SSC CGL Answer Key 2026 Release Date: Tier 1 Answer Key, Objection Fee and Expected Cutoff

The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) held the Combined Graduate Level (CGL) 2026 Tier 1 examination from 30 September to 30 October 2026, and the tentative answer key with candidates' response sheets is the next step. As of 3 November 2026, SSC has not announced the release date. In the 2024 cycle, the key came out seven days after the last Tier 1 shift, which would point to the first half of November 2026. It will be published on ssc.gov.in with a window to challenge answers at ₹100 per question.

The answer key lets candidates estimate their Tier 1 score before the result, and the score matters because only candidates above the category-wise cutoff move on to Tier 2. In CGL 2025, the Tier 1 cutoff for most posts was 136.40 for UR, 130.37 for OBC, 127.42 for EWS, 115.03 for SC and 106.39 for ST, out of 200. This guide covers how to download and challenge the answer key, how to calculate your score, previous cutoffs and the expected cutoff for 2026.

SSC CGL Answer Key 2026 Latest Update

3 November 2026: The SSC CGL 2026 Tier 1 answer key has not been released yet, and SSC has not announced a date. The Tier 1 exam ended on 30 October 2026. Based on previous cycles, the tentative answer key and response sheets are expected in the first half of November 2026 on ssc.gov.in. Under the CGL 2026 notice, the fee to challenge an answer is ₹100 per question, up from ₹50 in 2025, and it is not refundable.

SSC CGL 2026 Tier 1 at a Glance

SSC CGL Tier 1 is a computer-based screening test, and its marks decide who is shortlisted for Tier 2. The 2026 examination was held over a month in multiple shifts, so SSC normalises raw scores across shifts before preparing the result. The tentative vacancy list for CGL 2026 shows 10,731 posts.

SSC CGL Answer Key 2026 Release Date and Expected Date

SSC publishes a tentative answer key for each computer-based exam after the last shift, together with each candidate's response sheet. Candidates can then check their answers and challenge any they believe are wrong, within a short window and for ₹100 per question. After reviewing the challenges, SSC prepares the result and later releases the final answer key.

SSC CGL answer key release in previous years

The previous cycles give a reasonable guide to the timing. In the CGL 2025 cycle, the tentative Tier 1 key came out on 16 October 2025, with challenges open until 21 October and the Tier 1 result declared on 18 December 2025. In the 2024 cycle, the key came seven days after the last Tier 1 shift.

How to Download SSC CGL Tier 1 Answer Key 2026 on ssc.gov.in

The tentative answer key is not a single public PDF. Each candidate sees their own question paper, with their responses and the correct answers, after logging in to the SSC website. The link is usually live for only a few days, so candidates should download and save their response sheet as soon as it is available.

1. Go to ssc.gov.in.
2. Open the notice titled "Uploading of Tentative Answer Keys along with Candidates' Response Sheet(s)" for Combined Graduate Level Examination 2026 (Tier-I).
3. Log in with your registration number and password.
4. View your response sheet, which shows each question, your answer and the correct answer.
5. Download or save the response sheet for score calculation and future reference.

SSC CGL Answer Key 2026 Objection: Fee and Steps

If a candidate believes the answer to a question is wrong, they can challenge it online during the window SSC announces with the key. Each challenge costs ₹100 per question under the CGL 2026 notice, up from ₹50 in the 2025 cycle, and the fee is not refunded. Challenges are accepted only through the online facility and only within the window. SSC's subject experts review all challenges, and any changes are reflected in the final result.

1. Log in through the answer key link on ssc.gov.in.
2. Select the question you wish to challenge.
3. Enter your reasoning and, where possible, a supporting reference.
4. Pay the challenge fee of ₹100 per question online.
5. Submit before the window closes.

How to Calculate SSC CGL Tier 1 Score Using the Answer Key

Tier 1 has 100 questions carrying 200 marks, with two marks for each correct answer and a deduction of half a mark for each wrong one. Unattempted questions carry no marks. A candidate can work out a raw score from the response sheet using: Score = (correct answers × 2) − (wrong answers × 0.5). For example, 70 correct and 12 wrong answers give 140 − 6 = 134 marks.

SSC prepares the result on normalised marks, which adjust for differences in difficulty between shifts. A candidate's normalised score can therefore be slightly higher or lower than the raw score worked out from the response sheet.

SSC CGL Tier 1 Cutoff 2025 (Previous Year)

SSC sets separate Tier 1 cutoffs for different groups of posts. In CGL 2025, the cutoff for Junior Statistical Officer and Statistical Investigator Grade-II was higher, at about 152 to 153 marks for UR, because these posts need a stronger mathematics profile and have fewer seats. For all other posts, which account for most candidates, the UR cutoff was 136.40 out of 200. The figures below are normalised marks, as corrected by SSC on 14 January 2026.

SSC CGL Tier 1 Cutoff Trend: 2024 and 2025

Cutoffs for all other posts fell by between 5 and 17 marks from 2024 to 2025, across every category. The fall was largest for UR, from 152.97 to 136.40. Year-to-year changes depend on the difficulty of the paper, the number of candidates and the number of vacancies, so a single year's cutoff is not a reliable guide on its own.

Tier 1 cutoffs for all other posts, normalised marks out of 200.

SSC CGL 2026 Tier 1 Expected Cutoff (Category-Wise)

The 2026 cutoff will depend on three things: how difficult candidates found the paper, how many appeared, and the number of vacancies. The tentative vacancy list for 2026 shows 10,731 posts. With fewer posts to fill, competition for Tier 2 places is likely to be at least as strong as in 2025, so the cutoff is unlikely to fall below the 2025 level unless the paper was much harder. The estimates below use the 2025 cutoff as the lower end of the range and the midpoint between the 2025 and 2024 cutoffs as the upper end. They are KollegeApply estimates, not official figures.

Method: lower end = 2025 cutoff; upper end = midpoint of the 2024 and 2025 cutoffs, rounded. Cutoffs for Junior Statistical Officer and Statistical Investigator Grade-II are usually higher than these.

SSC CGL 2026 tentative vacancies by category

As per SSC's tentative vacancy list of 24 September 2026; vacancies may be revised.

Minimum Qualifying Marks in SSC CGL Tier 1

Apart from the cutoff, candidates must reach the minimum qualifying marks in Tier 1, which are set as a percentage of the total. The cutoff, which depends on competition, is always well above these minimums, so in practice the cutoff is the figure that decides shortlisting.

What After the SSC CGL Tier 1 Answer Key 2026?

Once the challenge window closes, SSC reviews the objections and declares the Tier 1 result along with category-wise cutoffs and the number of candidates shortlisted for Tier 2. Shortlisted candidates then appear for Tier 2, which decides final selection together with skill tests where applicable. Candidates who have estimated their score from the answer key can compare it with the expected cutoff to judge whether to focus on Tier 2 preparation.

FAQs on SSC CGL Answer Key 2026 and Cutoff