SSC CHSL 2026 exam pattern — sections, marks, negative marking
SSC CHSL (SSC Combined Higher Secondary (10+2) Level Examination (CHSL)) is conducted by Staff Selection Commission (SSC). The stages are: Tier 1 CBT → Tier 2 CBT (with skill / typing test) → document verification. This page sets out each stage with its sections, questions, marks, duration and negative marking, explains how the final selection is made, and shows how to approach each subject. For dates and the current status of the 2026 cycle, see the SSC CHSL guide.
Tier 1 — Computer Based Exam: 100 questions, 200 marks, 60 minutes, +2 per correct, −0.50 per wrong. Tier 2 — Session I (objective) + Session II (skill/typing test): 135 questions, 405 marks, 135 minutes, +3 per correct, −1 per wrong.
✓ Data verified 1 Oct 2026
Stage-wise exam pattern
Tier 1 — Computer Based Exam Qualifying (shortlists for Tier 2)
Online CBT · 60 min · +2 per correct, −0.50 per wrong
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| English Language (basic knowledge) | 25 | 50 |
| General Intelligence | 25 | 50 |
| Quantitative Aptitude (basic arithmetic skill) | 25 | 50 |
| General Awareness | 25 | 50 |
| Total | 100 | 200 |
The notice sets a sectional timer of 15 minutes for each subject within the 60-minute paper, so you cannot carry unused time from one subject to another. Candidates eligible for a scribe get 80 minutes (20 per subject). Minimum qualifying marks in Tier 1 are 30% for UR, 25% for OBC/EWS and 20% for all other categories. Scores are normalised when the exam runs in multiple shifts. Tier 1 only decides who is shortlisted for Tier 2.
Tier 2 — Session I (objective) + Session II (skill/typing test) Merit-deciding (Sections I and II)
Online CBT, two sessions on the same day · 135 min · +3 per correct, −1 per wrong
Session I (2 h 15 min): Section I is 1 hour (30 minutes sectional timer each for Maths and Reasoning), Section II is 1 hour (40 minutes for English, 20 minutes for GA), Section III is 15 minutes. Session II — Section IV — is the Skill Test/Typing Test, qualifying only: DEO posts take a 15-minute data-entry skill test (15,000 key depressions/hour for DEOs in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, SSC and the Ministry of Culture; 8,000 key depressions/hour for other DEOs), and LDC/JSA candidates take a 10-minute typing test at 35 w.p.m. in English or 30 w.p.m. in Hindi (Mangal font). Merit uses the 360 marks of Sections I and II only; you must qualify in all sections. Minimum qualifying marks in Sections I, II and III are 30% UR, 25% OBC/EWS and 20% others. Negative marking of 1 applies in Sections I, II and III.
Selection process
Tier 1 (shortlisting) → Tier 2 Sections I–III (objective) → Section IV skill/typing test → options and preferences → Document Verification by the user department. Tier 1 decides who is called for Tier 2. The merit list is prepared on the aggregate of Tier 2 Section I and Section II marks only, provided you qualify Section III (Computer Knowledge Test) and Section IV (typing or skill test). Posts are then allotted on merit-cum-preference — the first available preference you filled is the one you get, and options are irreversible, so choose carefully. Ties are broken in this order: Tier 2 Section I marks, Tier 1 marks, then date of birth (older candidate ranks higher). There is no interview.
Normalisation: why your raw score is not your final score
When an exam runs in many shifts with different question papers, SSC normalises scores using the procedure it published in its notice of 2 June 2025, and the normalised score is used for cut-offs and merit. Practical consequences: (1) never compare raw marks across shifts or years; (2) attempt according to the paper in front of you rather than chasing a number; (3) your normalised score — not the raw one — decides your result.
How to read this pattern
Each stage carries a tag that tells you what it is for. In this exam: Tier 1 — Computer Based Exam is “Qualifying (shortlists for Tier 2)”; Tier 2 — Session I (objective) + Session II (skill/typing test) is “Merit-deciding (Sections I and II)”. Read each stage's tag and notes to see whether its marks count towards the final merit or only decide who moves to the next stage, because that changes how much risk is worth taking on a single question.
Always check the negative marking line before you decide how freely to guess. Where there is a penalty, a wrong answer costs marks; where the data says there is none, leaving a question blank only loses the chance to score.
Question counts per section are the best guide to how much time and practice each subject deserves. Use the tables above to split your preparation in proportion to the marks on offer, and revisit the split after each mock or topic test.
How to approach each section
Each subject below links to the full notes on ExamShortcut. Topics are listed as high importance where our topic data flags them; the question counts come from the pattern above.
English Comprehension
All 14 topics →Tier 1 — Computer Based Exam: 25 questions, 50 marks · Tier 2 — Session I (objective) + Session II (skill/typing test): 40 questions, 120 marks
Build the basics in grammar (error spotting, fill in the blanks, sentence improvement) and add a little vocabulary every day: idioms, one-word substitutions, synonyms and spellings. For comprehension, read the questions before the passage and answer from the text, not from outside knowledge.
