SSC CGL Exam Pattern 2026, Check Marking Scheme and Negative Marking

SSC CGL Exam Pattern 2026: The SSC CGL (Staff Selection Commission – Combined Graduate Level) Exam 2026 is one of the most sought-after government job exams in India. It is conducted annually by the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) to recruit candidates for various Group B and Group C posts in ministries, departments, and organizations of the Government of India.

The SSC CGL 2026 exam consists of four stages:

1. Tier 1 (Computer-Based Test – CBT): It includes four sections—General Intelligence & Reasoning, General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude, and English Comprehension. The exam has 100 questions (25 per section), totaling 200 marks, with a 60-minute duration.
2. Tier 2 (CBT – Multiple Papers):
   • Paper 1 (Compulsory for all): This covers Mathematical Abilities, Reasoning, General Awareness, English, and Computer Knowledge.
   • Paper 2: For Junior Statistical Officer (JSO) candidates.
   • Paper 3: For Assistant Audit Officer (AAO) candidates.
3. Tier 3 (Descriptive Paper): A pen-and-paper test for essay, letter, or précis writing.
4. Tier 4 (Skill Test/DEST): For specific posts requiring Data Entry Speed Test (DEST) or Computer Proficiency Test (CPT).

SSC CGL Exam Pattern 2026

SSC CGL Exam Pattern 2026 for Tier 1, Tier 2, and the Typing Test is presented in separate tables for clarity.

SSC CGL Exam Pattern 2026 – Tier 1

Subject	No. of Questions	Marks	Time Duration
General Intelligence & Reasoning	25	50	1 Hour (60 minutes)
General Awareness	25	50
Quantitative Aptitude	25	50
English Comprehension	25	50
Total	100	200	1 Hour

🔹 Negative Marking: 0.50 marks for each wrong answer.
🔹 Mode: Computer-Based Test (CBT).
🔹 Qualifying in Nature: Marks obtained are considered for merit ranking.

SSC CGL Exam Pattern 2026- Tier 2

Paper-wise Details

Paper 1: Compulsory for All Posts

Subjects	No. of Questions	Marks	Time Duration
Quantitative Ability	30	90	2 Hours 30 Minutes
General Intelligence & Reasoning	30	90
General Awareness	25	75
English Language & Comprehension	45	135
Computer Knowledge Module	20	60
Data Entry Speed Test (DEST)	Skill Test	Qualifying	15 Minutes
Total	150 + DEST	450	2 Hours 30 Minutes

🔹 Negative Marking: 1 mark for each incorrect answer.
🔹 DEST (Data Entry Speed Test): Only qualifying in nature.

Paper 2 (For Junior Statistical Officer – JSO)

Subjects	No. of Questions	Marks	Time Duration
Statistics	100	200	2 Hours

Paper 3 (For Assistant Audit Officer & Assistant Accounts Officer)

Subjects	No. of Questions	Marks	Time Duration
Finance & Economics	100	200	2 Hours

SSC CGL 2026 Typing Test/Skill Test Exam Pattern

For Certain Posts Only

Test Type	Post Applied For	Skill Requirement
Data Entry Speed Test (DEST)	Tax Assistant (CBIC & CBDT)	8000 key depressions per hour
Computer Proficiency Test (CPT)	Assistant Section Officer (MEA), Assistant (CSS), Assistant (AFHQ)	Word Processing, Spreadsheets, Slide Generation
Typing Test	Some Clerical Level Posts	35 WPM (English) or 30 WPM (Hindi)

🔹 Skill Tests are Qualifying in Nature.
🔹 Conducted in Online Mode.

SSC CGL Marking Scheme and Negative Marking

SSC CGL 2026 Tier 1: Marking Scheme

Subject	No. of Questions	Marks per Question	Total Marks
General Intelligence & Reasoning	25	2	50
General Awareness	25	2	50
Quantitative Aptitude	25	2	50
English Comprehension	25	2	50
Total	100	2	200

Negative Marking in Tier 1

Correct Answer: +2 marks
Wrong Answer: -0.50 (1/4th of 2 marks)
Unattempted Question: No deduction

SSC CGL 2026 Tier 2: Exam Pattern & Marking Scheme

Tier 2 consists of three papers:

• Paper 1: Compulsory for all posts
• Paper 2: Only for Junior Statistical Officer (JSO)
• Paper 3: Only for Assistant Audit Officer (AAO) & Assistant Accounts Officer (AAO)

Paper 1 (Compulsory for All Posts)

Subject	No. of Questions	Marks per Question	Total Marks
Mathematical Abilities	30	3	90
Reasoning & General Intelligence	30	3	90
English Language & Comprehension	45	3	135
General Awareness	25	3	75
Computer Knowledge Module	20	3	60
Data Entry Speed Test (DEST) Module	Qualifying (No Marks)	–	–
Total	150	3	450

Negative Marking in Tier 2 (Paper 1)

Correct Answer: +3 marks
Wrong Answer: -1 mark (1/3rd of 3 marks)
Unattempted Question: No deduction

Paper 2 (For JSO Post)

Subject	No. of Questions	Marks per Question	Total Marks
Statistics	100	2	200

Negative Marking in Tier 2 (Paper 2)

 Correct Answer: +2 marks
 Wrong Answer: -0.50 marks (1/4th of 2 marks)
 Unattempted Question: No deduction

Paper 3 (For AAO Post)

Subject	No. of Questions	Marks per Question	Total Marks
Finance & Economics	100	2	200

Negative Marking in Tier 2 (Paper 3)

Correct Answer: +2 marks
Wrong Answer: -0.50 marks (1/4th of 2 marks)
Unattempted Question: No deduction

Key Points to Remember

1. Tier 1 and Tier 2 are computer-based tests.
2. Tier 1 negative marking: 0.50 per wrong answer
3. Tier 2 negative marking:
   • Paper 1: 1 mark deduction per wrong answer
   • Paper 2 & 3: 0.50 mark deduction per wrong answer
4. DEST (Data Entry Speed Test) in Paper 1 is only qualifying.
5. The final selection is based on Tier 2 performance.

FAQs

• What is the exam pattern of SSC CGL 2026?
  The SSC CGL 2025 exam consists of two tiers:

  • Tier 1: Objective-type online test with sections on General Intelligence & Reasoning, General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude, and English Comprehension (Total: 200 marks, 60 minutes).
  • Tier 2: Includes three papers—Paper I (Compulsory for all), Paper II (for Junior Statistical Officer), and Paper III (for Assistant Audit Officer/Assistant Accounts Officer). Paper I consists of Quantitative Ability, Reasoning, English, and General Awareness.

• Is there a negative marking in SSC CGL 2026?
  Yes, negative marking applies:

  • Tier 1: 0.50 marks deducted for each incorrect answer.
  • Tier 2: 1 mark deducted for each incorrect answer in Paper I; 0.50 marks deducted in Paper II & III.

• How many questions are there in SSC CGL Tier 1?
  The Tier 1 exam consists of 100 questions (25 from each section) with a total of 200 marks.

• Is the SSC CGL 2026 exam conducted in online or offline mode?
  The SSC CGL 2026 exam is conducted online (Computer-Based Test) for both Tier 1 and Tier 2.

• What is the time duration for the SSC CGL 2026 exam?

  • Tier 1: 60 minutes
  • Tier 2:
    • Paper I: 2 hours and 30 minutes
    • Paper II & III: 2 hours each