Check Your Eligibility (Age)
SSC CHSL 2026 apply online 2536 posts: the window is live at ssc.gov.in from 07.09.2026 to 07.10.2026 (23:00 hours). Fee payment stays open one extra day, till 08.10.2026, and correction runs 14 to 16.10.2026. Age must be 18-27 as on 01.08.2026. The fee is Rs 100, but women of every category, plus SC, ST, PwBD and ESM candidates, pay nothing.
Three things in the 88-page notice trip candidates up: the fee deadline is not the form deadline, some DEO posts need 12th with Maths, and vacancies have fallen two years running.
Application window, last date to apply and the extra fee day
SSC issued the Combined Higher Secondary (10+2) Level notice on 07.09.2026 (F. No. HQ-C1102/5/2026-C-1) for Lower Division Clerk, Junior Secretariat Assistant, Data Entry Operator and DEO Grade ‘A’ posts. Two of its dates get confused every cycle. The form shuts on 7 October, but the payment gateway stays live until 11 PM the next day, a genuine one-day buffer for anyone whose payment fails on the last night.
| Date question | What the notice says |
|---|---|
| When did apply online start | 07.09.2026 |
| Last date to apply | 07.10.2026, 23:00 hours |
| Fee payment last date | 08.10.2026, 23:00 hours, one day after the form closes |
| Correction window dates | 14.10.2026 to 16.10.2026, 23:00 hours, with correction charges payable |
| Tier 1 exam date | Not announced. The notice prints “to be notified later” against both Tier-1 and Tier-2 |
| Qualification cut-off date | 07.10.2026, so the 12th result must be declared by then |
Filling the form takes four steps once one-time registration is done:
- Log in at the SSC portal with your OTR registration number and password.
- Open the CHSL 2026 examination and fill post preferences, typing medium (Hindi or English) and centre choices.
- Upload the photograph and signature in the sizes the notice specifies, then submit.
- Pay Rs 100 through BHIM UPI, net banking or a Visa, MasterCard, Maestro or RuPay debit card, unless you are fee-exempt, and save the final printout.
Important Links
| Resource | Link and current status |
|---|---|
| Apply Online | Open the SSC candidate login, live and accepting applications as on 08.09.2026 |
| Download Official Notification PDF | 88-page notice dated 07.09.2026, opened and verified on 08.09.2026 |
| Official Website | ssc.gov.in |
| Post-wise and category-wise vacancy | Not published as on 08.09.2026. It will appear on ssc.gov.in under Candidate’s Corner > Tentative Vacancy |
| Benchmark disability posts notification | DEPwD notification 38-16/2020-DD-III dated 04.01.2021, cited in Para 3.3 of the notice |
| Syllabus and exam pattern in detail | SSC CHSL 2026 syllabus and exam pattern |
| More Sarkari Naukri updates | Latest government job notifications |
Who can apply, age limit and the 12th rule
The qualification looks like a single line but is actually two different rules, and the stricter one is easy to miss while filling preferences.
| Eligibility question | Official requirement |
|---|---|
| Age limit and cut-off date | 18 to 27 years as on 01.08.2026 |
| Date of birth range allowed | Born not before 02.08.1999 and not after 01.08.2008 |
| Age relaxation by category | SC/ST 5 years, OBC 3 years, PwBD 10 years, PwBD-OBC 13 years, PwBD-SC/ST 15 years, ESM 3 years after deducting service |
| Qualification for LDC and JSA | 12th pass or equivalent from a recognised board |
| Qualification for DEO in three departments | 12th in the Science stream with Mathematics, for Consumer Affairs (Food & Public Distribution), SSC itself and the Ministry of Culture |
| Can 12th appearing students apply | Yes, if the result is declared on or before 07.10.2026 |
That Science-with-Maths clause matters more than it reads. The same three departments also carry the harder skill test, so choosing them as a preference commits you to both conditions at once.
