The full form of SSC CGL Exam is Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level Exam. It is conducted to recruit candidates for Group B and Group C posts in various Ministries/Departments of the Government of India. The SSC CGL exam is held in 4 stages called Tiers. This exam is a great opportunity for anyone looking to work in the central government. It is considered as one of the largest exams in the country in terms of the number of applicants and competition. In this article, we shall see all important information related to SSC CGL 2021 Recruitment exam such as Exam Date, Eligibility criteria, Syllabus, Application Fee, Apply Online, Exam Pattern, Vacancy, Salary, Job profile, etc.
SSC CGL Exam Date 2021
The SSC CGL 2021 Tier I exam, which was originally scheduled from May 29 to June 7, 2021, was postponed until further notice due to the surge in COVID-19 cases in India. The official notice about the postponement was released by the SSC on 7th May 2021.
| SSC CGL Exam Events | Exam Dates |
|---|---|
| Notification release date | 29-Dec-20 |
| Online Application Start | 29-Dec-2020 to 31-Jan-2021 |
| Last date for online fee payment | 02-Feb-21 |
| Last date for the generation of offline Challan | 04-Feb-21 |
| Last date for offline fee payment | 06-Feb-21 |
| SSC CGL Tier-I Exam Date | 29-May-2021 to 07-Jun-2021
Postponed due to COVID Second wave surge |
SSC CGL Notification 2021
The Official Notification of SSC CGL 2020-21 was released by the Staff Selection Commission of India on 29th December 2020. The online application window was opened for one month from 29th December 2020 to 31st January 2021.
SSC CGL 2021 Exam Summary
| Exam Name | SSC CGL |
| SSC CGL Full Form | Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level |
| Conducting Body | Staff Selection Commission (SSC) |
| Official Website | ssc.nic.in |
| Exam Type | National Level Exam |
| Exam Date | Tier I: Postponed due to COVID-19 Surge
Tier II: To be Updated Tier III: To be Updated |
| Mode of Application | Online |
| Mode of Exam | Online |
| Eligibility |
|
| Exam Duration | Tier 1 – 60 minutes
Tier 2 – 120 minutes Tier 3 – 60 minutes Tier 4 – 45 minutes |
| Section | Tier 1 – 4 Sections
Tier 2 – 4 Papers |
SSC CGL Vacancy 2021
The vacancy details for 2021 recruitment were released on 25th February 2021. The total number of vacancies in SSC CGL 2021 is 7035, of which 2891 vacancies belong to the General Category. Last year the number of vacancies was 8582.
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SSC CGL Vacancy Details |
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| Year | UR | SC | ST | OBC | Total vacancies |
| 2020-21 | 2891 | 1046 | 510 | 1858 | 7035 |
| 2019-20 | 3674 | 1242 | 667 | 2198 | 8582 |
| 2018-19 | 5770 | 1723 | 845 | 2933 | 11271 |
| 2017 | 4238 | 1318 | 653 | 1916 | 9276 |
SSC CGL Syllabus
The entire syllabus of the SSC CGL exam can be grouped into four sections. They are General Intelligence and Reasoning, General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude, English Comprehension. Check the below table for a detailed list of topics under each of the sections.
| General Intelligence and Reasoning | General Awareness | Quantitative Aptitude | English Comprehension |
| Classification | Static General Knowledge (Indian History, Culture, etc.) | Simplification | Reading Comprehension |
| Analogy | Science | Interest | Fill in the Blanks |
| Coding-Decoding | Current Affairs | Averages | Spellings |
| Word Formation | Sports | Percentage | Phrases and Idioms |
| Matrix | Books and Authors | Ratio and Proportion | One word Substitution |
| Important Schemes | Problem on Ages | Sentence Correction |
Posts under SSC CGL Exam
Below are the various posts that come under the Staff Selection Commission CGL exam recruitment process.
- Assistants in Ministries/Departments, Attached and Subordinate office of the Govt. of India.
- Inspectors of Central Excise & Customs.
- Inspectors of Income Tax.
- Preventive Officers in Customs.
- Examiner in Customs.
- Sub-Inspectors in Central Bureau of Narcotics & CBI.
- Assistant Enforcement Officer in Directorate of Enforcement, Department of Revenue.
