The three SSC exams recruit at three education levels and three pay bands. SSC CGL 2026 (notice dated 21 May 2026) carries 10,731 vacancies at Pay Levels 4 to 8, with starting basic pay from ₹25,500 to ₹47,600. SSC CHSL 2026 (notice dated 7 September 2026) carries about 2,536 vacancies at Pay Levels 2 to 5. The latest completed SSC MTS and Havaldar cycle (2025) carried 7,948 vacancies, all at Pay Level 1 with a starting basic pay of ₹18,000.
The highest starting basic pay through CGL (₹47,600) is 2.64 times the MTS starting basic pay (₹18,000).
- SSC CGL vs CHSL vs MTS Exam Highlights
- SSC CGL vs CHSL vs MTS Eligibility: Qualification and Age Limit
- SSC CGL vs CHSL vs MTS Salary: Pay Level and Basic Pay
- SSC CGL vs CHSL vs MTS In-Hand Salary (Estimated)
- SSC CGL vs CHSL vs MTS Vacancies: Latest Cycle
- SSC CGL vs CHSL vs MTS Exam Dates: Latest Cycle
- SSC CHSL Post List vs SSC CGL and MTS Posts
- SSC CGL vs CHSL vs MTS Exam Pattern and Selection Process
- SSC CGL vs CHSL vs MTS Career Growth: Group and Pay Ceiling
- Which SSC Exam Is Better: CGL, CHSL or MTS?
- SSC CGL vs CHSL vs MTS FAQs
SSC CGL vs CHSL vs MTS Exam Highlights
All three exams are conducted by the Staff Selection Commission for central government posts, but they differ on every measure that decides who can apply and what the job pays.
| Measure | SSC CGL | SSC CHSL | SSC MTS and Havaldar |
| Minimum qualification | Bachelor's degree | Class 12 | Class 10 |
| Latest notice | 21 May 2026 | 7 September 2026 | 2025 cycle (vacancies revised 27 November 2025) |
| Vacancies | 10,731 (revised from 12,256) | About 2,536 (tentative) | 7,948 |
| Pay levels | 4 to 8 | 2, 4 and 5 | 1 |
| Starting basic pay | ₹25,500 to ₹47,600 | ₹19,900 to ₹29,200 | ₹18,000 |
| Age limit | 18–27 to 18–32, by post | 18–27 | 18–25 or 18–27, by post |
SSC CGL vs CHSL vs MTS Eligibility: Qualification and Age Limit
The qualification bar drops one level from CGL to CHSL to MTS, and the upper age limit narrows from 32 years for some CGL posts to 25 years for most MTS posts. For CGL 2026 and CHSL 2026, age is counted as on 1 August 2026.
| Exam | Minimum qualification | Age limit |
| SSC CGL | Bachelor's degree from a recognised university | 18–27, 18–30, 20–30 or 18–32 years, depending on the post |
| SSC CHSL | Class 12; Class 12 in Science with Mathematics for DEO posts in certain departments | 18–27 years |
| SSC MTS | Class 10 | 18–25 years for most MTS posts; 18–27 years for Havaldar (CBIC and CBN) and some MTS posts |
SSC CGL Age Limit by Post
CGL is the only one of the three exams with four different age brackets, set post by post in the 2026 notice.
| Posts | Pay level | Age limit | Date of birth (both dates inclusive) |
| Postal Assistant, Sorting Assistant, Tax Assistant, Upper Division Clerk, Auditor, Accountant | 4 and 5 | 18–27 years | 2 August 1999 to 1 August 2008 |
| Assistant Audit Officer, Inspector of Income Tax, Assistant Enforcement Officer, Inspector of Posts and most other Level 6–8 posts | 6 to 8 | 18–30 years | 2 August 1996 to 1 August 2008 |
| Assistant Section Officer (Central Secretariat Service, Railways, External Affairs) | 7 | 20–30 years | 2 August 1996 to 1 August 2006 |
| Junior Statistical Officer | 6 | 18–32 years | 2 August 1994 to 1 August 2008 |
The date-of-birth ranges are worked out from the 1 August 2026 reference date. The same 18–27 range (2 August 1999 to 1 August 2008) applies to every CHSL 2026 post.
