The Staff Selection Commission has released the official notification for SSC CGL 2016 on 13th Feb, 2016. SSC conducts the combined graduate level exam to recruit people for nearly 30 posts in Group B & Group C.

In the exam form, candidates have to select posts of their choice under a section called ‘preference of posts’ based on which final appointments will be made. Many candidates get confused while filling up their preferences due to lack of information on the job profiles of the posts. Thus, in this article, we will discuss the bifurcation of these posts, their job profiles and give you an ideal list of preferences as regards the probable number of vacancies, chances of promotion, etc. We will also discuss the SSC CGL 2014 final cutoffs of general category in descending order.

Common order of preference (Based on final result of SSC CGL 2014):

Here, we are providing cutoffs of general category in descending order. In this table, we can observe that higher the cutoffs means higher the preference for the post.

Interview posts :

A: Assistant in CSS – Qualifying in CPT is mandatory for Option A. No exemption in CPT has been granted.

B : Assistant in CVC

C : Assistant in Intelligence Bureau

D: Assistant in Ministry of Railways

E: Assistant in Ministry of External Affairs

F: Assistant (Cypher) in Min. of External Affairs – No vacancies reported.

G: Assistant in AFHQ – No vacancies reported.

H: Assistant in Other Ministries/Departments/Organisations with Grade pay Rs. 4600/-

I: Assistant in Other Ministries/Departments/Organisations with Grade pay Rs. 4200/-

J: Inspector of Income Tax

K: Inspector (Central Excise)

L: Inspector (Preventive Officer)

M: Inspector (Examiner)

N: Assistant Enforcement Officer

O: Sub Inspector, CBI

P: Inspector of Posts

Q: Divisional Accountant, CAG

S: Inspector (Central Bureau of Narcotics)

Non Interview posts :

T: Auditor in Offices under CAG

U: Auditor in Offices under CGDA- No vacancies reported.

V: Auditor in Offices under CGA & Others

W: Accountant/Junior Accountant in Offices under CAG

X: Accountant/Junior Accountant in Offices under CGA & Others

Y: UDC in Central Govt./Ministries/Other than CSCS cadres.

Z: Tax Assistant in CBDT

@: Tax Assistant in CBEC

$: Compiler, RGI – No vacancies reported.

#: Sub-Inspector, Central Bureau of Narcotics

The above given preferences are based on the common given order obtained from the final result of SSC CGL 2014 exam. Still, candidates can prefer posts of their personal choice based on their likes and dislikes. Now, we will discuss the types of posts & the job profiles of various posts in brief. It will help you to choose posts of your choice.

Area of Work:

The 30 positions can be divided into two broad groups-desk jobs and field jobs. Let us discuss each category in detail.

Desk Jobs:

a) Candidates choosing such posts will be appointed as Upper Division Clerks, Assistants, Auditors, Tax-Assistants, etc.

b) SSC does not mandate physical standards like height and weight for these positions.

c) Candidates looking for a steady job routine should go for such posts as working hours are usually fixed [except for Assistant (cypher)].

d) Such posts do not need you to be uniformed or carry weapons.

Field Jobs:

a) Candidates opting for such jobs will be appointed as Inspectors (preventive officers, examiners, excise and income tax), CBI and narcotics officers, etc.

b) SSC demands physical standards for some of these jobs.

c) As they involve travelling, inspections, raids and surveillance, such jobs are well-suited for those who can cope well with arduous responsibilities.

d) There are no fixed working hours for these posts and employee might also have to put in extra hours or work on holidays.

e) Some of these jobs include uniform and weapon training.

Division of posts based on pattern of exam:

Desk work: Posts in detail

As mentioned above, the post of Assistant is the perfect desk job.

· Promotion: If you pass UPSC’s departmental exam, you become Section Officer (Group B).

· You will then be promoted to the level of Under Secretary, followed by Deputy Secretary and then Joint Secretary.

We will now discuss about Assistant posts across departments:

1. Assistant in the Central Secretariat Service (CSS):

a) Assistants in CSS are appointed across ministries and are tasked with preparation of notes, reports, and files.

b) They also need to answer RTI applications filed by people and also prepare responses to questions asked in the parliament, etc.

d) You will also be asked for your recommendations on various notes and reports.

e) Promotion: As vacancies are more for such posts, the promotion speed is also high compared to other Assistant-level posts offered by SSC.

f) The main advantage of this post is that the scope of work is vast and varied as you get to work across ministries and departments.

g) On getting selected, you will be posted in New Delhi until your retirement.

2. Assistant in the Ministry of External Affairs (MoEA) – General:

a) As an Assistant in the MoEA, you will only be given administrative work like: typing, making reports and updates of current developments, maintaining files, etc.

b) This post is the most sought after due to the possibility of postings in Indian embassies and consulates overseas. If not, you might be posted in New Delhi.

c) An Assistant in the MoEA is eligible for a very good salary and facilities like accommodation, children’s education, etc.

d) S/he is usually alternately posted three years in India and three years abroad throughout his/her tenure.

e) Promotion: Assistant in the MoEA can be promoted to the level of Under Secretary and the chances of getting a promotion are quite high.

f) There are no night shifts assigned to this post.