- Divisional Accountant, Jr. Accountant, Auditor & UDCs in various offices of Govt. of India.
- Auditor Offices under C&AG, CGDA, CGA & others.
- Accountant/ Junior Accountant
- Tax Assistant in CBDT and CBEC
- Compiler in Registrar General of India.
SSC CGL 2021 Eligibility Criteria
The eligibility criteria for SSC CGL 2021 is judged on the basis of four parameters given below:
- Citizenship – Candidate must be a Citizen of India
- Educational Qualifications
- Age Limit
- Physical Fitness(Optional)
Education Qualifications for SSC CGL 2021 Exam
Graduation in any discipline from a recognized university/institution is the minimum or basic educational qualification for any of the posts under the SSC CGL exam. However, more qualifications are required for certain posts and therefore the required educational qualifications vary according to the designation or post. Below are the SSC CGL 2021 post wise educational requirements:
| SSC CGL Post Wise Education Criteria | |
| Post | Educational Qualification |
| Assistant Audit Officer/ Assistant Accounts Officer | Bachelor’s Degree in any subject from a recognized University. OR Desirable Qualification: CA/CS/MBA/Cost & Management Accountant/ Masters in Commerce/Masters in Business Studies |
| Junior Statistical Officer |
Bachelor’s Degree in any subject from a recognized University OR Institute 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 Post | Bachelor’s Degree from any recognized University with a minimum of 60% in Mathematics in Class 12th OR Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline with Statistics as one of the subjects in graduation |
| All Other Posts | Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline from a recognized University or equivalent |
| Important Note | The candidates appearing in the final year of their graduation can also apply, however they must possess essential qualifications. |
Age Limit
The age limit for SSC CGL 2021 is 18 – 32 years. The age limit and relaxation criteria are based on vacancy as well. Below is the post wise age limit criteria for SSC CGL 2021 posts:
| SSC CGL 2021 Post Wise Age Limit | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S. No. | Name of Post | Ministry/ Department/ Office/ Cadre | Classification of Posts | Age Limit |
| 1 | Assistant Audit Officer | Indian Audit & Accounts Department under C&AG | Group “B” Gazetted (Non-Ministerial) | Not exceeding 30 years. |
| 2 | Assistant Accounts Officer | Indian Audit & Accounts Department under C&AG | Group “B” Gazetted (Non-Ministerial) | |
| 3 | Assistant Section Officer | Central Secretariat Service | Group “B” | 20-30 years |
| 4 | Assistant Section Officer | Intelligence Bureau | Group “B” | Not exceeding 30 years. |
| 5 | Assistant Section Officer | Ministry of Railway | Group “B” | 20-30 years |
| 6 | Assistant Section Officer | Ministry of External Affairs | Group “B” | |
| 7 | Assistant Section Officer | AFHQ | Group “B” | |
| 8 | Assistant | Other Ministries/ Departments/ Organizations | Group “B” | 18-30 years |
| 9 | Assistant | Other Ministries/ Departments/ Organizations | Group “B” | 20-30 years |
| 10 | Assistant Section Officer | Other Ministries/ Departments/ Organizations | Group “B” | Not exceeding 30 years. |
| 11 | Inspector of Income Tax | CBDT | Group “C” | |
| 12 | Inspector,(Central Excise) | CBIC | Group “B” | |
| 13 | Inspector(Preventive Officer) | |||
| 14 | Inspector(Examiner) | |||
| 15 | Assistant Enforcement Officer | Directorate of Enforcement, Department of Revenue | Group “B” | Up to 30 years |
| 16 | Sub Inspector | Central Bureau of Investigation | Group “B” | 20-30 years |
| 17 | Inspector Posts | Department of Post | Group “B” | 18-30 years |
| 18 | Inspector | Central Bureau of Narcotics | Group “B” | Not exceeding 30 years |
| 19 | Assistant | Other Ministries/ Departments/ Organizations | Group “B” | |
| 20 | Assistant/Superintendent | Other Ministries/ Departments/ Organizations | Group “B” | |
| 21 | Divisional Accountant | Offices under C&AG in SSC CGL 2021 | Group “B” | |
| 22 | Sub Inspector | National Investigation Agency (NIA) | Group “B” | Up to 30 years |
| 23 | Junior Statistical Officer | M/o Statistics & Programme Implementation. | Group “B” | Up to 32 years |
| 24 | Statistical Investigator Grade II |
Registrar General of India | Group “B” | Not exceeding 30 years |
| 25 | Auditor | Offices under C&AG | Group “C” | 18-27 years |
| 26 | Auditor | Other Ministry/ Departments | Group “C” | |
| 27 | Auditor | Offices under CGDA | Group “C” | |
| 28 | Accountant | Offices under C&AG | Group “C” | |
| 29 | Accountant/ Junior Accountant | Other Ministry/ Departments | Group “C” | |
| 30 | Senior Secretariat Assistant/ Upper Division Clerks | Central Govt. Offices/ Ministries other than CSCS cadres. | Group “C” | |
| 31 | Tax Assistant | CBDT | Group “C” | |
| 32 | Tax Assistant | CBIC | Group “C” | |
| 33 | Sub-Inspector | Central Bureau of Narcotics | Group “C” | |
| 34 | Upper Division Clerks | Dy Gen Border Road Organisation (MoD) (Post is only for male Candidates with higher physical and medical standards) | Group “C” | |
Category Wise Age Relaxation
Check the below table for category-wise upper age limit relaxation that is allowed.
