SSC CHSL Exam (Staff Selection Commission Combined Higher Secondary Level Examination) is a national-level competitive examination conducted by the Staff Selection Commission to recruit candidates for various clerical and administrative posts in central government departments and ministries. It is mainly designed for candidates who have completed their 10+2 (Higher Secondary) education. Through this exam, appointments are made to posts such as Lower Division Clerk (LDC), Junior Secretariat Assistant (JSA), Postal Assistant (PA), Sorting Assistant (SA), and Data Entry Operator (DEO).
The selection process typically consists of Tier I (computer-based objective test), Tier II (descriptive paper), and a skill or typing test depending on the post. The exam evaluates candidates in subjects like General Intelligence, English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, and General Awareness. SSC CHSL is highly popular among students due to its job stability, attractive salary, and opportunities for career growth in central government services.
SSC CHSL 2025 : Overview
| Feature | Details |
| Posts Offered | LDC, JSA, DEO, and DEO Grade ‘A’ |
| Pay Scale (LDC/JSA) | Pay Level-2 (Rs. 19,900-63,200) |
| Pay Scale (DEO) | Pay Level-4 & 5 (Up to Rs. 92,300) |
| Age Limit | 18-27 years (as on 01-01-2026) |
| Educational Qualification | 12th Standard Pass or equivalent |
| Application Fee | Rs. 100 (Exempted for Women/SC/ST/PwBD/ESM) |
SSC CHSL 2025 : Exam Pattern
The examination consists of two stages: Tier-I and Tier-II, both conducted in Computer Based Examination (CBE) mode.
Tier-I Exam Pattern :
Tier-I is an objective-type exam consisting of 100 questions.
| Part | Subject | Questions/Marks | Time Duration |
| I | English Language (Basic) | 25 / 50 | 60 Minutes (80 mins for scribes) |
| II | General Intelligence | 25 / 50 | |
| III | Quantitative Aptitude | 25 / 50 | |
| IV | General Awareness | 25 / 50 |
Note: There is a negative marking of 0.50 marks for each wrong answer in Tier-I.
Tier-II Exam Pattern :
Tier-II is conducted in two sessions on the same day. It includes objective questions and skill tests.
| Subject | Questions / Marks | Duration |
| Mathematical Abilities & Reasoning | 60 Qs / 180 Marks | 1 Hour |
| English & General Awareness | 60 Qs / 180 Marks | 1 Hour |
| Computer Knowledge Test | 15 Qs / 45 Marks | 15 Minutes |
| Skill Test / Typing Test | Qualifying Nature | 10-15 Minutes |
Note: In Tier-II, negative marking is 1 mark for each wrong answer in Sections I, II, and III.
| SSC CHSL Tier 2 Exam Pattern 2025 | ||||||
| Session | Section | Modules | Subject | No. of Questions | Marks | Time |
| Session-I (2 hours and 15 minutes) | Section 1 | Module-1 | Mathematical Abilities | 30 | 60*3 = 180 | 1 hour |
| Module-2 | Reasoning and General Intelligence | 30 | ||||
| Section 2 | Module-1 | English Language and Comprehension | 40 | 60*3 = 180 | 1 hour | |
| Module-2 | General Awareness | 20 | ||||
| Section 3 | Module-1 | Computer Knowledge Module | 15 | 15*3 = 45 | 15 minutes | |
| Session-II | Section 3 | Module-2 | Skill Test/ Typing Test Module- Part A- Skill Test for DEOs in Department/ Ministry Part B: Skill Test for DEOs except in Department/ Ministry Part C: Typing Test for LDC/ JSA | — | — | 15 minutes 15 minutes 10 minutes |
SSC CHSL 2025 : Syllabus
Tier-I Detailed Syllabus :
The Tier-I exam consists of four parts, all containing objective-type, multiple-choice questions.
| Subject | Detailed Topic Breakdown |
| English Language | Spot the Error, Fill in the Blanks, Synonyms/Homonyms, Antonyms, Spellings/Detecting mis-spelt words, Idioms & Phrases, One-word substitution, Improvement of Sentences, Active/Passive Voice of Verbs, Conversion into Direct/Indirect narration, Shuffling of Sentence parts, Shuffling of Sentences in a passage, Cloze Passage, Comprehension Passage. |
| General Intelligence | Verbal & Non-Verbal: Semantic Analogy, Symbolic operations, Symbolic/Number Analogy, Trends, Figural Analogy, Space Orientation, Semantic Classification, Venn Diagrams, Symbolic/Number Classification, Drawing inferences, Figural Classification, Punched hole/pattern-folding & unfolding, Semantic Series, Figural Pattern-folding and completion, Number Series, Embedded figures, Figural Series, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Emotional Intelligence, Word Building, Social Intelligence, Coding and de-coding, Numerical operations. |
| Quantitative Aptitude | Number Systems: Computation of Whole Number, Decimal and Fractions, Relationship between numbers. Fundamental Arithmetical Operations: Percentages, Ratio and Proportion, Square roots, Averages, Interest (Simple and Compound), Profit and Loss, Discount, Partnership Business, Mixture and Alligation, Time and distance, Time and work. Algebra: Basic algebraic identities of School Algebra and Elementary surds, Graphs of Linear Equations. Geometry: Triangle and its various kinds of centres, Congruence and similarity of triangles, Circle and its chords, tangents, angles subtended by chords of a circle, common tangents to two or more circles. Mensuration: Triangle, Quadrilaterals, Regular Polygons, Circle, Right Prism, Right Circular Cone, Right Circular Cylinder, Sphere, Hemispheres, Rectangular Parallelepiped, Regular Right Pyramid with triangular or square Base. Trigonometry: Trigonometric ratios, Complementary angles, Height and distances (simple problems only), Standard Identities (e.g., $sin^2\theta + cos^2\theta = 1$). Statistical Charts: Histogram, Frequency polygon, Bar-diagram, Pie-chart. |
| General Awareness | Questions on the environment and its application to society. Knowledge of current events and matters of everyday observation and experience in their scientific aspect. India and its neighboring countries, specifically History, Culture, Geography, Economic Scene, General Policy, and Scientific Research. |
Tier-II Detailed Syllabus :
Tier-II includes more advanced modules, particularly in Mathematical Abilities and Computer Knowledge.
