The SSC CPO exam dates for the 2026 cycle are officially announced by the Staff Selection Commission along with the notification, which is expected to be released in May 2026. As per the tentative schedule, the SSC CPO 2026 examination (Paper I & Paper II) is likely to be conducted between October and November 2026. The Paper 2 for the previous cycle is tentatively scheduled for January-February 2026. The paper 1 was successfully conducted from 9th to 12th December, 2025 and the results are awaited. This article provides complete details on the expected SSC CPO 2026 and previous cycle's timeline, including the notification release, exam schedule, and key updates to help candidates plan their preparation effectively.
What is the expected SSC CPO 2026 Exam Date?
The SSC CPO Exam 2026 is expected to be conducted between October and November 2026, as per the tentative SSC exam schedule.
What are the important dates of SSC CPO Exam 2026?
The important dates for SSC CPO Exam 2026 are: Notification in May 2026, Apply Online from May 2026, Last Date to Apply in June 2026. The previous cycle's Paper-II is expected in January-February 2026.
| Event | 2025 Cycle | 2026 Cycle (Expected) |
|---|
| Notification Release | 26th September 2025 | May 2026 |
| Apply Online Start | 26th September 2025 | May 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply | 16th October 2025 | June 2026 |
| Last Date to Pay Fees | 17th October 2025 | June 2026 |
| Application Form Correction | 3rd–5th November 2025 | June 2026 (TBA) |
| Paper-I (CBT) | 9th–12th December 2025 | Oct–Nov 2026 |
| Paper-II (CBT) | January-February 2026. | TBA |
| PST/PET | After Paper-I | After Paper-I (as applicable) |
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What is SSC CPO Paper 1 Exam Pattern?
The SSC CPO Exam Pattern for Paper I consists of 200 questions for 200 marks, divided into four sections of 50 questions each, with a duration of 2 hours with sectional timer of 30 Minutes for each part and a negative marking of 0.25 marks per wrong answer.
| Subject | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks |
|---|
| General Intelligence & Reasoning | 50 | 50 |
| General Knowledge & General Awareness | 50 | 50 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 50 | 50 |
| English Comprehension | 50 | 50 |
What is SSC CPO Paper 2 Exam Pattern?
The exam pattern for Paper 2 consists of 200 questions in English Language & Comprehension, carrying 200 marks, to be completed in 2 hours with sectional timer of 30 Minutes for each part.
| Subject | Number of Questions | Maximum Marks | Time Duration |
|---|
| English Language & Comprehension | 200 | 200 | 2 Hours |
Questions will be of Objective Multiple Choice Type. There will be negative marking of 0.25 marks for each wrong answer.
What are the documents required along with SSC CPO Admit Card for Paper 2?
SSC CPO Admit Card for Paper 2, 2 passport-size photos, a valid photo ID, and a document proving date of birth (10th Admit Card/Birth Certificate/Category Certificate).
- Admission Certificate: The SSC CPO Admit Card
- Photographs: Two recent passport-sized photographs
- Valid Photo ID (Original): Passport, Aadhaar Card, Driving License, Voter's ID, PAN Card
- Additional Document (Date of Birth): 10th Class Admit Card, Birth Certificate, or Category Certificate
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What are the exam day guidelines for SSC CPO Exam?
On the exam day, candidates should arrive early, follow all instructions at the center, and keep your admit card and valid ID ready for verification.
- Arrive Early: Reach the exam center before the reporting time to avoid any last-minute problems.
- Follow Instructions: Follow all guidelines given by exam officials, including entry and seating arrangements.
- Document Verification: Keep your admit card and required ID proof ready for verification.
What is the list of prohibited items in SSC CPO Exam?
Candidates cannot bring stationery, mobile or electronic devices, watches, jewelry, personal items like bags or belts, food, or any metallic objects.
- Stationery Items: Papers, pens, pencil boxes, geometry sets, calculators, erasers, or electronic pens.
- Communication Devices: Mobile phones, Bluetooth devices, earphones, microphones, or pagers.
- Watches and Accessories: Watches, cameras, or bracelets.
- Personal Items: Goggles, wallets, handbags, caps, or belts.
- Jewelry and Ornaments: Earrings, rings, chains, badges, or brooches.
- Food Items: Any type of food, whether opened or sealed.
- Metallic Items: Metallic objects, cameras, or gadgets like Bluetooth devices.
What is the dress code to be followed in SSC CPO Exam 2026?
