SSC CGL 2026 Notification Out: Apply Online, Age Limit, Salary, Eligibility, Photo & Signature Size
SSC CGL 2026 is one of the highest-volume graduate-level recruitment exams in India, and the official notification PDF is the safest source for application dates, age cutoff, pay levels, education rules, live photo instructions, and signature upload size. This guide summarizes the important candidate-facing details and links back to the official document so users can verify the final wording before applying.
The primary source for this article is the official SSC CGL 2026 notification PDF on ssc.gov.in. Use the official PDF and the official SSC candidate portal links below for form submission, login, registration, and password recovery.
Short answer
The SSC CGL 2026 notification lists approximately 12,256 vacancies, an online application window ending on June 22, 2026 at 23:00, a fee payment deadline of June 23, 2026 at 23:00, and Tier-I expected in August-September 2026. Age is reckoned as on August 1, 2026. Candidates need a bachelor's degree for most posts, with specific subject requirements for Junior Statistical Officer and Statistical Investigator Grade-II.
Important dates from the SSC CGL 2026 notification
| Event | Date in notification |
|---|---|
| Online application starts | May 21, 2026 |
| Last date to apply online | June 22, 2026, 23:00 |
| Last date for online fee payment | June 23, 2026, 23:00 |
| Application correction window | June 29 to July 1, 2026, 23:00 |
| Tier-I computer based exam | August-September 2026 |
| Tier-II computer based exam | December 2026 |
Candidates should not wait until the final evening to submit the form. The notification includes a correction window, but correction is not a substitute for careful first submission. Prepare your documents, check your age, confirm your education details, and review the post preferences before the deadline.
Vacancies and pay levels
The SSC CGL 2026 PDF mentions approximately 12,256 vacancies. SSC also notes that updated vacancy details are uploaded on the Commission website from time to time. That means the vacancy number can be treated as an announced estimate, not a fixed final department-wise breakup for every post and category.
The notification groups posts by pay level. This matters because candidates often search for "SSC CGL salary" as if every post has the same pay. In reality, the official PDF lists multiple pay levels, including Pay Level 7, Pay Level 6, Pay Level 5, and Pay Level 4. Examples include Assistant Section Officer and Inspector level posts in higher pay levels, while Auditor, Accountant, Junior Accountant, Postal Assistant, Sorting Assistant, Senior Secretariat Assistant, and Tax Assistant type posts appear under lower pay levels depending on the exact department and post.
Use the notification table for the exact post name, ministry or department, classification, age limit, and pay level. Salary in hand will also depend on posting city, allowances, deductions, and government rules applicable at the time of appointment.
SSC CGL 2026 group-wise post details
The SSC CGL 2026 recruitment includes Group B and Group C posts across audit, accounts, tax, customs, secretariat, investigation, statistics, postal, narcotics, and other central government departments. The table below is a candidate-friendly grouping of the post names from the notification. Use it to shortlist post preferences, then confirm pay level, age limit, and department details in the official PDF before final submission.
| Classification | Department / office | Name of post |
|---|---|---|
| Group B | Indian Audit & Accounts Department under C&AG | Assistant Audit Officer (Central Cadre) |
| Group B | Indian Audit & Accounts Department under C&AG | Assistant Audit Officer (State Cadre) |
| Group B | Indian Audit & Accounts Department under C&AG | Assistant Accounts Officer (State Cadre) |
| Group B | Central Secretariat Service | Assistant Section Officer |
| Group B | Intelligence Bureau | Assistant Section Officer |
| Group B | Ministry of Railways | Assistant Section Officer |
| Group B | Ministry of External Affairs | Assistant Section Officer |
| Group B | AFHQ | Assistant Section Officer |
| Group B | Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology | Assistant Section Officer |
| Group B | Other Ministries / Departments / Organizations | Assistant / Assistant Section Officer |
| Group B | Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) | Inspector of Income Tax |
| Group B | Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) | Inspector (Central Excise) |
| Group B | Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) | Inspector (Preventive Officer) |
| Group B | Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) | Inspector (Examiner) |
| Group B | Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Department of Revenue | Assistant Enforcement Officer |
| Group B | Central Bureau of Investigation | Sub Inspector |
| Group B | Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications | Inspector Posts |
| Group B | Central Bureau of Narcotics, Ministry of Finance | Inspector |
| Group B | Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) | Executive Assistant |
| Group B | National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) | Research Assistant |
| Group B | Offices under C&AG | Divisional Accountant |
| Group B | National Investigation Agency (NIA) | Sub Inspector |
| Group B | Narcotics Control Bureau (MHA) | Sub-Inspector / Junior Intelligence Officer |
| Group B | Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation | Junior Statistical Officer |
| Group B | Ministry of Home Affairs | Statistical Investigator Grade-II |
| Group B | Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) | Office Superintendent |
| Group B | Director General of Foreign Trade | Section Head |
| Group C | Offices under C&AG | Auditor |
| Group C | Offices under CGDA | Auditor |
| Group C | Other Ministry / Departments | Auditor |
| Group C | Offices under C&AG | Accountant |
| Group C | Controller General of Accounts | Accountant |
| Group C | Other Ministry / Departments | Accountant / Junior Accountant |
| Group C | Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications | Postal Assistant / Sorting Assistant |
| Group C | Central Government Offices / Ministries other than CSCS cadres | Senior Secretariat Assistant / Upper Division Clerk |
| Group C | Military Engineering Services, Ministry of Defence | Senior Administrative Assistant |
| Group C | Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) | Tax Assistant |
| Group C | Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) | Tax Assistant |
| Group C | Central Bureau of Narcotics, Ministry of Finance | Sub-Inspector |
Age cutoff and DOB windows
SSC CGL 2026 uses August 1, 2026 as the age reckoning date. The notification lists different age limits for different posts, such as 18-27 years, 20-30 years, 18-30 years, and 18-32 years. Because the upper limit differs by post, candidates should check the exact post row instead of relying on one general CGL age limit.