High-importance topics: Reading Comprehension, Cloze Test, Error Spotting, Sentence Improvement, Fill in the Blanks, Grammar Essentials (Handbook)
General Intelligence & Reasoning
All 20 topics →Tier 1 — Computer Based Exam: 25 questions, 50 marks · Tier 2 — Session I (objective) + Session II (skill/typing test): 30 questions, 90 marks
Reasoning rewards pattern recognition, so practise each question type until you recognise it on sight: series, coding-decoding, analogy, classification, syllogism, direction and blood-relation questions, and non-verbal figures. Work in rough on paper rather than in your head, and skip any puzzle that is not settling within a minute or so.
High-importance topics: Analogy, Classification (Odd One Out), Series (Number & Letter), Coding - Decoding, Blood Relations, Seating Arrangement
Quantitative Aptitude
All 23 topics →Tier 1 — Computer Based Exam: 25 questions, 50 marks · Tier 2 — Session I (objective) + Session II (skill/typing test): 30 questions, 90 marks
Learn the formula and the shortcut for each topic first, then drill timed sets so that routine calculation questions take seconds. In the exam, take the questions you can do quickly and leave the long, multi-step ones for the end. Topic tests after every chapter show which topics still cost you time.
High-importance topics: Number System, Percentage, Ratio, Proportion, Partnership & Ages, Average, Interest (SI & CI), Profit, Loss & Discount
General Awareness
All 14 topics →Tier 1 — Computer Based Exam: 25 questions, 50 marks · Tier 2 — Session I (objective) + Session II (skill/typing test): 20 questions, 60 marks
General awareness is memory work, so revise in short, regular rounds instead of cramming. Combine static GK tables with the last several months of current affairs, and use the daily quiz to keep facts fresh. Decide in advance how much time you will give it.
High-importance topics: Modern Indian History, Indian Polity & Constitution, Indian Geography, Indian Economy, Biology, Static GK
Computer Knowledge
All 10 topics →Tier 2 — Session I (objective) + Session II (skill/typing test): 15 questions, 45 marks
Computer questions are fact-based: hardware and software, operating systems, MS Office shortcuts, networking and internet basics, and security terms. Read through the notes a few times and revise with quick quizzes rather than long practice sessions.
High-importance topics: Computer Fundamentals, Hardware, Memory & Number Systems, MS Word, MS Excel, Internet, Browsers & E-mail, Networking: Devices, Topologies & Protocols
Next, check who can apply on the SSC CHSL eligibility page and compare posts and pay on the SSC CHSL salary and posts page.
SSC CHSL exam pattern — FAQs
What is the selection process for SSC CHSL?
Tier 1 CBT → Tier 2 CBT (with skill / typing test) → document verification.
What is the Tier 1 — Computer Based Exam pattern in SSC CHSL?
100 questions, 200 marks, 60 minutes, +2 per correct, −0.50 per wrong. Sections: English Language (basic knowledge) (25 questions, 50 marks); General Intelligence (25 questions, 50 marks); Quantitative Aptitude (basic arithmetic skill) (25 questions, 50 marks); General Awareness (25 questions, 50 marks).
What is the Tier 2 — Session I (objective) + Session II (skill/typing test) pattern in SSC CHSL?
135 questions, 405 marks, 135 minutes, +3 per correct, −1 per wrong. Sections: Section I · Part A — Mathematical Abilities (30 questions, 90 marks); Section I · Part B — Reasoning & General Intelligence (30 questions, 90 marks); Section II · Part A — English Language & Comprehension (40 questions, 120 marks); Section II · Part B — General Awareness (20 questions, 60 marks); Section III — Computer Knowledge Test (qualifying) (15 questions, 45 marks).
Do Tier 1 marks count towards final selection?
No. Tier 1 only shortlists candidates for Tier 2, although it is the third tie-break after Tier 2 Section I marks. The merit list is built from Tier 2 Section I and Section II (360 marks).
Is the computer test or typing test counted in merit?
No — both are qualifying only. The Computer Knowledge Test (Section III) and the Skill/Typing Test (Section IV) must be cleared, but their marks do not add to your merit score.
What typing speed is needed for LDC/JSA?
35 words per minute in English or 30 w.p.m. in Hindi, tested over 10 minutes on a given passage. These correspond to roughly 10,500 and 9,000 key depressions per hour. You choose English or Hindi in the application form and cannot change it later; Hindi must be typed in Mangal font.
What are the qualifying marks?
In Tier 1 and in Tier 2 Sections I, II and III, minimum qualifying marks are 30% for UR, 25% for OBC/EWS and 20% for all other categories. These are only floors — actual cut-offs depend on vacancies and difficulty.
Is there a waiting list or any interview?
There is no interview. SSC does not keep a waiting list for multi-post exams, but it uses a sliding mechanism for allocation, so qualifying candidates can move to a lower preference if higher ones fill up.