| Category | No. of Years |
| OBC | 3 years |
| SC/ST | 5 years |
| Physically Handicapped (PH) | 10 years |
| PH + OBC | 13 years |
| PH + SC/ST | 15 years |
Physical fitness test
Candidates need to have certain physical standards to be eligible for the posts below
- Inspector (Central Excise/ Examiner/Preventive Officer),
- Sub-Inspector in CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation), and
- Sub-Inspector in NIA (National Investigation Agency).
SSC CGL 2021 Selection Process
The SSC CGL Exam is conducted in four stages or Tiers. Every candidate has to score qualifying marks in one tier in order to be eligible for the next tier. Once a candidate has cleared all four tiers, he/she will get a job based on the merit list declared by the SSC and the job preferences declared by the candidate.
| Tier | Type | Mode |
| Tier – I | Objective Multiple Choice | Computer-Based Examination(online) |
| Tier – II | Objective Multiple Choice | Computer-Based Examination(online) |
| Tier – III | Descriptive Paper in English/Hindi | Pen and Paper mode |
| Tier – IV | Skill Test/Computer Proficiency Test | Computer-Based (if applicable) |
SSC CGL selection process is explained below:
- Candidates who have applied for SSC CGL 2021 exam, will be allotted a Roll number and Admit Card to appear in the Computer Based Examination (Tier-I). The time limit for the examination of Tier-I is 60 minutes.
- SSC CGL Tier-I date will be out and candidates will be called to appear in the exam.
- Those candidates who will qualify Tier-I will be called for the Tier-II and Tier-III phase of the SSC CGL Examination.
- SSC will announce separate cut-offs for Paper-III of Tier-II. Paper III is mandatory for the candidates who have applied for the post of Junior Statistical Officer (JSO). Paper-IV of Tier-II is mandatory for the posts of Assistant Audit Officer and Assistant Accounts Officer. Paper-I and Paper-II of Tier-II are common for all the posts offered in SSC CGL 2021 EXAM.
According to the official notification of SSC CGL 2021, minimum qualifying marks have been introduced in Tier-I, Tier-II, and Tier-III exams. It varies for different categories. The Minimum qualifying marks in Tier-I, each Paper of Tier-II and Tier-III examination are as follows:
| Category | Cutoff Marks |
| UR | 30% |
| OBC/ EWS | 25% |
| Others | 20% |
SSC CGL 2021 Exam Pattern
The SSC CGL Exam consists of four tiers. We shall discuss the exam pattern for each of the tier below. It is wise to carefully understand the exam pattern in detail before starting the preparation.
SSC CGL Tier I Exam Pattern
SSC CGL Tier-I exam pattern is explained below:
| Serial No. | Name of the Section | No. of MCQs/Questions | Total Marks Allotted | Maximum Time Allowed |
| 1 | General Intelligence and Reasoning | 25 | 50 | A cumulative time of 60 minutes |
| 2 | General Awareness | 25 | 50 | |
| 3 | Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | 50 | |
| 4 | English Comprehension | 25 | 50 | |
| Total | 100 | 200 | ||
- There are No Sectional Cut-Offs.
