Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level Exam (SSC CGL)

The Combined Graduate Level examination (CGL) is conducted by Staff Selection Commission (SSC) to recruit candidates for Group B and C posts in various ministries/ departments/ organizations such as Indian Audit and Accounts Department under CAG, Intelligence Bureau, Ministry of Railway, Ministry of External Affairs, Central Bureau of Investigation, Central Bureau of Narcotics, National Investigation Agency (NIA), etc. SSC CGL is conducted in four tiers – Tier I, II, III and IV. SSC CGL Tier I and II are held in Computer Based Mode while Tier III is a descriptive test which is conducted in pen and paper based mode. SSC CGL Tier IV is a skill test and consists of Data Entry Skill Test (DEST) and Computer Proficiency Test (CPT). DEST is applicable only for the post of Tax Assistants (Central Excise and Income Tax) while candidates opting for the posts of Assistant Section Officer of CSS, Assistant Section Officer (MEA), Assistant in Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs and Assistant (GSI) in the Ministry of Mines will have to appear for CPT.

The eligibility criteria of SSC CGL has been prescribed by Staff Selection Commission (SSC). Candidates can check the eligibility criteria below:

Nationality: Candidates must be citizen of India or subject of Nepal/ Bhutan, Tibetan refugee who came to India before January 1, 1963 with the intention of permanently settling in India, person of Indian origin who have migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African Countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania (Formerly Tanganyika and Zanzibar), Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.

Age Limit: As per SSC CGL eligibility criteria, candidates who are between 18 and 32 years of age as on August 1 are eligible to apply for SSC CGL. However, age requirements will differ as per posts and candidate's caste category.

Educational Qualification: Candidate must have required educational qualification prescribed by the commission.

SSC CGL Eligibility for Assistant Audit Officer

Essential Qualification: Candidates must be graduate in any subject from a recognized University

Desirable Qualification: CA/ CS/ MBA/ Cost and Management Accountant/ Masters in Commerce/ Masters in Business Studies

SSC CGL Eligibility for Junior Statistical Officer

Candidates applying for Junior Statistical Officer must have any of the required educational qualification 

•  Bachelor’s degree from a recognized University with minimum 60% in Mathematics in Class 12
•  Bachelor’s degree in any discipline with Statistics as one of the subjects in graduation

All Other Posts

Bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognized University or equivalent.

Candidate must be physically fit as per the Physical Standards if they are applying for the post of Inspector (Central Excise/ Examiner/Preventive Officer), Sub-Inspector in CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) and Sub-Inspector in NIA (National Investigation Agency).

Mode of Application : Online

Mode of Payment : Net Banking | Credit Card | Debit Card | Other

Application Fees

SSC CGL application fee for general and OBC candidates is Rs. 100 while women, SC, ST, PWD category candidates are exempted from paying the application fee. Candidates are able to pay the fee both online and offline.

Steps to fill SSC CGL application form:

SSC CGL application form have to be filled using the following steps:

Step 1 – Fill all required details including name, parent’s name, date of birth, gender, class 10 Board roll number, etc.

Step 2 – Click ‘Enter’ to receive registration ID and password

Step 3 – Fill the remaining fields of the application form displayed on the screen

Step 4 – Upload photograph and signature

Step 5 – Payment of fee

SSC CGL Tier I Syllabus

SSC CGL Tier II Syllabus

SSC CGL preparation tips provide ways to prepare for the exam which the candidates can put to use in order to crack the exam with ease. Candidates can check the preparation tips of SSC CGL below.

Plan Strategically

Proper planning is necessary to score well in the exam. Plan your objective in advance and maintain a strict routine while preparing for the exam. Candidates must prepare their study routine in a way which will let them cover the complete syllabus well before the commencement of exam.

Revision is the key

Candidates must ensure that there is ample time left for revision after they have finished preparation for the exam on the basis of syllabus. Revision help candidates recollect the topics required from each section for the exam.

