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SSC CGL Computer Knowledge★ Tier 2 Computer module: 5–6 of 20 Q — the biggest slice of a must-pass qualifying section

MS Office & Windows

5–6 of the 20 Computer Knowledge questions come from MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Windows — shortcuts, file extensions, menu locations and Excel functions. The module is qualifying, but failing it voids your 390 merit marks. This chapter is the complete recall sheet.

⏱ 20 min readEasy difficulty✓ Free · exam-pattern aligned

Timed practiceMCQs from this chapter with instant scoring

FlashcardsFormulas & traps on spaced repetition

SSC CGL PYQsSolved previous-year questions

By the end of this chapter you'll be able to…

1Recall the universal shortcut set (clipboard, undo/redo, save/print/find, window management) without hesitation
2Answer Word questions: alignment shortcuts (Ctrl+E/L/R/J), page break, spell check, mail merge, view/tab locations
3Answer Excel questions: cell reference types ($A$1), COUNT vs COUNTA, VLOOKUP/IF/SUM, grid limits, key shortcuts
4Answer PowerPoint questions: F5 vs Shift+F5, .pptx vs .ppsx, transitions vs animations, slide master
5Answer Windows questions: file systems (NTFS/FAT32), Recycle Bin behaviour, Task Manager, common file extensions
6Clear the module's rapid-fire trap list (F5 contexts, Shift+Delete, workbook⊃worksheet) at 15+/20 mock level

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Why this chapter matters in SSC CGL

The Computer Knowledge module is qualifying, but failing it voids your entire Tier 2 attempt — 390 merit marks gone regardless of how well you did elsewhere. MS Office + Windows is the module's largest block (5–6 of 20 questions) and its most mechanical: shortcuts, extensions, Excel functions and menu locations. One focused week converts this from a lurking risk into a guaranteed pass with buffer.

Before you start — revise these

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Computer Basics & Hardware

OS concepts (RAM, booting, GUI) frame half the Windows questions.

MS Office & Windows — SSC CGL Computer Knowledge

The Computer Knowledge module (Tier 2, Section III) is qualifying — its 60 marks don't count toward merit, but scoring below the cutoff voids your entire attempt. MS Office + Windows is the biggest slice (5–6 of 20 questions) and the most mechanical: shortcuts, extensions, function names. One focused week = a permanent pass.

1. What SSC actually asks

Questions are recall-only: "shortcut for X", "extension of Y", "which tab has Z", "what does =SUM do". No practical tasks, no versions-specific trivia beyond the classics. Distribution within the module: MS Office & Windows 5–6 Q, hardware/basics 4–5, internet/networking 4–5, security 2–3, misc 2–3.

2. Universal shortcuts (work across Office & Windows)

Shortcut	Action	Shortcut	Action
Ctrl+C / Ctrl+X / Ctrl+V	copy / cut / paste	Ctrl+Z / Ctrl+Y	undo / redo
Ctrl+A	select all	Ctrl+S	save
Ctrl+P	print	Ctrl+F	find
Ctrl+H	find & replace	Ctrl+N	new document
Ctrl+O	open	F1	help
F2	rename (Windows) / edit cell (Excel)	F5	refresh / slideshow (PPT) / Go To (Word–Excel)
Alt+Tab	switch windows	Alt+F4	close window / shut down
Win+D	show desktop	Win+E	File Explorer
Win+L	lock PC	PrtScn	screenshot

3. MS Word

Extensions: .docx (2007+), .doc (older), .dotx (template), .rtf (rich text).
Shortcuts: Ctrl+B/I/U bold/italic/underline · Ctrl+E/L/R/J align centre/left/right/justify · Ctrl+K hyperlink · Ctrl+Shift+C format painter (copy) · Ctrl+] / Ctrl+[ grow/shrink font · Ctrl+Enter page break · Shift+F3 change case · F7 spell check · Ctrl+= subscript, Ctrl+Shift+= superscript.
Concepts: mail merge (letter + data source), header/footer, thesaurus (Shift+F7), word wrap (automatic line breaking), WYSIWYG ("what you see is what you get").
Default view: Print Layout. Ruler/gridlines: View tab. Watermark & page colour: Design tab. Margins/orientation: Layout tab.

