What is the timing structure of the SSC CGL exam?

Each section has its own timer — General Intelligence and Reasoning: 15 min; General Awareness: 15 min; Quantitative Aptitude: 15 min; English Comprehension: 15 min. Sections lock when their time expires. Sections must be attempted in order — you cannot return to an earlier section. The test submits automatically when time runs out. The timer cannot be paused once started. This paper uses both an overall timer of 2 hr 15 min and per-section timers. Navigation mode: locked_after_section. The test submits automatically when time runs out. The timer cannot be paused once started. One 2 hr overall timer for the whole paper. No sectional locks — the section split is indicative only. You can move freely between sections and questions at any time. The test submits automatically when time runs out. The timer cannot be paused once started. One 2 hr overall timer for the whole paper. No sectional locks — the section split is indicative only. You can move freely between sections and questions at any time. The test submits automatically when time runs out. The timer cannot be paused once started.

Is there negative marking in SSC CGL?

Yes — General Intelligence and Reasoning: −0.5 per wrong answer; General Awareness: −0.5 per wrong answer; Quantitative Aptitude: −0.5 per wrong answer; English Comprehension: −0.5 per wrong answer; Section-I: Mathematical Abilities + Reasoning and General Intelligence: −1 per wrong answer; Section-II: English Language and Comprehension + General Awareness: −1 per wrong answer; Section-III: Computer Knowledge Test: −1 per wrong answer; Section-IV: Data Entry Speed Test (DEST): −0 per wrong answer; Statistics: −0.5 per wrong answer; General Studies (Finance and Economics): −0.5 per wrong answer.

SSC CGL

Cycle 2026

OFFICIALLY VERIFIED

Exam pattern verified against the official notification.

Officially verified from SSC Notice F. No. HQ-C11018/1/2026-C-1 dated 21.05.2026, §13.8: '1 hour (with sectional timer of 15 minutes for each subject)'; negative marking §13.8.2; scribe timing §7.9.

Vacancies

10,731

As on 24.09.2026

Status: tentative

Original notification approx 12,256; state-wise/zone-wise vacancies are NOT collected by the Commission.

Exam pattern

1.Tier-I

OFFICIALLY VERIFIED

Main Session

Sections & timing

Section	Timing	Questions	Marks / Q	Negative	Nature
General Intelligence and Reasoning	15 min (enforced)	25	2	−0.5	Scored
General Awareness	15 min (enforced)	25	2	−0.5	Scored
Quantitative Aptitude	15 min (enforced)	25	2	−0.5	Scored
English Comprehension	15 min (enforced)	25	2	−0.5	Scored

Start mock test

Timing & navigation rules

Each section has its own timer — General Intelligence and Reasoning: 15 min; General Awareness: 15 min; Quantitative Aptitude: 15 min; English Comprehension: 15 min. Sections lock when their time expires.
Sections must be attempted in order — you cannot return to an earlier section.
The test submits automatically when time runs out.
The timer cannot be paused once started.

2.Tier-II

OFFICIAL PARTIAL

Paper-I (compulsory for all posts)

Session-I

Sections & timing

Section	Timing	Questions	Marks / Q	Negative	Nature
Section-I: Mathematical Abilities + Reasoning and General Intelligence	60 min (enforced)	60	3	−1	Qualifying
↳ A: Mathematical Abilities	30 min	Sub-section timer (display only)
↳ B: Reasoning and General Intelligence	30 min	Sub-section timer (display only)
Section-II: English Language and Comprehension + General Awareness	60 min (enforced)	70	3	−1	Qualifying
↳ A: English Language and Comprehension	40 min	Sub-section timer (display only)
↳ B: General Awareness	20 min	Sub-section timer (display only)
Section-III: Computer Knowledge Test	15 min (enforced)	20	3	−1	Qualifying

Start mock test — Session-I

Break (re-registration)

Section details not specified for this session.

Break (re-registration) — break; re-registration.

Session-II (DEST)

Sections & timing

Section	Timing	Questions	Marks / Q	Negative	Nature
Section-IV: Data Entry Speed Test (DEST)	15 min (enforced)	0	0	−0	Qualifying

Session-II (DEST) — skill/typing test; interface is a later milestone.