Knowing the Basics

Having basic understanding of each topic is imperative to score good marks in the exam. This will help candidates solve questions more efficiently and as a result save precious time during the exam.

Solve Previous Years’ Question Papers

Candidates need to solve previous years’ SSC CGL question papers to identify recurring concepts. Solving previous years question papers will make candidates efficient in solving answers and time management.

Practice Mock Tests

Candidates must take mock tests regularly to understand the exam pattern and questions asked in the exam. This will help them score better in the exam. Analysing their performance in the exam will help candidates to figure out their mistakes and improve themselves on that part.

Preference of sections

Candidates must decide which section to choose first in the exam. They should select the sections from which they can attempt maximum questions with accuracy.

Attempt easy questions first

Candidates must first attempt those questions which are easy and then proceed to the ones that are difficult or time consuming. Candidates must solve the lengthy questions after attempting the easier ones as it will help them manage their time more efficiently.

SSC CGL Tier I Exam Pattern

Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has announced the exam pattern of SSC CGL. The exam pattern mentions number of sections, marking scheme, weightage of topics, mode and duration of exam and number of questions. SSC CGL exam pattern Tier I has been provided in the table below.

Marking Scheme of Tier I

The examination authority has only mentioned the negative marks in the notification of SSC CGL which is 0.5 marks. However, based on the number of questions and total marks, it can be surmised that for correct answer candidates will score 2 marks. Candidates will not get any marks for unattempted questions. If candidates select more than one correct answer then it will be considered as incorrect and marks will be deducted for such questions.

SSC CGL Tier II Exam Pattern

SSC CGL Tier II exam is held in the online mode and comprises four papers – Paper 1, 2, 3 and 4. According to SSC CGL exam pattern, Paper 1 consists of Quantitative Abilities and Paper 2 is English Language and Comprehension. Paper 3 contains questions from Statistics whereas Paper 4 comprises questions on General Studies (Finance and Economics). As per the exam pattern of SSC CGL, Paper 1 and 2 are common for all posts. While, candidates who have applied for Junior Statistical Officer (JSO) will have to appear for Paper 3 and those who have applied for Assistant Audit Officer/ Assistant Accounts Officer posts have to appear for Paper 4. Questions asked in Paper 1 is of Class 10 level while the standard of questions in Paper 2 is class 12 level. The standard of Paper 3 and 4 will be of graduation level.

Marking Scheme for SSC CGL Tier II

For correct response:

In SSC CGL Tier II exam candidates will get 2 marks for each correct answer in Paper 1, 3 and 4. And, candidates will secure 1 mark for each correct answer in paper 2 of SSC CGL Tier 2 exam.

Negative Marking

0.50 marks will be deducted for incorrect answers in Paper 1, 3 and 4 while 0.25 marks will be deducted for every wrong attempt in Paper 2.

SSC CGL Tier III Exam Pattern

Tier III exam of SSC CGL is a descriptive test which assess a candidate's writing ability. This test is conducted in pen and paper mode for 60 minutes. SSC CGL Tier III carries 100 marks. Candidates can opt to take the exam either in English or Hindi. The exam pattern of SSC CGL 2018 Tier III is given below.

SSC CGL Exam Pattern - Tier III

SSC CGL Tier IV Exam Pattern

SSC CGL Tier IV comprises Data Entry Skill Test (DEST) and Computer Proficiency Test (CPT)/ Document Verification. DEST and CPT are conducted online while Document Verification will be held offline. Based on the exam pattern of SSC CGL, CPT is conducted in three modules - Word Processing, Spread Sheet and Generation of Slides. Data Entry Skill Test (DEST) is held for a passage of 2000 key depressions for 15 minutes. As per SSC CGL exam pattern, both the tests are qualifying in nature.

