SSC JE Paper 1 Qualifying in 2026: Will Paper 1 Marks Count in Final Merit?

The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has released the SSC JE 2026 notification, and the online application process has started. Candidates can submit the SSC JE 2026 application form from September 2 to September 22, 2026. 

As per the new notice, Paper 1 is qualifying in nature and is used for shortlisting candidates for Paper 2. The normalized marks obtained in Paper 2 will be used to determine the final merit. Therefore, unlike the previous pattern, Paper 1 marks will not be added to the final merit in SSC JE 2026. 

Watch the video to understand the SSC JE 2026 Paper 1 and Paper 2 selection process:

Is SSC JE Paper 1 Qualifying in 2026?

SSC JE Paper-I is qualifying in nature in 2026. The official notice states that candidates will be shortlisted for Paper-II according to their merit in Paper-I, subject to obtaining the minimum qualifying marks.

The minimum qualifying marks prescribed for Paper-I and Paper-II are:

1. Minimum qualifying Marks for UR category is 30%.
2. Minimum qualifying marks for OBC/EWS category is 25%.
3. Minimum qualifying marks for All Other Categories is 20%.

The SSC JE 2026 notice further states that candidates will be shortlisted category-wise for Paper-II based on the normalized marks scored in Paper-I.

Is SSC JE Paper 1 Marks Counted for Final Selection in 2026?

SSC JE Paper-I marks will not be used to determine final merit in 2026.

The SSC JE 2026 notice makes the position clear: normalized Paper-I marks will be used for shortlisting candidates for Paper-II, while only normalized scores of Paper-II will be used to determine final merit.

This means that Paper-I has an important role in deciding who moves to the next stage, but its marks do not form part of the final merit calculation.

In simple terms:

Paper-I → Qualifying + Shortlisting

Paper-II → Final Merit + Final Selection

What Has Changed in SSC JE Paper 1 From 2025 to 2026?

There is an important difference between the SSC JE 2025 and 2026 notices regarding the role of Paper-I marks.

In the SSC JE 2025 notice, candidates were shortlisted for Paper-II based on their normalized Paper-I marks. However, the notice stated that final selection and allocation of posts would be made on the basis of performance in Paper-I and Paper-II, along with post/organization/office preferences.

The 2025 notice also stated that normalized scores were used to determine final merit and cut-off marks.

For SSC JE 2026, the Commission has specifically stated that Paper-I is qualifying in nature and that only normalized Paper-II scores will be used to determine final merit.

SSC JE 2025 vs 2026: Role of Paper-I

Therefore, the major change is not that Paper-I has disappeared. Instead, its role in the final merit calculation has changed.

How Will SSC JE Paper 1 Be Used for Shortlisting?

Paper-I will continue to be important because candidates must qualify in this stage to move forward.

As per the SSC JE 2026 notice, candidates must obtain the prescribed minimum qualifying marks in Paper-I. After that, candidates will be shortlisted category-wise for Paper-II based on their normalized Paper-I marks. Separate merit lists will be drawn for the relevant posts to appear in Paper-II.

The 2026 Paper-I consists of:

• General Intelligence and Reasoning – 50 questions/50 marks

• General Awareness – 50 questions/50 marks

• General Engineering – 100 questions/100 marks

Thus, Paper-I has a total of 200 questions and 200 marks.

The General Engineering section depends on the post/subject opted for by the candidate, including Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, Scientific Assistant in IMD, or Telecom as applicable.

Will Paper 1 Marks Affect SSC JE Final Rank?

No, Paper-I marks will not affect the final rank in SSC JE 2026.

The official notice specifically says that normalized Paper-I marks will be used to shortlist candidates for Paper-II, while only normalized Paper-II scores will be used to determine final merit.

Therefore, a candidate's performance in Paper-I determines whether they reach Paper-II, but once the candidate is in the final merit stage, the Paper-II normalized score is considered for determining merit.

Candidates should therefore treat Paper-I as a crucial qualifying and shortlisting stage rather than a component of the final merit score.

How Does SSC JE Paper 2 Determine Final Merit in 2026?

Paper-II plays the decisive role in final merit under the SSC JE 2026 selection scheme.

