Last Updated: 26 June 2026
Status as of this date: Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC) has released the HSSC CET Group D Notification (Advt. No. 05/2026) on 18 June 2026. The online application process has started at the official website www.hssc.gov.in on 19th June 2026. The application window closes on 3 July 2026. Post-wise vacancy count, exam date, admit card, answer key, result, and cut-off are all not yet released as of 26 June 2026.
About This Recruitment
This is for the Common Eligibility Test (CET) for Group D posts. The CET is not a one-time application for a fixed number of seats. It is a qualifying gateway — candidates who clear it get their score registered, and then apply separately when individual departments advertise specific Group D vacancies. A good CET score stays useful for three years.
| Organization Name | Haryana Staff Selection Commission |
| Recruitment Name | HSSC CET Group D Recruitment 2026 |
| CEN Number | Advt. No. 05/2026 |
| Post Name | Group D Posts |
| Total Vacancies | To be notified later by HSSC through separate recruitment process after CET result. |
| Application Mode | Online |
| Job Location | Haryana |
| Official Website | HSSC Official Website |
The Haryana Government has made an important change in the Group D recruitment process. The additional marks given earlier under socio-economic criteria have been removed. Now the final selection will be based entirely on CET marks, ensuring a transparent and merit-based recruitment process. This shift, announced via a government notification dated 12 February 2026 as reported in official notification Advt. No. 05/2026, has significant consequences: candidates who were relying on socio-economic bonus marks (widow, orphan, or “family without any government job” criteria) to gain an edge will not receive those additions in 2026 and onwards. The exam score alone decides everything.
read more; UPSSSC Platoon Commander & Block Organizer Recruitment 2026
Important Dates 2026
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification Released | 18 June 2026 (official HSSC notification, Advt. No. 05/2026) |
| Apply Online Starts | 19 June 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply | 3 July 2026 (11:59 PM) |
| Fee Payment Last Date | 6 July 2026 |
| Form Correction Window | 7–9 July 2026 (11:59 PM) |
| Exam Date | Not announced yet |
| Admit Card | Not released yet |
| Vacancy (post-wise) | Not released yet |
Vacancy 2026 Details
The detailed HSSC CET Group D Vacancy 2026 information, including post-wise vacancies and qualifications, will be released separately by the commission. The commission has directed all Haryana state departments, boards, and corporations to submit their vacant Group D posts for inclusion. Departments that miss the deadline may be treated as having zero vacancies. The post-wise advertisement will come out separately, after the CET registration process closes.
It is expected that 8000+ vacancies will be released for all the posts. This is a commonly reported estimated/unofficial figure — the official vacancy count has not been confirmed in the current notification.
Posts likely to be included: Peon, Helper, Chowkidar, Mali, Beldar, Sweeper, Sweeper-cum-Chowkidar, and other Group D positions across state government departments.
Eligibility Criteria
Education Qualification
Candidates must have passed Matriculation (10th Class) from a recognized board. They should have studied Hindi or Sanskrit up to the Matriculation level. These qualifications apply to all Group D posts except Sweeper, Chowkidar, and Sweeper-cum-Chowkidar posts.
The Hindi/Sanskrit condition is frequently overlooked. A candidate who passed Class 10 without Hindi or Sanskrit as a subject — for example, someone who studied in a school offering only English medium — does not qualify for most Group D posts under this notification. Only Sweeper, Chowkidar, and Sweeper-cum-Chowkidar posts are exempt from this language condition. Before applying, verify your 10th marksheet shows Hindi or Sanskrit as one of the studied subjects.
Age Limit
A candidate must be not less than 18 years and not more than 42 years of age as on the closing date of registration (3 July 2026). Age relaxation is governed by Haryana Government instructions dated 25 March 2022, and the upper age limit can extend up to 52 years for candidates entitled to combined relaxation benefits.
Age relaxation applies to SC, BC, EWS, Ex-servicemen (ESM), PwBD, and other specified categories as per Haryana Government rules.
Domicile Requirement
The candidate must be a citizen of India and a domicile of Haryana. Reservation benefits under this recruitment are available only to bonafide residents of Haryana State. Reserved-category candidates from other states are treated as General category for this exam — no state-specific quota applies to them.