- There is a Negative Marking of 0.5 marks for every wrong answer in the Tier I exam.
- No marks shall be deducted for unattempted questions.
SSC CGL Tier-II Exam Pattern
SSC CGL Tier-II exam pattern is explained below:
| Serial No. | Name of the Papers | No. of MCQs | Total Marks Allotted | Maximum Time Allotted |
| 1 | Paper-I: Quantitative Ability | 100 | 200 | 2 hours |
| 2 | Paper-II: English Language and Comprehension | 200 | 200 | 2 hours |
| 3 | Paper-III: Statistics | 100 | 200 | 2 hours |
| 4 | Paper-IV: General Studies (Finance and Economics) | 100 | 200 | 2 hours |
- There are No Sectional Cut-Offs.
- There is a Negative Marking of 0.5 marks for every wrong answer in the Tier I exam.
- No marks shall be deducted for unattempted questions.
SSC CGL Tier III Exam Pattern
SSC CGL Tier-III exam pattern is explained below:
| Name of the Subject | Marks Allotted | Maximum Time Allotted |
| Descriptive Paper in English/Hindi (Writing of Essay, Precis, Letter, Application, etc.) | 100 marks | 1 hour or 60 minutes |
SSC CGL Tier IV Exam Pattern
SSC CGL Tier-IV is a computer-based test that is held in two phases: DEST Test & CPT Test. Here are the details of these two exams:
DEST: In this test candidates need to type 2000 words in 15 minutes on a computer in English. This test is carried out to check the writing skills of a candidate.
CPT: This test is carried out to examine the aptitude to work swiftly on Word Processing, Spreadsheets, and making slides.
SSC CGL 2021 Marking Scheme
- Normalization: In case the multiple shifts of the SSC CGL 2021 exam, having some variations in the difficulty level, then normalization will be implemented on the basis of marks scored in Tier-I and Tier-II. Normalization done through this process will be treated as the final score and the results will be prepared on the basis of those marks.
- SSC Tier I and Tier II follow negative marking for every wrong answer by deducting 0.50 marks as a penalty for every wrong answer. No marks will be deducted for any unattempted question or in case it is left blank. They do not have a sectional cut-off.
- SSC CGL Tier III is a descriptive test which is a language proficiency test. It is conducted in English/Hindi medium comprising 100 marks. The maximum time allotted to attempt the exam is one hour.
SSC CGL 2021 Tie Breaking
In case there is a tie in the scores of the candidates in all the four tiers of the examination, then SSC will break the tie using the following conditions in that order :
- Marks scored in Tier-II Examination.
- Marks scored in Tier-III Examination
- Marks scored in Tier-I Examination.
- Consider the date of birth of the candidates and the older candidate will be placed higher.
- Consider the alphabetical order of the first names of the candidates.
SSC CGL 2021 Salary Structure
Below is the SSC CGL salary range based on their level of pay.
| SSC CGL Pay Scale 2021 | |
|---|---|
| Level | Salary |
| Level 8 | Rs 47600 to 151100 |
| Level 7 | Rs 44900 to 142400 |
| Level 6 | Rs 35400 to 112400 |
| Level 5 | Rs 29000 to 92300 |
| Level 4 | Rs 25500 to 81100 |
SSC CGL 2021 Online Application
Below is the step by step process that you can follow to apply for the SSC CGL exam online:
- Log in to the Official website of SSC
- Register as a new user at the website, which can be created by using a valid email ID and phone number. You will get the OTP for the required ID you want to generate for the SSC portal.
- After you click on the Apply button, you will get the application form.
- Fill in all the relevant details asked in the application form
- Upload scanned copies of your recent passport size photograph, signature, and thumb impression.
- Pay the application fee online or through a Challan which will be generated after you have filled in the required application for SSC CGL 2020-21 Exam.
- Then click on the Submit button after cross-checking the details or else you will not be able to make any changes afterward.
- Download the duly filled-in application form and take a printout for future reference.
SSC CGL 2021 Application Fee
All candidates have to pay an application fee in order to appear for the SSC CGL Exam. The general and OBC candidates have to pay a fee of Rs 100. SC/ST/PH/Female candidates do not have to pay any fee to appear in the exam.
