SSC MTS 2026: Notification, Eligibility, Salary and Exam Pattern

If you have passed Class 10 and want a central government job, the SSC MTS 2026 recruitment is one to watch. The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) holds this exam every year to fill Multi-Tasking (Non-Technical) Staff and Havaldar posts across many government departments. Here is everything known so far, in simple words, along with the current status of the notification.

SSC MTS 2026 at a Glance

What are MTS and Havaldar posts?

This recruitment is for two posts, and both are in the same Pay Level 1.

• Multi-Tasking (Non-Technical) Staff (MTS): a Group C post in various ministries, departments and offices of the central government. The work is routine office and maintenance work, such as handling files and records, photocopying, carrying papers between sections, and helping keep the office running.
• Havaldar: a Group C post only in the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) and the Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN), under the Ministry of Finance. The work is more of a field and support role, such as guarding offices, escorting officers and goods, and helping in anti-smuggling and anti-narcotics work. Because of this, Havaldar has a physical test that MTS does not.

SSC MTS 2026 Eligibility

Education. You must have passed the Class 10 (Matriculation) exam from a recognised board. There is no minimum percentage, and you do not need a higher degree.

That is the only education requirement, which is why MTS is one of the most popular exams for 10th pass candidates.

SSC MTS 2026 Age Limit

The age is counted on a fixed cut-off date that SSC gives in the notification. In the last cycle (MTS 2025) this date was 1 August 2025.

• For most MTS posts: 18 to 25 years.
• For Havaldar and a few MTS posts: 18 to 27 years.

Reserved category candidates get age relaxation: 5 years for SC and ST, 3 years for OBC, and 10 to 15 years for persons with benchmark disabilities, along with the usual relaxation for ex-servicemen and certain other groups.

SSC MTS 2026 Vacancies

The number of posts for 2026 has not been announced yet. It will come with the official notification. As context, the final count for MTS 2024 was 11,518 posts (8,079 MTS and 3,439 Havaldar). For MTS 2025, the tentative count on 27 November 2025 was 7,948 posts (6,810 MTS and 1,138 Havaldar). We will add the exact 2026 vacancy count, and the split between MTS and Havaldar, as soon as SSC publishes it.

SSC MTS 2026 Application Fee

• General, OBC and EWS candidates: ₹100
• All Women, and SC, ST, PwBD and Ex-servicemen candidates: no fee

The fee is paid online only, through UPI, net banking or a debit card.

SSC MTS 2026 Important Dates

The exact dates will be confirmed in the official notification. Based on the SSC calendar, the expected timeline is below. Treat these as tentative until SSC confirms them.

• Notification release: not released yet (checked 27 September 2026); SSC has not announced a new date
• Online application: opens only after the notification; no MTS 2026 form is live right now
• Computer Based Test: SSC’s calendar still says September to November 2026, but it has not been updated since the notification was delayed, so treat this as unconfirmed

SSC MTS 2026 Salary and In-Hand Pay

Both MTS and Havaldar are in Pay Level 1 of the 7th Pay Commission, with a starting basic pay of ₹18,000 a month. Over a career the basic can rise up to about ₹56,900. There is no difference in basic pay between MTS and Havaldar.

On top of the basic you get dearness allowance, house rent allowance and transport allowance. After these allowances, and after deductions like the National Pension System, the starting take-home usually comes to roughly ₹30,000 to ₹34,000 a month in a big metro city, and around ₹28,000 to ₹31,000 in smaller cities. These are approximate figures based on the current allowance rates, which change over time. Many other websites still show a lower in-hand figure because they use an older dearness allowance rate.

This estimate assumes a big (X-class) city with house rent allowance at 30 percent, the current dearness allowance of about 60 percent (effective January 2026), and the usual NPS and CGHS deductions. The figure will change when the dearness allowance is next revised.

SSC MTS 2026 Exam Pattern

The main exam is a Computer Based Test (Paper 1) held in two sessions on the same day. Both sessions are compulsory. There are 90 questions for 270 marks in total, with 3 marks for each question.

One thing to be careful about: there is no negative marking in Session 1, but in Session 2 one mark is deducted for every wrong answer. So you can attempt all questions in Session 1, but you should be careful with guessing in Session 2. In the last cycle, questions for Session 1 and for the General Awareness part of Session 2 were set in Hindi, English and 13 regional languages, including Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. The exact qualifying rules will be confirmed in the official notification.

