SSC JE Exam – Complete Guide
1. What is SSC JE Exam?
- SSC JE = Staff Selection Commission – Junior Engineer Examination.
- Conducted by SSC annually.
- Recruits candidates as Junior Engineers (Group B, Non-Gazetted) in Central Government organizations.
- Disciplines: Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Quantity Surveying & Contract.
2. Posts under SSC JE (Job List & Salary)
✅ Departments that recruit through SSC JE
- Central Public Works Department (CPWD)
- Military Engineering Services (MES)
- Border Roads Organisation (BRO)
- Central Water Commission (CWC)
- Central Water and Power Research Station
- Ministry of Defence
- Department of Posts
- Farakka Barrage Project, etc.
💰 Salary (7th Pay Commission)
|
Post |
Pay Level |
Grade Pay |
In-hand Salary (approx.) |
|
Junior Engineer (Civil/Mechanical/Electrical/QS&C) |
Level 6 |
₹4,200 |
₹44,000 – ₹52,000 |
📌 Perks & Benefits: HRA, DA, TA, Medical, LTC, Pension, Govt. accommodation (in some depts).
📈 Promotion Path:
JE → Assistant Engineer (AE) → Executive Engineer → Superintendent Engineer.
3. Eligibility Criteria
(a) Nationality
- Must be an Indian citizen.
(b) Age Limit (as per post)
- CPWD / CWC: Max 32 years
- MES / Other Depts: Max 30 years
📌 Age Relaxations:
- OBC: +3 years
- SC/ST: +5 years
- PwD: +10 years
(c) Educational Qualification
|
Post |
Qualification |
|
JE (Civil, CPWD/CWC) |
Diploma in Civil Engineering |
|
JE (Electrical, CPWD) |
Diploma in Electrical Engineering |
|
JE (Civil, MES) |
Degree in Civil Engg. OR Diploma + 2 yrs experience |
|
JE (Electrical/Mechanical, MES) |
Degree OR Diploma + 2 yrs experience |
|
JE (QS&C, MES) |
Diploma in Civil Engg. OR Equivalent |
|
JE (BRO) |
Degree/Diploma in Civil/Mechanical/Electrical (as per notification) |
4. Selection Process
The exam has 2 stages:
- Paper I (Computer-Based Test – Objective)
- Paper II (Descriptive Paper – Written)
- Document Verification
5. Exam Pattern
Paper I (CBT – Objective)
|
Subject |
Questions |
Marks |
Time |
|
General Intelligence & Reasoning |
50 |
50 |
2 hours |
|
General Awareness |
50 |
50 |
— |
|
Part A: General Engineering (Civil & Structural) OR Part B: (Electrical) OR Part C: (Mechanical) |
100 |
100 |
— |
|
Total |
200 |
200 |
2 hours |
🔹 Negative Marking: –0.25 marks per wrong answer.
Paper II (Descriptive)
|
Subject |
Marks |
Duration |
|
Descriptive (Written) – Engineering Discipline (Civil / Electrical / Mechanical) |
300 |
2 hours |
6. Application Process
- Visit ssc.nic.in.
- Complete One-Time Registration (OTR).
- Fill SSC JE application form online.
- Upload photo, signature, documents.
- Pay fee online/offline.
Application Fee
- General/OBC: ₹100
- SC/ST/PwD/Ex-Servicemen/Women: No Fee
7. Syllabus Overview
(a) General Intelligence & Reasoning
- Analogies, Coding-Decoding, Series, Syllogism, Puzzles, Spatial Visualization, Data Sufficiency.
(b) General Awareness
- Current Affairs (India + World), History, Geography, Polity, Economy, General Science.
(c) General Engineering (as per stream)
Civil & Structural: Building Materials, Estimating, Surveying, Soil Mechanics, RCC Design, Hydraulics, Irrigation, Transportation.
Electrical: Circuit Laws, AC Fundamentals, Generators, Motors, Transformers, Power Systems, Basic Electronics.
Mechanical: Theory of Machines, Thermodynamics, Strength of Materials, Fluid Mechanics, Production Engg., Heat Engines.
8. Books & Resources
- General Awareness: Lucent GK, Manorama Yearbook, Magme’s Monthly Current Affairs PDFs.
- Reasoning: R.S. Aggarwal – Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning & Magme’s Books
- Civil Engg.: S. Ramamrutham (Structural), B.C. Punmia (Surveying), R.K. Rajput & Magme’s Books
- Electrical Engg.: J.B. Gupta (Electrical Machines), V.K. Mehta, P.K. Nag & Magme’s Books
- Mechanical Engg.: R.K. Rajput, P.K. Nag, Khurmi (Thermo + SOM) & Magme’s Books
- Practice: Previous 10 years’ SSC JE papers, Online Mocks & Magme’s Online Portals
9. Quick Facts Table
|
Category |
Details |
|
Exam Authority |
SSC (Staff Selection Commission) |
|
Exam Level |
National |
|
Posts |
Junior Engineer (Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, QS&C) |
|
Age Limit |
30–32 years (varies by dept) |
|
Qualification |
Diploma/Degree in Engineering |
|
Stages |
Paper I (CBT) + Paper II (Descriptive) + DV |
|
Salary |
₹44,000 – ₹52,000 (in-hand) |
10. Preparation Strategy
Step 1 – Fundamentals
- Revise Diploma/Degree core subjects.
- Strengthen basics in Civil, Electrical, or Mechanical (as chosen).
Step 2 – Non-Tech Subjects
- Daily 30 mins Reasoning + GK.
- Read newspapers for current affairs.
Step 3 – Mock Tests & PYQs
- Solve 10 years’ previous SSC JE papers.
- Attempt full-length mocks regularly.
Step 4 – Paper II Focus
- Practice writing descriptive answers.
- Work on diagrams, numerical solutions, clear handwriting.
11. Why Choose SSC JE?
- Central Govt. Engineering Job with high job security.
- Good Salary & Perks (better than state JE jobs).
- Nationwide Opportunities across top departments.
- Prestige & Promotion – can reach AE & higher posts.
- Work-Life Balance compared to private engineering jobs.
✅ In Short:
- Posts: JE in Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, QS&C.
- Salary: ₹44k–₹52k in-hand.
- Eligibility: Diploma/Degree in Engg.
- Selection: CBT (200) + Descriptive (300).
- Best Prep: Engineering core subjects + Lucent GK + PYQs.