The official notice states that final selection and allocation of the post, organisation, or office will be made on the basis of candidates' performance in Paper-II and their preference of post/organization/office.

The 2026 Paper-II is a Computer-Based Examination carrying 300 marks, with 100 questions, and has a duration of two hours. The duration is 2 hours and 40 minutes for candidates eligible for the specified scribe facility.

For final selection, the Commission will prepare separate select lists for the relevant posts based on candidates' post preference-cum-normalized marks obtained in Paper-II, subject to the prescribed eligibility conditions and other provisions of the notice.

For the Scientific Assistant post in IMD, normalized marks obtained in the applicable Part-D, Part-E or Part-F of Paper-II will be considered for final selection.

SSC JE 2026 Paper 1 and Paper 2: What Is the Difference in Their Role?

The two papers have clearly different functions in the SSC JE 2026 selection process.

Paper-I

Paper-I is the qualifying and shortlisting stage. Candidates must secure the minimum qualifying marks, and their normalized Paper-I marks are used to shortlist candidates for Paper-II.

Paper-II

Paper-II is the final merit stage. Only normalized Paper-II scores are considered for determining final merit, and final selection/allocation is based on Paper-II performance along with post/organization/office preferences.

Difference at a Glance

SSC JE 2026 Paper-I Marking Scheme

The SSC JE 2026 examination consists of objective-type, multiple-choice questions. Paper-I carries 200 marks, while Paper-II carries 300 marks.

The SSC JE Paper 1 examination is divided into three parts:

• Part 1: General Intelligence and Reasoning

• Part 2: General Awareness

• Part 3: Engineering subjects, including Civil & Structural, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering.

• Paper 1 consists of 200 objective-type multiple-choice questions.

• Candidates will receive 1 mark for each correct answer. There is a negative marking of 0.25 marks for every incorrect answer.

• The total duration of SSC JE Paper 1 is 2 hours.

Normalization of SSC JE Paper 1 and Paper 2 Marks

If the Computer-Based Examination is conducted in multiple shifts, the marks will be normalized using the procedure published by the Commission.

For SSC JE 2026, the normalized marks of Paper-I will be used for shortlisting candidates for Paper-II. In contrast, only normalized Paper-II scores will be used to determine final merit.

The Commission has also stated that Mechanical and Electrical scores will be normalized with each other for determining final merit and cut-off marks because candidates in these branches may receive different question papers.

What Should SSC JE 2026 Candidates Focus On?

Candidates preparing for the SSC JE exam in 2026 should not overlook preparing for Paper I as it is qualifying in nature. SSC JE Paper I is the gateway for candidates to participate in the recruitment drive. Qualifying in SSC JE Paper 1 can help candidates to appear for Paper II and make their place in the final merit. 

• Clear the minimum qualifying marks in Paper-I.

• Aim for a strong normalized Paper-I score to improve their chances of being shortlisted for Paper-II.

• Prepare seriously for Paper-II because its normalized score determines final merit.

• Pay attention to the post and organization preferences because final allocation also considers candidates' preferences.

• Carefully check the eligibility requirements for the posts they have selected.

The Commission states that post preferences are taken through the Online Option Form before the declaration of the First Round of Tentative Allocation (FRTA). Once submitted, the preferences are treated as final and irreversible.

SSC JE Paper 1 Qualifying 2026: Final Answer

The answer to “SSC JE Paper 1 Qualifying in 2026: Will Paper 1 Marks Count in Final Merit?” is No.

As per the SSC JE 2026 official notice:

• Paper-I is qualifying in nature.

• Normalized Paper-I marks are used to shortlist candidates for Paper-II.

• Paper-I marks are not used to determine final merit.

• Only normalized Paper-II scores are used to determine final merit.

• Final selection and allocation also consider candidates' post/organization/office preferences.

This is a significant difference from the SSC JE 2025 notice, which stated that final selection was based on performance in both Paper-I and Paper-II.

Therefore, candidates appearing for SSC JE 2026 should focus on clearing Paper-I and securing a strong enough normalized score for shortlisting, while giving particular importance to Paper-II for the final merit stage.