What One-Time Registration is
One-Time Registration (OTR) creates your permanent SSC candidate account. It stores your identity, contact details, educational qualifications, photograph and signature. When you later apply for CGL, GD, MTS or any other exam, the application pulls these details from your OTR, so you are not typing them again each time.
Registration is not the same as applying. Completing OTR does not enter you for any exam — you still need to submit an application, and pay the fee where applicable, during that exam's application window.
From SSC's instructions: a candidate can create only one SSC account. If you already registered on ssc.gov.in, log in to that account instead of registering again.
Who needs to do OTR
- First-time SSC applicants: anyone applying for any SSC exam for the first time.
- Candidates who only ever registered on ssc.nic.in: the old site's registration no longer works (see below).
- Scribes: a PwBD candidate who brings their own scribe may need the scribe to have an OTR too. See scribes.
If you have already registered on ssc.gov.in, you don't need to do it again for a new exam. Just log in and apply.
Registration vs exam application
| One-Time Registration (OTR) | Exam application | |
|---|---|---|
| How often | Once, for all SSC exams | Once per exam, every cycle |
| When | Any time | Only between the dates in that exam's notice |
| What it holds | Identity, contact details, Class 10 and education, ID authentication | Post or exam choices, exam centres, category claims, fee, live photograph |
| What you get | Registration Number (your login ID) | A submitted application for that exam |
| Fixing mistakes | Editable fields in your account, or OTR edit windows when SSC opens them | Only in the exam's correction window, if announced |
Registered on the old ssc.nic.in site?
When SSC moved candidate services to ssc.gov.in, it asked candidates to complete a fresh One-Time Registration on the new portal. Credentials from the old ssc.nic.in site do not work on ssc.gov.in. Registering on the new portal in that situation is expected; registering twice on ssc.gov.in is what you must avoid.
Still true in 2026: SSC's Selection Post Phase XIV notice (April 2026) says candidates without an OTR on ssc.gov.in must create one, because the OTR from the old website is no longer functional.
Keep these ready before you start
- A mobile number and email that you control and will keep. Your Registration Number, password and every future OTP go to them. Avoid a cyber café owner's or a relative's number.
- Aadhaar number where you have one. SSC's notices advise choosing Aadhaar-based authentication during OTR (Phase XIV notice (opens in a new tab), §11.6), and say it exempts you from some photo and document requirements at the exam venue.
- Without Aadhaar: supporting documents for your name, date of birth, address and gender. Guides to the notice's annexure list examples such as Voter ID, PAN, driving licence or a school leaving certificate, depending on the detail. Check the annexure of your exam's notice for the current list.
- Class 10 details — board, roll number and year of passing — exactly as on your certificate.
- Name, father's and mother's names and date of birth exactly as in your Class 10 certificate.
- A device with a working camera for the live photograph taken during the application: a computer webcam, or an Android phone through the website or mySSC app. Uploading an old photograph is not allowed.
Spellings, date of birth and Class 10 details flow into every application and, later, document verification. A mismatch here is one of the most common reasons for trouble at later stages. Check them twice before submitting.
How to complete SSC One-Time Registration
This sequence follows SSC's own OTR flow instructions for the ssc.gov.in portal.
New candidate? One-Time Registration starts from the Login or Register button on ssc.gov.in, then Register Now.
Start OTR on ssc.gov.in (official SSC website, opens in a new tab)
- Open ssc.gov.in and select “Login or Register”. A small window opens with options to log in or register.
- Choose “Register Now”. This takes you to the One-Time Registration page with instructions for the form.
- Fill in the basic details and verify your mobile and email. You will receive OTPs on both.
- Note your Registration Number. When the basic part is saved, SSC shows your Registration Number and sends it, with an auto-generated password, to your mobile and email. Write the Registration Number down somewhere safe.
- Log in with the Registration Number and the auto-generated password. On this first login the portal makes you create a new password.
