How it's calculated
N is the number of candidates in the shift and m the number with raw marks less than or equal to yours. In Step 2, x₁ and x₂ are the nearest raw scores below and above the gap in that shift's column, at percentiles p₁ and p₂. In Step 3, u₁ … uₜ are the raw scores at your percentile in each of the t shifts.
Estimate only. Official results, marks and eligibility are decided by the Staff Selection Commission. Verify on the official website.
Worked example: two shifts of eight candidates
In shift 1, two candidates scored 150, so m = 5 of N = 8 and P = 0.625 for both. Shift 1 has no candidate at P = 0.5, so SSC interpolates between the nearest shift 1 scores: 142 (P = 0.375) below and 150 (P = 0.625) above, giving 146. At that percentile shift 2 has 160, so the normalised score is 153.
A shift 1 candidate with 150 raw marks (P = 0.625) gets a normalised score of 160.5: the average of 150 and the shift 2 score at the same percentile. Shift 2 was easier here, so shift 1 candidates move up.
The three steps in SSC's notice
- Percentiles, shift by shift. Each candidate's percentile is worked out using only the candidates in the same shift.
- Pull back to the marks scale. All shifts are put in one table sorted by percentile, with a separate raw-score column for each shift. Where a shift has no candidate at a percentile, the gap is filled by linear interpolation.
- Average. The normalised score for each percentile is the average of the raw scores in all shifts at that percentile.
SSC uses the normalised scores, not raw marks, for cut-offs and the final merit list whenever an exam is held in multiple shifts. The tentative and final answer keys still show raw marks, which is what the marks calculators work out.
Frequently asked questions
Can I calculate my own SSC normalised score?
Not exactly. Your normalised score depends on the marks of every candidate in every shift, and SSC does not publish that data. This page shows the official method step by step on marks you enter, so you can see how easy and hard shifts are evened out.
Which SSC exams use this normalisation?
Any SSC computer-based exam held in more than one shift. SSC published this procedure on 2 June 2025 for its exams from June 2025. The SSC CGL 2026 notice (para 13.2) says marks will be normalised by this procedure and the normalised scores used for final merit and cut-offs.
What is the equipercentile method?
Candidates at the same percentile in different shifts are treated as equal. If you are at the 90th percentile of a hard shift, your normalised score is the average of the raw scores at the 90th percentile in every shift.
How is the percentile worked out in each shift?
P = m ÷ N, where N is the number of candidates who appeared in that shift and m is the number whose raw marks are less than or equal to yours. The notice recommends rounding it to 8 decimal places.
Can normalisation lower my marks?
Yes. If your shift was easier than average, your normalised score can be lower than your raw score; in a harder shift it can be higher. The topper of every shift has a percentile of 1, so each topper gets the average of all the shift toppers’ raw marks.
What if a percentile has no matching candidate in another shift?
SSC fills the gap by linear interpolation between the nearest raw scores above and below in that shift’s column. The notice does not say what to do when there is no score below the gap (the lowest percentiles of one shift), so this tool leaves those cells blank rather than guess.
Sources
- Normalization procedure for SSC exams from June 2025 (notice dated 2 June 2025), Staff Selection Commission
- SSC Notice: Combined Graduate Level Examination, 2026 (F. No. HQ-C11018/1/2026-C-1, published 21-05-2026), para 13.2, Staff Selection Commission (SSC)