SSC JE 2026 (Junior Engineer Examination)
Which SSC JE 2026 posts can I aim for with my diploma or degree branch and age, and how do Paper-I, Paper-II and my post preferences decide where I land?
The Junior Engineer Examination is how the Staff Selection Commission fills civil, electrical, mechanical and telecom Junior Engineer posts in central offices such as CPWD, Military Engineer Services and the Border Roads Organisation. The 2026 exam also recruits Scientific Assistants for the India Meteorological Department. Every post is Group B at Pay Level-6. SSC's tentative vacancy list of 8 October 2026 shows 1,699 posts. Paper-I is a qualifying computer test; Paper-II, in your own branch, decides the merit list. This page follows the SSC notice uploaded on 2 September 2026 (F. No. HQ-C-3019/1/2026-C-3) and the revised dates of 26 October 2026.
This page may be out of date. It was due for a re-check on 30 June 2027. Confirm every rule with the official source before acting on it.
Applications closed on 22 September 2026. Paper-I runs from 2 to 6 November and 30 November to 1 December 2026; SSC will post the Paper-II date on ssc.gov.in.
Exam at a glance
- Conducted by
- Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Department of Personnel and Training[1]
- Posts
- Junior Engineer (Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, Electrical & Mechanical, Telecom) and Scientific Assistant in IMD; Group B, Pay Level-6 (Rs 35,400 to 1,12,400)[1]
- Education
- Diploma or degree in the post's branch, by 22 September 2026. A few posts take a diploma only with 2 or 3 years of experience.[1]
- Age limit
- Up to 30 years on 1 August 2026 for most posts (born 2 August 1996 to 1 August 2008); up to 32 for CPWD and Lighthouses posts (born from 2 August 1994)[1]
- Stages
- Paper-I (computer-based, qualifying) and Paper-II (computer-based, your branch, decides merit)[1]
- Tentative vacancies
- 1,699 (SSC list of 8 October 2026; the notice said 1,748)[3]
- Paper-I dates
- 2 to 6 November 2026, and 30 November to 1 December 2026[2]
- Application fee
- Rs 100. Women, SC, ST, PwBD and ex-servicemen candidates pay nothing.[1]
Where the biggest blocks of posts are
| Part | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General Intelligence and Reasoning | 50 | 50 |
| General Awareness | 50 | 50 |
| Your branch: General Engineering (Civil & Structural, Electrical or Mechanical), or Computer Science, Electronics or Physics for IMD, or Telecommunication | 100 | 100 |
| Total | 200 | 200 |
2 hours (2 hours 40 minutes for candidates eligible for a scribe). Questions are in Hindi and English only. Each wrong answer costs 0.25 marks. Paper-I only decides who goes on to Paper-II.[1]
| Paper | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your branch only (the same part you chose in the form) | 100 | 300 | 2 hours |
Each wrong answer costs 1 mark. Only the normalised Paper-II score is used for the final merit list. The IS 456:2000 table, a steam table and a scientific calculator are on screen; no physical copies are allowed.[1]
| Department | Post | Posts |
|---|---|---|
| India Meteorological Department | Scientific Assistant | 462 |
| Central Public Works Department | JE (Civil) | 343 |
| Border Roads Organisation (men only) | JE (Civil) | 271 |
| Military Engineer Services | JE (Electrical & Mechanical) | 161 |
| Military Engineer Services | JE (Civil) | 154 |
| Central Public Works Department | JE (Electrical) | 103 |
| Department of Telecommunications | JE (Telecom) | 69 |
| All departments | All posts | 1,699 |
SSC says these numbers are tentative and does not collect state-wise or zone-wise figures; ask the department for those.[3]
SSC JE recruits engineers for central government works departments: building and maintaining roads, offices, defence works, water projects and lighthouses. CPWD, MES and BRO account for most of the posts, and the IMD Scientific Assistant post opens a route for science and computer graduates.
The standard of the engineering questions is roughly diploma level for civil, electrical and mechanical. For computer science, electronics, physics and telecom it is roughly graduation level.[1]
- Civil diploma or degree: JE (Civil) in most departments. BRO and MES take a civil diploma only with 2 years of works experience, and Lighthouses only with 3 years.
- Electrical or mechanical: JE (Electrical), JE (Mechanical) or the combined JE (Electrical & Mechanical) in BRO and MES, which again ask diploma holders for 2 years of experience. Choosing JE (Mechanical) also makes you eligible for JE (E&M).
- B.E. or B.Tech in electrical, electronics, communications, computer science, telecom, IT or instrumentation: JE (Telecom) in the Department of Telecommunications. This post needs a degree, not a diploma.
