Government jobPay Level 7Group BNon‑gazetted
Examiner (Customs)
परीक्षक (सीमा शुल्क)
Pay Level 7 Customs post via SSC CGL — physically examining import and export cargo and checking it against the declaration.
Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) — Customs · Ministry of Finance (Department of Revenue) · central government
In-hand pay at joining, per month
₹72,000–₹84,000
Lower in small towns, higher in metros. Work out your own city below.
- Exam
- SSC CGL
- Qualification
- Graduate
- Age limit
- 18–30 years
- Transfers
- Within your allotted zone/region
- Work hours
- Office or shift hours depending on the customs station; cargo terminals work late
- Probation
- 2 years
Estimated in-hand / month
₹76,316
Gross ₹83,700 · CTC ≈ ₹11.3 lakh/yr
Where are you posted?
Examiner (Customs) · rates as of January 2026 (DA 60%). Excludes CGHS, GPF/insurance deductions and special allowances. Estimate only.
New to pay slips? Read how in-hand salary is worked out.
What you will actually do
- Examining imported and export goods against the bill of entry or shipping bill
- Checking quantity, description, classification and value of goods
- Drawing samples for testing and recording examination reports in the customs system
- Flagging mis-declaration or prohibited goods to the Appraiser
- Supervising stuffing, de-stuffing and sealing of containers
A typical day
Most of the day is spent in the shed or container freight station rather than an office. The system assigns consignments; you have the container opened, pick packages as directed, compare the goods with the declaration, and type the examination report so the Appraiser can clear it. Importers' agents wait for each report, so there is steady pressure to be quick without missing anything. The rest is routine: registers, sample forwarding and occasional queries.
Promotion path
Timelines are ranges and vary by cadre. See how promotions and MACP work.
Examiner (Customs) (joining)
Pay Level 7
₹72,000–₹84,000 in-hand
Appraiser (Group B gazetted)
Roughly 4–12 years; has been faster than other CBIC cadres but depends on vacancies · Level 8 · via dpc
₹76,000–₹88,000 in-hand
Assistant Commissioner of Customs
Further 10–15 years · Level 10 · via dpc
₹92,000–₹1,02,000 in-hand
Promotion timelines vary by cadre and vacancies. If not promoted, MACP gives a pay upgrade after 10, 20 and 30 years.
How to get in
Staff Selection Commission
- 1.Tier-I computer-based test
- 2.Tier-II computer-based test (including computer knowledge module)
- 3.Physical standards and physical test check by the department
- 4.Document verification
Eligibility: Bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised university. Age 18–30. SC/ST: 5 years, OBC: 3 years, PwBD: 10 years (more for SC/ST/OBC PwBD), as per the notification.
Physical standards: Men: height 157.5 cm, chest 81 cm (expanded), walk 1,600 m in 15 minutes and cycle 8 km in 30 minutes. Women: height 152 cm, weight 48 kg, walk 1 km in 20 minutes and cycle 3 km in 25 minutes. Relaxations apply for some categories; check the notification.
The good
- Level 7 pay
- Promotion to Appraiser has historically been quicker than in sister cadres
- Postings in major metros
The hard parts
- Very few vacancies and only a handful of cities
- Dusty, hot cargo sheds rather than an office
- Constant pressure from clearing agents to speed up clearance
Postings
Vacancies are limited to a few Customs zones, mainly Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata, with postings at seaports, air cargo complexes and inland container depots under that zone.
Questions people ask
What is the in-hand salary of Examiner (Customs)?+
Examiner (Customs) is a Pay Level 7 post with a starting basic pay of ₹44,900. At current rates (DA 60%, January 2026), the starting in-hand salary is roughly ₹72,000–₹84,000 a month, depending on whether you are posted in a Z, Y or X class city.
What is the qualification and age limit for Examiner (Customs)?+
Bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised university. Age: 18–30 years. Relaxation: SC/ST: 5 years, OBC: 3 years, PwBD: 10 years (more for SC/ST/OBC PwBD), as per the notification.
Which exam do I need to clear for Examiner (Customs)?+
SSC CGL (Staff Selection Commission).
How is an Examiner different from a Preventive Officer?+
An Examiner checks cargo against documents so duty is assessed correctly. A Preventive Officer handles passengers, vessels and anti-smuggling work, usually in shifts.
Compare with similar posts
Preventive Officer (Customs)
निवारक अधिकारी (सीमा शुल्क)
Uniformed Pay Level 7 Customs post via SSC CGL — passenger clearance, cargo checks and anti-smuggling at ports and airports.
Inspector (Central Excise / CGST)
निरीक्षक (केंद्रीय उत्पाद शुल्क / सीजीएसटी)
Pay Level 7 post in CBIC via SSC CGL — GST audit, anti-evasion and compliance work in a central GST zone.
Income Tax Inspector
आयकर निरीक्षक
Pay Level 7 post in the Income Tax Department via SSC CGL — part office, part field work verifying tax compliance.
Books to prepare for SSC CGL
- See on Amazon
Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations
R.S. Aggarwal (S. Chand)
The standard practice book for arithmetic. Strong on volume of questions; weak on shortcuts, so pair it with solved papers.
- See on Amazon
SSC Mathematics Chapterwise Solved Papers
Kiran Prakashan
Thousands of actual SSC questions sorted by topic. The quickest way to see what is really asked.
- See on Amazon
Objective General English
S.P. Bakshi (Arihant)
Grammar rules with exam-style practice sets. Good for error spotting and sentence improvement.
All 7 books for SSC CGL, CPO and other graduate-level exams
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Sources
- SSC CGL 2026 notice (official PDF)
- Staff Selection Commission — official website
- Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs
This profile is being reviewed. Confirm details in the latest official notification. Salary computed from pay rules as of January 2026.