SSC CGL 2026 Application Form: Dates and Archived Guide

Archived application guide: The original SSC CGL 2026 application window ran from 21 May to 22 June 2026, with the submission deadline at 23:00 hours. That deadline has passed. This page explains the original form, documents and fees; it does not announce a new application window.

The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) conducts the Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examination for graduate-level government posts. Use the original 2026 notification for this archive and SSC’s website for subsequent notices affecting your examination.

SSC CGL 2026 application dates in the original notice

These are the dates printed on page 1 of the original notice. They are historical application deadlines, not the current examination timetable.

Eligibility and records to check

Qualifications and age limits depend on the post. The notice sets 1 August 2026 as the relevant age and educational-qualification date. A bachelor’s degree or equivalent is the requirement for the general route; specified posts have additional or different subject requirements. Final-year candidates needed to possess the essential qualification by that cutoff. Check section 8 for the exact post and sections 4–7 for nationality, age, reservation and disability provisions.

Keep your application copy and the records supporting its entries: Class 10 details, educational certificates, and applicable category, disability or age-relaxation documents. Providing application details and producing proof at document verification are different stages. The notice lists verification documents in section 15.11.

How the application process worked

1. Complete One-Time Registration (OTR) on SSC’s new website if you did not already have it. Registration from the old website was not valid for this process.
2. Log in and complete the CGL 2026 application through SSC’s website or the mySSC mobile application.
3. Capture the live photograph, upload the signature and any applicable documents, and check every entry in the preview.
4. Pay the fee if applicable, confirm its status and keep the submitted application copy.

This is a description of the closed application process, not an instruction to submit a new form. See section 9 and Annexures III–IV.

Photo and signature requirements

The 2026 application used live photo capture. A saved photograph or a photograph of an existing photo was not a substitute. The scanned signature requirement was JPEG/JPG, 10–20 KB. The notice contains conflicting approximate signature dimensions: section 9.6 gives 6 × 2 cm, while Annexure IV gives 4 × 2 cm. This guide does not choose one as a resolved instruction.

Read the SSC CGL photo and signature requirements for the source passages and file checks. The image compressor can help prepare a signature file, but cannot replace live photo capture or guarantee acceptance. Check clarity and the applicable portal instructions yourself.

Application fee and correction charges

The original application fee was ₹100. Women, SC, ST and PwBD candidates, and ex-servicemen eligible for reservation, were exempt under section 10.2. The notice listed BHIM UPI, net banking and the specified debit cards as payment methods. An application requiring a fee remained incomplete if SSC had not received it. See sections 10.1–10.5.

The correction window allowed two corrected submissions: ₹200 for the first and ₹500 for the second, for all categories. It applied to completed applications received with the requisite fee within the specified period. The latest corrected submission became the valid application after payment of the correction charge. This window has also passed. See section 11.

What followed the application: Tier 1, Tier 2 and DEST

Tier 1 marks determine shortlisting for Tier 2. Tier 2 Paper I applies to all posts; the additional specialist papers apply to the specified shortlisted candidates. The Computer Knowledge Test and Data Entry Speed Test (DEST) are qualifying components.

DEST is mandatory for all posts under the original notice, subject to its specified exemption. It is not limited to a few posts. Section 13.9.10.6 permits an exemption for qualifying PwBD-OH candidates with the prescribed medical certificate and post conditions; it is not a blanket exemption for all PwBD candidates. Some posts require higher qualifying standards. Read sections 13.9.9–13.9.10 and the selection provisions in section 16.

For preparation, use our SSC CGL Tier 1 and Tier 2 syllabus guide and download the illustrated RojgarRank syllabus PDF. The PDF is an independent revision guide, not an SSC-issued document.

Correction: An earlier version described DEST as applying only to certain posts. The section above now reflects the original notice’s general requirement and limited exemption. Payment wording has also been aligned with the listed debit-card methods and the reservation condition for the ex-servicemen fee exemption.