In this guide
In the SSC GD computer-based exam you get 60 minutes for 80 questions. That is 3,600 seconds ÷ 80 = 45 seconds a question on average. As reported for recent cycles, there are no separate section timers, so you decide how to spend the hour.
That freedom helps only if you plan it. Candidates who walk in without a plan usually do the same thing: they get stuck on two maths questions early, panic when they see the clock, and rush the easy questions at the end. This guide shows how to avoid that.
Not every question needs 45 seconds
The 45-second average hides a big difference between sections.
| Section | Typical time per question | Why |
|---|---|---|
| GK | 10–25 seconds | You either know the fact or you don't |
| English or Hindi | 25–40 seconds | Short reading, but some need careful thought |
| Reasoning | 35–50 seconds | Patterns take a moment to spot |
| Maths | 50–70 seconds | Calculations take time |
This is the key idea of the whole strategy. Time saved in GK is time spent in maths. If you finish 20 GK questions in 8 minutes, you have "earned" an extra 7 minutes (20 × 45 seconds = 15 minutes is the average share).
A time budget
| Section | Suggested time |
|---|---|
| GK | 8 minutes |
| English or Hindi | 12 minutes |
| Reasoning | 15 minutes |
| Maths | 20 minutes |
| Review | 5 minutes |
| Total | 60 minutes |
Treat this as a starting point. After five or six mocks, change it to fit you. A candidate strong in maths but weak in English might move three minutes from maths to English.
Which section first?
There is no single right order, but there are two good ones.
- GK first. It is quick, it settles your nerves, and it banks time for later.
- Strongest section first. Early marks build confidence for the rest of the paper.
Whatever you choose, keep maths last or second-last. Starting with the slowest section is the most common way to run out of time. Try both orders in mocks and keep the one that gives you the better score over three tests, not one.
The two-round method
This works inside every section.
- Round 1: read each question once. If you can answer it in under a minute, answer it. If not, mark it for review and move on.
- Round 2: go back to the marked questions with the time left for that section.
- Final review: in the last five minutes, look only at marked questions you had narrowed down to two options.
Round 1 guarantees you see every easy question. Nothing hurts more than leaving an easy question unread because you spent three minutes on a hard one.
Negative marking: when should you guess?
A right answer earns +2. A wrong one costs 0.25. So one right answer is worth eight wrong ones. Here is the expected gain from a guess, worked out step by step:
| Situation | Calculation | Average gain |
|---|---|---|
| Blind guess (4 options) | (¼ × 2) − (¾ × 0.25) = 0.5 − 0.1875 | +0.31 |
| One option ruled out (3 left) | (⅓ × 2) − (⅔ × 0.25) = 0.667 − 0.167 | +0.50 |
| Two options ruled out (2 left) | (½ × 2) − (½ × 0.25) = 1 − 0.125 | +0.875 |
Every row is positive. Under this marking, even a blind guess gains a little on average, and an educated guess gains a lot.
A worked comparison
Two candidates know the same material.
- Candidate A attempts only 68 questions they are sure of. 62 are right and 6 are wrong (careless slips). Score: 62 × 2 − 6 × 0.25 = 124 − 1.5 = 122.5.
- Candidate B does the same, then uses the last minutes to make educated guesses on the other 12, ruling out two options each time. Suppose 6 of the 12 guesses are right. That is 68 right and 12 wrong. Score: 68 × 2 − 12 × 0.25 = 136 − 3 = 133.
Candidate B gains 10.5 marks. In a state where cut-offs are close, that can be the difference between a call for the PET and no call.
Handling hard questions
- The 90-second rule: in Round 1, if a question has taken 90 seconds and you still cannot see the way, mark it and move on.
- Long maths questions (two-step interest, mixed time and work) go to Round 2 by default.
- Check the clock at the end of each section, not after every question.
The last five minutes
- Do not start a long maths question.
- Return to marked questions where you had it down to two options, and choose.
- Check the question palette for any question left unanswered by mistake.
- Do not change an answer unless you find a clear error. Second-guessing a known answer usually turns a right answer into a wrong one.
Practise the rhythm
The plan only works if it is automatic by exam day. In each mock:
- Write your time plan for each section before you start.
- Note the clock time when you finish each section.
- After the mock, compare plan and reality, and adjust.
Our mock test guide has a simple log for this, and the calculation tricks guide will help you win back seconds in maths.
Practice
- How many seconds per question do you get on average?
- A candidate answers 55 right and 10 wrong. What is the raw score?
- What is the average gain from a guess after ruling out one option?
- You have finished GK in 7 minutes. How much time have you saved against the 15-minute average share?
- Which section should usually not be attempted first, and why?
Answers:
- 3,600 ÷ 80 = 45 seconds.
- 55 × 2 = 110; 10 × 0.25 = 2.5; 110 − 2.5 = 107.5.
- (⅓ × 2) − (⅔ × 0.25) = 0.667 − 0.167 = +0.5 marks.
- 15 − 7 = 8 minutes.
- Maths. It is the slowest section, so starting with it risks losing time needed for quicker questions.
Before exam day
- Fix your section order after at least three mocks with each order.
- Write your time budget on one line and learn it by heart.
- Practise the two-round method in every mock.
- Read the pattern once more in our exam pattern guide to be sure of the marking.
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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