The Staff Selection Commission – Combined Graduate Level (SSC-CGL) examination is one of the most popular government exams in India. It is conducted by the Staff Selection Commission (SSC). The SSC-CGL exam recruits’ candidates for various Group ‘B’ and Group ‘C’ posts in different Ministries/ Departments/ Organizations of Government of India and various Constitutional Bodies/ Statutory Bodies/ Tribunals, etc.
Every year lakhs of aspirants appear for this exam which gives tough competition to everyone. Hence understanding this exam with step by step is must. The SSC Syllabus for most of the exams keeps changing at an interval of a few years. Candidates need to have updated data on the SSC Exam before going ahead with the application form filling.
This blog serves as a complete guide to the SSC-CGL exam, covering its pattern, eligibility, syllabus, application process, and more.
Table of Contents
SSC-CGL Post Descriptions
The SSC conducts exams annually to recruit candidates in various departments, organizations, offices under Govt. of India.
Candidates appointed for different SSC-CGL posts have different duties and responsibilities. The salary, designation, qualifications, etc. are different also for each post.
Given below is the list of different posts for which the SSC-CGL exam is conducted along with the SSC-CGL post description and profile:
SSC CGL Post |
Department/Ministry |
Classification of Post |
Job Description |
Salary Pay Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Assistant Audit Officer (AAO) |
Indian Audit & Accounts Dept. under CAG |
Group “B” Gazetted (Non-Ministerial) |
Conduct audits, assist in financial reporting |
Pay Level-8 (₹ 47,600 – ₹ 1,51,100) |
Assistant Accounts Officer (AAO) |
Indian Audit & Accounts Dept. under CAG |
Group “B” Gazetted (Non-Ministerial) |
Handle accounts, budgeting, and finance control |
Pay Level-8 (₹ 47,600 – ₹ 1,51,100) |
Assistant Section Officer (CSS) |
Central Secretariat Service |
Group “B” |
Clerical work, file movement, draft reports and notes |
Pay Level-7 (₹ 44,900 – ₹ 1,42,400) |
Assistant Section Officer (MEA) |
Ministry of External Affairs |
Group “B” |
Office work and possible foreign postings |
Pay Level-7 (₹ 44,900 – ₹ 1,42,400) |
Assistant Section Officer (AFHQ) |
Armed Forces Headquarters |
Group “B” |
Admin and file processing in defense departments |
Pay Level-7 (₹ 44,900 – ₹ 1,42,400) |
Assistant Enforcement Officer |
Directorate of Enforcement, Dept. of Revenue |
Group “B” |
Investigate financial crimes and enforce economic laws |
Pay Level-7 (₹ 44,900 – ₹ 1,42,400) |
Inspector (Examiner) |
CBIC (Customs & Indirect Taxes) |
Group “B” |
Examine imported/exported goods |
Pay Level-7 (₹ 44,900 – ₹ 1,42,400) |
Inspector (Preventive Officer) |
CBIC |
Group “B” |
Prevent smuggling and supervise customs checks |
Pay Level-7 (₹ 44,900 – ₹ 1,42,400) |
Inspector (Central Excise) |
CBIC |
Group “B” |
Collect excise duty and conduct inspections |
Pay Level-7 (₹ 44,900 – ₹ 1,42,400) |
Inspector of Income Tax |
CBDT |
Group “C” |
Income tax assessments, surveys, and raids |
Pay Level-7 (₹ 44,900 – ₹ 1,42,400) |
Sub Inspector (CBI) |
Central Bureau of Investigation |
Group “B” |
Investigate high-profile criminal cases |
Pay Level-7 (₹ 44,900 – ₹ 1,42,400) |
Sub Inspector (NIA) |
National Investigation Agency |
Group “B” |
Handle anti-terrorism operations |
Pay Level-6 (₹ 35,400 – ₹ 1,12,400) |
Junior Statistical Officer |
Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation |
Group “B” |
Data collection (Field work) |
Pay Level-6 (₹ 35,400 – ₹ 1,12,400) |
Statistical Investigator Grade-II |
Registrar General of India |
Group “B” |
Drafting Documents, preparing survey reports, editing and compiling existing data |
Pay Level-6 (₹ 35,400 – ₹ 1,12,400) |
Auditor |
CAG, CGDA, CGA |
Group “C” |
Audit government records and financial statements |
Pay Level-5 (₹ 29,200 – ₹ 92,300) |
Accountant/Junior Accountant |
CGA, C&AG |
Group “C” |
Maintain government accounts and financial entries |
Pay Level-5 (₹ 29,200 – ₹ 92,300) |
Senior Secretariat Assistant / UDC |
Central Government Ministries |
Group “C” |
Handle clerical tasks, manage files and records |
Pay Level-4 (₹ 25,500 – ₹ 81,100) |
Tax Assistant (CBDT) |
Central Board of Direct Taxes |
Group “C” |
Tax processing and clerical support |
Pay Level-4 (₹ 25,500 – ₹ 81,100) |
Exam Pattern for SSC-CGL Exam
The SSC-CGL Exam held in two stages: Tier-1 and Tier-2. SSC-CGL Tier 1 Exam will be compulsory for all candidates. For the SSC-CGL Tier 2 Exam, there will be Paper 1, 2, and 3, whereas Paper I is Compulsory for all posts, Paper II is for candidates who apply for the posts of Junior Statistical Officer (JSO) in the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation and Paper III is for candidates who apply for the posts of Assistant Audit Officer/ Assistant Accounts Officer.
