The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has officially released the exam dates for the Combined Graduate Level (CGL) Tier II stage of the 2025 recruitment cycle, for the selection of candidates for various central government posts.

According to the comprehensive timetable given by the SSC, the Tier II examination will be held on January 18 and 19, 2026, with numerous papers scheduled for both days. 

Paper 1 will be divided into three sections: Mathematical Abilities and Reasoning with General Ability (Section I), English Language and Comprehension with General Awareness (Section II), and Computer Knowledge (Section III). In addition, Paper 2, which focuses on statistics, will be administered on the first day of the exam.

The second day of the SSC CGL Tier II exam, January 19, 2026, will be devoted to the Skill Test, popularly known as the Data Entry Speed Test (DEST). This component is designated as Paper 1, Section IV, and it is designed to measure candidates' typing speed and data entry efficiency, both of which are required for multiple CGL recruitment posts.

The announcement comes after the declaration of the Tier I results in December 2025, which saw a large number of candidates qualify for the next round of the SSC CGL recruitment drive. 

The SSC CGL Tier II exam is crucial in the selection process for Group B and Group C posts in various central government ministries, departments and organisations. Candidates who have successfully cleared the Tier I examinations will now appear for the mains-level Tier II tests, which are conducted in computer-based test (CBT) mode.

Details regarding the exam schedule, subjects, reporting time and shift timings are available in the official notification on the Commission’s website, ssc.gov.in. 

Aspirants are advised to regularly check the portal for updates on admit card release dates, which are typically issued a few weeks before the examination.