The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has issued a crucial advisory for lakhs of aspirants aiming to join the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and other services through the Constable (General Duty) and Rifleman (GD) Examination 2026. The Commission has strongly recommended that candidates complete their online application process well in advance of the final deadline, which is December 31, 2025.
Why You Must Avoid Last-Minute Application
In an official notice, the SSC has explicitly warned applicants against waiting until the last day to submit their forms. The Commission anticipates that the official portal, ssc.gov.in, will experience extremely heavy traffic on the closing date, December 31, 2025. This surge is likely to lead to common technical problems such as website slowdowns, login failures, and unsuccessful payment transactions.
The deadline will not be extended under any circumstances, as per the SSC's firm stance. Therefore, to ensure a smooth and error-free submission, candidates are advised to finalize and submit their applications at the earliest opportunity, avoiding potential last-minute connectivity or technical hassles.
SSC GD 2026: Key Dates and Vacancy Details
While the application window closes on December 31, 2025, candidates have until January 1, 2026, to complete the online fee payment. A significant provision for candidates is the correction window, which will be active from January 8 to January 10, 2026. This period allows applicants to rectify any mistakes in their submitted forms.
The recruitment drive aims to fill a substantial 25,487 vacancies across various forces. The detailed vacancy breakup is as follows:
- Border Security Force (BSF): 616 posts
- Central Industrial Security Force (CISF): 14,595 posts
- Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF): 5,490 posts
- Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB): 1,764 posts
- Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP): 1,293 posts
- Assam Rifles: 1,706 posts
- Secretariat Security Force (SSF): 23 posts
Application Process, Fee, and Pay Scale
Applying for the SSC GD Constable 2026 recruitment is a multi-step online process. Candidates must first visit the official SSC website and complete the One-Time Registration (OTR) to create an account. Subsequently, they need to fill in personal and academic details, upload required documents, review all information, and proceed to pay the application fee.
The application fee is set at Rs 100. However, fee exemption is granted to women candidates, and those belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and eligible Ex-Servicemen categories, in line with the Commission's policies.
All selected candidates will be placed in Pay Level–3 of the 7th Central Pay Commission, with a salary range from Rs 21,700 to Rs 69,100. The selection process is rigorous and multi-staged, designed to comprehensively evaluate candidates. It includes:
- Computer-Based Examination (CBE)
- Physical Efficiency Test (PET) & Physical Standard Test (PST)
- Detailed Medical Examination (DME)
- Document Verification
With a high number of vacancies and a strict, non-extendable deadline, aspirants are urged to act promptly. Completing the SSC GD 2026 application well before the year-end rush is the most prudent step to secure a chance at these coveted positions in the country's central armed forces.
