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SSC JE 2026: Exam Pattern, Syllabus, Eligibility and Exam Date

Last updated 10 October 2026  •  Applications closed, exam upcoming

SSC JE recruits Junior Engineers in Civil, Electrical and Mechanical streams for central government departments including CPWD, the Military Engineer Services, the Border Roads Organisation and the Central Water Commission. It is the only SSC recruitment that tests your engineering discipline directly, which makes it far less competitive than SSC CGL for anyone holding a diploma or degree. The 2026 notification came out on 2 September and the exam runs from 2 to 6 November 2026.

SSC JE 2026 at a Glance

SSC JE 2026 Important Dates

SSC JE 2026 Exam Pattern

Both papers are objective computer-based tests of two hours each. Paper 1 is qualifying; the final merit list is built from Paper 2, where your engineering discipline carries all 300 marks. The marking schemes differ sharply between the two papers, and that difference decides strategy.

Paper 2 punishes guessing hard. A wrong answer costs a full mark against 3 for a correct one, so a blind guess needs better than one-in-four odds to be worth taking. Candidates who carry a CGL-style attempt-everything habit into Paper 2 routinely lose 30 to 40 marks to it.

SSC JE 2026 Eligibility Criteria

Educational Qualification

Requirements vary by department and stream. Most posts accept a diploma in the relevant engineering discipline from a recognised institute; some, particularly in the Central Water Commission and the Military Engineer Services, require a degree in engineering, and a few accept a diploma with two or three years of relevant work experience. Check the post-wise table in the notification before applying, because applying against the wrong post is the most common rejection reason in this exam.

Age Limit and Relaxation

The age limit is 30 years for most posts and 32 years for a few, with 18 as the minimum. Upper age limits are relaxed by three years for OBC (non-creamy layer), five years for SC and ST, and ten years for persons with benchmark disabilities, with further provisions for ex-servicemen and departmental candidates.

SSC JE Selection Process

Selection runs through Paper 1, Paper 2 and document verification. There is no physical test and no interview. Paper 1 is qualifying and used only to shortlist candidates for Paper 2; the final merit list is prepared from Paper 2 marks alone. That makes SSC JE unusual among SSC exams: your entire result rests on a single 100-question paper in your own engineering discipline.

SSC JE Salary

Junior Engineer is a Pay Level 6 post on the 7th Pay Commission matrix, with a pay scale of Rs 35,400 to Rs 1,12,400. In-hand pay adds Dearness Allowance, House Rent Allowance and Transport Allowance, which vary with the posting city. Field postings in the Border Roads Organisation and the Military Engineer Services carry additional allowances.

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