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Can you explain what the Staff Selection Commission(SSC) is?
One could jokingly describe the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) as the "PSC" (Public Service Commission) of the central government, since it is responsible for selecting candidates for various central government services. Established in 1975, the SSC is based in New Delhi and operates independently as a central government organization.
The SSC is responsible for the entire process of conducting examinations, evaluating results, and declaring them. Prior to 2010, the SSC was only responsible for conducting exams for group B (non-gazetted) and group C (non-technical) positions. However, it now also handles group B (Gazetted) positions such as Assistant Accounts Officer and Assistant Audit Officer in the Audit and Accounts Department of India.

The SSC conducts various important general election exams on an annual basis, which include:
1. Combined Graduate Level
2. Combined Higher Secondary Level
3. Junior Engineer
4. Junior Hindi Translator
5. Junior Translator
6. Multi-Tasking (Non-Technical) Staff
7. Stenographer Grade C and D
A. Combined Graduate Level(CGL)
In India, after the Civil Services Examination, many graduates aspire to clear the Combined Graduate Level Examination conducted by the SSC. This exam is held for positions that can lead to high-ranking positions in the central government service, with competitive starting salaries. The SSC conducts recruitment for various departments to fill positions such as Assistant Audit Officer, Assistant Accounts Officer, Assistant Section Officer, Assistant Income Tax Inspector, Central Excise Inspector, Assistant Enforcement Officer, Inspector, Divisional Accountant, Sub-Inspector, and Junior Statistical Officer.

QUALIFICATION
Candidates with a bachelor's degree in any discipline are eligible to apply for the SSC examinations. However, for the positions of Assistant Audit Officer/Assistant Accounts Officer, candidates with qualifications such as Chartered Accountancy/Cost and Management Accountancy/Company Secretary/M.Com/MBA (Finance)/Masters in Business Studies/Business Economics are preferred. In addition, those applying for the post of Junior Statistical Officer must have scored a minimum of 60% marks in Mathematics at the plus two level. Alternatively, candidates must have studied statistics as a subject at the undergraduate level in order to be considered for the post of Junior Statistical Officer. Physical fitness is also a requirement for candidates applying for the positions of Inspector/Sub-Inspector, as they are required to undergo a physical eligibility test as part of the selection process.
The SSC exam consists of three phases or tiers, and only those who pass the Tier-I exam can proceed to the Tier-II exam. Both of these exams are conducted online and are in objective format. After successfully clearing the Tier-II exam, candidates will be eligible to take the Tier-III exam. Final results are based on the marks obtained in both Tier-I and Tier-II exams. The Tier-I exam syllabus covers General Intelligence, Reasoning, General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude, and English. However, the Tier-II exam focuses solely on Quantitative Aptitude and English.

B. Combined Higher Secondary Level (CHSL)
The Combined Graduate Level (CGL) and Combined Higher Secondary Level (CHSL) examinations are highly anticipated by candidates, with annual applications numbering in the hundreds of thousands. The basic qualification for CHSL is a minimum of a high school diploma, with recruitment being carried out for posts such as Postal Assistant, Sorting Assistant, Lower Division Clerk, and Data Entry Operator. The maximum age limit for these positions is 27 years, and candidates who successfully pass the online objective test must also take a typing/skill test during the two-phase selection process.

C. Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS)
Every year, over 1,000 vacancies are available for the Multi-Tasking Staff position, which has a minimum requirement of a 10th standard education. The selection process consists of two stages, with the first being an online objective test. Candidates who pass this phase will then be eligible for the descriptive test known as Tier-II. The final result will be based on the combined marks obtained by the candidate in both exams. The Tier-I exam syllabus covers topics such as General Intelligence, Numerical Aptitude, General English, and General Awareness. Tier-II includes essay and letter writing in either English or the candidate's native language.

D. Junior Engineer
For engineering undergraduates and diploma holders in India, the SSC Junior Engineer exam is highly sought after. To be eligible, candidates must possess a bachelor's degree or diploma in any engineering discipline, and be under 30 years of age. Successful applicants can expect a starting salary of over Rs 40,000 and additional benefits. The examination consists of a two-stage written test followed by an interview.

E. Junior Translator
For those proficient in both English and Hindi, the Junior Translator position is among the most desirable government jobs. The starting salary is approximately Rs 40,000, and the competition is not as fierce as other exams due to the relatively low number of qualified candidates. The positions available include Junior Hindi Translator, Senior Hindi Translator, and Hindi Pradhyapak. To be eligible for the Junior Translator exam, candidates must have a master's degree in either English or Hindi. Those with a master's degree in English should have studied Hindi as a subject, while those with a master's degree in Hindi should have studied English as a subject. Additionally, candidates must be below 30 years of age.
The selection process will involve a written test followed by a personality test/interview. The syllabus for the first phase of the exam includes General English and General Hindi, which will be in objective type format. The second phase of the exam will consist of translation and essay writing, with each phase carrying 200 marks.
SSC has discontinued the acceptance of offline applications for several years to ensure greater transparency and avoid candidate difficulties. To align with this pattern, SSC has also introduced a one-time registration process available on their website ssc.nic.in.

HOW TO APPLY?
Only those candidates who have completed the one-time registration process can apply for SSC. To submit an application, they need to log in to their profile. On the profile page, there are links to the Latest Notification, Application History, Modify Registration, and Results/Marks. By clicking on the "Latest Notification" link, candidates can see the available posts they can apply for. Each post will be displayed in separate boxes. To apply for the post, candidates must use the "Apply" link located under the separate boxes for each post in the "Latest Notification" section after successfully completing the one-time registration. Application fees can be paid online or offline, and candidates must ensure they have the necessary net banking, debit card, or credit card facility if applying online. For offline applications, the fee can be paid using the challan received upon submission of the application.
By using the 'Application History' link, candidates can view the details of the posts they have previously applied for. The 'Modify Registration' link allows them to update some of their basic information. Through the 'Results/Marks' link, candidates can check their marks. It is important to note that when submitting an application, candidates can only apply to one region for a post.
Submitting multiple applications for the same post in different regions will result in the cancellation of all the applications.

REGIONS
India has seven primary regional offices for the SSC, along with two sub-regional offices located in North-Western and Madhya Pradesh. The regions include Central, Eastern, Karnataka-Kerala, Northern, North-Eastern, Southern, and Western, with the headquarters for the Karnataka-Kerala region situated in Bengaluru.
To apply for the SSC exams, there is an examination fee of Rs 100, which is required to be paid by most applicants. However, women, SCs, and STs are exempted from paying this fee. Moreover, candidates belonging to reserved categories such as disabled individuals do not have to pay any fee for the examination.
Each year, numerous SSC exams are conducted to recruit individuals for central government services. The chances of getting into the central government through these exams are higher compared to the state government services. Despite this, many individuals are hesitant to apply for the SSC exams, as they lack knowledge about the exam. As a result, the number of applicants for similar posts in the central services is considerably lower than those applying for LDC positions in Kerala PSC, which is less than one-fourth of the total applicants. The fear of English and the misconception that succeeding in SSC exams is difficult are two common reasons behind the reluctance of Malayalees to apply for these exams. However, those who have cleared the SSC exams believe that it requires less effort than the PSC exam. With adequate knowledge and preparation, anyone can secure a position in the central government through the SSC exams.
Therefore, it is possible for anyone to become a central government official by making a sincere effort and gaining a better understanding of the SSC exams.

An Article By Mujeebulla K M
CIGI Career Team