Application Fee
Fee payment follows the category-wise structure set under the CET Policy notified on 31 December 2024. Candidates who had already applied and paid fee for CET Group C Advt. No. 1/2025 need not pay the fee again for this Group D cycle. Only candidates applying fresh are required to pay, based on the Standard Rate of Rs. 1,000 (or as revised by the Government). The fee, once paid, is non-refundable under any circumstances.
Concessions based on gender and residency exist as per the CET Policy. Verify the exact category-wise fee from the official notification PDF at hssc.gov.in before payment — these rates are subject to government revision and the exact fee table must be confirmed from the official source.
How to Apply
Applications are not submitted on a separate HSSC form — everything runs through Haryana’s One Time Registration (OTR) system, which is also used for other state recruitment exams.
Steps as per official guidance:
- Visit the OTR portal at onetimeregn.haryana.gov.in
- New applicants: register and receive a CET Registration Number
- Returning applicants (CET 2022/2025): log in using your existing Registration Number — no fresh OTR registration needed
- Fill personal, educational, and category details accurately
- Upload required scanned documents
- Pay the applicable fee online (net banking, debit card, credit card)
- Submit the form and download a printout for records
- Correction window available from 7 to 9 July 2026 for error rectification
Candidates must upload a recent passport-size colored photograph with a white background. The photograph must clearly show the candidate’s name and the date on which the photo was taken printed at the bottom.
| Apply Online | click here |
| notification | click here |
| Exam Pattern/ Syllabus | click here |
| Official Website | click here |
One practical note: keep all scanned documents in the correct format and file size before starting the form. Many candidates scramble at the last minute to resize photos and compress signature files on deadline day. Do this preparation a day before you sit down to fill the form.
Required Documents for Application
As per official notification guidance, the following documents are required:
- Matriculation (10th) certificate and marksheet
- Domicile/Residence certificate (Haryana bonafide resident)
- Category certificate — SC/ST/OBC/EWS as applicable
- Recent passport-size photograph (colored, white background, with name and date printed)
- Scanned signature
- Undertaking/Declaration in the format prescribed under Annexure VIII of the official notification
For OBC-NCL certificate specifically: Certificates must follow the format in Annexure-II and be issued on or after 1 April 2026. Certificates issued for contesting Panchayati Raj elections, or OBC certificates issued for Central Government jobs, are not accepted. The family’s gross annual income must be below Rs. 8 lakh (revised upward from Rs. 6 lakh per the 14 January 2026 instructions).
Selection Process 2026
The selection process includes: Written CET Exam (shortlisting strictly based on CET scores), Merit List (HSSC publishes category-wise merit list), and Advertisement of Vacancies (vacant Group D posts advertised separately by the Commission).
After the merit list, shortlisted candidates go through Document Verification and Medical Examination before final appointment.
No interview is conducted at any stage. The CET written exam is the sole determinant of merit ranking.
CET Score Validity: The CET score remains valid for three years, during which candidates can apply for various Group D positions without reappearing for the exam.
Candidates with existing valid CET scores: For candidates who already cleared the Group D CET held on 12 January 2024 — a score that remains valid until 11 January 2027 — their marks (originally scored out of a maximum of 95) will be mathematically converted into a percentage so they can be merged into the same combined merit list as candidates appearing under the new 100-mark pattern.
Exam Pattern 2026
Total Questions: There are 100 multiple-choice questions. Total Marks: The exam is worth 100 marks in total. Time Duration: Candidates get 1 hour and 45 minutes to solve the paper. Language: The question paper is bilingual — printed in both English and Hindi.
Marking Rules: There is no negative marking for picking the wrong answer. However, every question has five options. If a candidate does not want to answer a question, the fifth bubble must be filled. If the fifth bubble is left blank for an unattempted question, one mark will be deducted.
Passing Marks: General category candidates must score at least 50% to pass. Reserved category candidates need a minimum of 40% to qualify.
