SSC CGL Tier 1 Exam 2025 Begins: The Staff Selection Commission's Combined Graduate Level (SSC CGL) Tier-1 Examination 2025 began today, with nearly 28 lakh candidates expected to take the computer-based test. The exam is scheduled to held until September 26 across 260 centres in 129 cities, aiming to fill 14,582 vacancies in government departments.
The Tier-1 exam is being held in up to four shifts daily: 9:00-10:00 AM, 11:45 AM-12:45 PM, 2:30-3:30 PM, and, at select centres, 5:15-6:15 PM.
Of the notified posts, 6,183 are for the General category, 3,721 for OBC, 2,167 for SC, 1,088 for ST, and 1,423 for EWS candidates.
Enhanced Security And Entry Protocols
- In view of earlier protests over technical glitches and mismanagement, SSC has tightened security at exam venues.
- Aadhaar-based verification, biometric attendance, facial recognition, CCTV surveillance, and AI-driven monitoring are being used to prevent impersonation, malpractice, or disruptions.
- Candidates are required to carry their admit cards for entry. In case of technical issues, the Commission has assured that systems will be shifted immediately without any loss of exam time.
- Representatives will be present at all centres to address grievances.
For the first time, SSC is also conducting the exam on laptops at select centres in Kolkata. This initiative is aimed at enhancing flexibility in exam conduct and is expected to pave the way towards conducting CGLE and other Tier-2 exams in a single shift later this year.
The SSC chairman extended best wishes to all candidates and advised them not to panic in case of technical issues.
"In case of any snag, the system will be shifted promptly, and it will be ensured that there is no loss of time. SSC representatives will be present at all centres, and in case of any concern, candidates can immediately report the matter to them," he said.
He further added that a dedicated feedback portal has been launched, accessible through the candidate portal on ssc.gov.in, to allow candidates to share their examination experience directly with the Commission.
SSC Exams: How New Normalisation Method Ensures Fair Evaluation Across Shifts
The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has revised its system of normalisation for exams conducted in multiple shifts, introducing the equipercentile method to ensure fairness in evaluation.
"By matching candidates based on their relative positions, this approach ensures fairness even if difficulty levels vary across shifts," the Commission stated, adding that it will continue refining its evaluation process to uphold exam integrity.
In its official notice, the SSC explained that normalisation is necessary to provide fair treatment to candidates who appear in different shifts where the difficulty level of papers may vary. "To make sure everyone is treated fairly, the Commission normalises the scores. This means that the scores are adjusted so that candidates from different shifts can be compared fairly on the same scale," it said.
So far, the process of normalisation was based on top scores, average scores, and score variations across shifts. While this method aimed to prevent disadvantage to candidates appearing in tougher shifts, the SSC has now moved towards a percentile-based approach for greater accuracy.
Under the equipercentile system, a candidate's relative rank within a shift determines their percentile score, which is then matched with the corresponding percentile in other shifts. For instance, a candidate performing better than 80% of examinees in one shift will be equated to a candidate with the same relative standing in another shift, regardless of raw scores.
Earlier, aspirants had staged demonstrations nationwide, citing repeated postponements, far-off exam centres, and paper leak allegations.