The admit card of SSC CGL will be issued in the online mode. SSC CGL admit card will be made available region-wise – Eastern region, Kerala Karnataka region, Southern region, North-Eastern region, Western region, Madhya Pradesh region, Central region, North Western Region and Northern region. Candidates who have registered successfully for the exam will be able to download the admit card. SSC CGL admit card contains name of the candidate, roll number, photograph, signature, date, time, venue of examination and exam day guidelines. On the day of the exam, candidates have to carry at least one photo identity proof along with the admit card to the exam centre without which they will not be allowed to appear for the test. The admit cards will be released separately for each tier of the exam.

Steps to download SSC CGL Admit Card:

    • Click on the region-wise links

    • Enter registration number/roll number/name and date of birth

    • Click on ‘Submit’ button

    • The admit card will be displayed on screen 

    • Download and print copy of admit card

SSC CGL Tier I Admit Card

The admit card of SSC CGL Tier I will be issued to candidates whose applications have been accepted by Staff Selection Commission. Candidates have to download admit card from the regions they have applied. SSC CGL admit card will be made available separately for each region and on different dates.

SSC CGL Tier II Admit Card

Candidates qualifying Tier I exam will be issued SSC CGL admit card for Tier II. The admit card of SSC CGL Tier II exam will be released online. The conducting body will not send the admit card through post or any other mode. 

SSC CGL Tier III Admit Card

SSC CGL admit card for Tier III will be released online for candidates shortlisted for the exam on the basis of marks obtained in Tier I and II. Candidates will be able to download Tier III SSC CGL admit card using registration number/ roll number/ name and date of birth. 

SSC CGL Tier IV Admit Card

The admit card of SSC CGL for Tier IV will be issued to candidates who have qualified Tier I, II and III. DEST is held only for those candidates who have applied for the post of Tax Assistants (Central Excise & Income Tax) while CPT is conducted for the posts of Assistant Section Officer of CSS, Assistant Section Officer (MEA), Assistant in Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs and Assistant (GSI) in the Ministry of Mines. Selected candidates who have applied for other posts will need to appear for Document Verification.

SSC CGL Tier I Exam Centers

SSC CGL answer key of Tier I and II will be released after completion of each tier. The answer key will be made available online. With the help of the answer key, candidates will be able to cross verify the answer they have provided in the test with that given in the answer key through which they will be able to calculate their probable score in both tiers. SSC CGL answer key for Tier III and IV will not be released. Candidates can download the answer key by logging into the website using roll number, date of birth and exam dates. Staff Selection Commission also provides facility to raise objections in the answer key by making online payment of Rs. 100 for each objection. The objection window will be provided along with the answer key. The fee will be refunded if changes are acknowledged by the commission.

SSC will declare the result of SSC CGL in three stages – Tier I, II and final. Candidates will be selected for Tier II on the basis of Tier I result. For Tier III exam, candidates will be shortlisted based on aggregate score in Tier I and II. The final SSC CGL result will be released after Tier III and Tier IV is conducted. Tier IV is applicable only for candidates who have opted for Tax Assistants (Central Excise and Income Tax), Assistant Section Officer of CSS, Assistant Section Officer (MEA), Assistant in Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs and Assistant (GSI) in the Ministry of Mines. The merit list will be prepared based on the overall performance of candidates in Tier I, II and III provided candidates of specified posts have qualified Tier IV. The roll numbers and names of candidates printed on the merit list will be recruited on the basis of preferences of posts.

Procedure to check result:

• Click ‘SSC CGL Result’   

• The result will open as PDF file

• Press Ctrl+F and enter roll number in the space   

• If roll number appears in PDF file the candidates have been shortlisted for next round

• Download and save it for future reference

SSC CGL Tier I Result

The result of SSC CGL Tier I will be announced for candidates who secure more than or equal to the category-wise cut off prescribed by the commission. Tier I result will be calculated out of 200 marks. SSC CGL result will be declared after normalising the marks of candidates. The examination authority adopts normalisation policy to equate the scores of candidates as per the difficulty level across session. 

