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SSC CGL Answer Key 2026 Tier 1: Date, Response Sheet, Objection Fee
SSC is holding the Combined Graduate Level Examination 2026 Tier-I from 30 September to 30 October 2026. The tentative answer key and candidates' response sheets have not been released yet. SSC has not announced a date; education portals expect the key in the first or second week of November 2026. This page tracks the official key, the objection window and the Tier-I cut-off, and links our free marks calculator.
Free tool
SSC CGL 2026 Marks Calculator
Paste your response sheet link or page source the day the key is out and get your section-wise Tier-I score (+2 / -0.50) in seconds. Free.
SSC CGL 2026 Tier 1 Important Dates
| Notification released | 21 May 2026 |
|---|---|
| Revised tentative vacancies (10,731) | 24 September 2026 |
| Tier-I exam (CBE) | 30 September to 30 October 2026 |
| Tentative answer key + response sheet | Expected 1st-2nd week of November 2026 (not announced by SSC) |
| Objection (challenge) window | Dates will be in SSC's answer key notice |
| Tier-I result and cut-off | Not announced (expected December 2026) |
| Final answer key | After the Tier-I result (Para 13.3) |
| Tier-II exam | December 2026 (tentative) |
SSC CGL 2026 Tier 1 Answer Key
Status: Not released yet. SSC will upload it on ssc.gov.in after Tier-I ends on 30 October 2026. The date is not announced; the expected window is the 1st-2nd week of November 2026 (Adda247, PW).
- Para 13.3 of the SSC CGL 2026 notice: tentative answer keys are placed on the SSC website after the exam, and candidates may submit online representations within the time limit SSC gives.
- Objection fee: the CGL 2026 notice (Para 13.3) prescribes ₹100 per question, non-refundable. Since then SSC's answer-key notices for other 2026 exams (Stenographer Grade C & D, 23.09.2026; Selection Post Phase-XIV, 09.10.2026) have charged ₹50 per question and say the challenge fee has been reduced from ₹100 to ₹50. The fee printed in the CGL answer key notice is the one that applies; we will update this line on the day it is released.
- Representations by letter, application or email are not accepted. SSC follows its 'Guidelines regarding Challenge/Objection Management System' (notice dated 10.04.2026) for this exam (Para 13.4).
- SSC scrutinises the representations before finalising the keys. The final answer keys are used for the result and are uploaded after the result is declared. There is no re-evaluation or re-checking of scores (Para 13.7).
- Tier-I has 100 questions for 200 marks (2 marks each) with 0.50 negative marking per wrong answer (Para 13.8-13.8.2). Scores from different shifts are normalised (Para 13.2), so your raw score from the key is not your final score.
How to check the SSC CGL 2026 Tier 1 answer key
- Go to ssc.gov.in and open the Answer Key section (or the Notice Board) for 'Combined Graduate Level Examination, 2026 (Tier-I): Uploading of Tentative Answer Keys along with Candidates' Response Sheets'.
- Open the notice PDF and use the link given in it, or log in to the SSC candidate portal with your registration number and password.
- Open your response sheet for your exam date and shift. It shows each question, the option you chose and the correct option as per the tentative key.
- Save or print the response sheet, then paste its link or page source into our SSC CGL 2026 Marks Calculator to get your raw score.
- If you think an answer is wrong, raise a challenge online inside the same window before the deadline, pay the fee given in the notice per question, and keep the payment receipt.
SSC CGL 2026 Tier 1 Exam Analysis
Tier-I is being held in multiple shifts from 30 September to 30 October 2026. The official Tier-I scheme from the notice is below; use it with the answer key to work out your raw score.
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General Intelligence and Reasoning | 25 | 50 |
| General Awareness | 25 | 50 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | 50 |
| English Comprehension | 25 | 50 |
1 hour with a sectional timer of 15 minutes for each subject (1 hour 20 minutes, 20 minutes per subject, for scribe-eligible candidates). Negative marking of 0.50 marks for each wrong answer. Questions are in English and Hindi except English Comprehension.
Source: SSC CGL 2026 notice, Para 13.8
SSC CGL 2026 Tier 1 Cut-off
Expected cut-off Estimate, not official
We have not published a Tier-I cut-off for 2026 here, because SSC decides it on normalised marks after the result. Our separate expected cut-off note works from the trend of previous official cut-offs and is clearly labelled as an estimate.
Previous official cut-offs Official
See SSC CGL Expected Cut Off 2026: Tier 1 Trend Analysis by Category, SSC CGL Cut Off: Year-Wise Tier 1, Tier 2 and Final (Official).
Prepare for SSC CGL 2026 Tier 1: mocks, notes and tools
Free mock tests
- SSC CGL 2026 Tier 2 Paper 1 Mock Test (New Pattern) 01130 Qs
- SSC CGL 2026 Tier 2 Paper 1 Mock Test (New Pattern) 02130 Qs
- SSC CGL 2026 Tier 2 Paper 1 Mock Test (New Pattern) 03130 Qs
- SSC CGL 2026 Tier 2 Paper 1 Mock Test (New Pattern) 04130 Qs
- SSC CGL 2026 Tier 2 Paper 1 Mock Test (New Pattern) 05130 Qs
- SSC CGL 2026 Tier 2 Paper 1 Mock Test (New Pattern) 06130 Qs
- SSC CGL 2026 Tier 2 Paper 1 Mock Test (New Pattern) 07130 Qs
- SSC CGL 2026 Tier 2 Paper 1 Mock Test (New Pattern) 08130 Qs
Notes
SSC CGL 2026 Tier 1 FAQs
When will the SSC CGL answer key 2026 be released?
SSC has not announced a date. The Tier-I exam ends on 30 October 2026 and education portals (Adda247, PW) expect the tentative key and response sheets in the first or second week of November 2026. It will be released on ssc.gov.in.
How do I download the SSC CGL Tier 1 response sheet 2026?
Open the CGL 2026 Tier-I answer key notice on ssc.gov.in, follow the link in it or log in with your registration number and password, and open the response sheet for your shift. It shows your chosen option and the correct option for each question.
What is the SSC CGL 2026 answer key objection fee?
The CGL 2026 notice (Para 13.3) says ₹100 per question, non-refundable. SSC's later 2026 answer-key notices for other exams charge ₹50 and say the fee was reduced from ₹100 to ₹50, so check the CGL answer key notice for the final figure.
How are marks calculated from the SSC CGL Tier 1 answer key?
Each correct answer gets 2 marks and each wrong answer loses 0.50 marks; unattempted questions get zero. The paper has 100 questions for 200 marks. SSC then normalises scores across shifts, so the final score can differ from your raw score.
Can I challenge the SSC CGL answer key after the deadline?
No. SSC accepts representations only online within the window given in the notice. Representations sent by letter, application or email, or after the deadline, are not entertained.
Will SSC release the final answer key for CGL 2026 Tier 1?
Yes. As per Para 13.3 of the notice, the final answer keys are uploaded on the SSC website after the result of the computer-based exam is declared.
When is the SSC CGL 2026 Tier 1 result expected?
No official date yet. Adda247 expects the Tier-I result and cut-off in December 2026; Tier-II is tentatively in December 2026 as per SSC.