The SSC CGL syllabus and exam pattern for Combined Graduate Level Examination is set by the Staff Selection Commission (SSC). With the help of SSC CGL exam pattern and syllabus, candidates can make a strategy for the exam preparation in a systematic manner.
SSC CGL Syllabus 2020-21 & Exam Pattern For Tier I, II, III, & IV
The latest SSC CGL pattern and syllabus is published in the official SSC CGL notification. Candidates can know further about the SSC CGL exam on the linked page.
The SSC CGL Syllabus PDF is given below for the upcoming SSC CGL exam preparation.
SSC CGL Syllabus PDF Free:-Download PDF Here
This article will give a detailed SSC CGL syllabus (section-wise and topic-wise) and the latest CGL exam pattern for exam preparation as prescribed in the notification. To know more about all the SSC Exams, visit the page link given here.
SSC CGL Syllabus
In this section, we discuss in detail the latest tier-wise SSC CGL syllabus. For convenient preparation of the exam SSC CGL syllabus PDF free download is available for candidates. Let’s move ahead to Tier-wise CGL syllabus.
SSC CGL Syllabus Tier I
As per the SSC CGL exam pattern, the CGL Tier 1 exam is an online, multiple-choice based exam. The exam consists of 4 sections having 100 questions in total. The total marks assigned for Tier I exam is 200. The duration for the Tier I exam is 60 minutes (80 minutes for differently-abled candidates).
The SSC CGL Syllabus – Tier I comprises four sections:
- General Intelligence & Reasoning
- General Awareness
- Quantitative Aptitude &
- SSC CGL English Syllabus covers English Comprehension skills.
For the preparation of quantitative aptitude check the following links:
- Shortcut Tricks for Squares & Cube Roots
- Tips to solve Number Series
- Math’s Tricks for Competitive Exams
- Quadratic Equation
Check Quantitative Aptitude for competitive exams for more relevant topics.
The SSC CGL Tier I syllabus is given in detail in the table below:
| General Intelligence & Reasoning | General Awareness | Quantitative Aptitude | English Comprehension skills |
| Symbolic/Number Analogy | History- Harappa Civilization, Vedic culture, Medieval India and their important systems; India’s freedom movement and their leaders | Number System Problems,Percentage,Ratio & Proportion,Square roots,Averages,Interest | Synonyms &Antonyms, One Word Substitution, grammar skills, spelling error, comprehension passages |
| Semantic Classification,Symbolic/Number Classification | Geography- about countries and their geographical details, Famous Seaport and Airport and their location. | Profit and Loss,Discount,Mixture, | |
| Figural Classification,Semantic Series,Number Series,Figural Series | Polity- Administrative, Legislative and judiciary of our Country, Election, Important constitution bodies like CAG, Symbols of political parties, duties & responsibilities of the major persons in the Parliament | Time and distance,Time & Work,Basic algebraic identities of School Algebra & Elementary surds,Graphs of Linear Equations, | |
| Problem Solving,Word Building,Coding & decoding | Economy-Budget related information and terminologies, Important persons involved in Economy of the Country and monetary institutions | Triangle and its various kinds of centres,Congruence and similarity of triangles,Circles | |
| Space Visualization,Venn Diagrams,Drawing inferences | Physics- Laws, major Inventions and Discoveries. | Regular Polygons,Right Prism, Right Circular Cone, Right Circular Cylinder,Sphere, Hemispheres,Rectangular Parallelepiped, Regular Right Pyramid with triangular or square base, | |
| Indexing,Address matching, Date & city matching,Classification of centre codes/roll numbers | Chemistry- Characteristics of gases, atoms, moleculesChemistry in everyday life. | Complementary angles,Heights and Distances,Histogram,Data Analysis | |
| Critical thinking,Emotional Intelligence,Social Intelligence | Biology-Important discoveries, Interesting facts about human body parts, Nutrition in Animals and Plants, Diseases and their causes. | ||
| General Knowledge, Current Affairs |
Check the following links for preparation of the English section:
- List of Synonyms and Antonyms
- List of One Word Substitutions
- List Of Homophones, Homonyms & Homographs
- Idioms And Phrases
For more important topics related to English For Competitive exams, such as letter writing format, rules and list of prepositions, articles, conjunctions, etc. candidates can check the link provided.
SSC CGL Exam pattern – Important pointers:
- Candidates should be careful while attempting any question as there is negative marking for wrong attempts.
- As per the SSC CGL exam pattern, candidates can expect a deduction of 0.5 marks for each incorrect answer.
- Candidates should be thorough with all the papers and practice a lot of question papers from the previous years.
- Candidates should cover all important topics given in the SSC CGL syllabus for Tier 1.
- The SSC CGL reasoning syllabus should be understood in-depth as it covers a vast number of topics.
- Candidates should be very careful while going through the SSC CGL exam pattern as it is subjected to changes from time to time.