Age Relaxation for Reserved Categories
The same upper-age relaxation applies across CGL, CHSL and MTS. An SC or ST candidate applying for CHSL can therefore apply up to age 32 (27 + 5). PwBD candidates in the OBC and SC/ST categories get 13 and 15 years respectively, as listed on our SSC CGL eligibility criteria page.
| Category | Relaxation in upper age limit |
| OBC (non-creamy layer) | 3 years |
| SC and ST | 5 years |
| PwBD (unreserved) | 10 years |
SSC CGL vs CHSL vs MTS Salary: Pay Level and Basic Pay
All three exams pay on the 7th Central Pay Commission pay matrix. The pay level of the post, not the exam, decides the salary, so a CHSL Data Entry Operator at Level 4 starts on the same basic pay (₹25,500) as a CGL Tax Assistant at Level 4.
| Pay level | Pay scale (basic) | Exam | Example posts |
| Level 8 | ₹47,600–₹1,51,100 | CGL | Assistant Audit Officer, Assistant Accounts Officer |
| Level 7 | ₹44,900–₹1,42,400 | CGL | Assistant Section Officer, Inspector of Income Tax, Assistant Enforcement Officer, Sub Inspector (CBI) |
| Level 6 | ₹35,400–₹1,12,400 | CGL | Junior Statistical Officer, Office Superintendent, Executive Assistant |
| Level 5 | ₹29,200–₹92,300 | CGL, CHSL | Auditor, Accountant (CGL); Data Entry Operator (CHSL) |
| Level 4 | ₹25,500–₹81,100 | CGL, CHSL | Postal Assistant, Tax Assistant, Upper Division Clerk (CGL); Data Entry Operator, DEO Grade A (CHSL) |
| Level 2 | ₹19,900–₹63,200 | CHSL | Lower Division Clerk, Junior Secretariat Assistant |
| Level 1 | ₹18,000–₹56,900 | MTS | Multi-Tasking Staff, Havaldar |
The gap between the exams is widest at the top. An LDC through CHSL starts 10.6% above an MTS (₹19,900 against ₹18,000), while an Assistant Audit Officer through CGL starts 2.64 times higher (₹47,600). Basic pay is the base for allowances such as dearness allowance and house rent allowance, which vary with the posting city.
SSC CGL Salary by Pay Level
CGL alone spans five pay levels. The starting basic pay rises 86.7% from the lowest CGL level (₹25,500 at Level 4) to the highest (₹47,600 at Level 8).
| Pay level | Starting basic pay | Basic after first annual increment (3%) | Increase over Level 4 |
| Level 4 | ₹25,500 | ₹26,300 | — |
| Level 5 | ₹29,200 | ₹30,100 | 14.5% |
| Level 6 | ₹35,400 | ₹36,500 | 38.8% |
| Level 7 | ₹44,900 | ₹46,200 | 76.1% |
| Level 8 | ₹47,600 | ₹49,000 | 86.7% |
SSC CHSL Salary by Post
CHSL's three posts sit at three pay levels, so the post allotted after the exam changes the starting basic pay by up to 46.7% (₹19,900 to ₹29,200).
| Post | Pay level | Pay scale (basic) | Basic after first annual increment (3%) |
| Lower Division Clerk / Junior Secretariat Assistant | Level 2 | ₹19,900–₹63,200 | ₹20,500 |
| Data Entry Operator | Level 4 or Level 5 | ₹25,500–₹81,100 or ₹29,200–₹92,300 | ₹26,300 or ₹30,100 |
| Data Entry Operator Grade 'A' | Level 4 | ₹25,500–₹81,100 | ₹26,300 |
SSC MTS Salary
Every MTS and Havaldar post is at Level 1, so all selected candidates start on the same basic pay of ₹18,000. The Level 1 scale runs to ₹56,900, 3.16 times the starting figure.
