The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) is set to release the Exam City Intimation Slip for the Combined Graduate Level Examination (SSC CGL 2026) Tier 1 on Monday, September 21, 2026. A massive total of 28,52,665 candidates have registered nationwide to compete for 12,256 Group 'B' and Group 'C' central government vacancies. Registered applicants can check their assigned exam city, test date, and examination shift by logging into the official portal at ssc.gov.in.
SSC CGL 2026 Tier 1 Critical Examination Timelines
Candidates can review the key schedule for the nationwide recruitment drive:
- Conducting Organization: Staff Selection Commission (SSC)
- Official Website: ssc.gov.in
- Total Registered Candidates: 28,52,665 Applicants
- Total Vacancies: 12,256 Group 'B' and Group 'C' Posts
- City Intimation Slip Release Date: Monday, September 21, 2026
- Admit Card / Call Letter Release Date: September 27, 2026 onwards (3 days prior to exam date)
- Tier 1 Computer-Based Examination Dates: September 30 to October 10, 2026
- Subsequent Stage: Tier 2 Online Examination scheduled for December 2026
Applicant Statistics & Category-Wise Competition Breakdown
With over 28.52 lakh aspirants in the fray, the competition ratio stands at approximately 232 applicants per vacancy:
- Unreserved (General) Category: Approx. 6.2 lakh applicants.
- OBC (Other Backward Classes): Over 10.4 lakh applicants (highest among all reservation categories).
- SC & ST Categories: Over 6.8 lakh SC candidates and 2.9 lakh ST candidates registered.
- EWS Category: Approximately 2.2 lakh applicants.
- High Competition Posts: Assistant Section Officer (CSS, MEA, IB), Income Tax Inspector (CBDT), and Central Excise Inspector (CBIC) command the highest preference volume.
Shift Timings & Normalization Methodology
The Tier 1 examination will be conducted across three to four daily shifts at designated computer labs nationwide:
- Shift 1: Reporting: 07:45 AM | Gate Closes: 08:30 AM | Exam: 09:00 AM to 10:00 AM
- Shift 2: Reporting: 10:45 AM | Gate Closes: 11:30 AM | Exam: 12:00 PM to 01:00 PM
- Shift 3: Reporting: 01:45 PM | Gate Closes: 02:30 PM | Exam: 03:00 PM to 04:00 PM
- Shift 4: Reporting: 04:15 PM | Gate Closes: 05:00 PM | Exam: 05:30 PM to 06:30 PM (where scheduled)
- Equipercentile Normalization: Because the examination spans multiple days and shifts, raw scores will be normalized using the Commission's official formula to account for slight variations in difficulty levels across question papers.
Tier 1 Exam Pattern & Qualifying Structure
Tier 1 is a 60-minute objective computer-based screening test comprising 100 questions carrying 200 marks:
- General Intelligence & Reasoning: 25 Questions (50 Marks)
- General Awareness: 25 Questions (50 Marks)
- Quantitative Aptitude: 25 Questions (50 Marks)
- English Comprehension: 25 Questions (50 Marks)
- Marking Scheme: +2 marks for each correct response; penalty of 0.50 marks for each incorrect response.
- Shortlisting Criterion: Marks scored in Tier 1 determine qualification for Tier 2, but will not be added to the final merit list (qualifying screening nature).
Step-by-Step Instructions to Download Exam City Slip
Follow these instructions on the official SSC portal once the link goes live on September 21:
- Visit the official portal at ssc.gov.in.
- Click on the 'Login' icon on the top-right corner of the homepage.
- Enter your Registration Number and Password created during the One-Time Registration (OTR).
- Click on the notification link titled 'Check Examination City Intimation Slip – Combined Graduate Level Examination (Tier 1) 2026'.
- Your assigned examination city, scheduled test date, and reporting shift will be displayed.
- Note your exam city to make necessary travel and accommodation arrangements in advance.
Exam-Day Reporting Guidelines & Photo ID Checklist
Candidates must ensure they possess the following credentials when reporting to their exam centre:
- Printed copy of the official SSC CGL Tier 1 Admit Card (available from September 27).
- Two (2) recent passport-sized colour photographs identical to the application photo.
- Original valid Government Photo ID Proof (Aadhaar Card, Voter ID, Driving License, Passport, or PAN Card).
- Mandatory Date of Birth Proof: If the Photo ID does not display the complete Date of Birth (DD-MM-YYYY), an original Class 10 Matriculation Certificate must be produced.
- Prohibited Items: Smartwatches, Bluetooth earphones, mobile phones, bags, calculators, and metallic ornaments are strictly banned inside examination premises.