Government · Staff Selection Commission (SSC)
SSC CGL — Combined Graduate Level Examination
The complete SSC CGL blueprint: tier-wise pattern, topic weightage from previous-year analyses, and free chapter-by-chapter study material.
5 subjects390 merit marks (Tier 2 §I+II)2 tiers · CBT Free · tutor-verified
SSC CGL at a glance
Conducted byStaff Selection Commission (SSC)
CycleOnce a year (notification ~June, Tier 1 ~Sep–Oct)
ModeComputer-based test (CBT)
EligibilityBachelor's degree in any discipline; age 18–32 depending on post
LanguagesEnglish, Hindi + 13 regional languages (Tier 1 & most of Tier 2)
Pay band₹25,500 – ₹1,51,100 basic (Pay Level 4 to 8) + allowances
Posts you can get
Assistant Section Officer — CSS / MEA / AFHQ / RailwaysInspector, Income Tax (CBDT)Inspector, Central Excise / GST & Customs (CBIC)Assistant Audit / Accounts Officer — C&AG (Paper 3)Sub-Inspector — CBI / NIAJunior Statistical Officer — MoSPI (Paper 2)Auditor, Accountant, Tax Assistant, UDC / SSA
⚡ What changed recently
- Sectional timing in Tier 1 — 15 minutes locked per section; the paper auto-advances, so you can no longer borrow time from a strong section.
- Paper 3 (Finance & Economics) is the merit paper for AAO posts — attempt it only if you opted for Assistant Audit/Accounts Officer.
- JSO eligibility widened to graduates in AI, Data Science, CS and IT streams (with maths in Class 12).
How SSC CGL selection works
Know what each stage is for before you spend a single hour preparing.
QUALIFYING SCREEN
Tier 1
100 MCQs · 200 marks · 60 min with 15-min sectional locks. Marks are NOT counted in the final merit — it only decides who sits in Tier 2.
DECIDES YOUR RANK
Tier 2
Paper 1 (compulsory, 390 counted marks) for every post. Paper 2 (Statistics) only for JSO; Paper 3 (Finance & Economics) only for AAO.
DOCUMENT VERIFICATION
DV & posting
Merit list is drawn from Tier 2 marks. Posts are allotted by rank + your post preference; some posts add a skill test (DEST/CPT).
The exam pattern, tier by tier
Marks, timing and negative marking exactly as per the official notification.
Tier 1 — Preliminary CBT
Qualifying only200 marks · 100 Q
60 min (15 min per section, locked) · −0.50 per wrong answer
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Intelligence & Reasoning | 25 | 50 | 15 min |
| General Awareness | 25 | 50 | 15 min |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | 50 | 15 min |
| English Comprehension | 25 | 50 | 15 min |
💡 Every question carries 2 marks. Sectional timing means each section is a separate 15-minute sprint — speed within a section is now non-negotiable.
Tier 2 — Paper 1 (compulsory for all posts)
Merit — this paper decides your rank450 marks · 150 Q
2 h 15 min + 15 min DEST (Session II) · −1 per wrong answer
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section I · Module IMathematical Abilities | 30 | 90 | 1 hour for both modules |
| Section I · Module IIReasoning & General Intelligence | 30 | 90 | 1 hour for both modules |
| Section II · Module IEnglish Language & Comprehension | 45 | 135 | 1 hour for both modules |
| Section II · Module IIGeneral Awareness | 25 | 75 | 1 hour for both modules |
| Section III · Module IComputer Knowledge ModuleQUALIFYING | 20 | 60 | 15 min |
| Section III · Module IIData Entry Speed Test (DEST)QUALIFYING~2,000 key depressions in 15 minutes | 1 task | — | 15 min |
💡 Every question carries 3 marks. Sections I + II (390 marks) make the merit; the Computer module and the Data Entry Speed Test are qualifying only.
