SSC JE Civil 2026: Exam Pattern, Syllabus, Cut Off & Free Mock Tests
SSC Junior Engineer (Civil Engineering)
SSC Junior Engineer (Civil) is one of the most popular government exams for civil engineering diploma and degree holders in India. Conducted by the Staff Selection Commission, it recruits Junior Engineers for central government departments like CPWD, MES, BRO, Central Water Commission and Farakka Barrage Project.
Selection happens through two computer-based papers: Paper-I (objective, 200 marks) and Paper-II (objective, 300 marks — fully technical). Competition is intense — lakhs of aspirants apply for a few thousand posts — which makes disciplined mock-test practice the single biggest differentiator between selected and non-selected candidates.
SSC JE Civil 2026 — Overview
| Conducting body | Staff Selection Commission (SSC) |
| Post | Junior Engineer (Civil) — Group B, Non-Gazetted |
| Departments | CPWD, MES, BRO, CWC, Farakka Barrage & more |
| Mode | Computer Based Test (CBT) — 2 papers |
| Eligibility | Diploma / B.E. / B.Tech in Civil Engineering |
| Age limit | Up to 32 years (post-wise; relaxations apply) |
SSC JE Civil Exam Pattern
Paper-I (CBT)
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General Intelligence & Reasoning | 50 | 50 |
| General Awareness | 50 | 50 |
| Civil Engineering (Technical) | 100 | 100 |
Duration: 2 hours
Negative marking: 0.25 marks deducted per wrong answer
Paper-II (CBT — fully technical)
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Civil & Structural Engineering | 100 | 300 |
Duration: 2 hours
Negative marking: 1 mark deducted per wrong answer
ℹ️ Paper-II became a CBT (objective) from the 2023 cycle onward — it is no longer descriptive.
SSC JE Civil Syllabus — Key Subjects
See the detailed chapter-wise syllabus (built from real previous-year papers) on the SSC JE Civil test series page →
Eligibility
- ✓Degree or 3-year Diploma in Civil Engineering from a recognised university/institute (post-wise — some posts also ask for work experience with diploma).
- ✓Age generally up to 32 years depending on the post; standard category relaxations (OBC +3, SC/ST +5) apply.
- ✓Citizenship and physical standards as per the official SSC notification.
Salary & Career
SSC JE is paid at Pay Level-6 (₹35,400 – ₹1,12,400) of the 7th CPC. With HRA, TA and DA, in-hand salary is typically around ₹50,000–₹58,000 per month depending on the city of posting.
SSC JE Civil Cut Off Trends
Cutoffs vary each year with vacancies and paper difficulty. Below are the official SSC JE 2025 Paper-I cutoffs for Civil Engineering — always verify with SSC's official result notices.
| 2025 | Paper-I Civil — UR: 127.23 · OBC: 124.46 · EWS: 117.91 · SC: 109.24 · ST: 106.85 (out of 200) |
| 2025 | 15,607 candidates qualified Paper-I overall; 11,593 from Civil Engineering |
Vacancy Trends
| 2025 | 1,731 posts (all disciplines; civil is the largest share) |
| 2024 | ~1,700+ posts (all disciplines) |
How to Prepare for SSC JE Civil
- 1Paper-I technical is 100 marks — but the 100 non-technical marks (Reasoning + GA) decide the merit for most aspirants. Do a free Daily Mini every day to keep GA fresh.
- 2Solve at least the last 8–10 years of SSC JE previous-year papers. Questions repeat concepts (and sometimes exact numericals) year after year.
- 3After every mock, spend more time on the solution review than the attempt itself — the analytics will show exactly which chapters are leaking marks.
- 4In the final 60 days, shift from chapter tests to full mocks under real timed conditions, at the same time slot as your actual exam shift.
Start Practising SSC JE Civil — Free
Exam-pattern mocks, previous-year papers, detailed solutions and chapter-wise analytics — built only for civil engineers, by a civil engineer who cleared these exams.
SSC JE Civil — Frequently Asked Questions
Is there negative marking in SSC JE?▾
Yes. Paper-I deducts 0.25 marks per wrong answer, and Paper-II (CBT) deducts 1 mark per wrong answer. Blind guessing is punished heavily in Paper-II, so accuracy practice through mocks matters.
Can a diploma holder apply for SSC JE Civil?▾
Yes — SSC JE is open to both diploma and degree holders in Civil Engineering. Some posts require a diploma plus two years of relevant experience; check the post-wise eligibility in the notification.
How many mock tests should I attempt before SSC JE?▾
Toppers typically complete 30–50 full mocks plus chapter-wise tests. What matters more than the count is reviewing every wrong answer — CIVILGYAN's analytics identify your weakest chapters automatically after each attempt.
Is SSC JE Paper-II still descriptive?▾
No. From the 2023 recruitment cycle, Paper-II is also a computer-based objective paper of 300 marks covering only Civil & Structural Engineering.
Where can I attempt free SSC JE Civil mock tests?▾
CIVILGYAN TEST SERIES offers free SSC JE Civil mock tests and previous-year papers with detailed solutions, all-India rank and chapter-wise performance analytics. Start with the free tests — no payment needed.
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Disclaimer: Exam patterns, cutoffs, vacancies and eligibility rules change between recruitment cycles. The figures above are compiled for guidance from past cycles — always verify details from the official notification of the conducting body before applying.