Exam Pattern
SSC CHSL Exam Pattern
Staff Selection Commission: Combined Higher Secondary Level
The SSC CHSL exam pattern below is checked stage by stage, so one stage cannot inherit another stage's scoring rules.
Tier 1
Official 2026 pattern| Questions | 100 |
| Total marks | 200 |
| Duration | 60 minutes |
| Negative marking | 0.5 per wrong answer |
| Sections | General Intelligence, General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude, English Language |
| Test | Qs | Marks | Min |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Intelligence | 25 | 50 | 15 |
| General Awareness | 25 | 50 | 15 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | 50 | 15 |
| English Language | 25 | 50 | 15 |
Timing: Each subject has its own 15-minute sectional timer. A section closes automatically when its time ends, and unused time does not carry into another subject.
The official 2026 notice sets four 25-question subjects worth 50 marks each. Tier 1 is objective multiple choice, with 0.50 marks deducted for every wrong answer.
Official source · checked 24 September 2026The SSC CHSL Tier 1 exam pattern is 100 questions carrying 200 marks, to be answered in 60 minutes. That works out to about 36 seconds per question on average, before any time spent reading instructions or revisiting marked answers. The 4 sections are General Intelligence, General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude and English Language. All 4 sections carry 50 marks each, so none of them repays disproportionate preparation and a weakness anywhere costs the same. All 4 sections are separately timed, so time saved in one cannot be carried into another. You cannot bank minutes by rushing an easy section.
SSC CHSL Tier 1 marking scheme
- Each correct answer is worth 2 marks.
- A wrong answer deducts 0.5 marks; an unattempted question scores zero.
- A guess therefore breaks even at 20% accuracy: above that it gains you marks on average, below it loses them. A blind guess between four options is right 25% of the time, which is already above that line, so an educated guess is worth making rather than leaving the question blank.
- Worked example: attempt 80 of the 100 questions and get 60 right and 20 wrong, and you score 110 out of 200.
Practising against the same clock is the point of a mock test: at 36 seconds a question, the difference between a good score and an average one is usually pacing rather than knowledge. Attempt a free SSC CHSL mock test to see where your time actually goes.
Tier 2
Official 2026 pattern| Questions | 135 |
| Total marks | 405 |
| Duration | 135 minutes |
| Negative marking | 1 per wrong answer |
| Sections | Mathematical Abilities, Reasoning and General Intelligence, English Language and Comprehension, General Awareness, Computer Knowledge Test, Skill Test/Typing Test |
| Test | Qs | Marks | Min |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematical Abilities | 30 | 90 | 30 |
| Reasoning and General Intelligence | 30 | 90 | 30 |
| English Language and Comprehension | 40 | 120 | 40 |
| General Awareness | 20 | 60 | 20 |
| Computer Knowledge Test | 15 | 45 | 15 |
Timing: Session 1 uses five sequential sectional timers: 30 minutes for Mathematical Abilities, 30 for Reasoning and General Intelligence, 40 for English Language and Comprehension, 20 for General Awareness, and 15 for Computer Knowledge. Session 2 contains the separate practical Skill Test/Typing Test.
The official 2026 notice sets 135 objective questions for 405 marks in Session 1, with 3 marks per correct answer and a 1-mark penalty for every wrong answer. This site's Tier 2 content covers Mathematical Abilities, Reasoning and General Intelligence, English Language and Comprehension, and Computer Knowledge Test only (115 of the 135 objective questions). General Awareness is not yet built because it needs current, fact-checked content; the practical Skill Test/Typing Test is also excluded because it cannot be auto-graded as a multiple-choice mock.
Official source · checked 24 September 2026The SSC CHSL Tier 2 exam pattern is 135 questions carrying 405 marks, to be answered in 135 minutes. That works out to about 60 seconds per question on average, before any time spent reading instructions or revisiting marked answers. The 6 sections are Mathematical Abilities, Reasoning and General Intelligence, English Language and Comprehension, General Awareness, Computer Knowledge Test and Skill Test/Typing Test. English Language and Comprehension carries the most, 120 marks of the 405 or about 30%, against 45 marks for Computer Knowledge Test. All 5 sections are separately timed, so time saved in one cannot be carried into another. You cannot bank minutes by rushing an easy section.
SSC CHSL Tier 2 marking scheme
- Each correct answer is worth 3 marks.
- A wrong answer deducts 1 mark; an unattempted question scores zero.
- A guess therefore breaks even at 25% accuracy: above that it gains you marks on average, below it loses them. That is exactly what a blind guess between four options returns, so guessing at random neither gains nor loses marks over a long paper. The moment you can rule out even one option, it starts paying.
- Worked example: attempt 108 of the 135 questions and get 81 right and 27 wrong, and you score 216 out of 405.
Practising against the same clock is the point of a mock test: at 60 seconds a question, the difference between a good score and an average one is usually pacing rather than knowledge. Attempt a free SSC CHSL mock test to see where your time actually goes.
SSC CHSL exam pattern: frequently asked questions
Is there negative marking in SSC CHSL?
SSC CHSL Tier 1 deducts 0.5 marks for a wrong answer; SSC CHSL Tier 2 deducts 1 mark for a wrong answer. An unattempted question always scores zero, so the choice is only ever between guessing and leaving it blank.
How many questions are there in SSC CHSL?
SSC CHSL Tier 1 has 100 questions, SSC CHSL Tier 2 has 135 questions. That leaves about 36 seconds per question in SSC CHSL Tier 1 and 60 seconds per question in SSC CHSL Tier 2.
What are the total marks in SSC CHSL?
SSC CHSL Tier 1 is out of 200 marks, which works out at 2 marks a question, SSC CHSL Tier 2 is out of 405 marks, which works out at 3 marks a question.
How long is the SSC CHSL exam?
SSC CHSL Tier 1 runs for 60 minutes, SSC CHSL Tier 2 runs for 135 minutes.
Does SSC CHSL have a sectional time limit?
Yes. SSC CHSL Tier 1 times its sections separately, SSC CHSL Tier 2 times its sections separately, so time left over in one section cannot be spent on another. Plan a per-section budget before you sit it.
How many stages does SSC CHSL have?
This site covers 2 objective stages: Tier 1, Tier 2. Each stage is checked against the official notification separately, because scoring rules routinely differ between stages of the same exam.