SSC CGL Tier II Result

Tier II result of SSC CGL will be announced by Staff Selection Commission (SSC) in March. SSC CGL result will be declared based on the aggregate marks obtained in Tier I and II. On the basis of performance in Tier I and II exam, candidates will be shortlisted for Tier III (Descriptive Test).

SSC CGL Tier III Result

SSC CGL result for Tier III will be released by Staff Selection Commission. The result of SSC CGL Tier III will be declared as scores secured in the exam. The score of candidates in Tier III will be calculated out of 100 marks. Candidates securing the qualifying marks in Tier III as prescribed by SSC will be selected for Tier IV. However, the performance of candidates in Tier I and II will be taken into consideration for selection in Tier IV (Skill Tests/Document Verification). 

SSC CGL Tier IV Result

SSC CGL Tier IV is held in the form of Computer Proficiency Test (CPT) and Data Entry Skill Test (DEST)/ Document Verification. The result of SSC CGL Tier IV will be declared along with the final result of SSC CGL. CPT and DEST are qualifying in nature that is, candidates must qualify this stage to be eligible for recruitment to the posts in which Skill Tests are required. Candidates qualifying CPT and DEST will be eligible for Document Verification.

SSC CGL Tier I Cutoff

The cutoff of SSC CGL Tier I will be released along with the result. The cutoff of Tier I will be prepared based on the performance of candidates. On the basis of Tier I SSC CGL cutoff, candidates will be shortlisted for Tier II exam. Candidates must secure equal to or more than the cutoff of SSC CGL Tier I to be selected for Tier II. Staff Selection Commission might determine qualifying cutoff marks for each section of Tier I. 

SSC CGL Tier II Cutoff

The cut off of SSC CGL will be declared along with the result of Tier II exam. SSC CGL cutoff will be prepared based on candidates performance in Tier I and II. For the post of Junior Statistical Officer (JSO), the cut off will be prepared based on marks obtained by candidates in Tier I and Paper 1, 2 and 3 of Tier II while cutoff for Assistant Audit Officer/Assistant Accounts Officer posts is determined based on Tier I and Paper 1, 2 and 4 of Tier II. For all other posts, SSC CGL cutoff will be determined based on marks secured in Tier I and Paper 1 and 2 of Tier II.

SSC CGL Tier III Cutoff

Staff Selection Commission (SSC) will determine the cutoff of SSC CGL Tier III exam. SSC might determine qualifying cutoff for Tier III. The qualifying cutoff has not been mentioned in the notification. However, examining previous years' cutoff trend, it may be stated that the commission might determine a qualifying cutoff of 33%. Candidates must secure equal to or more than the SSC CGL cut off decided by the commission. Candidates qualifying Tier III will have to appear for Skill test (for specific posts) and Document Verification.

SSC CGL Tier IV Cutoff

The cutoff of SSC CGL Tier IV will be declared along with the final SSC CGL result. As Tier IV is qualifying in nature, SSC CGL cutoff of Tier IV will be calculated based on the percentage of mistakes entered by the candidates in Computer Proficiency Test (CPT) and Data Entry Skill Test (DEST). Candidates applying for the post of Tax Assistants (Central Excise and Income Tax), Assistant Section Officer of CSS, Assistant Section Officer (MEA), Assistant in Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs and Assistant (GSI) in the Ministry of Mines will have to qualify Tier IV to become eligible for recruitment. Candidates failing to appear for Tier IV of the above mentioned posts will not be considered eligible for the same. For other posts, Tier IV will be held in the form of Document Verification.

The Staff Selection Commission announces SSC CGL selection process along with the notification. Candidates will be selected for the various posts based on their performance in all the Tiers of exam. As per the selection process of SSC CGL, candidates securing equal to or more than the cutoff of Tier I will be selected to appear for Tier II. Candidates are selected for Tier III and IV based on the marks of Tier I and II. The final result will be declared after the conduct of Tier III and IV. SSC CGL result for all tier will be made available in PDF file. The result will provide names, roll numbers and categories of qualified candidates.