| Post | Pay level | Pay scale (basic) | Basic after first annual increment (3%) |
| Multi-Tasking (Non-Technical) Staff | Level 1 | ₹18,000–₹56,900 | ₹18,500 |
| Havaldar (CBIC and CBN) | Level 1 | ₹18,000–₹56,900 | ₹18,500 |
SSC CGL vs CHSL vs MTS In-Hand Salary (Estimated)
Starting monthly pay is basic pay plus dearness allowance (DA) plus house rent allowance (HRA). DA has been 60% of basic pay since 1 January 2026, when the Union Cabinet approved a 2-point rise from 58%. HRA is 30%, 20% or 10% of basic pay in X, Y and Z class cities. The table applies these official rates to the first pay cell of each level. The results are estimates, not figures published by SSC, and they exclude transport allowance and deductions.
| Pay level | Example post | Basic | DA (60%) | Gross, X city | Gross, Y city | Gross, Z city |
| Level 8 | Assistant Audit Officer (CGL) | ₹47,600 | ₹28,560 | ₹90,440 | ₹85,680 | ₹80,920 |
| Level 7 | Assistant Section Officer, Inspector (CGL) | ₹44,900 | ₹26,940 | ₹85,310 | ₹80,820 | ₹76,330 |
| Level 6 | Junior Statistical Officer (CGL) | ₹35,400 | ₹21,240 | ₹67,260 | ₹63,720 | ₹60,180 |
| Level 5 | Auditor (CGL), DEO (CHSL) | ₹29,200 | ₹17,520 | ₹55,480 | ₹52,560 | ₹49,640 |
| Level 4 | Tax Assistant (CGL), DEO (CHSL) | ₹25,500 | ₹15,300 | ₹48,450 | ₹45,900 | ₹43,350 |
| Level 2 | LDC / JSA (CHSL) | ₹19,900 | ₹11,940 | ₹37,810 | ₹35,820 | ₹33,830 |
| Level 1 | MTS, Havaldar (MTS) | ₹18,000 | ₹10,800 | ₹34,200 | ₹32,400 | ₹30,600 |
An MTS posted in an X-class city starts on ₹3,600 more a month (11.8%) than one in a Z-class city. At Level 8 the same city gap is ₹9,520.
Estimated Starting In-Hand Salary After Pension Contribution
New central government employees contribute 10% of basic pay plus DA to their pension account. Deducting it from the Y-city gross gives the starting take-home pay before income tax and transport allowance.
| Pay level | Gross, Y city | Pension contribution (10% of basic + DA) | In-hand before tax, Y city |
| Level 8 | ₹85,680 | ₹7,616 | ₹78,064 |
| Level 7 | ₹80,820 | ₹7,184 | ₹73,636 |
| Level 6 | ₹63,720 | ₹5,664 | ₹58,056 |
| Level 5 | ₹52,560 | ₹4,672 | ₹47,888 |
| Level 4 | ₹45,900 | ₹4,080 | ₹41,820 |
| Level 2 | ₹35,820 | ₹3,184 | ₹32,636 |
| Level 1 | ₹32,400 | ₹2,880 | ₹29,520 |
A Level 7 CGL officer's starting take-home (₹73,636) is 2.5 times an MTS employee's (₹29,520) in the same city. DA is revised every January and July, so these figures rise with each revision.
| Assumption used in the estimate | Value |
| Basic pay | First cell of the pay level, 7th CPC pay matrix |
| Dearness allowance | 60% of basic pay, in force from 1 January 2026 |
| House rent allowance | 30% (X city), 20% (Y city), 10% (Z city) of basic pay |
| Pension contribution | 10% of basic pay plus DA |
| Not included | Transport allowance, income tax, professional tax, other deductions |
Actual pay can differ by department, posting city and the date of joining.
