SSC Selection Post Phase 14 Answer Key 2026

Tentative answer key and response sheets for Selection Post Phase 14 (Matriculation, Higher Secondary and Graduation level) CBT held from 16 to 26 September 2026. Objections cost ₹50 per question and close on 12 October 2026 at 4:00 PM.

Overview

Important Dates

SSC Selection Post Phase 14 Answer Key 2026: Overview

The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has released the tentative answer key and candidate response sheets for the Selection Post Phase 14, 2026 computer-based examination on 9 October 2026. The exam was conducted from 16 to 26 September 2026 for posts requiring Matriculation, Higher Secondary (10+2) and Graduation & above qualifications. Candidates can log in, view their responses, calculate their expected score and challenge any answer they believe is wrong by paying ₹50 per question. The challenge window closes on 12 October 2026 at 4:00 PM.

Selection Post exams are different from SSC’s regular exams such as CGL or CHSL because they recruit for many separate posts in various ministries, departments and organisations, each with its own eligibility, category-wise vacancies and cut-off. Understanding how the answer key, normalisation and post-wise cut-offs work is therefore especially important for this exam.

What is the SSC Selection Post exam?

SSC conducts the Selection Post examination to fill vacancies in posts that do not fall under its regular combined exams. These are posts in many different ministries, departments and organisations of the central government — such as laboratory attendants, technical assistants, junior engineers in specific departments, library staff, field staff and various clerical and technical positions. Each post has its own educational and, in some cases, experience requirements.

Instead of holding a separate exam for every post, SSC groups the posts by educational level — Matriculation, Higher Secondary (10+2) and Graduation & above — and holds one computer-based exam for each level. Candidates who applied for several posts take the exam once per level, and their score is used for all the posts they applied for at that level. That is why Selection Post results are published post-wise.

How to download the Selection Post Phase 14 answer key

1. Open ssc.gov.in and log in with your registration number and password.
2. Go to the answer key / “Candidate Response Sheet” link for Selection Post Phase 14, 2026, as given in the notice.
3. Select your examination level and open your response sheet.
4. The sheet shows each question, the option you chose and the correct option as per the tentative key.
5. Download and print the response sheet immediately. SSC has stated that response sheets will not be available after the challenge window closes.

Selection Post Phase 14 exam pattern

The computer-based examination for all three levels follows the same structure, although the difficulty level differs according to the educational qualification required for the post.

The exam lasts 60 minutes (longer for eligible scribe candidates), and 0.50 marks are deducted for every wrong answer. Check the official notice of Phase 14 for any changes.

How to calculate your score from the answer key

Use your response sheet to count the number of correct and wrong answers, then apply the marking scheme:

Raw score = (Correct answers × 2) − (Wrong answers × 0.50)

Calculate section-wise scores too, so that you understand your strengths. Our detailed guide on calculating your score from the answer key explains every step with examples.

Normalisation in Selection Post exams

The Phase 14 CBT was spread across many shifts over more than a week. To make scores from different shifts comparable, SSC normalises raw scores using the method described in its notices. Your normalised score may be slightly higher or lower than your raw score depending on the relative difficulty of your shift. Cut-offs are applied to normalised scores, so treat your raw score as an estimate rather than your final marks.

How to raise an objection (challenge) in Phase 14

1. Log in on ssc.gov.in during the challenge window.
2. Open the challenge / objection link for Selection Post Phase 14.
3. Select the question you want to challenge. Note the question ID shown on your response sheet.
4. Choose the answer you believe is correct and write a short justification.
5. Upload or mention supporting references if the portal allows it — standard textbooks, government documents or official sources.
6. Pay ₹50 per question online.
7. Submit before 12 October 2026, 4:00 PM, and save the payment receipt and acknowledgement.

SSC has said that challenges will be processed as per its Challenge / Objection Management System guidelines. Representations received after the deadline will not be considered under any circumstances.