4. MS Excel — the exam's favourite

Extensions: .xlsx (2007+), .xls (older), .xlsm (macro-enabled), .csv (comma-separated).
Grid facts (classics): columns XFD = 16,384; rows 1,048,576 (2007+). A cell address = column+row (B7). Cell reference types: relative (A1), absolute ( $A$ 1), mixed ( $A 1/ A$ 1) — F4 toggles.
Functions: =SUM, =AVERAGE, =MAX/MIN, =COUNT (numbers only) vs =COUNTA (non-empty), =IF(condition, true, false), =VLOOKUP(value, table, col, exact/approx), =CONCATENATE/&, =TODAY() vs =NOW(), =ROUND.
Every formula starts with =. The formula bar shows cell contents; the Name Box shows the address.
Shortcuts: F2 edit cell · Ctrl+; insert date · Ctrl+Shift+; insert time · Alt+= AutoSum · Ctrl+1 Format Cells · Ctrl+Page Up/Down switch sheets · Ctrl+Arrow jump to data edge.
Chart types (mini-DI overlap): column, bar, line, pie (single series shares), scatter (correlation).
Concepts: workbook ⊃ worksheets; freeze panes (View); conditional formatting (Home); pivot table (Insert); fill handle (drag-copy, auto-series).

5. MS PowerPoint

Extensions: .pptx (presentation), .ppsx (slideshow — opens directly in show mode), .potx (template).
Shortcuts: F5 slideshow from start · Shift+F5 from current slide · Esc exit show · Ctrl+M new slide · B/W during show → black/white screen.
Concepts: slide master (global design control), transitions (between slides) vs animations (on-slide objects), presenter view, slide sorter view, handouts (audience printouts), design themes.

6. Windows OS essentials

Windows is a GUI, multitasking OS. Boot process loads the OS from disk into RAM.
File Explorer manages files; path structure C:\Folder\file.ext; Recycle Bin holds deleted files (Shift+Delete bypasses it).
Desktop items: icons, taskbar, Start menu, notification area (system tray), shortcut = link (arrow badge) — deleting a shortcut doesn't delete the target.
Control Panel / Settings — device, user, network configuration. Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) — processes, performance, startup.
File systems: NTFS (modern Windows), FAT32 (legacy/USB, 4 GB file cap), exFAT (large USB).
Common extensions: .exe executable · .txt notepad · .pdf portable document format · .jpg/.png images · .mp3/.mp4 audio/video · .zip/.rar compressed · .html web page.

7. Rapid-fire trap list (PYQ classics)

Ctrl+E = centre align (not "east/exit").
COUNT vs COUNTA: COUNT counts numeric cells only.
F5: refresh in Windows/browsers, slideshow in PPT, Go To in Word/Excel — context decides.
.ppsx opens straight into slideshow; .pptx opens for editing.
$A$ 1 is absolute — copying the formula never changes it.
Ctrl+Enter = page break in Word; in Excel it fills all selected cells.
Shift+Delete bypasses the Recycle Bin — the recovery question's answer is "not from Recycle Bin".
Workbook contains worksheets, not the other way round.
Transitions ≠ animations (slides vs objects).
Excel formulas start with =; text starting with ' is treated as a label.

8. How to prepare

This module rewards one honest week: day 1–2 universal + Word shortcuts, day 3–4 Excel (functions + references get double weight), day 5 PPT + Windows, day 6–7 PYQ sets. Type the shortcuts once on a real PC — motor memory beats flashcards for this topic. Target 15+ of 20 in mocks; the qualifying bar is far lower, but the buffer removes exam-day anxiety about the module that can void everything else.

Key formulas & results

Everything to memorise for the exam hall, in one card. Screenshot this for revision.

Alignment set

Ctrl+E centre · Ctrl+L left · Ctrl+R right · Ctrl+J justify

Ctrl+E ≠ 'exit' — the single most-asked Word shortcut.

Excel grid

16,384 columns (A…XFD) × 1,048,576 rows (2007+)

Cell address = column+row (B7); Name Box shows it.

