SSC CGL Answer Key 2026 Out: Download Tier 1 Response Sheet, Objection Last Date 7 November

The Staff Selection Commission conducted the Tier-I of the Combined Graduate Level Examination, 2026 from 30 September 2026 to 28 October 2026 at examination centres across the country. On 4 November 2026, the Commission issued notice No. HQ-C11018/5/2026-C-1 (E-16368), uploading the tentative answer keys along with the candidates’ response sheets and inviting online challenges against them. Because the keys are tentative, any candidate who believes an official answer is wrong can object — but only through the online challenge system, and only until 9:00 PM on 7 November 2026. This page explains, step by step, how to download your SSC CGL response sheet, how to calculate your marks, how to raise an objection, and what happens next.

SSC CGL Answer Key 2026: Short Details

SSC CGL Answer Key 2026: Important Dates

How to Download SSC CGL Answer Key and Response Sheet 2026

The answer key is not a single public PDF — it is linked to your own question paper and the answers you marked, so it opens only inside your candidate login. Follow these steps:

1. Open the official SSC website, ssc.gov.in, in your browser.
2. Click on the Login option and sign in with your Registration Number and Password (the same credentials used for One Time Registration and the CGL application).
3. After login, open your candidate dashboard and find the link for Combined Graduate Level Examination, 2026 (Tier-I) — Tentative Answer Keys / Response Sheet / Challenge.
4. Read and accept the undertaking shown in the Challenge Management portal (the saved question paper is for your personal use and self-analysis only).
5. Your question paper, your response sheet and the tentative answer key for your shift will open on the screen.
6. Match each answer you selected with the official answer given in the key.
7. Download and save the response sheet and question paper as PDF on your phone or computer before doing anything else — SSC will not provide them after 7 November 2026, 09:00 PM.

What to Check on Your Response Sheet

• Your name, roll number, exam date and shift printed on the sheet.
• Every question’s ID, the option you selected, and the correct option as per the tentative key.
• Questions you left unattempted — these carry no negative marking.
• Any question where you feel the official answer itself is wrong — note its question ID for the objection step.

Why Does the Question Order Look Different in the Response Sheet?

Many candidates panic when the questions in the challenge module do not appear in the same order as in their exam. SSC has answered this in the notice itself: in the challenge module, the sequence of the questions and the options is kept the same for all candidates who appeared in a particular shift, whereas during the actual examination these sequences were different for different candidates. The Commission has assured that the answers selected by you during the examination are reflected exactly in the challenge module. So compare questions by their content and question ID, not by their position on the screen.

SSC CGL Login Problems? Read This

• Forgot your password? Use the Forgot Password option on the SSC login page and reset it using your registered details. Do not create a fresh registration — the response sheet is linked to your original registration number.
• Page loading slowly or showing an error? Lakhs of candidates log in together in the first hours. Wait and retry, preferably in the morning or late evening, but do not leave the download for the final hours of 7 November.
• Wrong shift or paper shown? First re-check the question IDs and content — because of the standardised sequence explained above, the paper may simply be arranged differently. Your recorded answers remain exactly as you marked them.

How to Raise Objection Against SSC CGL Answer Key 2026

If you are sure that an official answer is incorrect, you can challenge it through the Challenge/Objection Management System on ssc.gov.in. The process is fully online:

1. Log in at ssc.gov.in with your registration number and password and open the CGL 2026 (Tier-I) challenge module.
2. Select the question you want to challenge from your response sheet.
3. Choose the option that you believe is the correct answer.
4. Write a clear justification and, wherever possible, support it with a reference (standard textbook, official source or a clear explanation).
5. Review the challenge summary carefully — the question ID, your claimed answer and your justification.
6. Pay the objection fee of Rs 50 for that question through the online payment option.
7. Repeat the same process for every additional question you want to challenge; the fee of Rs 50 applies separately to each question/answer.
8. Submit the challenges and save the acknowledgement/receipt before logging out.

Objection rules you must know: The fee is Rs 50 per question/answer challenged. Challenges can be submitted online only — representations sent by email, post or any other mode will not be entertained. Challenges received after 09:00 PM on 7 November 2026 will not be entertained under any circumstances. SSC has also advised candidates to read the detailed Challenge/Objection Management System guidelines issued through its notice dated 10 April 2026, which is available on ssc.gov.in.

How to Calculate Your Marks from SSC CGL Answer Key 2026

As per the CGL 2026 scheme of examination, Tier-I has 100 questions for 200 marks, divided into four sections. Each section had its own 15-minute sectional timer in this cycle.

Marking scheme: +2 marks for every correct answer, minus 0.50 marks for every wrong answer, and zero for unattempted questions.

Formula: Raw Score = (Correct Answers × 2) − (Wrong Answers × 0.50)

Worked example: Suppose from your response sheet you count 78 correct, 14 wrong and 8 unattempted answers.
Marks for correct answers = 78 × 2 = 156
Deduction for wrong answers = 14 × 0.50 = 7
Your raw score = 156 − 7 = 149 out of 200.
If any of your objections is accepted by SSC, the key changes and your score will be recalculated on the final key — so objecting to a genuinely wrong answer can add marks to your total.