Tips for a strong objection

• Challenge only questions where you are confident and can back your claim with a reliable source.
• Avoid citing coaching videos or unofficial answer keys as proof.
• If a question has two correct options or no correct option, say so clearly.
• Report translation differences between the Hindi and English versions with both versions quoted.

Use your response sheet for section-wise analysis

Your response sheet is the best feedback you will get for future SSC exams. Spend an hour analysing it:

1. Calculate correct, wrong and unattempted answers for each of the four sections separately.
2. Find the section where you lost the most marks to negative marking — that shows where you are guessing too much.
3. Look at the topics of the questions you got wrong: was it a concept gap, a calculation mistake or a reading error?
4. Note the questions you skipped but could have solved with more time — that tells you whether time management needs work.

This analysis is useful whether or not you clear this phase, because the same four sections appear across SSC exams.

Post-wise and category-wise cut-offs

Unlike CGL or CHSL, Selection Post recruitment involves many distinct posts, each with its own number of vacancies, category-wise reservation and sometimes additional essential qualifications. As a result:

• Cut-offs are usually declared post-wise and category-wise, and they can vary widely from one post to another.
• Posts with very few vacancies may have a high cut-off even if the paper was difficult.
• Candidates who applied for multiple posts are considered separately for each post they applied for, as per the rules in the notice.

This means it is difficult to predict “safe” scores for Selection Post exams. Compare your score with previous phases’ post-wise cut-offs for the same or similar posts, but remember that vacancies change every phase.

What happens after the final answer key

Dates for the final key and result have not been announced yet. Track the status on our Upcoming Results page.

Documents to start arranging now

Selection Post document verification is stricter than in many other exams because each post has specific essential qualifications and, in some cases, experience requirements. Start collecting:

• Class 10 certificate (date of birth proof)
• Certificates and marksheets of the essential qualification for each post you applied for
• Experience certificates, if the post requires experience, in the format specified
• Caste, EWS, PwBD or ex-serviceman certificates in the prescribed formats and validity periods
• No Objection Certificate if you are a government employee
• Photo ID and recent photographs matching your application

Choosing posts wisely in future phases

Many Selection Post candidates apply for posts without reading the essential qualification carefully and then face rejection at document verification. For future phases:

• Read the post-wise details (job requirements, essential and desirable qualifications) for every post before applying.
• Apply only for posts where you meet the essential qualification exactly as written, on or before the cut-off date for eligibility.
• Check whether experience is required and in what format the experience certificate must be issued.
• Consider posts with a larger number of vacancies in your category to improve your chances.
• Keep a record of all posts you applied for, with their category numbers, so you can check post-wise results quickly.

Common mistakes candidates make at the answer key stage

• Not downloading the response sheet before the deadline.
• Calculating scores without negative marking, or with the wrong value.
• Counting “marked for review” questions without a selected option as answered.
• Waiting for others to challenge an incorrect answer instead of filing it yourself.
• Ignoring document preparation until the result is declared.

Preparing for the next SSC exam meanwhile

Whatever your expected score, keep your preparation going. The same four sections appear in SSC CGL, CHSL, MTS and other SSC exams. Use your response sheet to identify weak areas and practise with our free SSC CHSL mock test and SSC CGL mock test, which follow the same 100-question, 200-mark pattern with 0.50 negative marking.

Key takeaways

• SSC released the Selection Post Phase 14 tentative answer key on 9 October 2026.
• Challenges cost ₹50 per question and close on 12 October 2026 at 4:00 PM.
• Download your response sheet now — it will not be available later.
• Score = correct × 2 − wrong × 0.50; final marks may change after normalisation.
• Cut-offs are post-wise and category-wise, and document verification is strict — prepare your certificates early.

How to check Answer Key

1. Open the official website (ssc.gov.in) using the link below.
2. Go to the answer key / response sheet link.
3. Log in if required, or download the answer key PDF for your paper or series.
4. Compare the key with your responses and calculate your expected score.
5. If you find a mistake, submit an objection with proof before the last date.

What you need

• Registration number and password
• Your question paper set / series
• Fee for objections, if the notice asks for it

Important Links

Frequently Asked Questions