Staff Selection Commission (SSC) ASO Recruitment 2026

SSC ASO Recruitment 2026 Notification :
The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has officially published the SSC ASO Recruitment 2026 Notification for conducting the Assistant Section Officer (ASO) / Assistant Grade Limited Departmental Competitive Examination (LDCE) 2025. This departmental examination aims to recruit 341 eligible candidates for the post of Assistant Section Officer (ASO) / Assistant Grade in various Central Government departments.
The recruitment is being conducted for vacancies available in the Central Secretariat Service (CSS) under the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA – Cadre Cell). It provides an excellent promotional opportunity for eligible departmental employees seeking advancement to the Group 'B' Gazetted level.
The official notification has been released under Notice No. 4/2/2026-CONF-5, dated 25 June 2026, containing complete details regarding vacancies, eligibility criteria, reservation policy, examination pattern, syllabus, application procedure, document verification, departmental forwarding process, and important instructions.
The online application process begins on 25 June 2026 and will continue until 16 July 2026 (11:00 PM). Eligible departmental candidates must complete the application through the official SSC website before the closing date.
Apart from online submission, candidates must also submit the printed application form along with the prescribed documents through their Head of Department (HoD) or Head of Office (HoO) to SSC Northern Region within the prescribed deadline. Applications without departmental forwarding will not be accepted.
The Computer Based Examination (CBE) is tentatively scheduled to be conducted in August 2026, and the examination centre will be Delhi-NCR only.
Candidates selected through this recruitment will be appointed as Assistant Section Officers (ASO) under Pay Level-7 (₹44,900 – ₹1,42,400) of the 7th Central Pay Commission, along with Dearness Allowance (DA), House Rent Allowance (HRA), Transport Allowance (TA), and other Central Government benefits.
Candidates are strongly advised to download and read the complete notification carefully before applying to understand all eligibility conditions, examination rules, service requirements, and departmental procedures.

SSC ASO Notification PDF 2026 :
The SSC ASO Recruitment 2026 Official Notification PDF has been uploaded on the official SSC website for eligible departmental candidates.
The notification provides comprehensive information about the recruitment process, including vacancy details, eligibility conditions, age and service requirements, reservation rules, examination scheme, syllabus, selection process, and important dates.
It contains detailed guidelines for One-Time Registration (OTR), online application submission, document uploading, live photograph capture, and departmental forwarding.
The notification also includes important annexures containing PwBD certificates, scribe declaration forms, medical certificates, forwarding certificates, undertaking formats, and detailed examination instructions.
Every applicant should carefully study the complete notification to ensure error-free submission of the online application and supporting documents.
SSC ASO Vacancy 2026 Details
The Staff Selection Commission has announced 341 vacancies for the post of Assistant Section Officer (ASO) / Assistant Grade under the Limited Departmental Competitive Examination.
Out of the total vacancies, 318 posts belong to the Central Secretariat Service (CSS) under the Department of Personnel & Training.
The remaining 23 vacancies belong to the Ministry of External Affairs (Cadre Cell).
The CSS vacancies include reservations for Unreserved (UR), Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) categories.
The PwBD reservation includes separate vacancies for Visually Handicapped (VH), Orthopedically Handicapped (OH), Hearing Handicapped (HH), and Other Benchmark Disability categories.
The number of vacancies is tentative and may increase or decrease depending upon administrative requirements and cadre availability.

SSC ASO Eligibility Criteria 2026 :
The SSC ASO Limited Departmental Competitive Examination is strictly meant for serving departmental Central Government employees and is not open to the general public.
Candidates applying under the Central Secretariat Service (CSS) must have completed at least six years of approved service in the Upper Division Grade of the Central Secretariat Clerical Service (CSCS) as on 1 July 2025.
Candidates applying under the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) must have successfully completed the prescribed departmental training programme and rendered six years of approved service in the Upper Division Clerk Grade as on the crucial date.
The crucial date for determining service eligibility is 1 July 2025, and all service conditions will be assessed with reference to this date only.
Candidates serving on approved deputation with the permission of the competent authority may also be eligible, subject to fulfillment of all prescribed conditions.
Candidates transferred permanently to another cadre without retaining lien in their feeder post shall not be eligible for this examination.
Candidates who resign, voluntarily retire, quit Government service, or whose services are terminated before final appointment will not be considered for selection.

SSC ASO Application Fee 2026 :
The official notification does not prescribe any application fee for submitting the online application.
Since the recruitment is conducted through a Limited Departmental Competitive Examination, eligible Government employees are exempted from paying any examination fee.
Candidates wishing to challenge the provisional answer key may be required to pay the prescribed objection fee as notified separately by the Commission.
No Travelling Allowance (TA) or Daily Allowance (DA) will be provided for attending the examination.

