SSC CGL Eligibility 2026
Complete SSC CGL 2026 eligibility — age limits with exact date-of-birth ranges, educational qualifications, nationality rules, fee, and category-wise age relaxation. Sourced directly from the official notification on ssc.gov.in.
Age Limit (Post-Wise)
Age is computed as on 1 August 2026. The notification lists four age bands; your eligible band depends on the post.
Eligible Date of Birth Range
02-08-1999 to 01-08-2008
Applicable Posts
Auditor (C&AG / CGDA / Other), Accountant / Junior Accountant, Postal Assistant / Sorting Assistant, Senior Secretariat Assistant / UDC, Senior Administrative Assistant (MES), Tax Assistant (CBDT / CBIC), Sub-Inspector (Central Bureau of Narcotics)
Eligible Date of Birth Range
02-08-1996 to 01-08-2008
Applicable Posts
AAO (Central / State Cadre), Assistant Accounts Officer, ASO (IB, MeitY, Other Ministries), Inspector of Income Tax, Inspector (CE / PO / Examiner), Assistant Enforcement Officer, Inspector Posts, Inspector (CBN), Executive Assistant (CBIC), Research Assistant (NHRC), Divisional Accountant, Sub-Inspector (NIA), SI / JIO (NCB), Statistical Investigator Grade-II, Office Superintendent (CBDT), Section Head (DGFT)
Eligible Date of Birth Range
02-08-1996 to 01-08-2006
Applicable Posts
ASO (CSS), ASO (Ministry of Railways), ASO (MEA), ASO (AFHQ), Sub-Inspector (CBI)
Eligible Date of Birth Range
02-08-1994 to 01-08-2008
Applicable Posts
Junior Statistical Officer (MoSPI) — only post in this band
Age Relaxation (Category-Wise)
Relaxations are added on top of the upper age limit. Government-employee and widow relaxations apply only to Group C posts.
Educational Qualification
A Bachelor's degree from a recognised university is the baseline. JSO, Statistical Investigator Grade-II, and AAO (State Cadre) have additional requirements.
Most posts (ASO, Inspector, AEO, SI, Auditor, Accountant, UDC, Tax Assistant, etc.)
Bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised university or equivalent.
Assistant Audit Officer (Central / State Cadre) & Assistant Accounts Officer
Bachelor's degree from a recognised university. State Cadre AAO/AAO posts additionally require proficiency in the regional/official language of the state at matriculation level. Desirable: CA / CMA / CS / M.Com / MBS / MBA (Finance) / Masters in Business Economics. During probation, recruits must qualify the Subordinate Audit / Accounts Service (SAS) Examination.
Junior Statistical Officer (JSO)
Bachelor's degree in any subject with at least 60% marks in Mathematics at 12th standard level; OR Bachelor's degree in any subject with Statistics as one of the subjects at degree level.
Statistical Investigator Grade-II
Bachelor's degree in Statistics OR Mathematics OR Economics OR Demography OR Population Studies OR Operation Research OR Information Technology OR Computer Science OR Computer Engineering OR Computer Technology OR Computer Application OR Data Science OR Artificial Intelligence from a recognised university or institute.
Final-year students can apply — but the qualifying degree result must have been declared by the institute/university on or before 1 August 2026. Mere processing of the result by that date is not enough.
Application Fee
Fee
₹100
Women candidates, SC, ST, PwBD, and Ex-Servicemen are fully exempt.
Payment
BHIM UPI, net banking, or Visa / Mastercard / Maestro / RuPay debit card.
Deadline: 23 June 2026 (23:00 hrs)
Correction Window
₹200 (first correction during 29 Jun – 1 Jul 2026)
₹500 (second correction in the same window)
Important
Fee once paid is non-refundable. Applications without fee (where applicable) are summarily rejected — confirm the "Payment Status" link in your candidate login.
Nationality
A candidate must be one of the following:
- A citizen of India, or
- A subject of Nepal, or
- A subject of Bhutan, or
- A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.
Non-Indian citizens must produce an eligibility certificate issued by the Government of India before appointment. Only male candidates are eligible for vacancies in the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
Number of Attempts
SSC CGL does not prescribe a limit on the number of attempts. You can appear as many times as you want — the only constraint is the maximum age limit (including any applicable age relaxation for your category).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the age limit for SSC CGL 2026?
Age is computed as on 1 August 2026. There are four bands: 18-27 (Group C posts like Auditor, Accountant, UDC, Tax Assistant, Postal Assistant); 18-30 (most Group B posts including AAO, ASO-IB, Inspector, AEO, JSO Stats Investigator); 20-30 (ASO in CSS / Railways / MEA / AFHQ, and SI-CBI); 18-32 (only Junior Statistical Officer). Standard age relaxations apply for SC, ST, OBC, PwBD, ESM, and government employees.
What is the educational qualification for SSC CGL 2026?
You need a Bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised university for most posts. JSO requires either 60% in Mathematics at 12th OR Statistics as a degree-level subject. Statistical Investigator Grade-II accepts a Bachelor's in Statistics / Maths / Economics / Demography / Population Studies / OR / IT / CS / Computer Engineering / Computer App / Data Science / Artificial Intelligence (Data Science and AI were added in the 2026 notification). AAO State Cadre additionally needs matriculation-level proficiency in the regional language.
Can final-year students apply for SSC CGL 2026?
Yes. Final-year graduation students can apply, but they must possess the essential qualification on or before 1 August 2026. Mere processing of results by the university by the cut-off date is not enough — the result must have been declared by that date. Proof of qualification must be produced at document verification.
What is the SSC CGL 2026 application fee?
The application fee is ₹100. Women candidates and candidates from SC, ST, PwBD, and Ex-Servicemen categories are fully exempt — they pay nothing. Fee is paid online via BHIM UPI, net banking, or Visa / Mastercard / Maestro / RuPay debit cards by 23 June 2026 (23:00 hrs).
Is there any limit on the number of attempts for SSC CGL?
No — SSC CGL has no specific limit on the number of attempts. You can appear as many times as you want, provided you fall within the prescribed age limit (including applicable age relaxation).
Can a candidate from Nepal or Bhutan apply for SSC CGL?
Yes, subjects of Nepal and Bhutan can apply for SSC CGL. They must produce an eligibility certificate issued by the Government of India before the appointment is offered.
What are the physical eligibility requirements for SSC CGL?
Physical standards (height, chest, vision) apply only to specific posts — Sub-Inspector in CBI, Sub-Inspector in NIA, SI/JIO in NCB, Inspector (Central Excise / Preventive Officer / Examiner), Inspector of Income Tax, and Inspector (Central Bureau of Narcotics). Other posts do not have specific physical standards beyond the SSC medical fitness check. Detailed PET/PST requirements are in the official notification annexures.
Can I change my category after applying?
No. Category must be declared correctly in the online application. Age relaxation and reservation are calculated based on the category declared at application. The candidate must possess a valid certificate from the competent authority on the closing date of application (22 June 2026) for SC / ST / OBC / PwBD / ESM claims to be accepted.
Are women candidates eligible for fee waiver in SSC CGL 2026?
Yes. All women candidates (any category) are fully exempt from paying the ₹100 application fee. This is in addition to the standard exemption for SC, ST, PwBD, and Ex-Servicemen candidates.
Eligible? Start preparing.
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