SSC CGL Eligibility 2025: Age Limit, Qualification and Relaxation

SSC CGL eligibility comes down to three checks: your age as on the crucial date, a bachelor's degree from a recognized university, and Indian citizenship (with limited exceptions). This guide gives the exact SSC CGL eligibility criteria from the official notification - post-wise age limits, qualification rules, age relaxation, and the final-year provision - so you can confirm you qualify before you apply.

Based on the official SSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) Examination notification published on ssc.gov.in. SSC revises details each cycle, so always verify against the current year's notification before applying.

SSC CGL eligibility at a glance

Educational qualification for SSC CGL

For most posts the rule is simple: a bachelor's degree in any subject from a recognized university or equivalent. Three post types carry extra conditions:

• Assistant Audit Officer / Assistant Accounts Officer: bachelor's degree is essential. Desirable (not mandatory): CA, CMA, CS, or a master's in Commerce, Business Studies, MBA (Finance), or Business Economics. State-cadre posts also require proficiency in the state's regional or official language at matriculation level, supported by a certificate from a recognized board.
• Junior Statistical Officer: bachelor's degree in any subject with at least 60% marks in Mathematics at 12th standard, or a bachelor's degree with Statistics as one of the subjects at degree level.
• Statistical Investigator Grade-II: bachelor's degree in Statistics, Mathematics, Economics, Demography, Population Studies, Operations Research, IT, Computer Science/Engineering/Technology/Application, Data Science, or Artificial Intelligence.

Appearing in your final year? You can apply, but you must possess the essential qualification as on 1 August 2026. If your result comes after that date, your candidature does not count for this cycle.

SSC CGL age limit by post

The notification computes age as on 1 August 2026 and groups posts into four age bands:

The exact band for every post is listed against each post name in the notification's vacancy table, so check your target post there before assuming.

Age relaxation for reserved categories

The upper age limit relaxes as follows:

• SC/ST: 5 years
• OBC: 3 years
• PwBD: 10 years (13 for PwBD+OBC, 15 for PwBD+SC/ST)
• Ex-Servicemen: 3 years after deducting military service from actual age
• Central government civilian employees (Group C posts): additional relaxation up to 40 years of age per the notification

Nationality criteria

You must be a citizen of India, or a subject of Nepal or Bhutan. The notification also covers Tibetan refugees who came to India before 1 January 1962 and persons of Indian origin who migrated from specified countries, in each case with an eligibility certificate from the Government of India where required.

How to confirm you are eligible before applying

• Find your target post in the notification's vacancy table and read its age band and qualification column.
• Compute your age exactly as on 1 August 2026, not the application date.
• Add your category relaxation to the upper limit if applicable.
• If you are in your final year, confirm your result date falls on or before the crucial date.
• Preparing documents early helps: degree certificate or provisional, date-of-birth proof, category certificate, and the language-proficiency certificate for state-cadre AAO posts.

Once you clear the eligibility check, the next step is understanding the exam itself - see our SSC CGL syllabus tier-wise breakdown and the post-wise SSC CGL salary guide before you fill the form. You can also track live vacancies on our government jobs page.

Once you know you are eligible, study the SSC CGL exam pattern next - the tier structure decides how you should prepare.

Frequently asked questions

Can final-year students apply for SSC CGL?

Yes. Candidates who have appeared in their final year of graduation can apply, but they must hold the essential qualification as on the crucial date (1 August 2026 in the current notification). If your degree result is declared after that date, you are not eligible for this cycle.

What is the minimum qualification for SSC CGL?

A bachelor's degree in any subject from a recognized university covers most posts. Junior Statistical Officer, Statistical Investigator Grade-II, and Assistant Audit/Accounts Officer posts carry extra conditions listed in the qualification section above.

Is there an attempt limit in SSC CGL?

No. The notification does not cap attempts. You can appear every year as long as you stay within the age limit for your target post, including any category relaxation.

What is the age limit for SSC CGL for OBC candidates?

OBC candidates get 3 years of relaxation over the upper age limit of their post. For a post with an 18-30 band, that makes the effective limit 18-33, computed as on the crucial date.

Does 12th percentage matter for SSC CGL?

For almost all posts, no. The only exception is Junior Statistical Officer, which requires at least 60% marks in Mathematics at 12th standard if your degree does not include Statistics as a subject.

Sources

• Official SSC CGL Examination notification, ssc.gov.in (age limits, qualifications, relaxation, nationality)
• Staff Selection Commission, official website (current cycle notice board)