Reference types

A1 relative · $A$1 absolute · $A1 / A$1 mixed

F4 cycles the types while editing a formula.

COUNT family

COUNT = numeric cells only · COUNTA = all non-empty

A guaranteed one-mark distinction.

PPT show keys

F5 from start · Shift+F5 from current slide · Esc exit

.ppsx opens directly in show mode; .pptx opens for editing.

F5 contexts

Windows/browser refresh · PPT slideshow · Word/Excel Go To

The question's context decides the answer.

Delete rules

Delete → Recycle Bin · Shift+Delete → permanent

Recovery question: Shift-deleted files are NOT in the Bin.

File systems

NTFS modern Windows · FAT32 legacy/USB (4 GB cap) · exFAT large USB

Office extensions

.docx/.dotx · .xlsx/.xlsm/.csv · .pptx/.ppsx/.potx

m = macro-enabled; t = template; s = show.

SSC CGL test series

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Traps SSC CGL sets — and how to dodge them

These are the exact option-traps and misreads that cost marks under negative marking.

WATCH OUT

✗ Expanding Ctrl+E as 'exit' or 'east' instead of centre align

✓ Anchor the whole family at once: E-centre, L-left, R-right, J-justify. SSC asks one of these four almost every cycle.

WATCH OUT

✗ Treating COUNT and COUNTA as synonyms

✓ COUNT counts only numeric cells; COUNTA counts every non-empty cell (text included). If the range has labels, the two differ — which is exactly what the question tests.

WATCH OUT

✗ Confusing .pptx and .ppsx

✓ The extra 's' = show: .ppsx launches straight into the slideshow; .pptx opens in the editor. Same logic: .potx/.dotx = templates.

WATCH OUT

✗ Answering that Shift+Deleted files can be restored from the Recycle Bin

✓ Shift+Delete bypasses the Bin entirely — recovery needs special software, not the Bin. Plain Delete goes to the Bin.

WATCH OUT

✗ Mixing transitions (between slides) with animations (objects on a slide)

✓ Transition = slide-to-slide effect; animation = element entrance/exit on one slide. The words are not interchangeable in the options.

WATCH OUT

✗ Writing Excel formulas without the leading =

✓ Every formula starts with =; without it Excel stores text. Related trap: the formula bar shows the FORMULA, the cell shows the RESULT.

Exam-pattern practice

PYQ-style questions with full solutions. Work through them as a readiness check — mark yourself honestly and get your gap report at the end.

Readiness check

Are you exam-ready for MS Office & Windows?

11 problems from this chapter. Try each one, reveal the worked solution, mark yourself honestly — get your gap report at the end.

11 questions~8 min worth ~60 marks in SSC CGL exams

5-minute revision

The whole chapter, distilled. Read this the night before the exam.

•Alignment: Ctrl+E/L/R/J. Page break: Ctrl+Enter. Spell check: F7. Case: Shift+F3.
•Excel grid: 16,384 cols (XFD) × 1,048,576 rows. $A$1 absolute; F4 toggles.
•COUNT = numbers only; COUNTA = non-empty. VLOOKUP searches the first column; formulas start with =.
•Excel keys: F2 edit, Ctrl+; date, Alt+= AutoSum, Ctrl+1 Format Cells.
•PPT: F5 start, Shift+F5 current, Ctrl+M new slide; .ppsx = direct show; transitions ≠ animations.
•Windows: Ctrl+Shift+Esc Task Manager, Win+E Explorer, Win+L lock; Shift+Delete bypasses Recycle Bin.
•File systems: NTFS modern, FAT32 legacy (4 GB cap), exFAT large USB.
•Extensions: .docx/.xlsx/.pptx edit files; .dotx/.potx templates; .xlsm macros; .csv plain data.
•Workbook ⊃ worksheets. Formula bar = formula; cell = result.

SSC CGL question blueprint

How this topic is asked, tier by tier — so you can prep to the pattern.

