--- title: "SSC CHSL 2026: LDC vs DEO – Salary, Typing Test and Which Post to Prefer" url: "https://aijobalert.com/blog/ssc-chsl-2026-ldc-vs-deo-salary-typing-test" type: "Article" author: "AIJobAlert Editorial Team" tags: "SSC CHSL, LDC, DEO, Typing Test, 12th Pass, SSC" reading_minutes: 3 published: "2026-10-10T14:41:11.071Z" updated: "2026-10-10T14:41:11.071Z" --- # SSC CHSL 2026: LDC vs DEO – Salary, Typing Test and Which Post to Prefer SSC CHSL 2026 fills about 2,536 LDC/JSA and Data Entry Operator posts. How the pay levels differ, what the typing and data entry tests ask, the Tier-I and Tier-II pattern, and the 7 October last date. ![Hands typing on a computer keyboard](https://aijobalert.com/images/blog/ssc-chsl-2026-ldc-vs-deo-salary-typing-test.webp) SSC's Combined Higher Secondary Level Examination 2026 is open to 12th-pass candidates aged 18 to 27. It fills about **2,536** Group 'C' posts in central ministries and offices. SSC will publish the post-wise and category-wise split later under "Tentative Vacancy" on ssc.gov.in. The last date to apply is **7 October 2026, 11 PM**. It is easy to fill the form without thinking about which post you actually want. That choice matters, because it decides your pay level and which skill test you take. ## The pay difference | Post | Pay level | Pay scale | | --- | --- | --- | | Lower Division Clerk (LDC) / Junior Secretariat Assistant (JSA) | Level-2 | ₹19,900 – ₹63,200 | | Data Entry Operator (DEO) | Level-4 and Level-5 | ₹25,500 – ₹81,100 and ₹29,200 – ₹92,300 | | Data Entry Operator, Grade 'A' | Level-4 | ₹25,500 – ₹81,100 | On paper, DEO pays two to three levels more than LDC. The catch is that DEO posts in four offices need 12th with **Science and Mathematics**: the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, the Staff Selection Commission and the Ministry of Culture. If you studied Arts or Commerce, those particular DEO posts are closed to you. ## Skill test: typing vs data entry The skill test comes in Tier-II Session-II. It is qualifying, so it does not add to your marks, but failing it ends your candidature for that post. - **LDC/JSA:** a 10-minute typing test at 35 words per minute in English or 30 words per minute in Hindi. - **DEO and DEO Grade 'A' in the four offices above:** 15,000 key depressions per hour for 15 minutes. - **Other DEO posts:** 8,000 key depressions per hour for 15 minutes. You choose the typing-test medium (Hindi or English) in the application form, and it cannot be changed later. If you type faster in English, do not pick Hindi thinking the lower speed is easier. ## Tier-I pattern | Section | Questions | Marks | | --- | --- | --- | | English Language | 25 | 50 | | General Intelligence | 25 | 50 | | Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | 50 | | General Awareness | 25 | 50 | | Total (60 minutes) | 100 | 200 | Each section has a 15-minute timer. A wrong answer costs 0.50 marks. Candidates eligible for a scribe get 80 minutes. ## Tier-II pattern Session-I is 2 hours 15 minutes. Section-I is Maths (30 questions) and Reasoning (30). Section-II is English (40) and General Awareness (20). Each of these sections is worth 180 marks and takes 1 hour. Section-III is a qualifying Computer Knowledge Test: 15 questions, 45 marks, 15 minutes. The negative marking here is heavier: 1 mark for every wrong answer. Merit is prepared on Sections I and II only. ## Fee and dates | Event | Date | | --- | --- | | Online applications | 7 September – 7 October 2026 (11 PM) | | Last date for fee payment | 8 October 2026 (11 PM) | | Correction window | 14 – 16 October 2026 | | Tier-I and Tier-II | To be notified by SSC | The fee is ₹100. Women, SC, ST, PwBD and eligible Ex-Servicemen do not pay. In the correction window, the first correction costs ₹200 and the second ₹500. Students who are appearing in 12th can apply, but they must have passed by 7 October 2026. The age limit is 18–27 on 1 August 2026 (born between 2 August 1999 and 1 August 2008), with 5 years' relaxation for SC/ST and 3 for OBC. Other forms closing this month are in our [October last-date list](https://aijobalert.com/blog/government-job-forms-last-date-october-2026). ## Official sources - [SSC CHSL 2026 notice (PDF)](https://aijobalert.com/documents/ssc/notice-of-adv-chsle-2026-74eb89c2.pdf) - [Apply online – ssc.gov.in](https://ssc.gov.in/login) *Last checked against these sources on 25 September 2026. Boards do change dates, so confirm on the official website before you travel or pay a fee.* *Cover photo: [Typing On Apple Desktop Keyboard - 51328178723](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Typing_On_Apple_Desktop_Keyboard_-_51328178723.jpg) by Alabama Extension, [CC0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/), via Wikimedia Commons. Text and branding added by AIJobAlert.* ## Common questions ### What is the salary of SSC CHSL LDC? LDC/JSA is in Pay Level-2: ₹19,900 – ₹63,200. ### What is the salary of SSC CHSL DEO? DEO is in Pay Level-4 (₹25,500 – ₹81,100) or Level-5 (₹29,200 – ₹92,300). DEO Grade 'A' is Level-4. ### What typing speed is needed for SSC CHSL LDC? 35 words per minute in English or 30 words per minute in Hindi, in a 10-minute test. ### Can Arts students apply for DEO in SSC CHSL? Yes for most DEO posts. But DEO posts in Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, SSC and the Ministry of Culture need 12th with Science and Mathematics. ### What is the last date for SSC CHSL 2026? 7 October 2026, up to 11 PM. Fee payment is allowed until 8 October 2026, 11 PM. --- AIJobAlert last checked these details against the official documents on 25 Sept 2026. AIJobAlert summarises official notices and is not a government body. Confirm every detail in the official notification and apply only on the official website. Canonical page: https://aijobalert.com/blog/ssc-chsl-2026-ldc-vs-deo-salary-typing-test