JSSC CGL exam-day guide
JSSC CGL · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Download and print your admit card
JSSC releases the e-admit card on its official portal before the exam. Download it as soon as the link opens, print at least two clean copies, and check every field (name, roll number, exam centre, shift timing, photograph, signature) against your application. If any detail is wrong or the photo is unclear, contact JSSC through the grievance option on the portal immediately; do not travel to the centre with a defective card. needs_review: exact release window and correction process vary by cycle - confirm with the provider.
Original photo ID plus one photocopy
Carry the original government photo ID you declared in the application (Aadhaar, PAN, passport, driving licence, or voter ID) and one photocopy. The name and date of birth must match the admit card. Do not rely on a digital copy on your phone. needs_review: the exact list of accepted IDs and whether a photocopy is mandatory is set in the current cycle's instructions - confirm with the provider.
Passport-size photographs
Bring two or three recent colour photographs matching the one on your admit card, in case the centre requires pasting or attestation. Keep them in a small envelope so they are not crumpled.
Transparent water bottle
Carry a clear, unlabelled bottle. Many centres allow water but restrict bottles with printed branding or opaque material. needs_review: whether water is permitted at your centre - confirm with the provider or the centre notice.
Simple blue or black ballpoint pen
Bring two working pens. For an OMR-based paper, a ballpoint is normally required for filling circles and writing the roll number; for a computer-based test, a pen is still useful for rough work if sheets are provided. needs_review: pen colour and whether rough sheets are allowed - confirm with the provider.
Know your reporting time and centre route
Note the reporting time printed on the admit card, which is usually well before the start of the paper. Do a route check the day before, including local transport disruptions, and plan to arrive at least 30 minutes before the reporting time. Late entry is commonly refused, so treat the reporting time as the real deadline.
Leave prohibited items at home
Do not bring phones, smartwatches, Bluetooth earbuds, calculators, or study notes. Most centres have no secure storage and confiscated items may not be returned. If you must carry a phone for travel, arrange for a family member to hold it or confirm the centre's deposit facility in advance. needs_review: whether a deposit counter exists at your centre - confirm with the provider.
Dress simply and check the dress code
Wear plain clothes without large logos. Some centres restrict shoes, belts with metal buckles, or head coverings unless worn for religious reasons. needs_review: the exact dress-code and religious-head-covering rules for your centre - confirm with the provider.
Review the instruction page of the admit card
The admit card carries the centre-specific instructions: gate closing time, permitted items, and the biometric or photography process. Read it twice and note anything that differs from general advice online.
Plan the post-exam return
Book or note your return transport in advance. Centres are often in outlying areas with limited transport after the shift ends, and large crowds leave at the same time.
Plan the day
Confirm your admit card is downloaded and correct, and print spare copies. Re-read the syllabus and your own error log rather than starting new topics. Do one full-length mock under timed conditions, then spend an hour analysing mistakes by topic. Check the weather forecast and any local transport advisories for the centre area. Sleep on a normal schedule; do not shift to late-night study.
Do a lighter revision pass: formulas, static general knowledge lists, and the topics you repeatedly get wrong. Pack the document pouch (admit card, ID and photocopy, photographs, pens) and leave it by the door. Confirm the route and travel time to the centre, including a backup option. Avoid discussing preparation with other candidates, which tends to raise anxiety without adding knowledge.
Stop heavy study by early evening. Do a short review of summary notes only. Set two alarms, charge your phone, and keep the packed pouch in a fixed place. Eat a normal meal, avoid unfamiliar food, and go to bed at your usual time. Confirm the reporting time once more against the admit card, since shift timings differ between papers.
Eat a light breakfast and drink moderate water. Leave early enough to reach the centre 30 to 45 minutes before the reporting time. Carry only the document pouch and permitted items. At the gate, follow staff instructions for frisking, biometric capture, and seating; keep the admit card and ID in hand. Use the washroom before entering the hall.
Read the instructions on the screen or booklet before starting. Fill the roll number and booklet details carefully; an OMR sheet with a wrongly filled roll number may be rejected. Work in passes: answer easy questions first, mark uncertain ones for review, and return to them. Watch the clock and reserve the last few minutes to check that no answer is left unmarked by mistake and that the OMR circles are fully shaded. Do not leave the hall without the invigilator's permission.
Rules to check
Carry the original admit card and the original photo ID declared in your application; entry is normally refused without both, and photocopies alone are not accepted.
Reach the centre by the reporting time printed on the admit card. Gates usually close before the paper starts, and candidates arriving late are not accommodated.
Electronic devices, smartwatches, calculators, and printed or handwritten notes are prohibited in the hall. Possession, even if unused, can lead to disqualification. needs_review: the exact penalty and whether a deposit facility exists - confirm with the provider.
Follow the invigilator's instructions during frisking, biometric capture, and seating. Refusal to cooperate with identity verification can result in being barred from the exam.
Do not communicate with other candidates once inside the hall, and do not look at another candidate's screen or sheet. Suspected unfair means is handled under the commission's rules, which may include debarment from future exams. needs_review: the specific debarment duration - confirm with the provider.
Breaks are generally not allowed during the test; use the washroom before entering. If you need to leave the hall, you may not be given extra time. needs_review: the centre's exact washroom policy - confirm with the provider.
Scoring is normally based on the OMR sheet or the computer-recorded responses; answers marked in the booklet or on rough sheets are not evaluated. Fill circles completely and erase nothing after the final bell.
Do not carry the question booklet or any rough sheet out of the hall. Materials supplied at the centre remain the property of the commission and removal is treated as misconduct.