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CGL 2026 · WHO CAN APPLY

SSC CGL Eligibility 2026 · age, degree & posts

Everything that decides whether you can apply — nationality, the post-wise age limits and relaxations, the degree you need, and the extra criteria for specialist posts like JSO, AAO and Income Tax Inspector.

Eligible? Start your free plan Age limit ↓ 🎓 A bachelor’s degree in any stream is the baseline.
Overview

SSC CGL eligibility at a glance

The baseline is simple — be an Indian citizen with a bachelor’s degree, within the age limit for your post. The details (age band, subject requirements, physical standards) then vary post to post.

Nationality
Indian citizen (see full list of eligible categories)
Education
Bachelor’s degree in any discipline
Age limit
18 – 32 years, depending on the post
Age relaxation
SC/ST +5, OBC +3, PwD +10 & more
Final-year students
Can apply if the degree is completed by the cut-off date
Number of attempts
No limit — within the age band
Official source
SSC CGL 2026 notification, ssc.gov.in
Citizenship

Nationality

A candidate must be one of the following:

A citizen of India
A subject of Nepal or Bhutan
A Tibetan refugeeSettled in India before 1 Jan 1962
A person of Indian originMigrated from specified countries to settle in India

Non-citizens must hold an eligibility certificate issued by the Government of India.

Age limit

Post-wise age limit

There is no single age limit — it depends on the post, calculated as on the cut-off date in the notification. The common bands are:

Age bandRepresentative posts
18 – 30 yearsInspector (Income Tax / CBIC), Assistant Section Officer, Assistant, Auditor, Accountant, Tax Assistant, Sub-Inspector
20 – 30 yearsAssistant Audit Officer / Assistant Accounts Officer (AAO), some Assistant Section Officer posts
18 – 32 yearsJunior Statistical Officer (JSO)

Age bands vary slightly each cycle and by department — always confirm the exact limit for your post in the official SSC CGL 2026 notification.

Category relaxation

Age relaxation

The upper age limit is relaxed for reserved and special categories, over and above the limit for the post.

CategoryAge relaxation
OBC3 years
SC / ST5 years
PwD (Unreserved)10 years
PwD + OBC13 years
PwD + SC / ST15 years
Ex-servicemen3 years after deduction of military service
Central Govt. civilian employeesUp to 5 years (conditions apply)
Qualification

Educational qualification

A bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognised university is the baseline. A few posts add subject requirements:

All general postsBachelor’s degree in any stream
Junior Statistical OfficerDegree with Statistics, or Maths (60%+) in Class 12
Statistical Investigator Gr-IIDegree with Statistics / Maths / Economics
AAO (Audit / Accounts)Degree; CA / CS / MBA / M.Com desirable
CompilerDegree with Economics / Statistics / Maths
Final-year studentsEligible if degree is done by the cut-off date
By post

Post-wise eligibility, quick view

The most-searched posts and what they specifically need — beyond the common bachelor’s-degree baseline.

Income Tax Inspector

Degree in any stream · age 18–30 · physical standards apply for some CBIC roles.

Assistant Section Officer

Degree in any stream · age up to 30 · computer proficiency test.

Junior Statistical Officer

Degree with Statistics (or Maths 60% in 12th) · age up to 32.

Assistant Audit / Accounts Officer

Degree · CA / CS / MBA / M.Com desirable · age up to 30.

Field posts only

Physical standards

A few posts — Inspector (Central Excise / Examiner / Preventive Officer) and Sub-Inspector (CBI / NIA) — add physical and medical standards on top of the written exam.

StandardMaleFemale
Height157.5 cm152 cm
Chest (male)81 cm (unexpanded)
Physical testWalking & cyclingWalking & cycling

Standards are relaxed for hill-area and reserved categories. These apply only to specific field posts — most CGL posts have no physical test. Confirm exact standards in the notification.

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FAQ

Eligibility questions, answered

It ranges from 18 to 32 years depending on the post — most posts are 18–30, AAO up to 30, and JSO up to 32. Age is counted as on the cut-off date in the notification, with category relaxations on top.
A bachelor’s degree in any discipline for general posts. A few posts add subject requirements — JSO needs Statistics or Maths, and AAO values CA/CS/MBA/M.Com.
Yes, provided you complete your degree and can produce proof by the cut-off date mentioned in the notification.
No. You can appear as many times as you like, as long as you are within the age limit for the post.
No. Only field posts like Inspector (Central Excise / Preventive Officer) and Sub-Inspector (CBI / NIA) have physical and medical standards. Most desk posts have none.
For most posts there is no minimum percentage — a pass degree is enough. JSO is the main exception, needing Statistics in graduation or 60% Maths in Class 12.

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