The five-option OMR rule is unusual and catches many candidates off-guard. Every time you leave a question unanswered, you must shade the fifth bubble — otherwise you lose a mark. In a paper with no conventional negative marking, this effectively creates a penalty for unattempted questions. Shade the fifth bubble carefully for every question you skip.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Mode | Offline (OMR-based) |
| Total Questions | 100 MCQs |
| Total Marks | 100 |
| Duration | 1 hour 45 minutes |
| Language | Bilingual — Hindi and English |
| Negative Marking | None for wrong answers |
| Unattempted Questions | 1 mark deducted if 5th bubble not filled |
| Qualifying Marks | 50% (General), 40% (Reserved) |
Syllabus 2026
The question paper is at Matriculation level. Weightage is 75% for General Awareness, Reasoning, Maths, English, Hindi and relevant subjects, and 25% for Haryana General Knowledge (history, current affairs, geography, culture, etc.).
Part A — 75 marks (General Subjects at Matriculation level):
- General Awareness: History, Indian Polity & Constitution, Art & Culture, Geography, Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology basics)
- Reasoning: Series, Coding-Decoding, Direction and Distance, Blood Relations, Analogy, Classification, Clock, Calendar, Mirror Image, Syllogism, Sitting Arrangement, Statement and Assumptions
- Quantitative Aptitude: Number Systems, Percentage, Ratio & Proportion, Profit & Loss, Time & Work, Time & Distance, Simple Interest, Basic Algebra, Mensuration
- English: Grammar basics, Vocabulary, Comprehension
- Hindi: Grammar, Vocabulary
Part B — 25 marks (Haryana GK):
General Knowledge of Haryana: History, Literature, Geography, Economy, Civics, Polity, Environment, Art, Culture, Customs, Society, and Current Affairs/Events of Haryana.
The Haryana GK section carries disproportionate strategic importance. At 25 marks, it is the only section with state-specific content, and it is the section where Haryana-domicile candidates can genuinely outperform candidates from other states. Questions on Haryana’s folk traditions, famous personalities, rivers, national parks, major irrigation projects, and current chief ministers and policies recur in HSSC exams. Dedicated revision from a Haryana GK book is not optional.
Salary 2026
HSSC Group D Salary 2026 ranges from Rs. 16,900 to Rs. 53,500 per month. Group D employees are placed in the standard Level DL pay scale. Along with the basic salary, employees receive various government allowances such as Dearness Allowance, House Rent Allowance, and medical benefits as per the state service rules.
Exact pay scale for each post will be confirmed when HSSC releases the department-wise vacancy notification separately. The salary range above reflects the pay matrix band applicable to Group D posts generally, not a confirmed figure for any specific post in this cycle.
Category-Wise Reservation
Under instructions dated 13 November 2024, Haryana’s existing 20% Scheduled Caste reservation quota is now split equally between Deprived Scheduled Castes (DSC) and Other Scheduled Castes (OSC). If suitable DSC candidates aren’t available, the balance posts can go to OSC candidates, and vice versa.
Reservation benefits apply to SC (now split as DSC/OSC), BCA (Non-Creamy Layer), BCB (Non-Creamy Layer), EWS, PwBD, Ex-Servicemen (ESM), Disabled ESM, Family Members of ESM/Disabled ESM, and Dependents of Freedom Fighters — but only for bonafide Haryana residents.
Job Profile
Group D posts under Haryana government departments cover entry-level support roles including Peon, Helper, Chowkidar, Mali, Beldar, Sweeper, and equivalent positions. The work is primarily assigned within the department of posting — maintaining office premises, assisting clerical staff, security duties (Chowkidar), gardening (Mali), or similar. Selected candidates serve across various departments including Education, Health, Revenue, PWD, and others based on the vacancy notification.
