• Updated on 4 Sept, 2026 by Paulami Chandra
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The SSC JE Paper 1 exam 2026 will be conducted as an objective-type Computer-Based Examination and is tentatively scheduled for October or November 2026. The paper will comprise 200 questions carrying 200 marks. Candidates will get 2 hours to complete the Paper 1 test. It will cover General Intelligence and Reasoning (50 questions for 50 marks), General Awareness (50 questions for 50 marks), and General Engineering (100 questions for 100 marks) based on the candidate’s chosen discipline, Civil & Structural, Electrical, or Mechanical Engineering. Candidates will receive 1 mark for each correct answer, while 0.25 marks will be deducted for every incorrect response.
Candidates shortlisted based on Paper 1 will appear for the SSC JE Paper 2 exam 2026, which is a Computer-Based Test focused mainly on the technical subject selected by the candidate during SSC JE application 2026 form filling. Paper 2 will carry 300 marks and will be held for 2 hours, with questions based on Civil & Structural, Electrical, or Mechanical Engineering. The examination is tentatively scheduled for December 2026. There will be negative marking of 1 mark for each incorrect answer in Paper 2. The marks obtained by candidates will be calculated to decide the SSC JE final merit 2026.
Table of Contents
- SSC JE Exam Pattern 2026: Exam Overview
- SSC JE Exam Pattern 2026: Pattern Summary
- SSC JE Exam Pattern 2026: Detailed Stage-wise Pattern
- SSC JE Exam Pattern 2026: Marking Scheme
- SSC JE Exam Pattern 2026: Paper-I vs Paper-II Comparison
- SSC JE Exam Pattern 2026: Preparation Tips
- SSC JE Exam Pattern 2026 FAQs
SSC JE Exam Pattern 2026: Exam Overview
The SSC JE 2026 recruitment is conducted by the Staff Selection Commission to appoint Junior Engineers in various departments and organisations of the Central Government. For the 2026 recruitment drive, the Commission has notified 1,748 vacancies across Electrical, Civil and Mechanical disciplines. The recruitment is based on Paper-I and Paper-II, followed by Document Verification.
Also Check: SSC JE Result 2026
SSC JE Exam Pattern 2026: Pattern Summary
SSC JE Exam Pattern 2026 has been divided across two stages, including Paper-I (CBT) and Paper-II (Descriptive). Paper I contains 200 objective questions in the areas of Reasoning, General Awareness, and Technical subjects, where Paper II is a 300-mark descriptive test depending on the engineering field of the candidate. The rest of the information regarding the SSC JE 2026 examination is stated below in the table:
SSC JE Exam Pattern 2026: Detailed Stage-wise Pattern
SSC JE Exam Pattern 2026 is designed in two stages: one is Paper-I, a Computer-Based Examination with objective questions in the areas of Reasoning, General Awareness and technical knowledge (200 marks), and Paper-II, a descriptive examination in in-depth knowledge in engineering (300 marks).In Paper I, there is a negative marking of 0.25 mark but in Paper II, there is no negative marking. All these levels assess both analytical and technical capabilities.
Also Check: SSC JE Application Process 2026
SSC JE Exam Pattern 2026: Paper 1 Pattern
SSC JE Exam Pattern 2026 for Paper 1 is a computer-based objective examination that assesses a candidate’s reasoning skills, basic awareness, and engineering knowledge.
SSC JE Exam Pattern 2026: Section-wise Topics
The SSC JE 2026 exam has been designed to test specific skills through each part, with General Intelligence and Reasoning, the first part, testing analytical skills, patterns, and problem-solving, the second part, General Awareness, tests knowledge of up-to-date affairs, history, geography, polity, and basic science and the last part, the Technical, tests core engineering knowledge with reference to Civil, Electrical or Mechanical engineering.All these sections evaluate the general aptitude and technical expertise.
General Intelligence & Reasoning
- Analogy, classification
- Series (number and alphabet)
- Syllogism, Venn diagrams
- Coding-decoding
- Non-verbal reasoning
General Awareness
- Current affairs
- Indian polity and economy
- Geography and history
- Environment and science basics
General Engineering (Technical)
- Based on the chosen stream:
- Civil Engineering Construction Materials, surveying, RCC, soil mechanics, hydraulics.
- Electrical Engineering: Power systems, Signal processing, Circuits, Machines
- Mechanical Engineering: SOM, TOM, RAC, Thermodynamics, Fluid mechanics.
SSC JE Exam Pattern 2026: Paper 2 Pattern
Paper-II is a descriptive written examination, testing the core engineering concepts and problem-solving ability of the candidate.
SSC JE Exam Pattern 2026: Section-wise Topics
SSC JE paper 2 paper 2, 2026 is a descriptive test, which verifies fine technical knowledge in either Civil, Electrical, or Mechanical engineering. It comprises theory and numerical problems that are concerned with basic engineering principles. One has to be able to score well with clear and accurate answers.