SSC CGL vs CHSL vs MTS Vacancies: Latest Cycle
The three exams together offered 21,215 vacancies in their latest cycles. CGL accounted for 50.6% of them, MTS 37.5% and CHSL 12.0%.
| Exam | Cycle | Vacancies | Share of combined total |
| SSC CGL | 2026 | 10,731 | 50.6% |
| SSC MTS and Havaldar | 2025 | 7,948 | 37.5% |
| SSC CHSL | 2026 | 2,536 (tentative) | 12.0% |
| Total | 21,215 | 100% |
CGL 2026 vacancies were revised down by 1,525 (12.4%) from the 12,256 first announced. CGL has 4.2 times as many vacancies as CHSL in the 2026 cycle.
SSC CGL 2026 Post-wise Vacancies
The three Level 8 posts carry 1,521 vacancies, 14.2% of the CGL 2026 total. The smallest post on the list, Sub Inspector in CBI, has 7. Tier 1 and Tier 2 cut-offs from previous cycles are on our SSC CGL result page.
| Post | Pay level | Total | UR | SC | ST | OBC | EWS |
| Accountant | 5 | 599 | 256 | 86 | 42 | 163 | 52 |
| Inspector of Income Tax | 7 | 595 | 238 | 102 | 48 | 158 | 49 |
| Assistant Audit Officer (Central Cadre) | 8 | 513 | 210 | 76 | 38 | 138 | 51 |
| Assistant Audit Officer (State Cadre) | 8 | 504 | 247 | 63 | 29 | 125 | 40 |
| Assistant Accounts Officer (State Cadre) | 8 | 504 | 253 | 60 | 28 | 125 | 38 |
| Office Superintendent | 6 | 426 | 180 | 64 | 33 | 110 | 39 |
| Junior Statistical Officer | 6 | 158 | 48 | 38 | 10 | 53 | 9 |
| Inspector (Preventive Officer) | 7 | 98 | 54 | 23 | 8 | 10 | 3 |
| Assistant Enforcement Officer | 7 | 23 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Inspector of Posts | 7 | 19 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 3 |
| Sub Inspector (CBI) | 7 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
SSC MTS Vacancy Breakdown (2025 Cycle)
MTS vacancies are split by age group as well as category, which is why MTS results carry separate cut-offs for the 18–25 and 18–27 groups.
| Post | Total | UR | EWS | OBC | SC | ST |
| MTS (18–25 years) | 6,078 | 2,859 | 596 | 1,486 | 665 | 472 |
| MTS (18–27 years) | 732 | 323 | 89 | 215 | 56 | 49 |
| Havaldar (CBIC and CBN) | 1,138 | 497 | 131 | 272 | 138 | 100 |
| Total | 7,948 | 3,679 | 816 | 1,973 | 859 | 621 |
The 18–25 MTS group holds 76.5% of all 7,948 vacancies. Havaldar vacancies were revised from 1,211 to 1,138 in the 27 November 2025 notice.
SSC CGL vs CHSL vs MTS Exam Dates: Latest Cycle
The application windows ran for 28 to 32 days across the three exams: 32 days for CGL 2026 (with a 3-day reopening), 30 days for CHSL 2026 and 28 days for MTS 2025. The 2025 MTS cycle took 195 days from application close to the first exam day (24 July 2025 to 4 February 2026). SSC's tentative dates for every exam in the cycle are in our report on the SSC exam calendar 2026-27.