| Subject / Module | Detailed Topic Breakdown |
| Module-I: Mathematical Abilities | Number Systems: Computation of Whole Number, Decimal and Fractions, Relationship between numbers. Fundamental Arithmetical Operations: Percentages, Ratio and Proportion, Square roots, Averages, Interest, Profit and Loss, Discount, Partnership, Mixture and Alligation, Time and distance, Time and work. Algebra: Basic algebraic identities, Elementary surds, Graphs of Linear Equations. Geometry: Elementary geometric figures and facts, Triangles (centres, congruence, similarity), Circles (chords, tangents, angles). Mensuration: Triangles, Quadrilaterals, Polygons, Circles, Prisms, Cones, Cylinders, Spheres, Pyramids. Trigonometry: Ratios, Complementary angles, Height and distances, Standard Identities. Statistics and Probability: Histogram, Frequency polygon, Bar-diagram, Pie-chart; Measures of central tendency: Mean, Median, Mode, Standard deviation; Calculation of simple probabilities. |
| Module-II: Reasoning & General Intelligence | Same core topics as Tier-I, including Semantic/Symbolic/Figural Analogy and Classification, Space Orientation, Venn Diagrams, Drawing Inferences, Pattern Folding, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Emotional/Social Intelligence, Word Building, and Coding/Decoding. |
| Section-II: English Language & Comprehension | Vocabulary, Grammar, Sentence structure, Synonyms, Antonyms and correct usage. Spot the Error, Fill in the Blanks, Spellings, Idioms & Phrases, One-word substitution, Sentence Improvement, Active/Passive Voice, Direct/Indirect narration, Shuffling of Sentences. Comprehension: Two or more paragraphs; at least one based on a book/story and others based on current affairs editorials or reports. |
| Section-III: Computer Knowledge Test | Computer Basics: Organization, CPU, Input/output devices, Computer memory, Memory organization, Back-up devices, PORTS, Windows Explorer, Keyboard shortcuts. Software: Windows Operating system, MS Office (MS Word, MS Excel, PowerPoint). Internet and E-mails: Web Browsing & Searching, Downloading & Uploading, Managing an E-mail Account, e-Banking. Networking and Cyber Security: Networking devices and protocols, Network and information security threats (hacking, virus, worms, Trojan etc.) and preventive measures. |
Tier-II Section-IV: Skill & Typing Test Standards
Selection depends on qualifying these specific speeds on a computer.
| Post Type | Speed Requirement | Test Duration |
| DEO / DEO Grade ‘A’ (Para 8.1) | 15,000 Key Depressions per hour (approx. 3700-4000 depressions in text). | 15 Minutes (20 for Scribes). |
| DEO / DEO Grade ‘A’ (Other Depts) | 8,000 Key Depressions per hour (approx. 2000-2200 depressions in text). | 15 Minutes (20 for Scribes). |
| LDC / JSA (English Medium) | 35 Words Per Minute (approx. 10,500 key depressions per hour). | 10 Minutes (15 for Scribes). |
| LDC / JSA (Hindi Medium) | 30 Words Per Minute (approx. 9,000 key depressions per hour). | 10 Minutes (15 for Scribes). |
Preparation Tips
- Master the Basics: Start with NCERT books for Mathematics and General Awareness. For English, focus on “Basic Knowledge” as highlighted in the notification.
- Focus on Accuracy: With a negative marking of 0.50 in Tier-I and 1.0 in Tier-II, guessing can be fatal to your score.
- Prepare for Sectional Timing: In Tier-II, sections close automatically after their allotted hour. Practice mock tests with strict timers.
- Don’t Ignore Computer Knowledge: While Section-III (Computer Test) is qualifying, failing it means you won’t be considered for the merit list, regardless of your other scores.
- Daily Typing Practice: Don’t wait for Tier-I results to start typing. Consistency is key to reaching 35 w.p.m. with high accuracy.
- Analyze Previous Papers: Identify recurring topics in General Awareness, especially those pertaining to India and its neighboring countries.
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