SSC CHSL Posts List 2026 — check the full list of post names (LDC/JSA, DEO, DEO Grade ‘A’), job profile, pay level, salary structure and promotion path as per the official SSC notification released on 7 September 2026.
The Staff Selection Commission released the Combined Higher Secondary (10+2) Level Examination, 2026 notification on 7 September 2026, opening applications for approximately 2,536 tentative vacancies across Ministries, Departments, Offices of the Government of India and various Constitutional Bodies, Statutory Bodies and Tribunals.
If you are planning to apply, the single most important decision you will make is which post to prefer — because SSC allots posts on a merit-cum-preference basis, and once a post is allotted, it will not be changed. This guide breaks down the complete SSC CHSL posts list 2026, what each post actually involves day to day, the salary you can expect, and how far the job can take you over a career.
SSC CHSL Posts List 2026 at a Glance
The 2026 examination is being held to recruit Group C staff to the following posts:
| Post Name | Pay Level | Pay Scale (Basic) | Skill/Typing Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Division Clerk (LDC) / Junior Secretariat Assistant (JSA) | Level 2 | ₹19,900 – ₹63,200 | Typing Test — 35 wpm (English) / 30 wpm (Hindi) |
| Data Entry Operator (DEO) | Level 4 and Level 5 | ₹25,500 – ₹81,100 and ₹29,200 – ₹92,300 | Skill Test — 8,000 or 15,000 key depressions per hour |
| Data Entry Operator, Grade ‘A’ | Level 4 | ₹25,500 – ₹81,100 | Skill Test — 8,000 or 15,000 key depressions per hour |
Two points worth noting straight away. First, DEO is the only post in this exam that reaches Pay Level 5, making it the highest-paying option in the CHSL basket. Second, the final vacancy count is not locked yet — SSC has stated that final vacancies will be determined after scrutiny of documents received from User Departments, and post-wise and category-wise vacancies will be published later under Candidate’s Corner > Tentative Vacancy on ssc.gov.in.
Also Read: SSC CHSL Recruitment 2026 for 2536 LDC, JSA & DEO Vacancies
Post 1: Lower Division Clerk (LDC) / Junior Secretariat Assistant (JSA)
Pay Level 2 — ₹19,900 to ₹63,200
LDC and JSA are the same post under two names; “Junior Secretariat Assistant” is the designation used in Central Secretariat Clerical Service offices, while “LDC” is used in subordinate offices and field establishments.
Job Profile
The LDC/JSA role is the administrative backbone of a government office. Typical responsibilities include:
- Maintaining and updating office files, registers and records
- Diarising, dispatching and tracking incoming and outgoing correspondence
- Typing letters, notes, office memoranda and routine drafts
- Data entry into departmental portals and e-Office systems
- Assisting seniors with preparation of statements, returns and reports
- General clerical support — attendance records, stationery indents, basic accounts entries
It is a desk-based, process-driven job with predictable hours in most departments. The functional requirements listed in the notification itself — sitting, standing, walking, bending, manipulation with fingers, reading and writing, seeing, hearing and communication — give a fair picture of what the work physically demands.
An Important Warning About BRO
If the Border Roads Organisation reports LDC vacancies, note two things clearly stated in the notice: only male candidates are eligible for BRO vacancies, and BRO LDC posts carry Physical Standard, Physical Efficiency Test and Medical Standard requirements detailed in Annexure-XVI. If you opt for BRO and then fail these standards, your candidature is rejected — you will not be slid into another preference.
Also Read: RRB Paramedical CEN 05/2026 Notification Released for 560 Posts
Post 2: Data Entry Operator (DEO) and DEO Grade ‘A’
Pay Level 4 — ₹25,500 to ₹81,100 | Pay Level 5 — ₹29,200 to ₹92,300
DEO is the most sought-after post in SSC CHSL, and for good reason: the starting pay level is two rungs above LDC, and the Level 5 DEO posts offer the best long-term earning curve in this exam.
Job Profile
A Data Entry Operator handles the digital records of a department:
- High-volume, high-accuracy data entry into departmental databases and MIS systems
- Verification and cleaning of entered data, correction of discrepancies
- Generating reports, statements and data extracts for senior officers
- Maintaining digital records alongside physical files
- Basic operation of office software, departmental applications and e-Office modules
Accuracy and speed matter far more here than in a clerical role — which is exactly why the Skill Test exists.
The Two DEO Streams
The notification splits DEOs into two categories, and the difference affects both your eligibility and your skill test:
Stream A — DEO/DEO Grade ‘A’ in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, the Staff Selection Commission, and the Ministry of Culture
- Educational Qualification: 12th pass in Science stream with Mathematics as a subject
- Skill Test: 15,000 key depressions per hour, 15-minute test, passage of about 3,700–4,000 key depressions
Stream B — DEO/DEO Grade ‘A’ in all other Departments
- Educational Qualification: 12th pass in any stream
- Skill Test: 8,000 key depressions per hour, 15-minute test, passage of about 2,000–2,200 key depressions
Candidates eligible for a scribe under Paras 7.1, 7.2 and 7.3 get 5 minutes of compensatory time, taking the Skill Test to 20 minutes.
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SSC CHSL Salary 2026: What You Will Actually Take Home
The pay scales in the notification are basic pay figures under the 7th CPC matrix. Your actual monthly salary is basic pay plus Dearness Allowance, House Rent Allowance and Transport Allowance, minus NPS contribution and other deductions.
