SSC CHSL
Recruits Class 12 pass candidates as Lower Divisional Clerk (LDC), Junior Secretariat Assistant (JSA), Postal Assistant/Sorting Assistant and Data Entry Operator in central government offices.
Eligibility
Candidates must have passed Class 12 or equivalent from a recognised board; for Data Entry Operator posts in C&AG, Science stream with Maths in Class 12 is required. Age must be 18 to 27 years on the cut-off date, with standard relaxations (OBC +3, SC/ST +5, PwBD +10). There is no cap on attempts within the age limit.
Age limit: 18–27 years; OBC +3, SC/ST +5, PwBD +10 relaxation
Exam pattern
Two tiers, both computer-based. Tier I: 100 questions, 200 marks, 60 minutes across English, General Intelligence, Quantitative Aptitude and General Awareness (25 questions each), with 0.50 mark negative per wrong answer. Tier II is a single-day, session-based exam: Session I has Mathematical Abilities and Reasoning, then English and General Awareness (1 mark deducted per wrong answer), plus a qualifying Computer Knowledge module; Session II holds the qualifying skill test — typing at 35 wpm English or 30 wpm Hindi for LDC/JSA, and a data-entry speed test for DEO posts. Final merit is based on Tier II scores.
Syllabus at a glance
Quantitative Aptitude covers arithmetic, basic algebra, geometry, trigonometry and data interpretation at Class 10 level with some advanced items. English tests grammar, vocabulary, sentence improvement, cloze tests and comprehension. General Intelligence includes verbal and non-verbal reasoning, and General Awareness spans static GK, everyday science and current affairs, with a computer-basics module in Tier II.
Upcoming dates
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Notification (2026 cycle; delayed from the 30 Apr calendar date) | Aug–Sep 2026 | expected |
| Application window (about one month from notification) | Aug–Sep 2026 | expected |
| Tier I computer-based exam | Oct–Dec 2026 | expected |
| Tier I result | Early 2027 | tba |
| Tier II (including skill/typing test) | 2027 | tba |
Expected dates follow the usual calendar; confirm on the official notification before planning.
Free prep material
Standard books
- Fast Track Objective Arithmetic — Rajesh Verma
- Objective General English — S.P. Bakshi
- A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning — R.S. Aggarwal
- Lucent's General Knowledge — Dr Binay Karna et al.
- Kiran's SSC CHSL Chapterwise Solved Papers — Kiran Prakashan
How toppers play it
- Tier I cut-offs routinely cross 145–160 out of 200, so speed matters as much as accuracy — drill to finish 100 questions comfortably inside 60 minutes.
- Start typing practice early: the Tier II typing/data-entry test is qualifying and eliminates candidates who focused only on the written papers.
- Tier II penalises 1 full mark per wrong answer against 0.50 in Tier I — recalibrate your guessing threshold between tiers.
- Attempt General Awareness and English first in Tier I; both are low-time sections that free up minutes for quant.
- Practise from CGL Tier I material too — CHSL difficulty has drifted upward and the two syllabi overlap almost completely.
- The 2026 notification is running months behind the SSC calendar — track ssc.gov.in weekly so the roughly one-month application window does not slip past you.