Tier 2 — Paper 2 · Statistics
Only for Junior Statistical Officer / Statistical Investigator Gr-II200 marks · 100 Q
2 hours · −0.50 per wrong answer
Official syllabus units
- Collection, classification & presentation of statistical data
- Measures of central tendency (mean, median, mode, quartiles, deciles, percentiles)
- Measures of dispersion (range, quartile deviation, mean deviation, standard deviation)
- Moments, skewness and kurtosis
- Correlation & regression (incl. Spearman's rank correlation)
- Probability theory (conditional & compound probability, Bayes' theorem)
- Random variables & distributions (binomial, Poisson, normal, exponential)
- Sampling theory (probability & non-probability sampling, sampling distributions)
- Statistical inference (estimation, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing)
- Analysis of variance (one-way & two-way classified data)
- Time series analysis (trend, seasonal variation)
- Index numbers (construction, base shifting, splicing, cost-of-living index)
Tier 2 — Paper 3 · General Studies (Finance & Economics)
Only for Assistant Audit Officer / Assistant Accounts Officer200 marks · 100 Q
2 hours · −0.50 per wrong answer
Official syllabus units
- Part A · Finance & Accounts (80 marks): fundamental accounting principles and concepts, single & double entry, books of original entry, bank reconciliation, journal & ledgers, trial balance, rectification of errors, manufacturing / trading / P&L appropriation accounts, balance sheet, capital vs revenue expenditure, depreciation accounting, valuation of inventories, non-profit accounts, bills of exchange, self-balancing ledgers
- Part B · Economics & Governance (120 marks): C&AG — constitutional role, Finance Commission, micro-economics basics, theory of demand & supply (elasticities, consumer behaviour), theory of production & cost, forms of market & price determination, Indian economy (sectors, national income, population, poverty & unemployment, infrastructure), economic reforms since 1991 (LPG & disinvestment), money & banking (RBI, commercial banks, budget, fiscal deficits, balance of payments, FRBM Act 2003), role of IT in governance
Where your rank actually comes from
Tier 1 is only a gate. The final merit for most posts = Tier 2 Paper 1, Sections I & II — 390 marks. Here is how those marks split:
English Language & Comprehension135 marks · 35%
The single biggest slice of your rank — 45 Q × 3 marks. Toppers bank this section.
Mathematical Abilities90 marks · 23%
30 tough questions in ~35 min of your Section-I hour. Geometry + algebra + DI decide it.
Reasoning & General Intelligence90 marks · 23%
The most score-able 90 marks — accuracy here offsets a hard maths module.
General Awareness75 marks · 19%
25 Q in ~15 min — zero calculation, pure recall. The cheapest marks per minute in the exam.
Subjects in SSC CGL
Chapter-by-chapter study material built to the exam's own blueprint.
Topic-wise weightage — what to study first
Question counts per topic, distilled from previous-year paper analyses. Click any topic with a link to open its full chapter.
| Topic | Tier 1 Q | Tier 2 Q | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geometry (triangles, circles, quadrilaterals) | 2–4 | 4–6 | Very high |
| Data Interpretation (tables, pie, bar, histogram) | 3–5 | 3–5 | Very high |
| Algebra (identities, surds, equations) | 2–3 | 3–5 | Very high |
| Trigonometry (ratios & identities) | 2–3 | 3–4 | High |
| Mensuration (2D & 3D) | 2–3 | 3–4 | High |
| Profit, Loss & Discount | 2–3 | 3–4 | High |
| Percentage | 1–2 | 2–3 | High |
| Time, Speed & Distance (trains, boats) | 1–2 | 2–4 | High |
| Time & Work (incl. pipes & cisterns) | 1–2 | 2–3 | High |
| Ratio & Proportion | 1–2 | 1–3 | Medium |
| Number System & HCF–LCM | 1–2 | 2–3 | Medium |
| Simple & Compound Interest | 1–2 | 2–3 | Medium |
| Averages | 1–2 | 1–2 | Medium |
| Mixture & Alligation | 0–1 | 1–2 | Medium |
| Simplification & Surds–Indices | 1–2 | 2–3 | Medium |
| Heights & Distances | 0–1 | 1–2 | Low |
| Partnership | 0–1 | 1–2 | Low |
| Statistics & Probability (Tier 2 only) | — | 2–4 | Medium |
🎯 Advanced maths (geometry, trigonometry, algebra, mensuration) is ~40–50% of the section and where SSC separates ranks; arithmetic is the accuracy floor. Build one-line methods — the Tier 1 sectional clock gives you 36 seconds per question.