Previous Year Cut-Off Reference
The official 2026 cut-off has not been released — the exam itself has not taken place yet. For reference, the minimum qualifying threshold per official notification is 50% for General category and 40% for reserved categories. Actual cut-offs for merit list preparation depend on the number of candidates, total vacancies, and exam difficulty.
| Category | Cut Off Marks |
| ESM GEN | 40 |
| ESM GEN Waiting | 38 |
| ESM SC Waiting | 35 |
| ESP GEN | 45 |
| ESP GEN Waiting | 42 |
| ESM BCA Waiting | 41 |
| ESM BCB | 37 |
| ESM BCB Waiting | 32 |
| ESP SC | 40 |
| ESP SC Waiting | 36 |
| ESP BCA | 44 |
| ESP BCA Waiting | 40 |
| VH | 62 |
| VH Waiting | 58 |
| ESP BCB | 46 |
| ESP BCB Waiting | 41 |
| HH | 44 |
| HH Waiting | 39 |
| BM | 43 |
| BM Waiting | 39 |
| OH | 63 |
| OH Waiting | 61 |
| Note: HSSC Group D recruitment is now conducted through CET. The above cut-off is the last officially referenced previous-year Group D cut-off (2018) and is widely used for trend analysis. | |
Previous year cut-offs from official HSSC data are available at careerpower.in/blog/hssc-cet-cut-off once the commission releases them post-result — there is no confirmed official table available to publish here without risk of presenting unverified figures.
FAQs
Q1. I already appeared for HSSC CET Group D in January 2024 and qualified. Do I need to apply again for this notification?
For candidates who already cleared the Group D CET held on 12 January 2024, the CET score remains valid until 11 January 2027. Their marks (originally out of 95) will be mathematically converted into a percentage for a combined merit list. You do not need to reappear unless you want to improve your score. However, you should still register for individual Group D post vacancies when HSSC advertises them separately — the existing CET score does not automatically enlist you for vacancies.
Q2. I studied in a school that did not offer Hindi as a subject. Can I apply for Group D posts under this notification?
Only for Sweeper, Chowkidar, and Sweeper-cum-Chowkidar posts. For all other Group D posts, the official notification (Advt. No. 05/2026) requires Hindi or Sanskrit to have been studied up to Matriculation level. If neither language appears on your 10th marksheet, you are ineligible for most posts in this recruitment. Verify against your marksheet before applying — document verification at a later stage will catch this, but it is better to confirm eligibility before submitting.
Q3. I applied and paid the fee for HSSC CET Group C (Advt. No. 1/2025). Do I pay the fee again for this Group D notification?
Candidates who had already applied and paid the fee for CET Group C Advt. No. 1/2025 need not pay the fee again for this Group D cycle. Use your existing OTR registration number to apply. Only fresh applicants — those applying for the first time without any prior CET registration — need to pay.
Q4. I left some questions unattempted in the 2024 Group D CET without filling the fifth bubble. Will I face the same deduction in 2026?
Yes, the same OMR rule applies in 2026. Candidates who do not wish to attempt a question must fill the fifth bubble/circle on the OMR sheet. Failure to do so for an unattempted question will result in a deduction of 1 mark. This rule has been consistent across HSSC Group D CETs. Practise this habit during mock tests so it becomes automatic — forgetting it during the actual exam is an avoidable way to lose marks.
Q5. My OBC certificate was issued for a Central Government job. Will it be accepted here?
No. Certificates issued for Central Government jobs are not accepted for this Haryana recruitment. You need a fresh OBC-NCL certificate issued on or after 1 April 2026, in the format specified under Annexure-II of the official notification, with family gross annual income below Rs. 8 lakh. If your existing certificate was issued for Central Government purposes or before 1 April 2026, get a new one from the competent authority before document verification is scheduled.
Disclaimer: Notification date (18 June 2026), advertisement number (Advt. No. 05/2026), application dates (19 June–3 July 2026), fee deadline (6 July 2026), correction window (7–9 July 2026), age limit (18–42 years as on 3 July 2026), exam pattern (100 questions, 100 marks, 1 hour 45 minutes, no negative marking), qualifying marks (50% General/40% Reserved), salary range (Rs. 16,900–Rs. 53,500), OBC income limit (Rs. 8 lakh), and the removal of socio-economic bonus marks are sourced from the official HSSC CET Group D notification (Advt. No. 05/2026) at hssc.gov.in. The 8,000+ vacancy estimate is unofficial/commonly reported and not confirmed in the official notification. Post-wise vacancy details, exam date, admit card, and cut-off are pending as of 26 June 2026. For official and updated information, visit: https://www.hssc.gov.in
