The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has rolled out significant reforms for the Combined Graduate Level (CGL) Examination 2025, scheduled for September. 

SSC Chairman S Gopalakrishnan, in an interaction with Navbharat Times, said the changes aim to resolve issues faced by candidates in past years, including faulty devices, Aadhaar verification delays, and distant exam centres.

Single shift and nearby centres

For the first time, the CGL exam will be held in a single shift nationwide, ensuring all candidates attempt the same set of questions and eliminating discrepancies. 

To ease travel, exam centres will now be allotted within a 100 km radius of candidates’ registered addresses. Currently, nearly 80 per cent of applicants are given nearby centres, and SSC plans to push this figure above 90 per cent.

Aadhaar verification and exam management

As noted by Telegraph, Aadhaar verification has been made mandatory to streamline identification and cut delays. The Commission has also strengthened its evaluation system by introducing shift-wise normalisation in case of any variation in difficulty levels. 

Additionally, four different agencies will now handle exam centres, security, online applications, and question paper preparation, while SSC itself will directly oversee question paper development.

Rejecting the idea of a return to pen-and-paper exams, Gopalakrishnan stated, “Computer-based testing ensures greater security, transparency, and faster results,” calling it the most efficient system for an exam attempted by crores of aspirants across India.