A complete guide to SSC CGL, CHSL, and GD examinations. Includes Tier 1 & Tier 2 exam pattern tables, subject-wise question distribution, negative marking rules, and sectional strategy.
The Staff Selection Commission conducts national recruitment examinations every year for over 40,000 Group B and Group C central government posts. The common core curriculum across SSC CGL, CHSL, and GD makes it advantageous for students to prepare in an integrated manner.
Below is the complete official exam pattern table, syllabus breakdown, and 60-minute time allocation template used by top performers.
The Tier 1 exam is a qualifying computer-based objective examination with 100 questions to be completed in 60 minutes.
| Section | Subject Name | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks | Negative Marking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part A | General Intelligence & Reasoning | 25 Questions | 50 Marks | -0.50 Marks |
| Part B | General Awareness (History, Polity, Sci, Current) | 25 Questions | 50 Marks | -0.50 Marks |
| Part C | Quantitative Aptitude (Arithmetic & Advanced) | 25 Questions | 50 Marks | -0.50 Marks |
| Part D | English Comprehension | 25 Questions | 50 Marks | -0.50 Marks |
| Total | Complete Tier 1 Paper | 100 Questions | 200 Marks | Duration: 60 Minutes |
In SSC exams, mastering the recurrent patterns of previous year questions (PYQs) accounts for nearly 70% of the actual score:
| Subject | Must-Do Topics | Avg. Questions | Recommended Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning | Analogy, Series, Coding-Decoding, Syllogism, Paper Folding, Mirror Images, Matrix | 25 | 12 - 14 Mins |
| General Awareness | Polity (Articles & Amendments), Modern History, Classical Dances, Festivals, Chemistry Basics, Current Affairs | 25 | 6 - 8 Mins |
| Quantitative Aptitude | Percentage, Profit/Loss, CI/SI, Trigonometry, Geometry, Mensuration, Algebra, Data Interpretation | 25 | 22 - 25 Mins |
| English | Cloze Test, Spotting Errors, Active/Passive, Direct/Indirect, Idioms & Phrases, One Word Substitution | 25 | 10 - 12 Mins |
Because Tier 1 gives only 60 minutes for 100 questions, the order of attempt is paramount:
1. Start with General Awareness (6–8 minutes): You either know the answer or you don't. No calculation is needed.
2. Proceed to English Comprehension (10–12 minutes): Solve vocabulary, grammar, and cloze tests quickly.
3. Move to Reasoning (14–16 minutes): Score 22+ questions with high accuracy.
4. Dedicate the remaining 24–26 minutes to Quantitative Aptitude: Tackle easy arithmetic first, skipping lengthy geometry problems for the second pass.
The ExamMonth mobile app features timed 60-minute SSC simulation mocks with automated sectional timer alerts to train this muscle memory.
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