3. Assistant in Ministry of External Affairs (MoEA) – Cypher:

a) The Assistant in MoEA – Cypher will be responsible for decoding confidential information hidden within files and data sent through the Internet. This information so deciphered could prove useful for Intelligence agencies.

b) Chances of foreign posting are high for an Assistant (Cypher) vis-à-vis Assistant (General).

c) Throughout their tenure, Cypher assistants are posted three years in India and six years abroad.

d) Promotion: The chances of promotion are less vis-à-vis Assistant (General).

e) Due to time-zone differences between India and foreign countries, assistants may have to work night shifts. Of the six working days, two will be night shifts. You will also get two days off.

4. Assistant in Railways:

a) An assistant in Railways has almost the same responsibilities as an Upper Division Clerk.

b) The job offers many perks, including getting discounted railway passes to travel across India, being allotted railway homes at inexpensive rates, etc.

c) Posting for this job is mostly in New Delhi, but you might also be posted in regional headquarters like Allahabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, etc.

5. Assistant in Central Vigilance Commission (CVC):

a) CVC monitors all the vigilance activities carried out by various Central government departments.

b) Assistants in this department have to keep records, update case files, gather information, etc.

6. Assistant in Intelligence Bureau (IB):

a) IB Assistants are appointed mostly for data-oriented computer work. S/he will not be assigned to any investigative work.

b) The posting is mostly in state headquarters of IB or directly in New Delhi.

7. Assistant in the Armed Forces Headquarters (AFHQ):

a) The assistants selected will be posted in the Armed Forces Headquarters in New Delhi.

b) They will be assigned duties of management, distribution and coordination of work between staff members.

c) As an Assistant in the Ministry of Defence, you are also eligible for benefits provided to the Armed Forces personnel.

8. Assistant (Other Ministries/Department/ Organisations) – 4,600 Grade Pay:

a) Assistants for these posts are posted in departments like Department of Personnel & Training, Election Commission, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, etc.

b) Postings will mostly be in New Delhi for such posts.

9. Assistant (Other Ministries/Department/ Organizations) – 4,200 Grade Pay:

The postings are almost the same as above.

10. Divisional Accountant (under CAG):

a) The Divisional Accountant sits in the state’s public works department (PWD) and audits expenditures incurred for projects undertaken by state governments.

b) S/he also needs to send reports to the CAG head office on malpractices taking place in PWDs.

c) Once selected as a Divisional Accountant of a state, you cannot get postings in other states. PWD offices might be located in district areas, so you might be posted in such areas rather than in big cities.

d) This post is eligible for a decent salary higher than that of Auditors & Jr. Accountants

11. Auditor – Comptroller & Auditor General of India (CAG)

12. Auditor – Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA)

13. Auditor – Controller General of Accounts (CGA)

a) An Auditor has to audit the expense report of state departments (CAG), accounts of defence forces (CGDA) and general accounts of India (CGA).

b) As CGDA falls under CAG, the postings are mostly in New Delhi.

c) Candidates are collectively selected for Auditor posts and then distributed in these three departments, with the order of priority being CAG CGDA and then CGA.

d) After all the vacancies of a particular category is completely filled, remaining candidates of the same category are posted in the department with available vacancies.

e) Promotion: An Auditor will be promoted to Senior Auditor in 3 years. After completion of two years, auditors are eligible to appear for the departmental SAS exam for the post of Assistant Audit Officer (AAO).

14. Tax Assistant CBDT (Central Board of Direct Taxation)

15. Tax Assistant CBEC (Central Board of Excise & Customs Taxation):

a) CBDT Tax Assistants are entrusted with the job of assessing, verifying and modifying information pertaining to an individual or business entity’s taxes.

b) In case of CBEC, same work is done for goods and services. Tax Assistants also have to take administrative work and support their superiors.

c) The number of Tax Assistant posts are high.

d) Promotion: A person is promoted to the post of an Inspector → Officer. The chances of promotion in CBDT are quite higher as compared to CBEC.

16. Accountant/Junior Accountant (CGA)

17. Accountant/Junior Accountant (CAG):

a) If you get selected as an accountant for ministries or departments, then you will be posted in New Delhi.

b) Number of vacancies in CAG are higher and state postings are available.

18. Upper Division Clerk (Central Govt. Offices/Ministries other than CSCS cadres):

a) An Upper Division Clerk has to check facts, fish out errors and wrong statements, draw attention to rules and laws and previous cases, etc.

b) The posting is mostly in New Delhi. A UDC might get transferred within ministries.

c) Promotion: After promotion, a UDC becomes an Assistant → Section Officer.

Field Work: Posts in details

19. Inspector – Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC):

a) A CBEC Inspector has the responsibility of inspecting tax returns filed by companies in order to validate liability of the claims.

b) Candidates have to go through physical tests to get selected for this post. S/he gets to wear a khaki uniform, which is optional.

c) Promotion: A CBEC Inspector is promoted to a Superintendent → Assistant Commissioner → Deputy Commissioner.