Raw Score vs Normalised Marks

The number you calculate from the answer key is your raw score. Because Tier-I was held in many shifts with different question papers, SSC normalises the marks of all candidates using the formula it has published, and the result and shortlisting for Tier-II are based on these normalised marks, not the raw score. Your normalised score can therefore be higher or lower than your raw score depending on the relative difficulty of your shift. Do not treat the raw score as final.

How the SSC CGL Tier-I Cut Off Is Decided

SSC does not announce any cut-off in advance, and no official expected cut-off exists. The Tier-I cut-off is fixed by the Commission only at the time of the result, separately for each category and post group, on the basis of the normalised marks of candidates and the number of candidates to be shortlisted for Tier-II against the available vacancies. Any website or video quoting a definite “expected cut-off” number at this stage is guessing — SSC has published no such figure. The only reliable way to improve your position right now is to make sure genuinely wrong answers in the tentative key are challenged with proper justification before the deadline.

What Happens Next?

• Objection review: After 7 November 2026 (09:00 PM), SSC will examine all challenges received against the tentative key.
• Final answer key: Where a challenge is found valid, the answer is corrected and the final answer key is prepared; all candidates are evaluated on the final key.
• Tier-I result: SSC will declare the Tier-I result with category-wise cut-off marks, shortlisting candidates for Tier-II on the basis of normalised marks.
• Final key, question papers and marks: After the declaration of the result, SSC uploads the final answer keys along with the question papers/response sheets and the marks of candidates on ssc.gov.in.
• Tier-II: Shortlisted candidates will appear in Tier-II, whose schedule SSC will notify separately. SSC has announced no date for the result or for Tier-II yet — beware of portals quoting invented dates.

SSC CGL Answer Key 2026: Important Links

Also Check These Updates

• SSC GD Answer Key 2027: Final Key PDF Download and Marks Calculation
• MSPSTET Answer Key Objection 2026: How to Challenge the Provisional Key
• SSC CHSL After 12th: Posts, Eligibility and Preparation Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

When was the SSC CGL Tier 1 Answer Key 2026 released?

The SSC CGL 2026 Tier-I tentative answer key, along with candidates’ response sheets, was released on 4 November 2026 through official notice No. HQ-C11018/5/2026-C-1 (E-16368). Candidates can access it on ssc.gov.in from 04 November 2026 (09:00 PM) to 07 November 2026 (09:00 PM) by logging in with their registration number and password.

How can I download my SSC CGL 2026 response sheet?

Visit ssc.gov.in and log in with your registration number and password. Open the Combined Graduate Level Examination, 2026 (Tier-I) answer key / challenge link in your candidate dashboard, and your question paper, response sheet and the tentative answer key will open. Download and save the response sheet immediately, because it will not be available after 07 November 2026 (09:00 PM).

What is the last date to raise objections against the SSC CGL Answer Key 2026?

The last date to submit objections against the SSC CGL 2026 Tier-I tentative answer key is 07 November 2026, up to 09:00 PM. Objections can be submitted online only through the challenge system on ssc.gov.in. Representations sent by email, post or any other mode, and those received after the deadline, will not be entertained.

What is the objection fee for the SSC CGL Answer Key 2026?

The objection fee is Rs 50 for every question or answer challenged. The fee is payable online for each question you challenge through the Challenge/Objection Management System on ssc.gov.in, within the objection window from 04 November 2026 (09:00 PM) to 07 November 2026 (09:00 PM).

How do I calculate my marks from the SSC CGL answer key?

Count your correct and wrong answers from the response sheet. Give 2 marks for every correct answer and deduct 0.50 marks for every wrong answer; unattempted questions get zero. For example, if you have 78 correct and 14 wrong answers, your raw score is (78 x 2) – (14 x 0.50) = 156 – 7 = 149 marks. Remember this is a raw score; SSC will use normalised marks for the result.

Why does the question order in my response sheet or challenge module look different from the exam?

SSC has clarified that in the challenge module, the sequence of questions and options is kept the same for all candidates who appeared in a particular shift, while during the actual examination the sequence was different for different candidates. So the order may look different, but the answers selected by you during the examination are reflected exactly in the challenge module.

Will my SSC CGL response sheet be available after 7 November 2026?

No. SSC has clearly stated that the response sheets and tentative answer keys will not be available after 07 November 2026 (09:00 PM), and any individual request to provide them later will not be entertained under any circumstances. Download and save your copies within the window.

What happens after the SSC CGL Tier 1 objection window closes?

After the objection window closes on 07 November 2026, SSC will examine all the challenges received and prepare the final answer key. The Tier-I result will then be declared with category-wise cut-off marks, and candidates will be shortlisted for Tier-II on the basis of normalised marks. The final answer key, question papers and marks of candidates are uploaded on ssc.gov.in after the declaration of the result. SSC has not announced any date for the result yet.

Written by Ravi Singh

Ravi Singh is the Editor (Government Jobs) at New Sarkari Results, an independent information portal for Sarkari Result, Sarkari Naukri, admit card, answer key, syllabus and admission updates. He has 10+ years of experience covering Government Jobs, Railway Jobs, SSC, Banking, Teaching, Police, Defence and state recruitment boards. Every update on this site is verified directly from the official notification PDF issued by the commission or board — never from third-party aggregators.