Timing & navigation rules

This paper uses both an overall timer of 2 hr 15 min and per-section timers.
Navigation mode: locked_after_section.
The test submits automatically when time runs out.
The timer cannot be paused once started.

Paper-II: Statistics

Main Session

Sections & timing

Section	Timing	Questions	Marks / Q	Negative	Nature
Statistics	Not timed separately	100	2	−0.5	Scored

Start mock test

Timing & navigation rules

One 2 hr overall timer for the whole paper. No sectional locks — the section split is indicative only.
You can move freely between sections and questions at any time.
The test submits automatically when time runs out.
The timer cannot be paused once started.

Paper-III: General Studies (Finance and Economics)

Main Session

Sections & timing

Section	Timing	Questions	Marks / Q	Negative	Nature
General Studies (Finance and Economics)	Not timed separately	100	2	−0.5	Scored

Start mock test

Timing & navigation rules

One 2 hr overall timer for the whole paper. No sectional locks — the section split is indicative only.
You can move freely between sections and questions at any time.
The test submits automatically when time runs out.
The timer cannot be paused once started.

Notes from the official source

Tier-I · Tier-I Paper · Main Session — note

§13.8.1: MCQ; English & Hindi except English Comprehension. §13.8.2: negative marking 0.50.

Tier-I · Tier-I Paper · Main Session — navigation

Inter-section navigation rules are NOT stated in the official notice — only sectional timers and the 1-hour total are specified. 'Sequential' is the engine's neutral default; forced order is not confirmed. Section auto-lock on timer expiry is inferred (the explicit 'section will get automatically closed' language appears only for Tier-II) — flagged, not official.

Tier-I · Tier-I Paper · Main Session — qualifying criteria

Tier-I is the shortlisting stage for Tier-II; final merit and tie-break (§17) computed on Tier-II scores only.

Tier-II · Paper-I (compulsory for all posts) · Session-I — note

§13.9.5.2: Section-I auto-closes after 1 hour. §13.9.5.3: Section-II starts immediately after Section-I, auto-closes after 1 hour. §13.9.5.4: Section-III starts immediately after Section-II, 15 minutes. §13.9.7: MCQ except Section-IV; English & Hindi except English Language & Comprehension part.

Tier-II · Paper-I (compulsory for all posts) · Session-I — qualifying criteria

Mandatory to qualify ALL sections of Paper-I separately (§13.9.6). Section-III mandatory for all posts but qualifying in nature; higher qualifying standards for computer-proficiency posts (§13.9.9).

Tier-II · Paper-I (compulsory for all posts) · Break (re-registration) — note

Break for re-registration between Session-I and Session-II (§13.9.5.5); duration not stated in notice.

Tier-II · Paper-I (compulsory for all posts) · Session-II (DEST) — note

§13.9.5.6: Session-II is Section-IV only. §13.9.10.2: ~2000 key depressions in 15 minutes. Mandatory for ALL posts; qualifying in nature (§13.9.10.3). Detailed evaluation criteria published separately on ssc.gov.in — not in the notice.

Tier-II · Paper-II: Statistics · Main Session — note

§13.9.3: only for candidates shortlisted for Junior Statistical Officer (MoSPI) and Statistical Investigator Grade-II. §13.9.8: negative marking 0.50. Conducted in separate shift(s)/day(s) (§13.9.1).

Tier-II · Paper-III: General Studies (Finance and Economics) · Main Session — note

§13.9.3: only for candidates shortlisted for Assistant Audit Officer/Assistant Accounts Officer. §13.9.8: negative 0.50. Separate shift(s)/day(s).

