The Staff Selection Commission has released the official notice for the Senior Secretariat Assistant/Upper Division Clerk Grade Limited Departmental Competitive Examination, 2025. The examination is being conducted for inclusion in the Select List of Senior Secretariat Assistant/Upper Division Clerk Grade under different participating Services and Cadres.
The exam is meant for eligible departmental candidates and will be conducted in Delhi-NCR only. As per the notice, the Computer-Based Examination is scheduled tentatively in July-August 2026. The online application window is open from 5 June 2026 to 26 June 2026, and the last date for online application submission is 26 June 2026 up to 11 PM.
Table of Contents
SSC SSA UDC Exam 2026 Overview
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | Senior Secretariat Assistant/Upper Division Clerk Grade Limited Departmental Competitive Examination, 2025 |
| Conducting Body | Staff Selection Commission |
| Post | Senior Secretariat Assistant/Upper Division Clerk |
| Pay Level | Pay Level-4, Group C, Non-Gazetted |
| Pay Scale | Rs 25,500 to Rs 81,100 |
| Application Dates | 5 June to 26 June 2026 |
| Last Date | 26 June 2026, 11 PM |
| CBT Schedule | July-August 2026 |
| Exam Centre | Delhi-NCR only |
| Selection Stages | Paper-I, Paper-II and APAR/Service Record Evaluation |
| Total Marks | 400 marks |
SSC SSA UDC Vacancy 2026
The notice lists tentative vacancies for 10 Services/Cadres. A total of 227 vacancies have been reported.
| Service/Cadre | Total Vacancies |
|---|---|
| Central Passport Organisation, Ministry of External Affairs | 76 |
| Armed Forces Headquarters Clerical Service | 42 |
| Railway Board Secretariat Clerical Service | 19 |
| Central Administrative Tribunal | 24 |
| Central Vigilance Commission | 6 |
| Election Commission of India | 12 |
| Forest Survey of India | 4 |
| National Technical Research Organisation | 8 |
| Directorate General, Defence Estates | 8 |
| Office of Development Commissioner, MSME | 28 |
| Total | 227 |
SSC SSA UDC Exam Pattern 2026
The SSC SSA UDC examination has two main parts. Part-I carries 300 marks and includes Paper-I and Paper-II. Part-II carries 100 marks and is based on the evaluation of service records/APARs.
Part-I: Computer-Based and Written Examination
| Paper | Subject | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper-I | General Awareness | 100 | 200 | 2 hours |
| Paper-I | English Language and Comprehension | 100 | Included in 200 marks | 2 hours |
| Paper-II | Noting, Drafting and Office Procedure | Descriptive | 100 | 2 hours |
Candidates eligible for scribe facility will get 2 hours 40 minutes for each paper.
Paper-I: Objective CBT Pattern
Paper-I will be a computer-based examination. It will contain objective-type multiple-choice questions from General Awareness and English Language and Comprehension.
The paper carries 200 marks. There will be 100 questions from General Awareness and 100 questions from English Language and Comprehension. SSC has also confirmed negative marking of 0.25 marks for each wrong answer in Paper-I.
This means candidates should avoid blind guessing. Accuracy will matter because repeated wrong attempts can reduce the final Paper-I score.
Paper-II: Descriptive Paper Pattern
Paper-II will be a written descriptive paper on Noting, Drafting and Office Procedure. It carries 100 marks and will be conducted for 2 hours.
This paper is important because it directly tests the practical working knowledge expected from departmental candidates. The paper will examine whether candidates understand Secretariat and attached office procedure, official noting, drafting style and administrative communication.
SSC SSA UDC Syllabus 2026
The syllabus is divided into Paper-I and Paper-II. Paper-I covers General Awareness and English Language. Paper-II focuses on Noting, Drafting and Office Procedure.
Paper-I Syllabus: General Awareness
The General Awareness section will test the candidate’s knowledge of the environment around them and its application to society. Questions may also test awareness of current events and everyday scientific observations expected from an educated person.
Important areas include:
General current events, India and neighbouring countries, History, Culture, Geography, Economics, General Politics, Science and Scientific Research.
Candidates should prepare this section with a balanced approach. Since this is a departmental competitive exam, the level may not be highly technical, but factual clarity is required. Static GK and current awareness should be revised together.
Paper-I Syllabus: English Language and Comprehension
The English section will test the candidate’s understanding and knowledge of the English language. As per the notice, the questions will be of matriculation level.
Important topics include:
Vocabulary, spelling, grammar, sentence structure, synonyms, antonyms, sentence completion, phrases, idiomatic use of words and passage comprehension.
This section can be scoring for candidates who regularly practise grammar rules and comprehension passages. Since the exam includes 100 English questions, ignoring this section can seriously affect the final score.
Paper-II Syllabus: Noting, Drafting and Office Procedure
Paper-II is the most exam-specific section. It will test the candidate’s knowledge of office procedure in the Secretariat and attached offices. It will also test the candidate’s ability to write and understand notes and drafts.
Candidates are required to study:
Manual of Office Procedure, Manual of Office Procedure issued by the Ministry of Railways, Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Handbook of orders issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs regarding use of Hindi for official purposes of the Union, Reservation Policy for SC/STs in services, and relevant Government orders issued from time to time.
This paper should not be treated like a general descriptive test. It is directly connected with official work, departmental procedures and government communication format.
SSC SSA UDC Marking Scheme 2026
| Component | Marks |
|---|---|
| Paper-I: Computer-Based Examination | 200 |
| Paper-II: Descriptive Written Examination | 100 |
| Part-II: Evaluation of Service Record/APARs | 100 |
| Total | 400 |
Paper-I has a negative marking of 0.25 marks for every wrong answer. Paper-II is descriptive and will be evaluated only for candidates shortlisted on the basis of Paper-I performance.
SSC SSA UDC Selection Process 2026
The selection process is not based only on the written exam. SSC will consider performance in Paper-I, Paper-II and evaluation of service records.
First, candidates appear for Paper-I. Based on Paper-I performance, candidates will be shortlisted for evaluation of Paper-II. Candidates who do not qualify Paper-I will not have their Paper-II evaluated.
After Paper-I and Paper-II, candidates will be shortlisted for evaluation of record of service. Final selection will be based on the aggregate performance in Paper-I, Paper-II and APAR/service record evaluation.
Tie-Breaking Rule
If two or more candidates secure equal aggregate marks, SSC will resolve the tie in the following order:
- Marks obtained in Paper-II
- Marks obtained in English Language and Comprehension part of Paper-I
- Date of birth, with older candidates placed higher
- Alphabetical order of candidate names
SSC SSA UDC Exam Language
Candidates will have to attempt the examination in the language selected in the online application form. The available language option is English or Hindi as opted by the candidate.
SSC has also clarified that there will be no question paper in Braille for visually handicapped candidates.
Important Preparation Strategy
For Paper-I, candidates should divide their preparation between General Awareness and English. General Awareness should include static GK, current affairs, polity, economy, geography, history and basic science. English preparation should focus on grammar accuracy, vocabulary and reading comprehension.
For Paper-II, candidates should focus on the official procedure rather than general essay-style writing. Noting and drafting require formal structure, clarity, correct administrative language and knowledge of office rules.
Since APAR/service record evaluation carries 100 marks, this exam is different from normal SSC recruitment exams. Candidates should understand that their written performance and service record together will decide the final merit.
