The Staff Selection Committee (SSC) has made a big announcement regarding the SSC CGL 2026 exam pattern, leaving lakhs of government job candidates nationwide in a state of panic. The commission, for the first time, has adopted sectional timing in both Tier-1 and Tier-2 exams, which caps candidates’ time on each paper.
In the new system, the candidate will not have the freedom to use the time as per his/her own plan during the test. Each section will now have a fixed time duration, and at the end of the time, the system will automatically switch to the next section.
Students are most worried about the time limit of 15 minutes on some sections, such as Mathematics and Reasoning – Tier-1. SSC CGL Tier-1 paper has four sections: Maths, English, General Intelligence and Reasoning, General Awareness, each having 25 questions. All of the 25 questions will now be answered in 15 minutes each.
A lot of candidates have stated their concern about solving lengthy quantitative aptitude and reasoning questions in such a short time frame. The pressure will be higher as the exam will be based on a negative marking system, where a maximum of 0.50 marks will be deducted for every wrong answer.
This new sectional timing format will also be used in the Tier-2 exam. The revised structure will allow candidates to get 30 minutes per section for Maths and Reasoning. The duration of the English Section (45 Questions) is 40 minutes, and the General Awareness Section (25 Questions) is 20 minutes. Candidates will also have to solve 20 Objective Computer Knowledge questions in 15 minutes.
A major change in the way the SSC exam is being conducted is that earlier, the candidates could distribute their time according to their strengths and weaknesses. The new format will not just be about knowledge but also speed, accuracy and time management.
At the same time, the official notification about the recruitment for Group B and Group C posts has already been issued by the SSC for various ministries and departments of the central government for 12,256 posts. The application process is ongoing and will be open till June 22, with the last date for paying the application fee on June 23.
All candidates who pass the Tier-1 will move on to Tier-2, and the final selection will be based on the performance in the exam and Post preferences given in the Application process.