- Log in again with your new password. After the change you are returned to the login page; your Registration Number may already be filled in.
- Complete the remaining OTR sections and the declaration. Your registration is complete only after the final section is submitted.
Don't leave a part-filled registration for weeks. Earlier SSC instructions deleted incomplete registrations after a set period, so finish all sections in one or two sittings.
Getting the live photograph right
Applications capture your photograph live instead of accepting an upload. The Phase XIV 2026 notice (opens in a new tab) (§11.7–11.8) gives these instructions:
- Find a place with good light and a plain background.
- Keep the camera at eye level, with a full frontal view of your face.
- Don't wear a cap, mask or glasses while the photo is taken.
- Pre-existing photographs are not allowed.
A rejected or unclear photo is a common reason for problems later, so retake it if the preview looks dark or blurred.
Choosing your SSC password
The portal shows its password rules when you create one. Pick a password you haven't used for email or social media, store it in your phone's password manager or a notebook kept at home, and don't share it with whoever fills your forms. If someone else has your password, they can change your application without you knowing.
After OTR: applying for an exam
- Wait for the exam notice. Each exam has its own notice on ssc.gov.in with eligibility, fees and application dates.
- Log in during the application window and open the apply option for that exam.
- Check the auto-filled OTR details, then fill exam-specific parts such as post preferences or exam centre choices.
- Pay the fee if applicable and submit before the deadline in the notice.
- Save or print your submitted application. Your account also keeps it for later reference.
Some exams later open a short correction window, and it can charge a fee for each resubmission. See fixing wrong details. If you notice a mistake after submitting, look for that announcement rather than creating a fresh registration.
Registering through the mySSC app
SSC upgraded its mySSC Android app in 2025 so that registration and applications can be completed on a phone, with Aadhaar authentication built in. According to SSC, the app needs Android 11 or later. You can switch between the app and the website: both use the same SSC account.
Download it only from Google Play and confirm the publisher is the Staff Selection Commission before entering any details.
If you use your own scribe
PwBD candidates who opt for their own scribe should read the scribe section of their exam notice closely. SSC's CGL 2026 city-details notice (opens in a new tab) (21 September 2026) set out these rules:
- Scribe registrations made before 5 November 2025 were disposed of, so scribes had to register again.
- Scribe registration now requires Aadhaar authentication.
- The candidate must map the scribe's registration number to the application to get a Scribe Entry Pass. For CGL 2026 Tier-I the mapping closed at 11 pm on 24 September 2026.
Treat that mapping deadline as seriously as the application deadline.
Common OTR mistakes
Registering a second time because the first password is lost
Recover the first account through the forgot-password option instead — see login problems. One candidate should have one account.
Using someone else's mobile number
Every reset and OTP goes to that number. If you lose contact with that person, you lose easy access to your account.
Name or date of birth that doesn't match Class 10 records
SSC matches your details against certificates during document verification. Fix discrepancies through the options SSC provides, and keep supporting documents ready.
Thinking registration means you have applied
OTR is only the account. You must submit a separate application for each exam within its dates.
Registration FAQs
How long does One-Time Registration take?
With documents ready, the form itself usually takes well under an hour, but allow extra time when the portal is busy near application deadlines.
Is there a fee for One-Time Registration?
Exam fees are charged with applications and are listed in each exam notice. Check the current OTR instructions on ssc.gov.in for anything that applies to registration itself.
Can I edit my OTR details later?
Some details can be modified from your account; others are locked once registered. SSC also opens edit windows from time to time. In August 2025, for example, a window allowed personal, educational and category details to be updated, and physical requests were not entertained. For locked fields outside such windows, follow the procedure SSC publishes or contact SSC.
Do I need Aadhaar for SSC registration?
SSC's notices strongly advise Aadhaar-based authentication, but describe a route with supporting documents for candidates who don't use it. Check your exam notice for the current rules.