- B.Sc with Physics, or a bachelor's degree in computer science, computer applications, electronics, instrumentation, IT or telecom: Scientific Assistant in IMD.
- Experience counts only if you gained it after finishing the qualification. Internships and training during the course do not count.
- Engineering degrees and diplomas earned by distance or online mode are not accepted, except where the regulator allows it.
Source[1]
- Paper-I shortlists candidates category-wise for Paper-II, with separate lists for JE (Civil), JE (Electrical & Mechanical), JE (Telecom) and Scientific Assistant.
- The minimum score in both papers is 30% for UR, 25% for OBC and EWS, and 20% for all other categories.
- Electrical and mechanical papers are different, so SSC normalises their scores against each other, as if they were separate shifts. The same applies to the three IMD subjects.
- The final list for each post comes from your normalised Paper-II marks and your post preferences. There is no re-evaluation and no waiting list.
- If you top a preference but then fail that post's medical, physical or educational standard, your candidature is rejected and your lower preferences are not considered.
Source[1]
Tips and tricks
- Rank posts only where you meet every standard. BRO JE posts are for men only, and a post you top but cannot take ends your candidature.[3]
- Put most of your hours into your branch. It is 100 of the 200 Paper-I marks and the whole of Paper-II.[1]
- Practise with an on-screen calculator. SSC provides one on screen for the whole exam, and no physical calculator or table is allowed.[1]
Questions people ask
When is SSC JE Paper-I 2026?
SSC's corrigendum of 26 October 2026 gives 2 to 6 November 2026 and 30 November to 1 December 2026. Your admission certificate tells you which day is yours.[2]
What is the age limit for SSC JE 2026?
Up to 30 years on 1 August 2026 for most posts, so born between 2 August 1996 and 1 August 2008. CPWD and Lighthouses posts allow up to 32, from 2 August 1994. SC and ST get 5 more years, OBC 3, and PwBD 10 to 15 depending on category.[1]
Can a diploma holder apply for SSC JE?
Yes, for most JE (Civil, Electrical and Mechanical) posts. BRO, MES and DGQA-Naval need 2 years of experience with a diploma, Lighthouses needs 3, and JE (Telecom) needs a degree.[1]
Do Paper-I marks count in the final SSC JE result?
No. Paper-I is qualifying. The final merit list uses only your normalised Paper-II score, together with your post preferences.[1]
Is there negative marking in SSC JE?
Yes. A wrong answer costs 0.25 marks in Paper-I and 1 mark in Paper-II.[1]
How many SSC JE vacancies are there in 2026?
SSC's tentative vacancy list of 8 October 2026 shows 1,699 posts. The notice of 2 September had said 1,748. Final numbers can still change.[3]
Connected pages
- Related · PathwayPolytechnic diploma after Class 10AICTE's rules for a 3-year engineering diploma straight after Class 10, the exit certificates along the way, and lateral entry into the second year of B.Tech.
- Related · DegreeB.Tech / B.E.How long a B.Tech takes, the Class 12 subjects and marks NITs ask for, which entrance exam gets you in, and where the degree leads. Sourced from NTA and AICTE.
- Related · DegreeB.Sc (Bachelor of Science)How long a B.Sc takes, the honours and research year, the CUET tests that get you in, and M.Sc at IITs through JAM. From UGC and NTA.
- Related · ExamRRB JE (Junior Engineer, DMS, CMA), CEN 04/2026RRB JE (CEN 04/2026): 4,029 Level 6 posts of JE, DMS and CMA for diploma, B.E./B.Tech and B.Sc holders aged 18 to 33, two CBTs and the exam groups.
- Related · ExamSSC CGL (Combined Graduate Level Examination)SSC CGL 2026 from the official SSC notice: who can apply, age bands by post, Tier-I and Tier-II pattern, negative marking and how the final merit list is made.
Official and partner links
- Official bodyStaff Selection Commission (official website)
Sources
- Notice: Junior Engineer Examination, 2026 (F. No. HQ-C-3019/1/2026-C-3, uploaded 02.09.2026, 97 pages), Staff Selection Commission. Paras 1-3, 7, 10.12-10.15, 13, 14.1, 18 (pp. 1-8, 13, 20-23, 38-39). Accessed 2 November 2026.
- Corrigendum to Important Notice dated 01.10.2026: revised dates (HQ-EC033/7/2025-EC, 26.10.2026), Staff Selection Commission. 1 page. Accessed 2 November 2026.
- Tentative Vacancies for the recruitment of Junior Engineer Examination, 2026 (08.10.2026), Staff Selection Commission. 1 page. Accessed 2 November 2026.
Found an error or a newer rule? Tell us through the corrections page. Updated 2 November 2026.