SSC CHSL Eligibility Criteria 2026
Who can apply for SSC CHSL 2026 — qualification by post, the exact age window, category-wise relaxation, nationality rules and PwBD disability eligibility, all in one place.
Eligibility At a Glance
- 12th pass (10+2) — any recognised board, any stream
- Age 18–27 years as on 1 August 2026
- DEO (select depts) needs Science + Maths at 12th
- No minimum percentage, no attempt limit
Educational Qualification
| Post | Qualification Required |
|---|---|
| LDC / JSA and most DEO posts | Class 12 (10+2) pass or equivalent from a recognised board — any stream. |
| DEO / DEO Grade 'A' — C&AG, Consumer Affairs, SSC, Ministry of Culture | Class 12 pass in the Science stream with Mathematics from a recognised board. |
No minimum percentage
A plain pass in Class 12 is sufficient for every post — there's no cut-off percentage to clear.
Open/Distance learning accepted
A Class 12 equivalent from an ODL board (e.g. NIOS) counts, provided it was recognised at the time it was obtained.
Candidates still appearing in Class 12 may apply provisionally, but the result must be declared on or before 7 October 2026. Those who don't meet this are rejected at document verification, even after clearing Tier 1 and Tier 2.
Age Limit 2026
Candidates must be between 18 and 27 years as on 1 August 2026 — born between 2 August 1999 and 1 August 2008, inclusive. This single age band applies to every SSC CHSL post; there's no post-wise variation like SSC CGL has.
Age Relaxation 2026
| Category | Relaxation Granted |
|---|---|
| SC / ST | 5 years |
| OBC (non-creamy layer) | 3 years |
| PwBD — Unreserved | 10 years |
| PwBD — OBC | 13 years |
| PwBD — SC/ST | 15 years |
| Ex-Servicemen (ESM) | 3 years after deducting military service rendered |
| J&K Domicile (resided 1 Jan 1980 – 31 Dec 1989) | 5 years |
| Defence personnel disabled in operations — General | 3 years |
| Defence personnel disabled in operations — SC/ST | 8 years |
| Central Govt. civilian employees (3+ yrs service) — General | Up to 40 years of age |
| Central Govt. civilian employees (3+ yrs service) — SC/ST | Up to 45 years of age |
| Widows / divorced / judicially separated women, not remarried — General | Up to 35 years of age |
| Widows / divorced / judicially separated women, not remarried — SC/ST | Up to 40 years of age |
EWS candidates get no age relaxation, but remain eligible to apply against EWS-reserved vacancies.
Who Qualifies as an Ex-Serviceman (ESM)?
- Served in the regular Army, Navy or Air Force of India.
- Released on completion of assignment with a pension, or medically boarded out.
- Released due to an establishment/organisational reduction.
- Released with a disability pension, or holds a gallantry award (including Territorial Army personnel).
- Served over 6 months in the Army Postal Service before 14 April 1987.
Nationality
A candidate must be a citizen of India, a subject of Nepal or Bhutan, a Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1 January 1962 intending to settle permanently, or a person of Indian origin who migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia or Vietnam with the intention of settling permanently in India. Non-citizens falling in the latter categories may need a Government of India eligibility certificate.
PwBD (Disability) Eligibility by Post
SSC CHSL doesn't run a common physical test, but each post accepts a specific set of benchmark disabilities. The one post-wise difference worth knowing: LDC/JSA accepts blindness; most DEO posts accept only low vision from the same broader list.
| Post | Eligible Disability Categories |
|---|---|
| LDC / JSA | Blindness & low vision, deaf/hard of hearing, locomotor disability (one/both arms or legs), cerebral palsy, cured leprosy, dwarfism, acid attack victims, muscular dystrophy, spinal deformity/injury. |
| DEO / DEO Grade 'A' (most departments) | Low vision only (not blindness), deaf/hard of hearing, locomotor disability, cerebral palsy, cured leprosy, dwarfism, acid attack victims, muscular dystrophy, spinal deformity/injury. |
Benchmark-disability candidates get 20 extra minutes per hour in the exam, and may use a scribe or assistive device, subject to the conditions in the notification.
Documents Needed for Age Relaxation / Reserved Categories
Grounds for Disqualification
- Using unfair means, impersonation, or forged documents during application or exam.
- Dismissed from government service for misconduct, indiscipline, or integrity issues.
- Previously debarred by SSC or UPSC from appearing in any examination.
No attempt limit
You can appear every year you fall within the eligible age window for your category — SSC places no cap on the number of attempts.
Graduates are eligible
CHSL sets only a floor (12th pass), not a ceiling — holding a degree or postgraduate qualification never disqualifies a candidate.
Frequently Asked Questions
18 to 27 years as on 1 August 2026 — candidates must be born between 2 August 1999 and 1 August 2008.
Category-wise relaxation (OBC, SC/ST, PwBD, ESM and others) applies on top of this base range.
A pass in Class 12 (10+2) or equivalent from a recognised board, held on or before 7 October 2026.
No minimum percentage is required — a plain pass is sufficient for every post.
Only for DEO / DEO Grade 'A' posts in a few specific departments — the Office of the C&AG, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, SSC itself, and the Ministry of Culture.
These posts require Class 12 Science with Mathematics. Every other post accepts any stream.
Yes, provisionally — but the Class 12 result must be declared on or before 7 October 2026.
Candidates who don't meet this cut-off are rejected at the document verification stage, even if they clear Tier 1 and Tier 2.
OBC candidates get 3 years and SC/ST candidates get 5 years of upper-age relaxation.
PwBD candidates get 10 years (unreserved), 13 years (OBC) or 15 years (SC/ST) — see the full table below.
No fixed limit on attempts — only the age bracket (18–27, plus relaxation) governs eligibility.
You can appear every year you fall within the eligible age window for your category.
Yes. A graduate meets the 12th-pass minimum automatically and remains fully eligible.
Holding a higher degree never disqualifies a candidate — CHSL only sets a floor, not a ceiling, on qualification.
ESM who served in the regular Army, Navy or Air Force and were released on completion of assignment, medically boarded out, released due to an establishment cut, or who hold a gallantry award.
Relaxation is 3 years after deducting actual military service rendered from the candidate's age.
LDC/JSA accepts blindness and low vision; most DEO posts accept only low vision (not blindness) among the same broader disability list.
Both also accept deaf/hard of hearing, locomotor disability, cerebral palsy, cured leprosy, dwarfism, acid attack victims, muscular dystrophy and spinal deformity.
Eligible?
Start Practicing Free.
Once you've confirmed you qualify, the next step is practice. Free full-length Tier 1 and Tier 2 mocks, sectional tests, and typing drills — all built to the current pattern.
Access Free Tests