SSC CHT 2026 Exam Date and English Pattern

SSC Combined Hindi Translators Examination 2026 Paper I will be held on Tuesday, September 8, 2026. The Staff Selection Commission approved that date in its August 12 schedule notice. Paper II is part of the selection process, but its exact 2026 date had not been announced as of August 28.

Paper I has 100 General English questions and 100 General Hindi questions, each worth one mark. Candidates receive one hour for each language part, and each wrong answer loses 0.25 mark.

This is a written bilingual recruitment exam, not a speaking test. Start a free SpeakShark conversation for general workplace communication and use SSC material for CHT examination practice.

Key takeaways

• Paper I has an approved date of September 8, 2026.
• Paper II's exact date remained pending on August 28.
• General English has 100 questions, 100 marks and a one-hour timer.
• Paper I negative marking is 0.25 mark per wrong answer.
• Paper II has two translations and two essays for 200 marks.
• The application and correction windows are closed.

In this guide: exam date | applications | Paper I | syllabus | Paper II | negative marking | posts | updates | research | FAQ

SSC CHT 2026 exam date

SSC's April 23 notification originally gave an August-September window. The later schedule notice supplies the approved date.

The August 12 notice also scheduled Combined Hindi Translators separately from the Stenographer examination, which runs September 9 to 12. Candidates should not copy the four-day Stenographer window into CHT.

The approved Paper I date is stronger evidence than the broad month in the original notification. SSC still advises candidates to monitor its website for further updates.

This guide uses CHT, the current official title. Many candidates still search for SSC JHT because earlier recruitment cycles used that phrase prominently. Both search intents point to the same 2026 official notice only when the examination year and post names match.

For another SSC exam whose exact date is still pending, see SSC CGL 2026 date and English syllabus. CGL and CHT have different eligibility, patterns and posts.

Application dates and vacancies

The CHT application cycle is closed.

The standard application fee was ₹100. Women candidates and candidates in the specified SC, ST, PwBD and eligible Ex-Servicemen categories were exempt under the notification.

SSC listed 84 tentative vacancies. The word tentative matters because departments can update vacancy counts during the recruitment cycle.

The examination recruits Group B non-gazetted translators and translation officers across central government ministries, departments and organisations.

PIB confirmed ten Southern Region examination cities in the original broad window: four in Andhra Pradesh, four in Tamil Nadu and two in Telangana. Final candidate city and centre details belong to SSC's login and admission-certificate process.

Paper I General English pattern

Paper I is a computer-based objective examination.

The timer is sectional. Finishing General Hindi early does not create extra General English time after the first part closes.

General English represents half of Paper I questions and marks. The two language scores together determine who is shortlisted category-wise for Paper II.

Paper I questions are degree level. This is not the same 25-question English section used in SSC CGL Tier I.

Each wrong answer loses 0.25 mark. Four incorrect answers remove one mark, equal to one correct answer.

Official General English syllabus

SSC gives an indicative rather than chapter-by-chapter English syllabus. It says Paper I tests:

• Understanding of English language and literature.
• Correct use of words.
• Correct use of phrases and idioms.
• Ability to use English correctly.
• Ability to write precisely and effectively.

The General Hindi part tests corresponding language competence. The recruitment is bilingual, so strong English alone cannot compensate for an unusable Hindi score.

Candidates should be cautious with coaching lists that present dozens of unofficial topic weights. Previous-paper practice can show question style, but only SSC defines the 2026 syllabus.

For general English foundations, see improving speaking and writing together, English conversation topics, and common reasons speaking does not improve. These support language control but do not replace bilingual translation practice.

Paper II Translation and Essay

Paper II is descriptive and worth 200 marks.

The paper tests translation skill and the ability to write and comprehend both languages correctly, precisely and effectively.

Paper II is not an English-only essay. Candidates need two-way translation and one essay in each language.

SSC warns candidates not to write personal identity details inside the answer book. It requires the correct roll number, signature and left-thumb impression in the designated cover-page fields. Violations can produce zero marks.

The exact Paper II date was not on the SSC notice board through August 28. A candidate should not assume it follows immediately after September 8.

Negative marking and shortlisting

Paper I has 0.25 negative marking for every incorrect answer.

Paper I scores may be normalised if SSC conducts multiple shifts. SSC uses the normalised marks for merit and cutoffs at that stage.

A practical General English sequence is:

1. Answer direct language and usage questions first.
2. Protect time for longer comprehension items.
3. Review only within the active one-hour section.
4. Avoid random guessing merely to fill all 100 responses.
5. Check the question-language and instruction screen carefully.

The tentative answer key appears after the examination. SSC allows online representations within its stated window for ₹50 per challenged question. Other submission methods are not accepted.

Posts and qualification checks

The notification includes these post families:

• Junior Translation Officer in the Central Secretariat Official Language Service.
• Junior Translation Officer in Armed Forces Headquarters.
• Junior Hindi Translator, Junior Translation Officer or Junior Translator in central government organisations.
• Senior Hindi Translator, Senior Translator or Senior Translation Officer.