Applications fee should be paid only through SBI either in the form of challan or through SBI Net Banking or any other bank Credit/Debit Card. In case of payment in the form of Challan, the challan form will be generated online and the candidate needs to deposit cash along with the challan in any of the SBI bank branches.
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SSC CGL 2021 Application Fee |
|
| Category | Fees |
| For General /OBC candidates | Rs.100/- |
| For SC/ST/PH candidates | Nill |
| For Female candidates | Nill |
SSC CGL 2021 Document Verification
Document Verification is the final step in the SSC CGL Recruitment process. Staff Selection Commission will call the qualified students for the document verification after the completion of the exam process. Candidates must have their Original hard copies of the Matriculation Certificate, Graduation Certificate, Caste certificate (if filled), and other relevant documents ready, and they should be produced during the document verification process.
SSC CGL 2021 Exam Centers
The candidates are allowed to choose three exam centers of their choice while filling the application form. The SSC will try to allocate the exam center according to the candidate’s order of preference. In case, the candidate’s first choice of exam center is not available, then SSC will adjust according to second and third preference. Below is the list of exam centers along with their respective center codes for your reference.
| SSC CGL Exam Centers | |||||||
| Exam Centre | Centre Code | Exam Centre | Centre Code | Exam Centre | Centre Code | Exam Centre | Centre Code |
| Jammu | 1004 | Lucknow | 3010 | Shillong | 5401 | Aurangabad | 7202 |
| Leh | 1005 | Meerut | 3011 | Tura | 5402 | Kolhapur | 7203 |
| Srinagar | 1007 | Varanasi | 3013 | Imphal | 5501 | Mumbai | 7204 |
| Hamirpur | 1202 | Bhagalpur | 3201 | Churachandpur | 5502 | Nagpur | 7205 |
| Shimla | 1203 | Muzaffarpur | 3205 | Agartala | 5601 | Pune | 7208 |
| Bhathinda | 1401 | Patna | 3606 | Aizwal | 5701 | Nashik | 7207 |
| Jalandhar | 1402 | Gangtok | 4001 | Bhopal | 6001 | Panaji | 7801 |
| Chandigarh | 1601 | Ranchi | 4205 | Chattarpur | 6002 | Guntur | 8001 |
| Almora | 2001 | Chinsurah | 4405 | Chindwara | 6003 | Hyderabad | 8002 |
| Dehradun | 2002 | Jalpaiguri | 4408 | Guna | 6004 | Kurnool | 8003 |
| Haldwani | 2003 | Kolkata | 4410 | Gwalior | 6005 | Rajahmundry | 8004 |
| Srinagar UK | 2004 | Midnapur | 4413 | Indore | 6006 | Tirupati | 8006 |
| Delhi | 2201 | Siliguri | 4415 | Jabalpur | 6007 | Vishakhapatnam | 8007 |
| Ajmer | 2401 | Sambalpur | 4604 | Jhabua | 6008 | Chennai | 8201 |
| Alwar | 2402 | Bhubaneshwar | 4604 | Khandwa | 6009 | Coimbatore | 8202 |
| Bikaner | 2404 | Cuttack | 4605 | Mandsaur | 6010 | Madurai | 8204 |
| Jaipur | 2405 | Port Blair | 4802 | Rewa | 6012 | Tirupati | 8006 |
| Jodhpur | 2406 | Itanagar | 5001 | Ambikapur | 6201 | Vishakhapatnam | 8007 |
| Kota | 2407 | Dibrugarh | 5102 | Bilaspur | 6202 | Chennai | 8201 |
| Sriganganagar | 2408 | Goalpara | 5104 | Jagdalpur | 6203 | Coimbatore | 8202 |
| Udaipur | 2409 | Guwahati | 5105 | Raipur | 6204 | Madurai | 8204 |
| Agra | 3001 | Jorhat | 5107 | Ahmedabad | 7001 | Tiruchirapalli | 8206 |
| Allahabad | 3003 | Lakhimpur | 5109 | Vadodara | 7002 | Tirunelveli | 8207 |
| Bareilly | 3005 | Silchar | 5111 | Rajkot | 7006 | Puducherry | 8401 |
| Gorakhpur | 3007 | Tezpur | 5112 | Surat | 7007 | ||
| Kanpur | 3009 | Kohima | 5302 | Amravati | 7201 | ||