By the Online Coaching 4u team
Last updated: 16 September 2026.
The Staff Selection Commission has confirmed the exam dates for SSC CGL 2026 Tier 1: a computer-based test running from 30 September to 30 October 2026. SSC posted the schedule as an official notice titled "Important Notice – Schedule of Examination" on its Notice Board at ssc.gov.in on 12 September 2026, ending weeks of uncertainty for the roughly 12,256-vacancy recruitment cycle.
What's confirmed
SSC CGL 2026 Tier 1 will be conducted in Computer-Based Examination (CBE) mode across a 31-day window, from 30 September through 30 October 2026, with different candidates sitting on different dates and shifts within that window rather than all on a single day. The exam is filling 12,256 posts across various Group B and Group C positions in central government ministries and departments. This follows SSC CGL 2026's original notification, released 21 May 2026, with online applications accepted from 21 May to 22 June 2026 — that window is long closed, and no fresh applications are being accepted now.
Tier 1's format, per SSC's published exam pattern, remains a 100-question, 200-mark objective paper across four sections — General Intelligence & Reasoning, General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude and English Comprehension — with 0.50 marks deducted for each wrong answer, to be completed in 60 minutes.
What this means for candidates
Because Tier 1 spans a full month rather than a single exam day, SSC releases candidate-specific information in stages: exam city and shift details go out roughly 10 days ahead of a candidate's own date, with the downloadable Admission Certificate (admit card) following 2–3 days before that same date. Candidates allotted an early slot in the 30 September–30 October window will see their city intimation and admit card well before candidates allotted a late-October date — there's no single, common release day to watch for. As of this writing, admit cards for the earliest dates in the window had not yet appeared on the SSC portal, so candidates should keep checking their regional SSC region's login and the official site directly rather than relying on a fixed date circulating on unofficial channels.
Important pointers
- [21 May – 22 Jun 2026] SSC CGL 2026 notification released and online applications accepted; the window is now closed.
- [12 Sep 2026] SSC posted the official "Important Notice – Schedule of Examination" on ssc.gov.in confirming Tier 1 exam dates.
- [30 Sep – 30 Oct 2026] SSC CGL 2026 Tier 1, a computer-based exam, runs across this 31-day window; each candidate sits on one allotted date within it.
- Admit card timing: exam city/shift details release about 10 days before a candidate's date; the Admission Certificate itself follows 2–3 days before — both staggered across the window, not released on one common day.
- Scale: SSC CGL 2026 is recruiting for 12,256 posts across Group B and Group C positions in central government ministries and departments.
Last updated: 16 September 2026. Source: ssc.gov.in (Staff Selection Commission official Notice Board).
Frequently asked questions
When is the SSC CGL 2026 Tier 1 exam?
The Staff Selection Commission's official notice, posted on ssc.gov.in on 12 September 2026, confirms SSC CGL 2026 Tier 1 will be held in computer-based mode across a 31-day window from 30 September to 30 October 2026. Individual candidates sit on one specific date within that window, not the full stretch.
How will candidates know their SSC CGL 2026 exam city and get their admit card?
SSC releases each candidate's exam city and shift details roughly 10 days before their allotted date, followed by the downloadable Admission Certificate (admit card) 2–3 days before the exam itself. Because Tier 1 is spread across 30 September to 30 October, candidates with later dates will see their city intimation and admit card released later than candidates with earlier dates — there is no single release day for everyone.
How many vacancies does SSC CGL 2026 have?
SSC CGL 2026 is recruiting for 12,256 posts across various Group B and Group C positions in central government ministries, departments and organisations. The exam's online application window ran from 21 May to 22 June 2026, and applications are now closed.