| Event | SSC CGL 2026 | SSC CHSL 2026 | SSC MTS and Havaldar 2025 |
| Notice released | 21 May 2026 | 7 September 2026 | June 2025 |
| Application window | 21 May to 22 June 2026 (reopened until 25 June) | 7 September to 7 October 2026 | 26 June to 24 July 2025 |
| First-stage exam | Tier 1 schedule announced separately by SSC | Tier 1: 30 November to 31 December 2026 | 4 to 19 February 2026 |
| Vacancy revision | 12,256 revised to 10,731 | — | Havaldar 1,211 revised to 1,138 (27 November 2025) |
SSC CHSL Post List vs SSC CGL and MTS Posts
CGL fills both Group B and Group C posts across five pay levels (4 to 8), while CHSL and MTS fill only Group C posts. The CHSL post list in the 2026 notice has three posts.
| Exam | Posts | Group |
| SSC CGL | Assistant Audit Officer, Assistant Accounts Officer, Assistant Section Officer, Inspector (Income Tax, Central Excise, Posts), Assistant Enforcement Officer, Sub Inspector (CBI), Junior Statistical Officer, Office Superintendent, Executive Assistant, Auditor, Accountant, Postal Assistant, Sorting Assistant, Tax Assistant, Upper Division Clerk | Group B (gazetted and non-gazetted) and Group C |
| SSC CHSL | Lower Division Clerk / Junior Secretariat Assistant, Data Entry Operator, Data Entry Operator Grade 'A' | Group C |
| SSC MTS | Multi-Tasking (Non-Technical) Staff, Havaldar (CBIC and CBN) | Group C, non-gazetted, non-ministerial |
Postal Assistant and Sorting Assistant posts are recruited through CGL 2026 at Level 4, not through CHSL.
SSC CGL vs CHSL vs MTS Exam Pattern and Selection Process
CGL and CHSL both open with a 100-question, 200-mark Tier 1 paper. MTS uses a single computer-based exam in two sessions worth 270 marks, with a physical test added only for Havaldar.
| Measure | SSC CGL | SSC CHSL | SSC MTS |
| Selection stages | Tier 1, Tier 2 | Tier 1, Tier 2 (with skill or typing test) | Computer-based exam; PET/PST for Havaldar only |
| First-stage questions | 100 | 100 | 90 (40 in Session 1, 50 in Session 2) |
| First-stage marks | 200 | 200 | 270 (120 + 150) |
| First-stage duration | 60 minutes | 60 minutes | 90 minutes (45 + 45) |
| Negative marking | −0.50 per wrong answer | −0.50 per wrong answer | None in Session 1; −1 per wrong answer in Session 2 |
CHSL 2026 applications ran from 7 September to 7 October 2026. The section-wise Tier 1 and Tier 2 structure is on our SSC CGL exam pattern and SSC CHSL exam pages.
SSC CGL vs CHSL vs MTS Career Growth: Group and Pay Ceiling
The entry post sets both the group and the maximum basic pay reachable within that pay level. An MTS can rise to ₹56,900 basic within Level 1; an Assistant Audit Officer can rise to ₹1,51,100 within Level 8, 2.66 times higher.
| Exam | Entry groups | Highest entry pay level | Maximum basic pay within highest entry level |
| SSC CGL | Group B (including gazetted), Group C | Level 8 | ₹1,51,100 |
| SSC CHSL | Group C | Level 5 | ₹92,300 |
| SSC MTS | Group C | Level 1 | ₹56,900 |
Only CGL includes a gazetted entry post: Assistant Audit Officer and Assistant Accounts Officer are Group B gazetted posts at Level 8.
Financial Upgradation Under MACP
Under the Modified Assured Career Progression (MACP) scheme, an employee who has not been promoted moves to the next pay level after 10, 20 and 30 years of regular service. An MTS who is never promoted therefore reaches Level 4, the entry level of a CGL Tax Assistant, after 30 years.
| Entry post (exam) | Entry level | After 10 years | After 20 years | After 30 years |
| Assistant Section Officer (CGL) | Level 7 | Level 8 | Level 9 | Level 10 |
| Tax Assistant (CGL) | Level 4 | Level 5 | Level 6 | Level 7 |
| LDC / JSA (CHSL) | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 |
| MTS (MTS) | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 |
Which SSC Exam Is Better: CGL, CHSL or MTS?