- Candidates should take free mock tests based on the latest SSC CGL pattern. Solving mock tests will help candidates analyze their preparation for the upcoming SSC exams.
- The SSC CGL syllabus for general awareness has a significant overlap with the UPSC Syllabus. Candidates can go through the link for reference.
SSC CGL Tier-II Syllabus
As per the SSC CGL exam pattern, Tier II will have 4 papers-
- Quantitative Aptitude– This will have 200 marks in total. The time allotted for this paper is 2 hours.
- English Language & Comprehension- Total marks is 200 for this paper and the duration to complete the paper is 2 hours.
- Statistics– Again candidates have to complete the paper in 2 hours carrying 200 marks in total.
- General Studies- Finance & Economics– This paper will have 200 marks and 2 hours duration.
The detailed SSC CGL Tier-II Syllabus for CGL Exam is as mentioned below:
| Quantitative Aptitude | English Language & Comprehension | Statistics | General Studies- Finance & Economics |
| Number System ProblemsPercentage | Spot the ErrorSynonyms /AntonymsSpelling, Idioms & PhrasesOne Word SubstitutionImprovement of sentences,The Active/ Passive voice of verbs,Conversion into Direct/ Indirect narrationShuffling of sentence parts in passages,Comprehension passage. | Data distribution, calculation, a diagrammatic representation of data | Finance-Fundamentals of Finance & Accounting |
| Ratio & Proportion,Square roots,Averages | Mean, Mode and Median | ||
| Profit and Loss,Discount | Deviation, Dispersion | ||
| Time and distance,Time & Work,Basic algebraic identities of School Algebra | Moments and relationships- skewness, kurtosis | ||
| Triangles, Polygons, Circles, Cylinders | Co-relation, regression | Economics-Macro & Micro Economics, Growth & DevelopmentMarket analysis- production, demand, supply,Indian Economy,Economic reforms,Money and banking,Role of Technology in reforming the Economic domain | |
| Bar graph, Histogram, Pie chart | Probability- theories, distribution | ||
| Sampling theory, index numbers, time series analysis | |||
| Variance |
SSC CGL Tier-II Exam Pattern – Important Pointers:
- Paper 4 – As mentioned in the SSC CGL exam pattern, Finance & Economics has a mark distribution of 80 and 120 summing up to 200 in total.
- Paper-I and Paper-II are compulsory for all posts.
- Paper-III will be for candidates applying for the post of Junior Statistical Officer (JSO) and who are shortlisted in Tier-I for this Post/Paper.
- Paper-IV will be for only those candidates who are shortlisted in Tier-I for Paper-IV, i.e., for the posts of Assistant Audit Officer/ Assistant Accounts Officer.
- Taking the SSC CGL pattern into account, candidates can expect negative marking of 0.25 marks for each wrong answer in Paper-II (English Language and Comprehension) and of 0.50 marks for each wrong answer in Paper-I, Paper-III and Paper-IV.
SSC CGL Related Links:
| SSC CGL Preparation | SSC Online | SSC Exam Date |
| SSC Eligibility | SSC CGL Notification | SSC Admit Card |
| SSC Results | SSC Recruitment | SSC Notification |
| SSC Preparation | SSC Exam Pattern | SSC Mock Test |
SSC CGL Syllabus Tier III
As per the SSC CGL Exam Pattern, the Tier 3 Exam is a subjective paper that will be taken offline via pen and paper mode.
As per the SSC CGL Tier III syllabus, the exam is to evaluate the candidates’ language proficiency, grammar knowledge, vocabulary usage, and writing skills in English/Hindi. Candidates are expected to write essays, précis, applications, letters, etc. The duration of the Tier III exam is 60 minutes.
SSC CGL Tier III Exam Pattern- Points to remember:
- Candidates need to be careful while filling the choices as this paper has Hindi/English as the option.
- This exam is comparatively easier than other exams but candidates need to score at least one-third of the total marks to pass this exam.
- As per the latest SSC CGL exam pattern, the duration for differently-abled candidates is 80 minutes.
SSC CGL Syllabus Tier IV
The SSC CGL Tier 4 Exam comprises skill tests that are required for certain government posts. Candidates who secure at least the minimum qualifying marks in the examination (Tier I, II, III) can appear in the Skill Test.
The syllabus for the SSC CGL Tier-IV exam is as follows:
| SSC CGL Test | Description | Post |
| Data Entry Speed Test | 8,000 (eight thousand) Key Depression per hour on the Computer | Tax Assistants( Central & Excise) |
| A passage of about 2000 (two thousand) key depressions for 15 (fifteen) minutes. | ||
| Computer Proficiency Test | Word ProcessingSpreadsheetGeneration of slides | Assistant Section Officer of Central Secretariat Service (CSS), Assistant Section Officer (MEA), Assistant in Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs and Assistant (GSI) in the Ministry of Mines. |
Points to note:
- Orthopedically Handicapped (OH) candidates for the post of Tax Assistant in CBDT need not appear for the skill test.