20. Inspector (Examiner):

a. An Inspector (Examiner) has to examine goods and verify the proper levying of taxes on goods moving in and out of a port.

b. Inspectors are mostly posted in coastal regions and very few vacancies are available every year.

c. There is no uniform for this post.

d. Promotion : Inspector Examiner is promoted to the post of Appraiser → Assistant Commissioner → Deputy Commissioner → Joint Commissioner →Addl. Commissioner → Commissioner

21. Inspector (Preventive Officer):

1. A Inspector (Preventive Officer) has the duty of gathering information and taking corrective action in order to prevent malpractices.
2. Such officers might need to put in extra hours besides working in night shifts in case of certain operations.
3. They are mostly posted in cities that have ports and airports.
4. Promotion: An Inspector (Preventive Officer) is promoted to the position of Superintendent of Customs → Assistant Commissioner.
5. S/he has to compulsorily wear a white uniform.
6. This job is quite adventurous as you need to collect information, go for raids, and conduct checks of cargos, boats and containers coming in from foreign ports, among other responsibilities.

Physical requirements:

The physical requirements for the posts of inspector in Central Excise/Examiner/Preventive Officer/Inspector & Sub-Inspector In Central Bureau of Narcotics are as follows

22. Inspector (Income Tax):

a. The job profile of Inspector (Income Tax) is to authenticate, evaluate and process income tax records of individuals and businesses.

b. They also have to undertake the work related to tax deductible at source (TDS). Sometimes, the inspector may also need to take part in raids.

c. For this post, one does not have to meet physical standards. Also, there is no uniform assigned to this post.

d. Promotion: The Inspector (Income Tax) is promoted to the role of Income Tax Officer (ITO)→ Assistant Commissioner → Deputy Commissioner → Joint Commissioner →Addl. Commissioner → Commissioner. The chances of promotion are good and the salary and benefits are better than other posts.

e. Usually, a person with required qualifications holding this post gets promoted to ITO within 3 years. But as the seniority matters during such promotions, the promotion might take 4-6 years.

• For all of these four Inspector posts, the promotion is based on the zonal seniority. Inspectors also have to pass the departmental examinations for such promotions.

• The chances of promotions for Inspectors in Income Tax & Examiner are quite higher than that of Inspector in Excise.

• For Inspectors in Income Tax & Excise, the postings in the initial years are only in the respective zone. After promotion to Assistant Commissioner Which is a Group ‘A’ posts, you are eligible to have postings in all over India.

23. Assistant Enforcement Officer (AEO) – [Enforcement Directorate, Department of Revenue]:

a. The duties assigned to this post are quite similar to that of an Inspector and include preventing money laundering, forgery, carrying out searches of homes and office premises, making arrests, etc.

b. Officers will be posted only in the 10 zonal or 11 sub-zonal ED offices.

c. Zonal offices: Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Cochin, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow and Mumbai.

d. Sub-zonal offices: Bhubaneswar, Calicut, Guwahati, Indore, Jaipur, Jalandhar, Madurai, Nagpur, Patna, Srinagar and Varanasi.

24. Inspector – Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN):

a. An Inspector has to monitor and keep a check on export/import of banned narcotic substances and ensure that plants like opium poppy are not illegally used, among other duties.

b. S/he has to submit reports to Superintendent of Narcotics or District Opium officer.

c. They are mostly posted in North India and travelling is required for this job.

25. Sub-Inspector – CBN:

a. This job profile is almost similar to that of an Inspector in CBN.

b. S/he may have to frequently travel to state borders to keep a check on illegal drug-trafficking.

26. Sub-Inspector – Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI):

a. Candidates applying for this post have to give an interview and also pass the physical test.

b. Though the person is posted under the Central government, his/her duties are similar to the state police.

c. The Sub Inspector has to investigate anti-corruption cases and other crimes. The job is quite challenging and is suitable for those who can perform under pressure.

27. Sub-Inspector – National Investigation Agency (NIA):

a. The NIA deals with national security-related issues such as terrorism.

b. An NIA Sub-Inspector’s duties include travelling, collecting evidences, gathering inputs and information during or after terrorist attacks, etc.

c. This is a typical field job. Initially, selected sub-inspectors are mostly posted in New Delhi.

28. Postal Inspector – Department of Posts (DoP):

a. A Postal Inspector is assigned to around 60-70 post offices within his/her subdivision. S/he needs to work towards expanding the business of these post offices and is assisted by two mail overseers.

b. S/he conducts interviews and appoints Gramin Dak Sevaks.

c. Postal Inspector is eligible for travelling and other allowances.

29. Statistical Investigator Gr. II (M/Statistics & Programme implementation)

a. Candidates with a bachelor’s degree in statistics are eligible for this job. This is a non-interview post.

b. The Statistical Investigator’s duties include data collection and its conversion into information required by government departments to implement and evaluate schemes.

c. This job includes both desk and field work and a good number of vacancies are annually available.

30. Compiler (Registrar General of India):

a. The compilers are assigned to statistical divisions. They compile information collected through various sources.

b. This is a typical desk job.

So, now you must have a basic idea about these jobs profiles and list of preference of posts. If you are still unsure about these preferences and need help to fill up the form, please comment below. We will provide you all the necessary help.

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