A candidate's qualification decides how many of the three exams they can sit. A graduate is eligible for all three, which together offered 21,215 vacancies in the latest cycles; a Class 10 pass is eligible for MTS alone.
| Highest qualification | Exams open | Combined vacancies (latest cycles) | Highest starting basic pay |
| Graduate | CGL, CHSL, MTS | 21,215 | ₹47,600 (CGL, Level 8) |
| Class 12 | CHSL, MTS | 10,484 | ₹29,200 (CHSL DEO, Level 5) |
| Class 10 | MTS | 7,948 | ₹18,000 (Level 1) |
A Class 12 candidate has 1.3 times the vacancies of a Class 10 candidate (10,484 against 7,948), and a graduate has 2.7 times. The 18–27 age limit for CHSL is the same as for most Level 4–5 CGL posts, so graduates under 27 can compete for both in the same year.
SSC CGL vs CHSL vs MTS FAQs
These are the questions candidates search for most on Google about the three exams, answered with 2026 pay, age and vacancy figures.
What is the SSC CGL in-hand salary?
By KollegeApply's estimate, using the first pay cell and 60% DA, gross monthly pay in a Y-class city ranges from ₹45,900 (Level 4, such as Tax Assistant) to ₹85,680 (Level 8, Assistant Audit Officer). After the 10% pension contribution, starting take-home pay is about ₹41,820 to ₹78,064 before income tax and transport allowance.
What is the SSC CHSL in-hand salary?
By KollegeApply's estimate, an LDC or JSA at Level 2 starts on ₹35,820 gross in a Y-class city, or ₹32,636 after the pension contribution. A Data Entry Operator starts on ₹45,900 gross at Level 4 (₹41,820 take-home) or ₹52,560 at Level 5 (₹47,888 take-home).
What is the SSC MTS in-hand salary?
MTS and Havaldar start on ₹18,000 basic at Level 1. With 60% DA and HRA, estimated gross monthly pay is ₹34,200 in an X-class city, ₹32,400 in a Y-class city and ₹30,600 in a Z-class city. Take-home in a Y-class city is about ₹29,520 after the pension contribution.
What is the SSC CGL age limit?
It depends on the post: 18–27 years for Level 4–5 posts, 18–30 years for most Level 6–8 posts, 20–30 years for Assistant Section Officer in CSS, Railways and External Affairs, and 18–32 years for Junior Statistical Officer, counted as on 1 August 2026. OBC candidates get 3 extra years and SC and ST candidates 5.
What is the difference between SSC CGL and CHSL?
CGL needs a degree and recruits to Group B and Group C posts at Pay Levels 4 to 8 (₹25,500–₹47,600 starting basic). CHSL needs Class 12 and recruits only to Group C posts at Levels 2 to 5 (₹19,900–₹29,200). In the 2026 cycle, CGL has 10,731 vacancies against about 2,536 for CHSL.
Can a graduate apply for SSC CHSL?
Yes. CHSL requires a minimum of Class 12, so graduates are eligible if they are 18 to 27 years old on 1 August 2026 (born between 2 August 1999 and 1 August 2008). A graduate in that age range can sit both CGL and CHSL in the same year.
What is the promotion in SSC MTS?
Promotion posts depend on each department's recruitment rules. If an MTS is not promoted, the MACP scheme moves them up one pay level after 10, 20 and 30 years of service: from Level 1 to Level 2, Level 3 and finally Level 4 (₹25,500 starting basic).
Is SSC MTS a good job?
SSC MTS is a Group C central government post at Pay Level 1. It starts at ₹30,600 to ₹34,200 gross a month depending on the city, and it is the only one of the three exams open to Class 10 candidates. The 2025 cycle offered 7,948 vacancies.