Salary Structure by Post
| Component | LDC/JSA (Level 2) | DEO (Level 4) | DEO (Level 5) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry Basic Pay | ₹19,900 | ₹25,500 | ₹29,200 |
| Maximum Basic Pay | ₹63,200 | ₹81,100 | ₹92,300 |
| Dearness Allowance | Percentage of basic, revised every January and July | Same | Same |
| House Rent Allowance | Varies by city class (X / Y / Z) | Same | Same |
| Transport Allowance | Varies by city and pay level | Same | Same |
Illustrative In-Hand Estimate
To give a rough sense of scale — taking an illustrative DA of 55% and X-class city HRA of 30% — an entry-level LDC/JSA lands roughly in the ₹34,000–₹38,000 monthly gross band, while a Level 4 DEO sits closer to ₹43,000–₹48,000 and a Level 5 DEO higher still.
Treat these as ballpark figures only. DA is revised twice a year, HRA depends entirely on your posting city, and NPS plus CGHS deductions will reduce the net figure. Your actual salary slip will differ.
Other Benefits
Beyond salary, the posts carry the standard Central Government employment package: pension under NPS, medical coverage under CGHS or CS(MA) rules, leave entitlements including earned leave, casual leave and half-pay leave, LTC, and gratuity on retirement.
Also Read:UIIC AO Selection Process and Exam Pattern 2026 (Revised): Prelims, Mains, Descriptive & Interview
Career Growth and Promotion Path
This is where the real difference between the posts shows up. Both are entry-level Group C posts, but the ceilings differ.
LDC/JSA Career Progression
The conventional Central Secretariat Clerical Service ladder runs:
LDC / JSA → Upper Division Clerk (UDC) / Senior Secretariat Assistant → Assistant Section Officer → Section Officer → Under Secretary
Promotions come through a combination of departmental seniority, Departmental Promotion Committee clearance and, in several cadres, Limited Departmental Competitive Examinations. Additionally, the Modified Assured Career Progression (MACP) scheme provides financial upgradation at 10, 20 and 30 years of service even if a regular promotion does not materialise — so pay growth is protected even in slow-moving cadres.
DEO Career Progression
The typical DEO ladder runs:
DEO Grade ‘A’ → DEO Grade ‘B’ → DEO Grade ‘C’ → DEO Grade ‘F’ / Supervisory and technical data roles
DEOs start higher and, in departments with structured technical cadres, tend to reach senior grades faster.
The Honest Comparison
DEO offers a higher starting salary and a better pay ceiling. LDC/JSA, particularly in the Central Secretariat, offers a promotion route that can reach Section Officer and Under Secretary level — a gazetted rung that most DEO cadres do not touch.
Note also that the notification specifies two years of probation, during which you may be required to undergo training or pass prescribed examinations, and that all posts carry All India Service Liability — you can be posted anywhere in India, and you may be required to acquire proficiency in the local language of your allotted State or UT.
Post Preference: The Step Candidates Most Often Get Wrong
Read this section carefully, because it decides your posting more than your rank does.
- Preferences are submitted through an Online Option Form on the SSC website before the declaration of the First Round of Tentative Allocation (FRTA) or Result.
- If you do not indicate a preference for a post or department, you will not be considered for it — regardless of your merit position.
- Options once submitted are treated as FINAL and IRREVERSIBLE.
- Candidates who miss the preference submission window entirely will not be considered for any post in the FRTA, and no second opportunity is given.
- Once you are allotted your first available preference as per merit, you are not considered for any lower preference.
- If you are allotted a post and then fail to meet its physical, medical or educational standards, your candidature is rejected outright — you are not moved to another preference.
SSC has also confirmed it does not maintain a waiting list or reserve list for multi-factor examinations, though a Sliding Mechanism under FRTA does apply, explained in SSC notices dated 03.03.2026 and 08.04.2026.
Which SSC CHSL Post Should You Choose?
Choose DEO if you want the highest starting salary in this exam, you are comfortable with high-speed data work, and you can clear the Skill Test. If you have 12th with Science and Mathematics, the Stream A DEO posts open up as well — a smaller applicant pool competing for them.
Choose LDC/JSA if you value the Central Secretariat promotion ladder, prefer varied administrative work over repetitive data entry, or want the widest possible spread of departments to be allotted from.
Think twice before opting for BRO unless you are a male candidate confident of clearing the physical and medical standards in Annexure-XVI.
Whatever you decide, list your preferences with real care. Under the merit-cum-preference system, a well-thought-out preference order is worth as much as a few extra marks.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many posts are there in SSC CHSL 2026?
Three post categories — Lower Division Clerk/Junior Secretariat Assistant, Data Entry Operator, and Data Entry Operator Grade ‘A’ — against approximately 2,536 tentative vacancies.
Which is the highest-paying post in SSC CHSL 2026?
Data Entry Operator at Pay Level 5, with a basic pay range of ₹29,200 to ₹92,300.
Is the Typing Test compulsory for LDC/JSA?
Yes, it is mandatory and qualifying. Only PwD candidates certified by a Civil Surgeon of a Government Health Care Institution as permanently unable to type may be exempted, on submission of the certificate in the Annexure-XIII format. This exemption does not cover visually or hearing handicapped candidates.
Which font is required for the Hindi Typing Test?
Use of any other font will lead to non-qualification in the Typing/Skill Test for LDC/JSA.
Do Skill Test and Typing Test marks count in the final merit?
No. Section-III and Section-IV of Tier-II are qualifying only. Merit is decided on Section-I and Section-II of Tier-II.
Can I change my post preference later?
No. Preferences once submitted are final and irreversible, and no request for change will be entertained under any circumstances.