBT-style interface:
- Actual shift-wise papers in the latest exam pattern
- Detailed solutions for every question
- Instant score and section-wise performance analysis
- Unlimited re-attempts to track improvement
- Bilingual (English and Hindi) question papers
Practice Free SSC CGL Mock Tests 2026
A mock test recreates the pressure of the real thing: the clock, the sectional cut-off, the temptation to over-attempt. That pressure is a skill you can only build by rehearsing it.
Regular mock practice helps you:
- Identify weak chapters before the exam finds them for you
- Improve accuracy and cut negative marking
- Fix an attempt strategy for each section
- Track progress across attempts
- Build exam-day temperament
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the SSC CGL 2026 Tier 1 exam date?
The Tier 1 examination is to be conducted in August–September 2026. The exact date-wise and shift-wise schedule will be released separately on ssc.gov.in, and your individual exam date appears on your admit card.
When was the SSC CGL 2026 notification released?
The notification was released on 21 May 2026 for 12,256 tentative vacancies. The application window ran from 21 May to 22 June 2026, was reopened from 23 to 25 June, and the correction window was held from 1 to 3 July 2026.
When will SSC CGL Tier 2 2026 be conducted?
Tier 2 is scheduled for December 2026 as per the SSC examination calendar, subject to revision by the Commission.
Is SSC CGL Tier 1 conducted online?
Yes. Tier 1 is a Computer Based Test (CBT) conducted in multiple shifts at examination centres across India.
Is there negative marking in SSC CGL?
Yes. In Tier 1, 0.50 marks are deducted for each incorrect answer. Negative marking in Tier 2 varies by paper and is specified in the official notification.
How many questions are asked in SSC CGL Tier 1?
Tier 1 has 100 objective-type questions carrying 200 marks, to be attempted in 60 minutes, with 15 minutes allotted to each of the four sections.
When will the SSC CGL 2026 admit card be released?
Admit cards are released region-wise, generally 7–10 days before the examination, on the SSC regional websites. The city intimation slip comes out earlier, around 10–14 days before the exam.
How can I prepare effectively for SSC CGL 2026?
Finish the syllabus, then shift almost entirely to practice: solve previous year papers, attempt weekly full-length mocks, revise formulas daily, and analyse your mistakes after every test. With sectional timing in place, practise in 15-minute section blocks.
Where can I practice SSC CGL previous year questions for free?
You can practice them free on TrickySSC's SSC CGL PYQ platform, with paper-wise and chapter-wise tests, detailed solutions and instant performance analysis.
Where can I attempt SSC CGL mock tests?
Attempt free full-length tests on the SSC CGL mock test page. They follow the latest exam pattern and give instant results with section-wise analysis.
Start Your SSC CGL 2026 Practice Today
The exam date is the easy part to remember. What actually moves your score is the number of papers you have solved before you walk into the centre. Start with one previous year paper today.