| Topic | Tier 1 Q | Tier 2 Q | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Analogy (semantic, number, figural) | 3–4 | 3–5 | Very high |
| Series (number, alphabet, figural) | 3–4 | 4–5 | Very high |
| Coding–Decoding | 2–4 | 3–4 | Very high |
| Non-verbal (mirror/water, paper folding, embedded, counting, dice & cubes) | 3–5 | 3–5 | Very high |
| Classification / Odd one out | 1–2 | 2–3 | High |
| Syllogism | 1–2 | 2–4 | High |
| Blood Relations | 1–2 | 2–3 | High |
| Venn Diagrams | 1–2 | 1–2 | Medium |
| Mathematical Operations | 1–2 | 1–2 | Medium |
| Direction & Distance | 1–2 | 1–2 | Medium |
| Order & Ranking | 0–1 | 1–2 | Medium |
| Seating Arrangement & Puzzles | 0–1 | 2–4 | Medium |
| Matrix & Word Formation | 0–2 | 1–2 | Low |
| Statement & Conclusions | 0–1 | 1–2 | Low |
🎯 Analogy + series + coding-decoding + non-verbal alone are 60–70% of the section. There is no syllabus to 'finish' — there are ~14 question patterns to drill until each takes under 30 seconds.
| Topic | Tier 1 Q | Tier 2 Q | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 3–5 | 12–15 | Very high |
| Cloze Test | 3–5 | 5–10 | Very high |
| Error Spotting | 2–3 | 4–6 | Very high |
| Sentence Improvement | 2–3 | 4–6 | High |
| Synonyms & Antonyms | 2–3 | 4–6 | High |
| Fill in the Blanks | 2–3 | 3–5 | High |
| Para Jumbles / Sentence Rearrangement | 0–2 | 4–6 | High |
| Active & Passive Voice | 1–2 | 2–4 | High |
| Direct & Indirect Speech | 1–2 | 2–4 | High |
| Idioms & Phrases | 1–2 | 2–4 | Medium |
| One-word Substitution | 1–2 | 2–4 | Medium |
| Spelling Correction | 1–2 | 1–3 | Medium |
🎯 In Tier 2 this is 45 questions worth 135 of the 390 merit marks. Grammar rules (error spotting, voice, narration) + vocabulary (idioms, one-word, syn/ant) are finite and fully learnable; RC and cloze reward daily reading.
| Topic | Tier 1 Q | Tier 2 Q | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current Affairs (last 6–8 months) | 4–5 | 4–6 | Very high |
| General Science — Biology | 1–2 | 2–3 | High |
| General Science — Physics | 1–2 | 1–2 | High |
| General Science — Chemistry | 1–2 | 1–2 | High |
| History (ancient → modern India) | 3–4 | 3–4 | Very high |
| Indian Polity & Constitution | 2–3 | 2–3 | High |
| Geography (India & world) | 2–3 | 2–3 | High |
| Indian Economy | 2–3 | 2–3 | High |
| Static GK (books, days, awards, art & culture, sports) | 2–3 | 2–4 | High |
🎯 GA questions take 10 seconds each — you either know it or you don't. Static GK + general science are ~70% and bankable; current affairs of the last 6–8 months covers the rest. Revise in loops, never 'study' GA in one sitting.
| Topic | Tier 1 Q | Tier 2 Q | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer basics & hardware (CPU, memory, ports, I/O) | — | 4–5 | High |
| MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) & Windows | — | 5–6 | Very high |
| Internet, email & networking | — | 4–5 | High |
| Cyber security (threats & prevention) | — | 2–3 | Medium |
🎯 Qualifying ≠ optional: miss the cutoff here and your 390 merit marks are void. The module is shallow — hardware basics, Windows + MS Office, internet & email, cyber security — one focused week covers all of it.
SSC CGL resources
Everything you need to prepare.
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FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Tier 1 is qualifying only — its marks are not added to the final merit. Your rank comes entirely from Tier 2: Paper 1 (390 counted marks) for all posts, plus Paper 2 for JSO or Paper 3 for AAO posts.
SSC introduced sectional timing: each of the four Tier-1 sections now gets a locked 15-minute window and the paper auto-advances. You can no longer bank extra time from a strong section, so per-section speed matters more than ever.
Tier 1: −0.50 per wrong answer (questions carry 2 marks). Tier 2 Paper 1: −1 per wrong answer (questions carry 3 marks). Papers 2 and 3: −0.50 per wrong answer.
English. In Tier 2 Paper 1, English Language & Comprehension is 45 questions × 3 marks = 135 of the 390 merit marks (~35%) — more than Maths (90) or Reasoning (90). General Awareness adds 75.
Only candidates who applied for Junior Statistical Officer / Statistical Investigator take Paper 2, and only Assistant Audit Officer / Assistant Accounts Officer aspirants take Paper 3. Everyone else finishes with Paper 1.
The Data Entry Speed Test asks for roughly 2,000 key depressions in 15 minutes. It is qualifying — it carries no marks, but failing it (for posts where it applies) voids your candidature regardless of your written score.
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