Sources

Untitled document
Untitled document
Untitled document
Untitled document · notice board listing verified 2026-10-03

Exam pattern

1.Tier-I

OFFICIALLY VERIFIED

Main Session

Sections & timing

Section	Timing	Questions	Marks / Q	Negative	Nature
General Intelligence and Reasoning	15 min (enforced)	25	2	−0.5	Scored
General Awareness	15 min (enforced)	25	2	−0.5	Scored
Quantitative Aptitude	15 min (enforced)	25	2	−0.5	Scored
English Comprehension	15 min (enforced)	25	2	−0.5	Scored

Start mock test

Timing & navigation rules

Each section has its own timer — General Intelligence and Reasoning: 15 min; General Awareness: 15 min; Quantitative Aptitude: 15 min; English Comprehension: 15 min. Sections lock when their time expires.
Sections must be attempted in order — you cannot return to an earlier section.
The test submits automatically when time runs out.
The timer cannot be paused once started.

2.Tier-II

OFFICIAL PARTIAL

Paper-I (compulsory for all posts)

Session-I

Sections & timing

Section	Timing	Questions	Marks / Q	Negative	Nature
Section-I: Mathematical Abilities + Reasoning and General Intelligence	60 min (enforced)	60	3	−1	Qualifying
↳ A: Mathematical Abilities	30 min	Sub-section timer (display only)
↳ B: Reasoning and General Intelligence	30 min	Sub-section timer (display only)
Section-II: English Language and Comprehension + General Awareness	60 min (enforced)	70	3	−1	Qualifying
↳ A: English Language and Comprehension	40 min	Sub-section timer (display only)
↳ B: General Awareness	20 min	Sub-section timer (display only)
Section-III: Computer Knowledge Test	15 min (enforced)	20	3	−1	Qualifying

Start mock test — Session-I

Break (re-registration)

Section details not specified for this session.

Break (re-registration) — break; re-registration.

Session-II (DEST)

Sections & timing

Section	Timing	Questions	Marks / Q	Negative	Nature
Section-IV: Data Entry Speed Test (DEST)	15 min (enforced)	0	0	−0	Qualifying

Session-II (DEST) — skill/typing test; interface is a later milestone.

Timing & navigation rules

This paper uses both an overall timer of 2 hr 15 min and per-section timers.
Navigation mode: locked_after_section.
The test submits automatically when time runs out.
The timer cannot be paused once started.

Paper-II: Statistics

Main Session

Sections & timing

Section	Timing	Questions	Marks / Q	Negative	Nature
Statistics	Not timed separately	100	2	−0.5	Scored

Start mock test

Timing & navigation rules

One 2 hr overall timer for the whole paper. No sectional locks — the section split is indicative only.
You can move freely between sections and questions at any time.
The test submits automatically when time runs out.
The timer cannot be paused once started.

Paper-III: General Studies (Finance and Economics)

Main Session

Sections & timing

Section	Timing	Questions	Marks / Q	Negative	Nature
General Studies (Finance and Economics)	Not timed separately	100	2	−0.5	Scored

Start mock test

Timing & navigation rules

One 2 hr overall timer for the whole paper. No sectional locks — the section split is indicative only.
You can move freely between sections and questions at any time.
The test submits automatically when time runs out.
The timer cannot be paused once started.

Notes from the official source

Tier-I · Tier-I Paper · Main Session — note

§13.8.1: MCQ; English & Hindi except English Comprehension. §13.8.2: negative marking 0.50.

Tier-I · Tier-I Paper · Main Session — navigation

Tier-I · Tier-I Paper · Main Session — qualifying criteria

Tier-I is the shortlisting stage for Tier-II; final merit and tie-break (§17) computed on Tier-II scores only.

Tier-II · Paper-I (compulsory for all posts) · Session-I — note

Tier-II · Paper-I (compulsory for all posts) · Session-I — qualifying criteria

Tier-II · Paper-I (compulsory for all posts) · Break (re-registration) — note

Break for re-registration between Session-I and Session-II (§13.9.5.5); duration not stated in notice.

Tier-II · Paper-I (compulsory for all posts) · Session-II (DEST) — note

Tier-II · Paper-II: Statistics · Main Session — note

Tier-II · Paper-III: General Studies (Finance and Economics) · Main Session — note

§13.9.3: only for candidates shortlisted for Assistant Audit Officer/Assistant Accounts Officer. §13.9.8: negative 0.50. Separate shift(s)/day(s).