Combined Higher Secondary (10+2) Level Examination

The Combined Higher Secondary Level examination fills clerical and data entry posts at class 12 level. As with CGL, Tier-I screens for Tier-II and does not itself enter the merit list.

100 questions · 60 minutes · 200 marks · 0.5 negative marking

SSC CHSL Exam Pattern

Eligibility

Class 12 pass or equivalent. Data Entry Operator posts in some departments additionally require the Science stream with Mathematics at class 12, which is why SSC publishes separate merit lists for science and non-science streams.

18 to 27 years, reckoned as on the date stated in the notification.

Selection Process

1. Tier-I — 100 questions for 200 marks in 60 minutes, 80 for scribe-eligible candidates, with 0.50 deducted per wrong answer. Screening only.
2. Tier-II Paper-I Session-I — Mathematics and Reasoning, then English and General Awareness, then a 15-question Computer Knowledge module. Note the English and General Awareness split is 40 and 20 questions, where CGL uses 45 and 25.
3. Tier-II Session-II skill test — A data entry skill test for Data Entry Operator posts, or a typing test for Lower Division Clerk and Junior Secretariat Assistant posts. Qualifying only.
4. Document verification — Final allocation follows the Tier-II merit and the post preferences submitted.

SSC CHSL Syllabus

English Language

• Spot the error
• Fill in the blanks
• Synonyms and homonyms
• Antonyms
• Spellings and detecting mis-spelt words
• Idioms and phrases
• One word substitution
• Improvement of sentences
• Active and passive voice of verbs
• Conversion into direct and indirect narration
• Shuffling of sentence parts
• Shuffling of sentences in a passage
• Cloze passage
• Comprehension passage

General Intelligence

• Semantic analogy
• Symbolic and number analogy
• Figural analogy
• Semantic classification
• Symbolic and number classification
• Figural classification
• Semantic series
• Number series
• Figural series
• Problem solving
• Word building
• Coding and decoding
• Numerical operations
• Symbolic operations
• Space orientation
• Venn diagrams
• Drawing inferences
• Punched hole and pattern folding and unfolding
• Embedded figures
• Critical thinking
• Emotional intelligence
• Social intelligence

Quantitative Aptitude

• Number systems and computation of whole numbers
• Decimals, fractions and relationships between numbers
• Fundamental arithmetical operations
• Percentages
• Ratio and proportion
• Square roots
• Averages
• Interest
• Profit and loss
• Discount
• Partnership business
• Mixture and alligation
• Time and distance
• Time and work
• Basic algebraic identities and elementary surds
• Graphs of linear equations
• Triangle, quadrilaterals and regular polygons
• Circle and its chords and tangents
• Mensuration of solids
• Trigonometric ratio and standard identities
• Heights and distances
• Histogram, frequency polygon, bar diagram and pie chart

General Awareness

• History of India and its neighbouring countries
• Indian culture
• Geography
• Economic scene
• General polity
• Indian constitution
• Scientific research
• Current events
• Everyday observation in its scientific aspect

SSC CHSL Previous Year Cut-Off Marks

Qualifying Marks

Tier-I minimum: 30 per cent for unreserved, 25 per cent for OBC and EWS, and 20 per cent for all other categories. Separate category-wise cut-offs are fixed per post group.

Exam Calendar

From recent cycles: the 2024 cycle held Tier-I in July with the result in September, while the 2025 cycle moved markedly later, with Tier-I in November and the result the following February.

SSC CHSL FAQs

Does Tier-I count toward the final merit?

No. Merit rests on Tier-II Paper-I Sections I and II.

How much is deducted for a wrong answer?

0.50 marks in Tier-I. Unattempted questions carry no penalty.

What typing speed is required?

35 words per minute in English or 30 in Hindi for Lower Division Clerk and Junior Secretariat Assistant posts, computed as key depressions per hour. Data Entry Operator posts require about 8000 key depressions per hour.

Is the typing or skill test scored?

No. It is mandatory but qualifying, so it must be cleared without adding to the merit total.

Is there an interview?

No.

How many attempts am I allowed?

There is no limit on attempts; only the age limit applies.

What is normalisation?

Where an examination runs across several shifts, raw marks are converted to a common scale so that sitting a harder shift is not a disadvantage. The normalised marks are what determine merit and cut-offs, which is why published cut-offs carry five decimal places. The governing methodology was superseded in June 2025 by a new one, so older material may cite the 2019 notice.

Why are there separate cut-offs for Data Entry Operator posts?

Because some of those posts require the Science stream with Mathematics at class 12, SSC publishes separate merit lists, and their cut-offs run well above the clerical ones.

Have cut-offs been stable?

No. The Lower Division Clerk and Junior Secretariat Assistant unreserved cut-off fell from 157.36 in the 2024 cycle to 144.26 in 2025, so comparing against a single year can mislead.