Typical weightage: Tier 2 Section III: 15–18 of 60 marks (5–6 Q × 3) — qualifying

Question style	Marks each	Typical count	What it tests
Shortcut recall	3	2–3	Ctrl+E family, F5 contexts, Excel/Windows keys
Extension / concept	3	1–2	.ppsx vs .pptx, NTFS/FAT32, mail merge, transitions vs animations
Excel functions & grid	3	1–2	COUNT/COUNTA, VLOOKUP, $A$1, row/column limits

Prep strategy

Days 1–2: universal + Word shortcuts, typed once on a real PC.
Days 3–4: Excel (references, functions, grid, shortcuts) — double weight.
Days 5–7: PPT + Windows + the trap list, then two timed 20-question mocks targeting 15+.

Exam-hall strategy

Battle-tested tips from mentors and toppers for this topic under the sectional clock.

Do the Computer module fast — recall questions deserve 20 seconds each, leaving buffer within the 15-minute window.
Bank the shortcut/extension questions first; leave any unfamiliar concept question for the end.
Watch F5-context and COUNT/COUNTA stems — they're the module's designed traps.
Don't overthink: the syllabus is shallow by design; the first association from this sheet is almost always right.
Remember the negative marking here too — blind-guessing below the cutoff level is how people fail a qualifying module.
Mock the module separately twice before the exam: 20 questions, 15 minutes, target 15+.

Beyond the exam

Where this skill shows up in the job you're competing for — and in life.

Literally your first week at work

CGL postings run on Word notings and Excel registers — the DEST typing test and this module exist because the job does.

Excel is the government's database

VLOOKUP and pivot tables process everything from pension lists to GST returns in field offices.

Time saved daily

The universal shortcut set saves ~30 minutes a day for anyone who works on a computer.

Other exams' computer sections

IBPS/RRB/state exams test the identical Office question bank.

Where else this topic is tested

Prepare once, score in every exam that asks it.

IBPS / RRB (computer sections)Very high — identical question bank

SSC CHSL (DEST/typing posts)High — same Office fundamentals

State clerk/assistant examsVery high — Office shortcuts are a fixture

CCC / DOEACC certificationHigh — this chapter covers most of its MCQ bank

📝 My notes

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Questions aspirants ask

Pulled from the Q&A community and mentor sessions.

No. Qualifying means you MUST clear its cutoff; failing voids your whole Tier 2 attempt including the 390 merit marks. It's the cheapest insurance in the exam: one week of prep makes it unloseable.

The qualifying bar is modest, but target 15+/20 in mocks for buffer. MS Office + Windows alone (5–6 Q) plus hardware basics gets you there — this chapter and Computer Basics cover more than half the module.

Excel — references ($A$1), COUNT/COUNTA, VLOOKUP, grid limits and shortcuts. Word is second (alignment shortcuts, mail merge). PPT and Windows fill the rest with extension and F5-family questions.

Only the classic one: pre-2007 (.doc/.xls/.ppt, 65,536 Excel rows) vs 2007+ (.docx/.xlsx/.pptx, 1,048,576 rows). Nothing beyond that is asked.

Type them on a real PC once — motor memory outperforms flashcards for shortcuts. Then drill the rapid-fire trap list (Ctrl+E, F5 contexts, Shift+Delete, COUNT/COUNTA) until instant.

More Computer Knowledge chapters

Computer Basics and HardwareThe core of the qualifying Computer Knowledge module — 20 questions, 60 marks, 15 minutes.…

Internet, Email and Networking4–6 of the qualifying module's 20 questions — protocols, email fields, network types and d…

Cyber Security2–4 of the qualifying module's 20 questions — malware families, phishing and its cousins, …

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MS Office & Windows

By the end of this chapter you'll be able to…

Before you start — revise these

MS Office & Windows — SSC CGL Computer Knowledge

1. What SSC actually asks

2. Universal shortcuts (work across Office & Windows)

3. MS Word

4. MS Excel — the exam's favourite

5. MS PowerPoint

6. Windows OS essentials

7. Rapid-fire trap list (PYQ classics)

8. How to prepare

Key formulas & results

Traps SSC CGL sets — and how to dodge them

Exam-pattern practice

Are you exam-ready for MS Office & Windows?

5-minute revision

SSC CGL question blueprint

Exam-hall strategy

Beyond the exam