Candidates can wear half-sleeve T-shirts/shirts, trousers/jeans, slippers/sandals, prescribed spectacles, leggings/churidar, salwar/kurta, or saree. Avoid full sleeves, shoes/boots, jewelry, watches, sunglasses, big hair accessories, burka, caps, or garments with big buttons/badges.
| Allowed | Not allowed |
|---|
| Slippers and sandals with feet completely/ partially visible | Shoes/ Bellies/ boots |
| Half-T-Shirt | Full sleeves shirt or T-Shirt |
| Trousers/ Jeans | Watches |
| Doctors prescribed spectacles | Sunglasses |
| Leggings/ Churidar | Bracelets |
| Lower | Rings/ Chain/ Necklace etc. (any type of jewellery or ornaments) |
| Jeans | Hair Clips/ Big Rubber Bands |
| Salwar / Patiala | Big buttons, brooch/badge T-Shirts |
| Kurta/Top (Half-Sleeves) | Saree (Married or Unmarried) |
| Tiny Rubber Band | Bangles not allowed (only married can wear) |
| Mangal Sutra | Burka, Cap, Kurta-Pajama |
SSC CPO Exam Centres List
The SSC CPO exam will be conducted at various centers across the country. The details of the exam venue and exam center will be provided in the SSC CPO Paper 2 Admit Card by the Staff Selection Commission.
| Exam Centre (Code) | SSC Region and States/ UTs under the jurisdiction of the Region |
|---|
Bhagalpur(3201), Muzaffarpur(3205), Patna(3206), Purnea (3209),
Agra(3001), Bareilly (3005),
Gorakhpur (3007), Jhansi (3008), Kanpur(3009), Lucknow(3010), Meerut(3011), Prayagraj(3003), Varanasi(3013) | Central Region (CR)/
Bihar and Uttar Pradesh |
Port Blair (4802), Bokaro(4201), Hazaribagh(4204), Jamshedpur(4207), Ranchi(4205), Balasore(Odisha) (4601), Berhampore(Odisha) (4602), Bhubaneswar(4604), Cuttack(4605), Dhenkenal(4611), Rourkela(4610), Sambalpur(4609), Gangtok(4001), Asansol(4417), Kalyani(4419),
Kolkata(4410), Siliguri(4415) | Eastern Region (ER)/
Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Jharkhand, Odisha, Sikkim and West Bengal |
Belagavi (9002), Bengaluru (9001),
Hubballi (9011), Kalaburagi
(Gulbarga) (9005), Mangaluru (9008),
Mysuru (9009), Shivamogga (9010),
Udupi (9012). Ernakulam (9213),
Kannur (9202), Kollam (9210),
Kottayam (9205), Kozhikode (9206),
Thrissur (9212), Thiruvananthapuram
(9211). | Karnataka, Kerala Region (KKR)/ Lakshadweep, Karnataka and Kerala |
Bhopal (6001), Gwalior(6005), Indore (6006), Jabalpur (6007), Satna (6014),
Sagar (6015), Ujjain (6016), Bilaspur
(6202), Raipur (6204), Durg-Bhilai
(6205) | Madhya Pradesh Sub-Region (MPR)/ Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh |
| Itanagar(5001), Dibrugarh(5102), Guwahati(Dispur)(5105), Jorhat(5107), Silchar(5111), Churachandpur(5502), Imphal(5501), Ukhrul(5503), Shillong(5401), Aizwal(5701), Dimapur (5301), Kohima(5302), Agartala(5601), | North Eastern Region (NER)/ Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura. |
| Dehradun(2002), Haldwani(2003), Haridwar(2005), Roorkee(2006), Delhi(2201), Ajmer(2401), Alwar(2402), Bikaner(2404), Jaipur(2405), Jodhpur(2406), Kota(2407), Sriganganagar(2408), Udaipur(2409), Sikar(2411) | Northern Region (NR)/
Delhi, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand |
Chandigarh/ Mohali(1601), Hamirpur(1202), Shimla(1203), Jammu(1004),
Samba(1010), Srinagar(J&K)(1007), Leh(1005), Amritsar(1404), Jalandhar(1402), Ludhiana(1405), Patiala(1403), | North Western Sub- Region (NWR)/ Chandigarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Punjab |
Chirala(8011), Cuddapah(8013), Guntur(8001), Kakinada (8009),
Kurnool(8003), Nellore (8010), Rajahmundry(8004), Tirupati(8006), Vizianagaram(8012), Vijayawada(8008), Vishakhapatnam(8007), Puducherry(8401), Chennai(8201), Coimbatore(8202), Krishnagiri(8209), Madurai(8204), Salem(8205), Tiruchirapalli(8206), Tirunelveli(8207), Vellore (8208),
Hyderabad(8601), Karimnagar (8604), Warangal(8603) | Southern Region (SR)/
Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and Telangana. |
| Panaji(7801), Ahmedabad(7001), Anand(7011), Gandhinagar(7012), Mehsana(7013), Rajkot(7006), Surat(7007), Vadodara(7002), Amravati(7201), Aurangabad(7202), Jalgaon(7214), Kolhapur(7203), Mumbai(7204), Nagpur(7205), Nanded (7206), Nashik(7207), Pune(7208) | Western Region (WR)/
Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Goa, Gujarat and Maharashtra |
What are the key takeaways?
Below are the key takeaways:
- The SSC CPO Notification 2026 is expected to be released in May 2026.
- The SSC CPO 2026 Exam (Paper I & Paper II) is likely to be conducted between October and November 2026.
- The online application process for SSC CPO 2026 is expected to begin in May 2026 and close in June 2026.
- Paper I of the SSC CPO 2025 cycle was conducted from 9th to 12th December 2025 and results are awaited.
- Paper II of the SSC CPO previous cycle is tentatively scheduled for January–February 2026.
- PST/PET will be conducted after Paper I for applicable posts.
- The SSC CPO exam schedule and dates are officially announced along with the notification.
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