In this guide
A first-time SSC CGL aspirant who opens the official syllabus often feels overwhelmed: number systems, geometry, trigonometry, syllogisms, cloze tests, idioms, history, polity, physics, computer basics… It seems to include everything taught from Class 6 to graduation. But the syllabus becomes manageable once you see three things. First, Tier 1 and Tier 2 cover the same four core subjects, with Tier 2 going deeper. Second, within each subject, a handful of topics carries most of the marks. Third, the level is mostly school-level concepts tested at speed, not advanced theory.
Quantitative Aptitude
| Area | Topics | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Arithmetic | Percentages, profit and loss, discount, ratio, proportion, partnership, averages, mixtures, simple and compound interest, time and work, pipes, time–speed–distance | Very high |
| Number system | Divisibility, HCF and LCM, remainders, fractions, decimals, surds and indices | High |
| Algebra | Identities, expressions like x + 1/x, linear equations, basic polynomials | High |
| Geometry | Triangles (congruence, similarity, centres), circles (chords, tangents), quadrilaterals, polygons | High |
| Mensuration | Areas and perimeters of 2D figures; volumes and surface areas of 3D solids | High |
| Trigonometry | Ratios, identities, standard angles, heights and distances | High |
| Data interpretation | Tables, bar graphs, line graphs, pie charts | Medium–high |
| Statistics and probability | Mean, median, mode, basic probability (more in Tier 2) | Medium |
General Intelligence and Reasoning
| Area | Topics |
|---|---|
| Verbal | Analogy, classification (odd one out), series, coding–decoding, blood relations, directions, order and ranking, syllogism, Venn diagrams, word order, mathematical operations, missing numbers, statement–conclusion |
| Non-verbal | Mirror and water images, paper folding and cutting, embedded figures, figure counting, completion of figures, dice and cubes, pattern series |
| Tier 2 additions | Deeper puzzles; emotional intelligence and social intelligence questions are listed in the syllabus |
Reasoning in SSC is fast and pattern-based. Most questions can be solved in under 40 seconds with practice.
English Language and Comprehension
| Area | Topics |
|---|---|
| Grammar | Error spotting, sentence improvement, fill in the blanks, active–passive, direct–indirect, tenses, articles, prepositions, subject–verb agreement |
| Vocabulary | Synonyms, antonyms, idioms and phrases, one-word substitution, spelling |
| Comprehension | Reading comprehension passages, cloze tests, sentence rearrangement |
With 45 questions and 135 marks in Tier 2, English is the single largest scoring module.
General Awareness
| Area | Share of effort | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| History | High | Ancient, medieval, modern; freedom movement |
| Polity | High | Constitution, Parliament, judiciary, amendments |
| Geography | High | Indian and physical geography |
| Economy | Medium | Basic concepts, budget, banking, schemes |
| Science | High | Physics, chemistry, biology — everyday science |
| Static GK | High | Dances, festivals, books and authors, awards, sports, firsts |
| Current affairs | Medium | Last 8–12 months |
GA is the least predictable section, which is why many toppers treat it as a "bonus" rather than the foundation of their score.
Computer Knowledge (Tier 2, qualifying)
Computer basics, memory and hardware, software and operating systems, MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint, the internet and email, networking and cybersecurity.
Papers II and III
- Paper II (Statistics) — collection and representation of data, measures of central tendency and dispersion, correlation and regression, probability, sampling, index numbers, time series — at graduation level.
- Paper III (Finance and Economics) — accounting principles, financial statements, basic economics, Indian economy and public finance.
How the tiers overlap
| Subject | Tier 1 | Tier 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Quant | 25 questions | 30 questions, harder |
| Reasoning | 25 questions | 30 questions |
| English | 25 questions | 45 questions |
| GA | 25 questions | 25 questions |
| Computer | — | 20 questions (qualifying) |
Because the subjects overlap, there is no separate Tier 2 syllabus to start after Tier 1. Prepare to Tier 2 depth from the beginning, and Tier 1 becomes a by-product.
Sources that work
- Quant: NCERT Class 9–10 maths for concepts; one standard SSC maths book; previous years' questions.
- Reasoning: one standard reasoning book with verbal and non-verbal sections; daily practice.
- English: a grammar book; a vocabulary list built from previous papers; daily reading.
- GA: NCERT basics or a concise GK book; a monthly current affairs source.
- Previous years' papers — the best guide to what SSC actually asks.
Practice
- Which Tier 2 module carries the most marks?
- Name three "advanced maths" areas that carry many CGL questions.
- Is Computer Knowledge scored or qualifying?
- Why should you prepare to Tier 2 depth from the start?
- What does Paper II cover?
A note on dates and numbers. Exam patterns, vacancies and schedules change from year to year. Always confirm the current details in the latest notification on the Staff Selection Commission website .
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