What SSC CHSL is
The Combined Higher Secondary Level Examination recruits class 12 pass candidates into posts such as Lower Divisional Clerk, Junior Secretariat Assistant, Postal Assistant, Sorting Assistant and Data Entry Operator across central government ministries and departments. It is the entry point for school leavers who want a central government job without waiting for a degree.
Data Entry Operator posts, in particular, carry a typing speed requirement that the other CHSL posts do not, so read the post-wise details in the notification before deciding which preference order to submit.
Who can apply
Class 12 pass from a recognised board is the only academic requirement. The general age band is 18 to 27 years, with the usual relaxations for reserved categories and persons with disability. As with every SSC exam, the exact cutoff date for age is fixed in the notification and confirmed there, not guessed from a previous cycle.
How the exam runs
CHSL is a two tier exam. Tier 1 is one hour of General Intelligence, General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude and English Language, a hundred questions split evenly across the four sections, with a half mark penalty for each wrong answer. Tier 1 decides who advances to Tier 2 but does not itself count towards the final score.
Tier 2 covers Mathematical Abilities and Reasoning, English Language and General Awareness, and, depending on the post applied for, a skill test in computer typing or a typing test. Data Entry Operator candidates take a typing speed test on a computer; Lower Divisional Clerk and Junior Secretariat Assistant candidates take a typing test in English or Hindi. There is no interview.
Preparing the application
The photograph and signature specifications match the rest of the SSC family: a JPEG photograph between 20 and 50 kilobytes and a JPEG signature between 10 and 20 kilobytes, both recent and clearly legible. If your file is outside that range, the resizers on this site fix it in your browser without uploading anything.
The application fee for general and OBC male candidates is one hundred rupees. Women, SC, ST, persons with disability and ex-servicemen apply without paying a fee.
On exam day
Arrive at least an hour before the reporting time on your admit card. Carry the printed e-admit card, a government photo identification, two passport size photographs matching the one on the admit card, and a black or blue ballpoint pen. Mobile phones, smartwatches, calculators and any other electronic device are not allowed inside the hall.
For anything this page does not answer, the official SSC notification and website, linked above, are the final word.