Most Junior posts are at Pay Level 6. Senior posts are at Pay Level 7 under the notice.

Educational eligibility has multiple routes involving a recognised Master's degree, Hindi and English as compulsory or elective subjects or examination media, and in some cases a translation diploma, certificate or experience.

Do not compress those routes into "any graduate who knows Hindi and English." Match the exact post code and qualification paragraph in the notification.

The best English speaking apps for India jobs, English job interview role plays, and office small talk can support workplace communication after recruitment stages. They do not establish translator eligibility.

How to check Paper II and admit-card updates

Use this verification sequence:

1. Go directly to ssc.gov.in.
2. Open the latest Notice Board.
3. Search the PDF headline for Combined Hindi Translators Examination, 2026.
4. Confirm the publication date and file name.
5. Check candidate login for exam city details.
6. Download the admission certificate only from the official route.
7. Monitor the board after Paper I for answer key, result and Paper II notices.

Do not confuse CHT 2025 result notices with the 2026 recruitment. The exam year appears in each headline and PDF.

The questions before booking an English test applies the same source discipline: registration, test and result dates are distinct.

For daily general English, use the free speaking-level check, practice speaking alone, and best English speaking apps in 2026. Start free speaking practice with SpeakShark for oral communication, not SSC translation answers.

How we researched this guide

On August 28, 2026, we checked the 85-page Combined Hindi Translators notification, SSC's live notice-board API and the August 12 approved schedule notice through the existing browser profile.

The examination notice supplied application dates, posts, vacancies, fees, scheme and syllabus. The August 12 notice fixed Paper I on September 8. No exact Paper II date appeared in the audited board.

PIB independently confirmed the notification, 84 tentative vacancies, Group B scope and original August-September plan. The Department of Personnel and Training's annual report confirms that the descriptive paper remains specifically in the Junior Hindi Translator recruitment family after broader SSC reforms.

We did not use CHSL or CPO material as a substitute, copy protected questions, invent a Paper II date or use SpeakShark customer data.

We are a speaking improvement tool. We are not an exam preparation provider, and we are not affiliated with SSC, the Government of India, Pearson or any exam board. For test format, booking and official practice material, go to the exam body directly. Use SpeakShark to make your spoken English stronger, and use official material to learn the test.

FAQ

SSC approved Tuesday, September 8, 2026 for Paper I of the Combined Hindi Translators Examination. The August 12 schedule notice replaced the earlier broad August-September window with this exact date. SSC had not announced the Paper II descriptive examination date on its notice board when this guide was checked on August 28.

CHT is the current official examination title, Combined Hindi Translators Examination. It recruits Junior Hindi Translators, Junior Translation Officers, Junior Translators, Senior Hindi Translators and Senior Translation Officers. Searchers often retain the older SSC JHT label, but candidates should match their notice, post code and exam year to the official CHT document.

Paper I contains 100 General English questions worth 100 marks and 100 General Hindi questions worth 100 marks. Each part has a one-hour sectional timer, creating a two-hour computer-based examination. Every wrong Paper I answer loses 0.25 mark, and Paper I performance determines shortlisting for descriptive Paper II.

SSC says Paper I tests understanding of English language and literature, correct use of words, phrases and idioms, and the ability to use language correctly, precisely and effectively. The questions are degree level. Candidates should use the official description and previous SSC material rather than treating a coaching topic list as an expanded syllabus.

Paper II is a 200-mark, two-hour descriptive Translation and Essay paper. It contains one passage from Hindi to English, one passage from English to Hindi, one Hindi essay and one English essay. The test evaluates bilingual translation, writing and comprehension. Its exact 2026 date remained pending on August 28.

No ordinary application window remains open. Applications ran from April 23 to May 14 at 23:00, fee payment closed May 15 at 23:00, and corrections ran May 19 to 20 at 23:00. The notification listed 84 tentative Group B vacancies and a standard fee of ₹100, with stated exemptions.

For general spoken English, start free daily practice. Premium costs $10 for one month, $25 for three months, or $69 for one year. See pricing.

SpeakShark details

• Site: speakshark.com
• Support: speaksharksupport@gmail.com
• Free tier: 3 AI conversation sessions per day with no card required

Sources

1. SSC Combined Hindi Translators 2026 notification, checked for applications, posts, pattern and syllabus.
2. SSC August 12 approved schedule, checked for the September 8 Paper I date.
3. SSC live notice board, audited for Paper II and later CHT updates.
4. PIB CHT 2026 recruitment release, checked for vacancies, fee and selection stages.
5. PIB Southern Region CHT release, checked for regional centre context.
6. DoPT annual report 2024-25, checked for the descriptive-paper exception in SSC reform history.
7. National Portal SSC notice service, checked for the official notice route.
8. SpeakShark pricing, checked for current free and paid options.

SSC dates, vacancies, centres, answer-key windows and Paper II timing can change. Confirm the newest official PDF before acting.