The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has officially released the final result for the Assistant Section Officer (ASO) / Assistant Grade Limited Departmental Competitive Examination (LDCE) for the years 2022, 2023, and 2024. This announcement mainly covers the final selection list for MEA Cadre Cell (2022) and the Central Secretariat Service (CSS) for 2024, giving long-awaited clarity to candidates who appeared for these internal promotional exams.
The LDCE examination serves as a promotional pathway for government employees seeking to move up to the positions of Assistant Section Officer (ASO) or Assistant Grade in various ministries and departments. This time, SSC evaluated records covering three years and has released results in phases.
When Was the Exam Conducted?
SSC conducted the Part-I Computer Based Examination (CBE) for LDCE 2022, 2023, and 2024 on 15 June 2025. The exam covered candidates from two main cadres:
Central Secretariat Service (CSS) – 2024
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Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Cadre Cell – 2022, 2023, 2024
Following the exam, SSC declared the CBE result on 26 September 2025, shortlisting candidates for the Service Record Evaluation (Part-II).
How Many Candidates Qualified the CBE?
According to SSC’s official notice:
35 candidates qualified from CSS (2024)
06 candidates qualified from MEA Cadre Cell (2022)
03 candidates qualified from MEA Cadre Cell (2023)
These candidates were considered eligible for the next stage — evaluation of service records.
Final Vacancy Position
SSC has released the final number of vacancies for the departments that submitted their requirements. These vacancies pertain to CSS (2024) and MEA Cadre Cell (2022).
1. Central Secretariat Service (CSS) – 2024 Vacancies
| Category | Vacancies |
| UR | 133 |
| SC | 55 |
| ST | 50 |
| TOTAL | 238 |
| PWBD | 15 (VH-5, HH-3, OH-3, Others-4) |
2. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA Cadre Cell) – 2022 Vacancies
| Category | Vacancies |
| UR | 04 |
| SC | – |
| ST | – |
| TOTAL | 04 |
Number of Candidates Recommended
SSC has released category-wise details of the candidates recommended for appointment in CSS (2024) and MEA (2022).
MEA Cadre Cell (2022) — Final Selection
| Category | Recommended | Cut-off Marks |
| UR | 04 | 207.50 |
All four vacancies were filled under the UR category, and the last selected candidate secured 207.50 marks, indicating a high level of competition due to limited seats.
Central Secretariat Service (2024) — Final Selection
| Category | Vacancies | Recommended | Cut-off |
| UR | 133 | 28* | 190.00 |
| SC | 55 | 02 | 180.50 |
| ST | 50 | 00 | – |
| TOTAL | 238 | 30 | – |
*Note:
- The UR list includes 06 SC candidates (including 1 SC+PwBD-HH) and 03 ST candidates who qualified at UR standard.
- PwBD vacancies were not filled in this result cycle.
Cut-off Analysis
The cut-off trends show significant variation between MEA and CSS:
MEA 2022 Cut-off
- 207.50 (UR) — extremely high due to just four vacancies.
CSS 2024 Cut-offs
- UR – 190.00
- SC – 180.50
- ST – No candidate recommended
The difference demonstrates that CSS had more vacancies but also a broader competition range.
Tie-Breaking Rules Used by SSC
SSC applied tie-breaking rules as per Para 41 of the exam notice. If two or more candidates scored identical aggregate marks, the tie was resolved in the following order:
1. Higher marks in Paper-I
2. Higher marks in Paper-II
3. Candidate older in age placed higher
4. Alphabetical order of candidate names
These rules ensured fair ranking among closely matched candidates.
Results Pending for MEA 2023 & 2024
SSC clarified that the results for MEA Cadre Cell (2023 and 2024) have not been released yet.These will be declared separately in a future notification.
Candidates from these years will need to wait for the next announcement.
Selection is Provisional
SSC emphasized that the current selection list is purely provisional. Final confirmation depends on:
- Verification of eligibility
- Matching of photographs, signatures, handwriting
- Checking of service records and other official documents
Until these checks are completed, the selection isn’t considered final.
When Will Marks Be Uploaded?
SSC will soon upload the detailed marks of both qualified and non-qualified candidates on its official website.
Candidates will be able to view their individual scores using their Registration ID and password.
Conclusion
The release of the final results for the SSC ASO / Assistant Grade LDCE 2022 and 2024 marks a crucial step forward for departmental candidates seeking promotion. The MEA 2022 results show a steep cut-off due to very limited seats, while CSS 2024 reflects broader selection but still a relatively low recommendation count compared to available vacancies.
With MEA 2023 and 2024 results still pending, many candidates are waiting for the next round of updates. For now, the released results provide clarity, transparency, and a detailed picture of the recruitment status.