Civil Engineering
- RCC, Steel Design
- Soil Mechanics
- Fluid Mechanics
- Surveying
- Hydrology
- Construction Management
Mechanical Engineering
- Thermodynamics
- Power Engineering
- IC Engines
- Heat Transfer
- Manufacturing Processes
- Machine Design
Electrical Engineering
- Power Systems
- Power Electronics
- Electric Machines
- Control Systems
- Network Theory
- Measurement Devices
Also Check: SSC JE Syllabus 2026
SSC JE Exam Pattern 2026: Marking Scheme
In the SSC JE marking scheme 2026, 1 mark is awarded for every correct answer in SSC JE Paper 1 2026, which carries a total of 200 marks, while 0.25 marks are deducted for each incorrect response. The SSC JE Paper 2 2026 carries 300 marks and has no negative marking. The combined marks secured in Paper 1 and Paper 2 are considered for determining the candidates’ final merit.
SSC JE Exam Pattern 2026: Paper-I vs Paper-II Comparison
Paper-I is an objective Computer-Based Test, which includes Reasoning, General Awareness, and Technical subjects, where negative marking is applicable, whereas Paper-II is a descriptive exam, which also has negative marking applicable. They evaluate the aptitude and depth of technical expertise together.
SSC JE Exam Pattern 2026: Preparation Tips
SSC JE Exam Pattern 2026 is designed to assess candidates’ technical knowledge and problem-solving abilities. Candidates must have a thorough understanding of the exam pattern, including the marking scheme, exam duration, question types, and overall selection process. Below are the detailed SSC JE Preparation Tips 2026:
- Get Familiar with the Pattern: It is important to know how many questions and marks and how difficult the paper will be so that one can prepare well.
- Give Preference to High-Weightage Topics: Technical subjects are of 100 marks in Paper-I and 300 marks in Paper-II, and thus, they are of importance.
- Practice Past Year Papers: SSC has a lot of repetitions of question patterns. The accuracy and speed are enhanced by solving past papers.
- Develop a Good GK Practice: It is important to read the news daily, a monthly current affairs PDF, and a revision of GK, which will not be dynamic.
- Practice Descriptive Writing Work on: Paper-II.
- Diagram accuracy
- Neatness
- Formula derivations
- Step-by-step solving
SSC JE Exam Pattern 2026 FAQs
What topics are covered in SSC JE Paper-I?
Paper-I consists of three sections: General Intelligence & Reasoning, General Awareness, and Technical subjects (Civil, Electrical, or Mechanical). The Technical section is based on the candidate's chosen engineering discipline.
What is the marking scheme for SSC JE 2026 Paper-I?
Paper I follows a marking scheme where each correct answer earns 1 mark, and 0.25 marks are deducted for each wrong answer. Unattempted questions receive no marks. The total marks for Paper-I are 200.
Is there negative marking in the SSC JE 2026 Paper-I?
Yes, there is negative marking in Paper-I. For every incorrect answer, 0.25 marks are deducted. However, no marks are deducted for unattempted questions.
What is SSC JE Paper-II?
Paper-II is a descriptive test that evaluates the deep knowledge of the candidate in his or her engineering field. It consists of theory and numerical problems depending on the Civil, Electrical, or Mechanical engineering stream.
How long is the SSC JE Paper-II?
Paper-II will be an offline examination, taking a period of 2 hours. The exam will be a series of descriptive questions with a mark of 300, which will evaluate the knowledge of the candidate in the field of engineering and problem-solving skills.
Is SSC JE Paper- II negatively marked?
No, Paper-II does not have any negative marking. The evaluation of the candidates is based only on the provided answers in writing, with explanations of theory, calculations, and diagrams.
How many marks are there in the SSC JE 2026?
The maximum score of the SSC JE test is 500. Paper I will be marked at 200, and Paper II will be marked at 300. Both documents play a very important role in establishing the final merit of the candidate.
What is the date of the SSC JE 2026 Paper-I?
The SSC JE Paper 1 exam 2026 is tentatively scheduled to be conducted in October or November 2026. The paper will carry 200 marks and will be held in Computer-Based Examination mode. The SSC JE Paper 1 Admit Card 2026 is expected to be released in October 2026, about 4 days before the commencement of the examination.
When will SSC JE Paper-II be conducted?
The SSC JE Paper 2 exam 2026 is tentatively scheduled for December 2026 as per the official notification. The paper will carry 300 marks and will assess candidates in their respective technical discipline. The SSC JE Paper 2 Admit Card 2026 is expected to be released around 4 days before the CBT, tentatively scheduled in December 2026.
What is the distinction between SSC JE Paper- I and Paper- II?
Paper I is an online test, objective, with questions on Reasoning, General Awareness and Technical subjects, whereas Paper II is a descriptive test, with an offline paper which addresses the basic knowledge of engineering. Paper I has negative marking, whereas in Paper II, it is absent.
What are the major preparation tips for Paper-II?
In Paper-II, practice writing descriptive answers, practice in accuracy in diagrams, and also be clear in deriving formulae. Master the engineering concepts and do past year problems to enhance your problem-solving skills.