- OH candidates opting for post of Tax Assistant in CBEC are required to attend the Skill Test.
SSC CGL Syllabus 2020
The syllabus for SSC CGL examination remains the same every year, candidates can check SSC CGL syllabus PDF 2019 for reference.
SSC CGL Syllabus PDF 2019
After going through this detailed syllabus, candidates need to prepare thoroughly on the important topics from relevant books and need to maintain proper study routine and notes to get a good score in the SSC CGL examination.
SSC CGL Exam Pattern
The SSC CGL Exam gives the candidate a golden opportunity to get into reputed offices, departments and organizations under the Government of India.
The CGL exam pattern for all tiers (I, II, III, IV) is as follows:
| SSC CGL Tier | Mode/Type | CGL Syllabus Topics |
| Tier I | Online, Multiple Choice questions | General Intelligence &, Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude, General Awareness, English Comprehension |
| Tier II | Online, Multiple Choice questions | Quantitative aptitude, English Language & Comprehension, *Statistics,*General Studies- Finance & Economics |
| Tier III | Offline, Descriptive type- Hindi/English | Statistics, data analysis |
| Tier IV | Wherever applicable | Data Entry Speed Test, Computer Proficiency TestDocument Verification |
SSC CGL Pattern Points
- Tier I exam is for all.
- Tier-II exam- Paper 3 (Statistics) is for Junior Statistical Officer post, & Paper 4 (Finance & Economics) is for Assistant Auditor & Assistant Accounts Officer post.
- Tier IV- Data Entry Speed test is for Tax Assistants, Computer Proficiency test is for posts under Ministry of Corporate Affairs & Ministry of Mines.
The exam dates for SSC CGL 2020 is announced with the official notification of the SSC CGL exam, which is released by the Commission on December 29th 2020. Further details on SSC CGL Exam Dates can be found in the link provided.
The process of SSC CGL 2020 exam commenced on 29th December 2020. Aspirants of the SSC Combined Graduate Level Exam can refer to detailed SSC CGL Exam Analysis for their preparation.
Candidates can check the SSC CGL Eligibility Criteria here.
Candidates should refer to the SSC CGL notification for updates on the SSC official website( https://ssc.nic.in/) daily.
Frequently Asked Question – SSC CGL Syllabus & Pattern 2021
Q.1. What are the subjects covered in SSC CGL Syllabus?
Ans. Aspirants of SSC CGL exam have to prepare the following subjects: Reasoning Ability, Verbal Ability, Quantitative Aptitude, and General Awareness.
Q.2. What are the topics covered in SSC CGL Tier III Syllabus?
Ans. As per the SSC CGL Tier III Syllabus, Candidates are expected to write essays, précis, applications, letters, etc in the Tier III exam. Tier III is a subjective exam and evaluates the candidates’ language proficiency, grammar knowledge, vocabulary usage, and writing skills in English/Hindi.
Q.3. Is it possible to crack SSC CGL exam in just three months?
Ans. SSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) Exam is one of the most sought-after exams and requires a high level of preparation strategy to get a good score. Three months is an ideal time to prepare for this exam. Important tips and strategies for SSC CGL preparation are given in detail.
Q.4. What is the minimum SSC CGL salary offered to a candidate on qualifying the examination?
Ans. The current SSC CGL salary varies from a minimum of Rs. 18,000 to Rs. 2,50,000 (including perks), based on different posts. Apart from the salary, SSC provides various other benefits to its employees that attracts a lot of aspirants to join the Staff Selection Commission. Check the detailed break up of SSC CGL Salary here.
Q.5. Is there negative marking for wrong attempts in SSC CGL exam?
Ans. Taking the SSC CGL Exam pattern into account, candidates can expect negative marking of 0.25 marks for each wrong answer in Paper-II (English Language and Comprehension) and of 0.50 marks for each wrong answer in Paper-I, Paper-III and Paper-IV.
Q.6. Tell a few books recommended for the preparation of reasoning section in SSC CGL exam.
Ans. The important books for SSC CGL Reasoning are Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning by Dr R.S. Aggarwal, Analytical Reasoning by M.K. Pandey, How to prepare for Logical Reasoning by Arun Sharma and Logical and Analytical Reasoning by A.K. Gupta. Check SSC CGL Preparation page for more books and strategies to prepare for CGL exam.
Q 7. What are the best books to prepare for SSC CGL Quantitative Aptitude section?
Ans. The important SSC CGL Books for Maths are given below:
- Advance Math’s by Rakesh Yadav.
- Magical Book on Quicker Math’s by M Tyra.
- SSC Elementary and Advanced Math’s BY Kiran.
- NCERT Math’s from Grade 6 to Grade 11.
- Quantitative Aptitude by Dr R.S Agarwal.
data compression mcq
READ MORE…
If you found this post useful, don’t forget to share this with your friends, and if you have any query feel free to comment it in the comment section.
Thank you 🙂 Keep Learning !