Posts, 2536 vacancies and pay level
The vacancy count is the headline figure, and it is falling. Against 3,131 announced in the 2025 cycle and 3,954 tentative in 2024, this year’s 2,536 is 595 posts fewer than last year, a drop of about 19 per cent, and roughly 36 per cent below the 2024 figure. Two consecutive cuts of this size mean the cut-off is likely to move up even if the applicant count stays flat.
| Post and salary question | Detail from the notice |
|---|---|
| Total vacancies | Approximately 2,536, tentative, Para 2.1 |
| LDC and JSA salary | Pay Level-2, Rs 19,900 to Rs 63,200 |
| DEO salary level | Pay Level-4 (Rs 25,500-81,100) and Level-5 (Rs 29,200-92,300) |
| DEO Grade A pay | Pay Level-4, Rs 25,500 to Rs 81,100 |
| Category wise vacancy status | Not released as on 08.09.2026. It will appear under Candidate’s Corner > Tentative Vacancy |
| Are state wise vacancies given | No. Para 2.1 says the Commission does not collect state or zone-wise vacancy data at all |
Application fee and who pays nothing
Calling this a Rs 100 exam is misleading for most of the people reading it. Once the exemptions are applied, the fee lands only on General, OBC and EWS male candidates.
| Fee question | Amount payable |
|---|---|
| Fee for general and OBC male | Rs 100 |
| Fee for female candidates | Nil, in every category |
| Fee for SC, ST, PwBD, ESM | Nil, where eligible for reservation |
| Accepted payment modes | BHIM UPI, net banking, Visa, MasterCard, Maestro or RuPay debit card |
| Is the fee refundable | No, and it cannot be adjusted against another SSC examination |
Exam pattern, Tier 1, Tier 2 and the typing test
Tier-1 packs 100 questions worth 200 marks into 60 minutes with a 15-minute lock on each of the four subjects, which works out to roughly 36 seconds per question. Tier-2 adds up to 405 marks across its three objective sections, and the fourth section decides nothing but can end your candidature.
| Exam pattern question | Structure in the notice |
|---|---|
| Tier 1 pattern | Four subjects, 25 questions and 50 marks each, so 100 questions for 200 marks in 60 minutes |
| Negative marking in Tier 1 | 0.50 marks per wrong answer |
| Tier 2 sections and marks | Section-I 180, Section-II 180, Section-III computer test 45, total 405 marks |
| Negative marking in Tier 2 | 1 mark per wrong answer in Sections I, II and III, double the Tier-1 penalty |
| Typing speed required | 35 wpm in English or 30 wpm in Hindi for LDC/JSA, about 10,500 and 9,000 key depressions per hour |
| Skill test speed for DEO | 8,000 key depressions per hour, rising to 15,000 for the three Para 8.1 departments |
Last updated: 08.09.2026. Every figure above comes from the SSC notice dated 07.09.2026, checked against ssc.gov.in the same day.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the last date to apply for SSC CHSL 2026?
The online application closes on 07.10.2026 at 23:00 hours. Fee payment stays open for one more day, till 08.10.2026 at 23:00 hours, so a form submitted late on 7 October can still be paid for on 8 October.
How many vacancies are there in SSC CHSL 2026?
Approximately 2,536 tentative vacancies, as stated in Para 2.1 of the notice. Post-wise and category-wise numbers are not out yet; the Commission will publish them under Candidate's Corner > Tentative Vacancy.
Who is exempt from the Rs 100 application fee?
All women candidates, and SC, ST, PwBD and ESM candidates eligible for reservation, pay no fee at all. The Rs 100 is effectively charged only to General, OBC and EWS male candidates.
What is the age limit for SSC CHSL 2026?
18 to 27 years as on 01.08.2026, which means the candidate must be born between 02.08.1999 and 01.08.2008. SC/ST get 5 years relaxation, OBC 3 years and PwBD 10 to 15 years depending on category.
Is 12th with Maths compulsory for the DEO post?
Only for DEO and DEO Grade 'A' posts in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, the Staff Selection Commission itself and the Ministry of Culture. Those need 12th in the Science stream with Mathematics. Every other post, including LDC/JSA and all other DEO posts, needs a plain 12th pass.
What typing speed is needed to clear the CHSL skill test?
LDC/JSA candidates need 35 words per minute in English or 30 wpm in Hindi, which the notice equates to about 10,500 and 9,000 key depressions per hour. DEO posts need 8,000 key depressions per hour, rising to 15,000 for the three departments listed in Para 8.1.