The Staff Selection Commission opened its Junior Engineer Examination on 02.09.2026. SSC JE 2026 apply online registration runs to 22.09.2026 for 1,748 posts across 14 government organisations, in Level-6 of the 7th Pay Commission matrix.
Two things the headlines miss. This notice also recruits Scientific Assistant in the India Meteorological Department, which is open to Physics, Computer Science and Electronics candidates, not only engineering diploma holders. And the fee of Rs.100 is waived entirely for women, SC, ST, PwD and Ex-Servicemen.
How many posts, and which departments are hiring
The vacancy figure is one number for the whole examination. The notice is explicit that it is provisional and that a post-wise, category-wise split follows later.
| Vacancy question | What the notice states |
|---|---|
| What is the total vacancy | 1,748 tentative posts, described as liable to change |
| Department list | 14, including Border Roads Organisation, CPWD, Central Water Commission, Military Engineer Services, NTRO and IMD |
| Post list | JE Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, Telecom and E&M, plus Scientific Assistant in IMD |
| State wise vacancy list | No. The notice says the Commission does not collect state-wise or zone-wise vacancies at all |
| Pay level | Group B, Level-6, Rs.35,400 to Rs.1,12,400 in the 7th CPC matrix |
Last date to apply and the full exam calendar
The form, the fee and the correction window all close on different days, which is where applications get lost.
| Date question | Deadline in the notice |
|---|---|
| When did the online form open | 02.09.2026, the day the notice was published |
| Last date to apply | 22.09.2026 at 23:00 hours |
| When does fee payment close | 23.09.2026 at 23:00 hours, a day after the form itself |
| Correction window | 28.09.2026 to 30.09.2026, up to 23:00 hours, with correction charges |
| Paper-I exam date | October or November 2026, tentatively |
| Paper-II scheduled | December 2026, tentatively |
| What is the form fees amount | Rs.100, payable online only |
| Fees for girls | Nil. Women candidates are exempt in full, in every category |
| Fees for SC category | Nil, and ST, PwD and Ex-Servicemen candidates pay nothing either |
| Correction fees | A separate charge from the application fee, payable only during the 28 to 30 September window |
Age limit and qualification for each post
There is no single age limit here. The crucial date is 01.08.2026, and the ceiling depends on which post you pick.
| Eligibility question | What the notice requires |
|---|---|
| What is the age limit | Up to 30 years for some posts and up to 32 years for others, reckoned as on 01.08.2026 |
| Birth date cut-offs | Born 02.08.1996 to 01.08.2008 for the 30-year posts; 02.08.1994 to 01.08.2008 for the 32-year posts |
| What age relaxation applies | 5 years for SC and ST, 3 years for OBC, 10 years for PwBD in the unreserved category, rising to 15 years for PwBD SC and ST |
| Qualification needed | A degree in the relevant engineering branch, or a three-year diploma, with two years of experience where the diploma route applies |
| Can a Physics graduate apply | Yes, for Scientific Assistant in IMD, alongside Computer Science and Electronics candidates |
Exam pattern for Paper 1 and Paper 2
| Exam pattern question | Structure printed in the notice |
|---|---|
| What does Paper-I carry | 200 questions for 200 marks in 2 hours — Reasoning 50, General Awareness 50, General Engineering 100 |
| What does Paper-II carry | 100 questions for 300 marks in 2 hours, engineering discipline only |
| Paper 2 pattern by branch | Part-A Civil, Part-B Electrical, Part-C Mechanical, Part-D CS and IT, Part-E Electronics, Part-F Physics, Part-G Telecommunication |
| Which paper decides the final merit | Paper-II alone. Paper-I is qualifying and its marks are used only for shortlisting |
| Medium of the paper | Hindi and English only, objective multiple choice throughout |
| Is a scientific calculator allowed | An on-screen one is provided for the whole exam, along with the IS 456:2000 and Steam tables. No physical calculator or table may be carried into the lab |
Negative marking and what a wrong answer costs
Paper-I is qualifying in nature. Its normalised marks only decide who is shortlisted, and the notice states that only normalised Paper-II scores determine the final merit. So the harsher penalty sits on the one paper that actually sets your rank: a full mark off a 3-mark question, against 0.25 off a 1-mark question in the paper that is later discarded.
| Negative marking question | What it costs you |
|---|---|
| How much is deducted in Paper-I | 0.25 marks per wrong answer, on questions worth 1 mark each |
| Deducted in Paper-II | 1 full mark per wrong answer, on questions worth 3 marks each |
| What the marking scheme works out to | A quarter of the question’s value in Paper-I, a third of it in Paper-II |
| Marking system for blanks | No deduction is prescribed for unattempted questions in either paper |
How to apply online step by step
- Generate a One-Time Registration on the Commission’s site if you do not already hold one on the new portal.
- Note that an OTR made on the old ssc.nic.in website will not work here, so create a fresh one.
- Choose Aadhaar-based authentication during OTR, which removes the photo and ID-proof requirements at the exam venue.
- Open the Junior Engineer Examination 2026 form and select your post and discipline.
- Pay Rs.100 online by 23.09.2026, or skip it if you fall in an exempt category.
- Submit only one application, because multiple forms with different registration numbers are all rejected and candidature is cancelled.
Important Links
| What you need | Direct link |
|---|---|
| Apply online and complete the One-Time Registration | Commission website |
| Download the SSC JE notification 2026 PDF | Junior Engineer Examination 2026 notice |
| India Meteorological Department, for the Scientific Assistant post | Official website |
| More Sarkari Naukri notifications | Latest government jobs |
Last updated: 02.09.2026, after reading the Commission’s own examination notice.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many vacancies are there in SSC JE 2026?
1,748 tentative vacancies across 14 organisations. The notice calls the figure tentative and says post-wise and category-wise numbers will be published later. It also states plainly that the Commission does not collect state-wise or zone-wise vacancies, so no such breakup exists.
What is the last date to apply for SSC JE 2026?
22.09.2026 at 23:00 hours for the application form. Fee payment runs one day longer, to 23.09.2026 at 23:00 hours, and the correction window is 28.09.2026 to 30.09.2026.
Who is exempt from the SSC JE application fee?
The fee is Rs.100, but women candidates and candidates from SC, ST, PwD and Ex-Servicemen categories pay nothing at all. For a large share of applicants the exam is free.
Can a Physics or Computer Science graduate apply?
Yes, for Scientific Assistant in the India Meteorological Department, which is recruited through this same notice. Paper-I offers Part-D Computer Science and IT, Part-E Electronics and Telecommunication, and Part-F Physics for that post.
How much is the negative marking in SSC JE 2026?
0.25 marks per wrong answer in Paper-I and a full 1 mark per wrong answer in Paper-II. That matters more than it sounds, because Paper-I is only qualifying: the notice says final merit is decided by normalised Paper-II scores alone, and Paper-II questions carry 3 marks each.
Does an old SSC login from ssc.nic.in still work?
No. The notice states that a One-Time Registration created on the old ssc.nic.in website will not function on the new ssc.gov.in site. A fresh OTR has to be generated before the application form can be filled.