To be eligible for SSC CHSL 2026, you must meet three basic conditions. You should have passed Class 12 (10+2) from a recognised board, your age must be between 18 and 27 years, and you must be an Indian citizen (or eligible as per rules).
If you meet all these requirements, you can apply for posts like LDC, JSA, PA/SA, and DEO in central government offices. SSC CHSL is a popular exam for 12th-pass students and offers stable government job opportunities.
Here is a quick overview of the eligibility criteria.:
Note: Candidates awaiting Class 12 results can also apply but must have the qualification by the cut-off date mentioned in the official notification.
Note: The fee is paid online through net banking, UPI, debit card, or credit card during the application process. Fees once paid are non-refundable under any circumstances.
The first thing you need to check in the SSC CHSL eligibility criteria is nationality. SSC has clearly defined who is allowed to apply based on their citizenship status.
You are eligible to apply if you are one of the following:
The age limit for SSC CHSL is one of the most important eligibility conditions. The minimum age to apply is 18 years and the maximum age is 27 years for General category candidates. The cut-off date for age reckoning in SSC CHSL 2026 is January 1, 2026.
This means you must be born on or after January 2, 1999 and on or before January 1, 2008 to be eligible under the General category.
Your age will be verified using the date of birth mentioned in your Matriculation (Class 10) certificate. The Commission will not accept any other document as age proof. If you try to provide a different document, your application can be rejected.
The government provides age relaxation to candidates from reserved categories. If you fall under one of these categories, your upper age limit is extended. Here is the complete SSC CHSL age limit relaxation table:
The CHSL qualification requirement is simple, you need to have passed Class 12 (10+2) or equivalent from a recognised board or university. This is the minimum educational qualification for all posts under SSC CHSL 2026.
If your Class 12 result has not yet been declared, you can still apply, but your result must be announced on or before the cut-off date mentioned in the official SSC CHSL notification. You will need to produce your marksheet at the document verification stage.
One important thing to note: a graduation degree does NOT disqualify you. Even if you are a graduate, you can apply for SSC CHSL, the exam is open to anyone with a 12th pass certificate, regardless of higher qualifications.
Yes, but with a condition. If your Class 12 certificate is from an open school or distance education institution, it must be recognised by the Distance Education Council (DEC) of IGNOU. Certificates from unrecognised open universities will not be accepted as valid educational qualifications.
There is a special provision for Ex-Servicemen: a matriculate Ex-Serviceman (Class 10 pass) who has completed at least 15 years of service in the armed forces is considered educationally eligible for Group C posts under SSC CHSL. This is an important relaxation that many ESM candidates are not aware of.
This section gives you a combined view of eligibility for each post so you can check at a glance whether you qualify for the specific post you want to apply for.
The Staff Selection Commission has not set any fixed limit on the number of times you can attempt SSC CHSL. This means there is no concept of a maximum number of attempts.
However, there is an age limit for SSC CHSL. As long as you are within the eligible age group (18 to 27 years for the General category, with relaxation for reserved categories), you can apply every year..
For a General category candidate who becomes 18 in the year of the first notification, this practically translates to approximately 9 to 10 attempts before the upper age limit is crossed.
After clearing the exam tiers, you will be called for Document Verification. At this stage, you must produce original documents to confirm your eligibility. Missing or incorrect documents can result in disqualification even if you have scored well.
To claim ESM benefits, you must have served in any rank in the regular Army, Navy, or Air Force of the Indian Union. Additionally, you must fall under one of these categories:
The SSC CHSL physical eligibility section often confuses candidates. Let us clear this up: there are NO general physical fitness standards (like height or weight) required for SSC CHSL posts, unlike some other exams.
However, candidates with benchmark disabilities (PwBD candidates) are eligible to apply, and the Commission has specified which types of disabilities are allowed for which posts.
PwBD candidates are permitted to use assistive devices during the exam, subject to the nature and extent of their disability. These include:
SSC CHSL Height, Weight & Medical Standards
For most SSC CHSL posts, there are no height, weight, or medical fitness requirements. This is a common misconception, many candidates search for 'SSC CHSL height and weight' or 'SSC CHSL height for male', but for standard posts like LDC, PA, SA, and DEO, these standards simply do not apply.
The only exception is for posts under the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), which falls under the General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF). If you are allotted to a BRO post, you will have to go through a Medical Board fitness test.