SSC MTS 2026 Syllabus

The syllabus stays broadly the same each year. The main topics are:

• Numerical and Mathematical Ability: LCM and HCF, percentage, ratio and proportion, time and work, simple interest, profit and loss, averages, area and perimeter, and basic arithmetic.
• Reasoning Ability and Problem Solving: series, coding and decoding, analogies, similarities and differences, calendar and clock problems, order and ranking, classification, and simple non-verbal reasoning.
• General Awareness: history, geography, polity and the Constitution, economics, general science, sports, and current affairs.
• English Language and Comprehension: spotting errors, fill in the blanks, synonyms and antonyms, spelling, idioms and phrases, one word substitution, sentence improvement, and reading comprehension.

SSC MTS 2026 Selection Process

The selection is different for the two posts.

• For MTS: Computer Based Test, then document verification. There is no physical test and no interview.
• For Havaldar: Computer Based Test, then a Physical Efficiency Test and Physical Standard Test, then document verification.

Session 1 is only qualifying. Session 2 is marked only if you clear Session 1, and the final merit list is made only on your Session 2 marks. For Havaldar, SSC calls about 7 candidates for every vacancy to the physical test, again based on Session 2 marks.

Havaldar Physical Test (PET and PST)

The physical test applies only to Havaldar candidates. The main standards are:

• Walking: men have to walk 1600 metres in 15 minutes; women have to walk 1 kilometre in 20 minutes.
• Height: 157.5 cm for men and 152 cm for women (5 cm less for men and 2.5 cm less for women who are Garhwalis, Assamese, Gorkhas or from Scheduled Tribes).
• Chest (men): 81 cm, with at least 5 cm expansion.
• Weight (women): at least 48 kg (2 kg less for Garhwalis, Assamese, Gorkhas and Scheduled Tribes).

These standards are from the last official notice (MTS 2025). Check the 2026 notice when it comes out.

How to Apply for SSC MTS 2026

When the form opens, you apply online only, on the official SSC website.

1. Go to ssc.gov.in and first complete the One Time Registration (OTR) if you have not already.
2. Log in and open the SSC MTS 2026 application.
3. Fill your details exactly as on your documents, and choose your post and post preferences.
4. A live photo is taken during the form, and you upload your signature in the size the form asks for.
5. Pay the fee online if it applies to you, submit the form, and save a printout.

We will add the direct application link here once the form goes live.

How are the SSC MTS cut-offs decided?

SSC does not use a single all India cut-off. The cut-off is decided separately for each state or union territory, for each category, and separately for the 18 to 25 and 18 to 27 age groups, on normalised marks. So the cut-off for your state and category can be quite different from another candidate’s.

There are also minimum qualifying marks that everyone must reach: 30 percent for the unreserved category, 25 percent for OBC and EWS, and 20 percent for SC, ST and other categories. Remember, these are only the pass marks. The actual selection cut-off is much higher because lakhs of candidates apply for these posts.

Whether MTS Belongs on Your List

If you are a 10th pass candidate looking for a stable central government job, SSC MTS is a strong choice. The work is steady, the salary and benefits are good for the qualification, and there is a clear path to promotion over time. Just keep in mind that the competition is very high, with lakhs of candidates for the posts, so good preparation matters. If you want a field role rather than office work, and you can clear the physical test, the Havaldar post is worth choosing as a preference.

SSC MTS: What We Know So Far

Has the SSC MTS 2026 notification been released?

Not yet. We re-checked ssc.gov.in on 27 September 2026: the notification is still not out and no application form is live. SSC has not announced a new date. We will update this page as soon as SSC releases it.

What is the qualification for SSC MTS 2026?

You only need to have passed Class 10 from a recognised board. There is no minimum percentage and no higher degree is needed.

Is there negative marking in the SSC MTS exam?

There is no negative marking in Session 1. In Session 2, one mark is deducted for each wrong answer.

What is the difference between MTS and Havaldar?

Both have the same Pay Level 1 salary. MTS is office and maintenance work in various departments with no physical test, while Havaldar is a field role in CBIC and CBN with a physical test.

What will be the in-hand salary?

The starting basic pay is ₹18,000. With allowances and after deductions, the take-home is roughly ₹30,000 to ₹34,000 a month in a big city and a little less in smaller cities, which changes as the dearness allowance is revised.

Looking for more SSC jobs or the latest government jobs? Check our verified updates.

✍️ Published byLokesh Rathore

Lokesh Rathore is a content writer with over 4 years of experience covering Government Jobs, Sarkari Result, Admit Card and Sarkari Yojana. He turns complex official notifications into clear, accurate and easy-to-follow updates for job seekers across India - with every post cross-checked against official government sources.

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