| Age limit | Candidate should be born not earlier than | Candidate should be born not later than |
|---|---|---|
| 18-27 years | August 2, 1999 | August 1, 2008 |
| 20-30 years | August 2, 1996 | August 1, 2006 |
| 18-30 years | August 2, 1996 | August 1, 2008 |
| 18-32 years | August 2, 1994 | August 1, 2008 |
Open the Age Calculator, enter your date of birth, and set the cutoff date to August 1, 2026. Then compare your DOB with the official birth-date window for the post you want. If category relaxation applies, read that section in the SSC PDF carefully because relaxation rules are not the same as the base age range.
Official SSC links for CGL 2026
Use only official SSC links when you download the notification, apply online, register, sign in, or recover access to your account. Bookmark these links before filling the form so you do not land on an unofficial login page by mistake.
| Action | Official link |
|---|---|
| Download SSC CGL 2026 notification | Official notification PDF |
| Login and apply online | ssc.gov.in/login |
| New user registration | One Time Registration |
| Reset password | Reset registration password |
Educational qualification
For most SSC CGL 2026 posts, candidates need a bachelor's degree from a recognized university or equivalent. The notification includes extra subject requirements for statistics-related posts, so candidates should not treat every post as having the same eligibility rule.
| Post name | Educational qualification |
|---|---|
| Junior Statistical Officer | Bachelor's degree in any subject with at least 60 percent marks in Mathematics at 12th standard level, or bachelor's degree in any subject with Statistics as one of the degree-level subjects. |
| Statistical Investigator Grade-II | Bachelor's degree in any subject with Statistics as one of the subjects from a recognized university. The candidate must have studied Statistics as a subject in all three years or all six semesters of the graduation course. |
| All other posts | Bachelor's degree in any stream from a recognized university or equivalent. |
Candidates appearing in their final year may apply, but they must possess the essential qualification on or before August 1, 2026. If your degree, marksheet, or statistics subject status is close to the boundary, check the exact wording in the official PDF before choosing post preferences.
Application fee
The application fee shown in the SSC CGL 2026 notification is Rs. 100. The notification also states that women candidates and candidates belonging to SC, ST, PwBD, and eligible Ex-Servicemen categories are exempted from payment of the fee. Fee rules are sensitive, so candidates should confirm their own category and exemption status in the official form before payment.
Photo and signature instructions
SSC CGL 2026 does not simply ask candidates to upload any old passport photo. The notification describes live photograph capture during the online application process. The candidate must take a live photo when prompted by the application module. The PDF says the candidate should find a place with good light and plain background, ensure the camera is at eye level, face the webcam or phone camera directly, and make sure the face is fully inside the red rectangular area shown by the system. Caps, masks, and spectacles or glasses are not allowed during live photo capture.
The signature requirement is different. The main notice asks candidates to upload a scanned signature in JPEG or JPG format with file size between 10KB and 20KB, with image dimensions about 6.0 cm width and 2.0 cm height. Annexure IV in the same PDF also mentions 4.0 cm width and 2.0 cm height for the application workflow, so candidates should follow the live portal instruction if it displays a specific size at upload time. If your signature file is too large or too small, use the Signature Resizer or the Exam Photo & Signature Resizer and set the official size target before uploading.
How to use TryFormatter tools for SSC CGL 2026
- Open the official SSC CGL 2026 PDF and keep the age, education, photo, and signature sections available.
- Use the Age Calculator with August 1, 2026 as the cutoff date.
- Compare your DOB with the official birth-date range for the post and category you are checking.
- For the signature, use the Exam Photo & Signature Resizer or Signature Resizer.
- Set JPEG/JPG output, keep the signature readable, and target the 10KB to 20KB size range.
- For the live photograph, follow the SSC application module instructions instead of uploading an edited old photograph.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using unofficial summaries as the final source: Final submission should follow the SSC PDF and official SSC portal only.
- Checking only one CGL age limit: Different posts have different upper-age limits. Always check the post row.
- Ignoring the live photo rule: SSC asks for a live photograph during application. Do not assume a normal uploaded passport photo is enough.
- Uploading a signature outside the size range: Keep the scanned signature as JPEG/JPG and between 10KB and 20KB. Check the portal for the final dimension prompt because the PDF includes both 6 cm x 2 cm and 4 cm x 2 cm references.
- Waiting for correction to fix everything: The correction window is limited. Submit carefully the first time.
Privacy note
Age and signature details are personal. TryFormatter tools such as Age Calculator, Exam Photo & Signature Resizer, and Signature Resizer run entirely in your browser, require no server upload, and data never leaves your device. Your DOB and image files are processed locally in the tab you are using.
Final checklist
- Official notification PDF opened from ssc.gov.in.
- Application dates checked: May 21 to June 22, 2026.
- Age cutoff checked as on August 1, 2026.
- Post-wise age limit and pay level verified from the official table.
- Education qualification confirmed, especially for statistics-related posts.
- Live photo instructions followed in the SSC application module.
- Signature prepared as JPEG/JPG, 10KB to 20KB, with dimensions checked against the current portal prompt.