The SSC CGL and UPSC are widely attempted competitive exams in India. Both are Graduation level exams but are completely different in forms of syllabus and exam pattern.
SSC CGL vs UPSC recruitment exams are conducted by SSC and UPSC authorities, respectively. Both are graduate-level exams, where UPSC conducts various civil services examinations for posts, such as IAS, IFoS, IRS, IPS, IFS, etc. While SSC CGL is held for posts such as Income Tax Inspector, Assistant Section Officer, Assistant Audit Officer, Central Excise Inspector, and others.
SSC CGL is conducted yearly in four tiers—Tier 1 (Preliminary), Tier 2 (Mains), Tier 3 (Descriptive), and Tier 4 (Computer proficiency/skill test). On the other hand, UPSC conducts civil service examinations yearly in three stages—preliminary, mains, and personality tests/interviews.
SSC CGL vs UPSC Which is Better?
The comparative analysis of both exams, based on different factors, has been shared below.
Posts Offered Under SSC CGL vs UPSC
The SSC CGL vs UPSC comparison based on the posts offered is tabulated below:
|
SSC CGL Posts |
UPSC Posts |
|
Assistant Audit Officer |
Indian Administrative Service (IAS) |
|
Assistant Account Officer |
Indian Police Service (IPS) |
|
Income Tax Inspector |
Indian Foreign Service (IFS) |
|
Central Excise Inspector |
Indian Revenue Services (IRS) |
|
Sub Inspector |
Indian Informative Services (IIS) |
|
Statistical Investigator |
Indian Trade Services (ITS) |
|
Junior Statistical Officer |
Indian Postal Services |
|
Auditor |
Indian Audit and Account Service (IA & AS) |
|
Accountant |
Indian Defence Account Service (IDAS) |
|
Tax Assistant |
Indian Ordnance Factories Service (IOFS) |
|
Upper Division Clerk (UDC) |
Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) |
|
- |
Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS) |
|
- |
Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS) |
|
- |
Indian Defense Estate Service (IDES) |
|
- |
Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service (ADHQ) |
UPSC vs SSC CGL Selection Process 2026
SSC CGL vs UPSC recruitment exams are conducted in three and four stages. The detailed description of exam stages for SSC CGL vs UPSC CSE is as follows:
SSC CGL Selection Process
- Tier 1 - Computer-based objective test
- Tier 2 - Computer-based objective test
- Tier 3 - Descriptive paper in English or Hindi
- Tier 4 - Skill test/computer proficiency test and document verification
UPSC Selection Process
- Preliminary exam - Objective test
- Mains - Written and subjective test
- Interview/Personality test
SSC CGL vs UPSC Exam Pattern 2026
The selection process for SSC CGL vs UPSC recruitment exams differs. Refer to the below to check the comparison between the SSC CGL vs UPSC exam pattern:
|
SSC CGL Exam Pattern |
UPSC Exam Pattern |
|
Tier 1 (Objective Type) Subjects: Quantitative Aptitude English Language General Intelligence & Reasoning General Awareness Time Duration: 60 minutes Total Marks: 200 marks |
Preliminary (Objective Type) Subjects: General Studies Paper-1 Civil Service Aptitude Test Time Duration: 2 Hours for each paper Total Marks: 400 marks |
|
Tier 2 (Objective and Skill Test) Paper 1: Subjects: Quantitative Aptitude English Language General Intelligence & Reasoning General Awareness Computer Knowledge Data Entry Speed Test
Tier 3 Subjects: General Studies/Finance and Economics (if applied to statistical posts) Tier 4 Statistics (if applied to statistical posts) Time Duration: Tier 1: 60 minutes Tier 2: 120 minutes Tier 3: 60 minutes Tier 4: Varies Total Marks: 800 marks |
Mains ( Written and subjective test) Subjects: English Language (Qualifying) Indian Language (Qualifying) Essay General Studies - 1 General Studies - 2 General Studies - 3 General Studies - 4 Optional Subject - 1 Optional Subject - 2 Time Duration: Varies Total Marks: marks (1750 marks for mains and 275 marks for Interview round) |
Also Read:
| How to Prepare for SSC CGL 2026? | SSC CGL 3 Months Study Plan 2026 |
SSC CGL vs UPSC Salary Comparison
SSC CGL vs UPSC salaries depends on the level of the post and the recruitment group. In general, UPSC posts' salary is more than SSC CGL posts. The following table compares the group-wise salary of SSC CGL vs UPSC:
|
Group |
SSC CGL Salary |
UPSC Posts' Salary |
|
Group A |
N/A |
INR 56,100 to INR 250,000/- |
|
Group B |
INR 35,400 to INR 81,000/- |
INR 35,400 to INR 150,000/- |
|
Group C |
INR 19,900 to INR 63,200/- |
INR 21,700 to INR 91,100/- |
|
Group D |
INR 18,000 to INR 56,900 |
N/A |
Important:
| SSC CGL Study Material 2026 | SSC CGL Online Coaching 2026 |
After going through the article above, you can easily analyze SSC CGL vs UPSC which is tough? One must check the syllabus and exam pattern difference and then proceed with the preparation.
