SSC CGL Exam Date 2026: Tier 1 from 30 September
What the 12 September notice actually says
It is a single page and it carries one line of substance. Anything else you have read about a CGL date this month is somebody's guess laid on top of it.
| In the notice | What it states |
|---|---|
| Examination | Combined Graduate Level Examination, 2026 |
| Tier and mode | Tier 1, computer based examination |
| Schedule | 30th September 2026 to 30th October 2026 |
| File number and date | F.No. HQ-EC033/7/2025-EC, signed by the Under Secretary on 12.09.2026 |
| What it does not give | No shift timings, no city, no admit card date. It only asks candidates to keep visiting the Commission's website |
Reading the window: a month late, and 31 days long
The CGLE 2026 notification of 21.05.2026 had indicated Tier 1 in August or September and Tier 2 in December. Put the two documents side by side and three things follow that neither one spells out.
| Our reading | How it works out |
|---|---|
| The slip | Tier 1 begins on the last day of September and ends on 30 October, so against an August-September indication the paper has moved back by about a month. |
| The spread | Thirty-one days end to end. Candidates sit on different days in different shifts, which is why SSC normalises Tier 1 marks across shifts instead of comparing raw scores. |
| The gap to Tier 2 | If the December indication for Tier 2 holds, anyone writing Tier 1 in the last week of October has roughly six weeks before Tier 2. The descriptive paper and the harder maths are worth starting now rather than after the Tier 1 result. |
| SSC's next papers | A notice of 01.10.2026 puts JE Paper 1 on 02 to 06 November, the Delhi Police and CAPF SI paper on 20 to 28 November and CHSL 2026 Tier 1 from 30 November to 31 December. If CGL Tier 2 lands in December as indicated, it would run inside the CHSL Tier 1 window, so anyone sitting both should expect tight spacing. |
| What is still open | The Tier 1 answer key, the result and a firm Tier 2 date. None had been announced as on 16.10.2026, and the answer key cannot come before the last paper on 30 October. |
City slip and admit card: how it played out
On 20.09.2026 this page worked out from last year's notices that the city details should open around 21.09.2026. SSC's IT Section put them live on exactly that day. Everything now comes from one place, the candidate login on ssc.gov.in, not from regional websites.
| Step | What SSC did for CGL 2026, and how it compares with 2025 |
|---|---|
| City details | Live in the login from 21.09.2026, nine days before the first paper. CGL 2025 used the same nine-day lead (03.09.2025 for a 12.09.2025 start). |
| Admit card | Tentatively 2 or 3 days before each candidate's own date, through the same login. A late-October slot means a late-October card, so an empty login in early October is normal. |
| Own scribe | Scribes must register afresh with Aadhaar authentication, because registrations made before 05.11.2025 were disposed of. Mapping the scribe OTR closed on 24.09.2026 at 11 PM. |
| Size of the exam | SSC has not published a 2026 count. CGL 2025 had 28,14,604 registered candidates over 15 days, and this year's window is 31 days. |
Tentative vacancies: 10,731 posts
The Commission's list as on 24.09.2026 is the first full count for this cycle. SSC itself says it does not collect state-wise or zone-wise figures, so those have to come from each department.
| Post | Tentative vacancies and what stands out |
|---|---|
| Inspector (Central Excise), CBIC | 2,366, Level 7. The largest single post, about 22% of the whole list, and marked not suitable for colour blind candidates. |
| Tax Assistant, CBDT and CBIC | 1,400 and 841, Level 4. Together 2,241, the second largest block. |
| Auditor, CGDA | 875, Level 5. |
| ASO, Central Secretariat Service | 668, Level 7. |
| Inspector of Income Tax, CBDT | 595, Level 7. |
| AAO and AAO (C&AG) | 504 Assistant Accounts Officer, 504 Assistant Audit Officer (State Cadre) and 513 Assistant Audit Officer (Central Cadre), all Level 8 Gazetted. |
| By category | UR 4,412, SC 1,715, ST 804, OBC 2,772 and EWS 1,028, which add up to 10,731. ESM 373. |
Paper still ahead of you
Tier 1 is 100 questions in 60 minutes, marked +2 and minus 0.50, so the paper tests pace as much as knowledge. If your slot is later in October, full-length timed papers are the best use of the days left. We publish free SSC CGL Tier 1 mock tests on the same pattern, with a running timer and a worked solution on every question, and you do not need an account to take one. Subject-wise practice is there for whatever a mock shows up as weak.
Important links
| Resource | Link (status as on 16.10.2026) |
|---|---|
| Tier 1 schedule notice, 12.09.2026 | Download the notice PDF · live, carries the 30.09 to 30.10 window |
| City and admit card notice, 21.09.2026 | Download the notice PDF · live |
| Tentative vacancies, 24.09.2026 | Download the vacancy PDF · live, 10,731 posts |
| SSC exam schedule notice, 01.10.2026 | Download the notice PDF · live, JE, CPO and CHSL 2026 dates |
| Candidate login (city slip and admit card) | ssc.gov.in login · open, card appears 2 or 3 days before your date |
| CGL 2025 city and admit card notice, 03.09.2025 | Download the notice PDF · last cycle, used above for comparison |
| Commission notice board | ssc.gov.in · no CGL 2026 answer key as on 16.10.2026 |
| Practice: SSC CGL Tier 1 mock tests | Free timed papers on this site |
Frequently asked questions
What is the SSC CGL exam date 2026?
Tier 1 of the Combined Graduate Level Examination 2026 runs from 30 September 2026 to 30 October 2026. The date comes from an important notice the Staff Selection Commission published on 12 September 2026. Your own slot inside that window is the one printed on your admit card.
Has SSC released the CGL 2026 admit card?
Yes, in stages. The exam city details went live in the candidate login on 21 September 2026, and each admit card opens in the same login 2 or 3 days before that candidate's own exam date. Someone writing on 28 October gets a card around 25 or 26 October, not at the start of the window.
How many vacancies are there in SSC CGL 2026?
The Commission's tentative list as on 24 September 2026 shows 10,731 posts. Inspector (Central Excise) in CBIC is the largest single post at 2,366, about one in five of all vacancies. The list is tentative and usually changes before the final result.
When will the SSC CGL 2026 Tier 1 answer key come out?
Not before the exam ends on 30 October 2026, and SSC had announced no date as on 16 October 2026. The tentative answer key and response sheets will be posted on ssc.gov.in with a window to challenge them.
Why is SSC CGL 2026 Tier 1 later than expected?
The notification of 21 May 2026 indicated Tier 1 in August or September 2026. The exam now begins on the last day of September and finishes on 30 October, so it is running roughly a month behind that indication.
When is SSC CGL 2026 Tier 2?
The 21 May 2026 notification indicated December 2026. SSC has not confirmed a Tier 2 date since. If December holds, only about six weeks separate the end of Tier 1 and the start of Tier 2.
How many days does the SSC CGL Tier 1 exam run?
Thirty-one days, from 30 September to 30 October 2026. A window that long means candidates sit different shifts on different days, which is why SSC normalises Tier 1 scores across shifts.