SSC ASO Salary 2026 :
Selected candidates will be appointed under Pay Level-7 of the 7th Central Pay Commission Pay Matrix.
The basic salary ranges from ₹44,900 to ₹1,42,400 per month.
The post is classified as a Group 'B' Gazetted position under the Central Government.
In addition to the basic pay, candidates will receive Dearness Allowance (DA), House Rent Allowance (HRA), Transport Allowance (TA), Medical Benefits, Leave Benefits, Pension/NPS Benefits, and other allowances applicable under Central Government rules.
The Assistant Section Officer post offers excellent promotional avenues, job security, and career progression within the Central Secretariat Services.

SSC ASO Selection Process 2026 :
The recruitment process consists of two competitive stages.
Stage 1: Computer Based Examination (Part-I) carrying 300 Marks.
Stage 2: Evaluation of Annual Performance Appraisal Reports (APARs) carrying 100 Marks.
Only candidates securing the prescribed qualifying standards in the Computer Based Examination will be shortlisted for APAR evaluation.
Final merit will be prepared by combining Part-I (300 Marks) and Part-II (100 Marks) for a total of 400 Marks.
There is no interview, personality test, or skill test in this recruitment process.
Selection will be made strictly according to merit, cadre-wise vacancies, reservation rules, and fulfillment of eligibility conditions.

SSC ASO Exam Pattern 2026 :
The Computer Based Examination consists of Paper-I and Paper-II, each carrying 150 Marks.
Paper-I covers ;
General Awareness.
Government Flagship Programmes.
Constitutional Provisions.
Parliamentary Procedures.
Reading Comprehension.
Central Secretariat Manual of Office Procedure (CSMOP).
Allocation of Business Rules.
Transaction of Business Rules.
Noting and Drafting.
Paper-II covers ;
CCS Leave Rules.
Conduct Rules.
CCS (CCA) Rules.
Pension Rules.
National Pension System (NPS).
Financial Rules.
Travelling Allowance (TA).
Leave Travel Concession (LTC).
Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005.
POSH Act, 2013.
Records Management.
Précis Writing.
Each paper is conducted for 3 Hours, while eligible PwBD candidates receive 4 Hours, including compensatory time.
There is a negative marking of 0.25 marks for every incorrect answer.

SSC ASO Apply Online 2026 :
Complete the One-Time Registration (OTR) on the new SSC website before applying.
Log in using your Registration Number and Password.
Select the Assistant Section Officer / Assistant Grade LDCE 2025 examination.
Fill all personal, departmental, cadre, and service details carefully.
Choose the examination language as per your preference.
Capture the mandatory live photograph through the SSC application portal.
Upload the scanned signature in the prescribed dimensions and file size.
Upload the certified Service Book, service particulars, disability certificate (if applicable), and other supporting documents.
Verify all details carefully before final submission.
Submit the online application before the last date.
Take a printout of the submitted application form.
Submit the printed application through the Head of Department/Head of Office for forwarding to SSC Northern Region before the prescribed deadline.
Applications not forwarded through the competent departmental authority will be rejected without further correspondence.

SSC ASO Recruitment 2026 Documents Required :
Certified copy of the first page of the Service Book duly attested by the competent authority.
Certified service particulars indicating posts held, pay scale, and service status.
Departmental service certificate.
PwBD Disability Certificate in the prescribed format (where applicable).
Medical Certificate for scribe facility (if applicable).
Live photograph captured during online application.
Scanned signature in the prescribed format.
Valid Government-issued Photo Identity Card.
Departmental Identity Card.
Printed application form along with supporting documents for departmental forwarding.

SSC ASO Recruitment 2026 PwBD and Scribe Facility :
Eligible Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) are entitled to the facility of scribe, assistive technology, and compensatory time as per Government of India guidelines.
Candidates with Blindness or Cerebral Palsy can avail the scribe facility by submitting the prescribed disability certificate.
Candidates belonging to other eligible benchmark disability categories may also avail scribe assistance by producing the prescribed medical certificate.
Candidates having physical limitations in writing, even below benchmark disability, may also become eligible under applicable Government orders.
Eligible candidates will receive 20 minutes of compensatory time for every hour of examination, irrespective of whether they actually use the scribe facility.
Candidates must opt for the scribe facility while filling out the online application form, as requests made after submission may not be entertained.

SSC ASO Recruitment 2026 Important Instructions :
Complete a fresh One-Time Registration (OTR) on the new SSC portal before applying.
Do not use OTR credentials created on the old SSC website.
Submit only one online application, as multiple applications may lead to cancellation of candidature.
Ensure that the live photograph and scanned signature comply with SSC specifications.
Verify all personal, service, and departmental details before final submission.
Obtain proper verification and forwarding from the Head of Department/Head of Office within the prescribed timeline.
Carry the Admission Certificate, Departmental Identity Card, and a valid Government-issued Photo ID to the examination centre.
Do not carry mobile phones, smart watches, Bluetooth devices, calculators, or any prohibited electronic gadgets into the examination hall.
Carefully follow all instructions mentioned in the official notification to avoid rejection of the application or disqualification during the recruitment process.
Preserve copies of the submitted application form, acknowledgement, and supporting documents until the completion of the recruitment process.