The candidates must note that the SSC-CGL Tier 1 is qualifying in nature and Tier 2 is scoring in nature. The marks scored in SSC-CGL Tier 2 will be considered for final selection for the various post announced through the SSC-CGL Exam.
SSC-CGL Tier I Exam Pattern
Sr. No. |
Section |
Number of Questions |
Maximum Marks |
Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
General Intelligence & Reasoning |
25 |
50 |
A cumulative time of 60 minutes |
2 |
General Awareness |
25 |
50 |
|
3 |
Quantitative Aptitude |
25 |
50 |
|
4 |
English Comprehension |
25 |
50 |
|
Total |
100 |
200 |
||
A Penalty of Wrong Answer: There is a negative marking of 0.50 marks for each wrong answer.
Tier I is a qualifying exam. The marks obtained in this tier are not considered for the final selection.
SSC-CGL Tier II Exam Pattern
Paper I:
There are two session in tier 2 exam Paper I
Session |
Sections |
Subject |
No. of Questions |
Marks |
weightage |
Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Session I |
Section I |
Mathematical Abilities |
30 |
90 |
23% |
1 Hour |
Reasoning & General Intelligence |
30 |
90 |
23% |
|||
Section II |
English Language & Comprehension |
45 |
135 |
35% |
1 Hour |
|
General Awareness |
25 |
75 |
19% |
|||
Session II |
Section III |
Computer Knowledge Test |
20 |
60 |
Qualifying |
15 minutes |
Data Entry Speed Test |
One Data Entry Task |
Qualifying |
15 minutes |
|||
Paper 2
For candidates applying for Junior Statistical Officer (JSO) and Statistical Investigator Grade II posts
Paper |
Subject |
Number of Questions |
Maximum Marks |
Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Paper II |
Statistics |
100 |
200 |
2 Hours |
Paper I is compulsory for all candidates. Paper II is only for candidates applying for JSO and Statistical Investigator Grade II posts.
Eligibility Criteria For SSC-CGL Exam
Category |
Details |
|---|---|
Nationality |
Indian |
Educational Qualification |
– General Posts: Bachelor’s degree in any discipline |
Age Limit |
– 18–27 years (e.g., Tax Assistant, Auditor) |
Age Relaxation |
– OBC: 3 years |
Physical Standards |
Required for posts like Inspector (Excise/Preventive/Examiner), CBI SI, etc. (Height, chest, and physical test criteria apply) |
SYLLABUS
SSC-CGL TIER I SYLLABUS:
1. Quantitative Aptitude
|
2. General Intelligence and Reasoning
|
3. English Language
|
4. General Awareness
|
SSC-CGL TIER II SYLLABUS:
1. Mathematical Abilities:
Number Systems: Computation of Whole Number, Decimal and Fractions, Relationship between numbers.
Fundamental arithmetical operations: Percentages, Ratio and Proportion, Square roots, Averages, Interest (Simple and Compound), Profit and Loss, Discount, Partnership Business, Mixture and Alligation, Time and distance, Time and work.
Algebra: Basic algebraic identities of School Algebra and Elementary surds (simple problems) and Graphs of Linear Equations.
Geometry: Familiarity with elementary geometric figures and facts: Triangle and its various kinds of centres, Congruence and similarity of triangles, Circle and its chords, tangents, angles subtended by chords of a circle, common tangents to two or more circles.
Mensuration: Triangle, Quadrilaterals, Regular Polygons, Circle, Right Prism, Right Circular Cone, Right Circular Cylinder, Sphere, Hemispheres, Rectangular Parallelepiped, Regular Right Pyramid with triangular or square Base.
Trigonometry: Trigonometry, Trigonometric ratios, Complementary angles, Height and distances (simple problems only) Standard Identities like sin2◻ + cos2◻=1 etc.
Statistics and probability: Use of Tables and Graphs: Histogram, Frequency polygon, Bar- diagram, Pie-chart; Measures of central tendency: mean, median, mode, standard deviation; calculation of simple probabilities.
2. Reasoning and General Intelligence
Questions of both verbal and non-verbal type. These will include questions on Semantic Analogy, Symbolic operations, Symbolic/ Number Analogy, Trends, Figural Analogy, Space Orientation, Semantic Classification, Venn Diagrams, Symbolic/ Number Classification, Drawing inferences, Figural Classification, Punched hole/ pattern-folding & unfolding, Semantic Series, Figural Pattern-folding and completion, Number Series, Embedded figures, Figural Series, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Emotional Intelligence, Word Building, Social Intelligence, Coding and de-coding, Numerical operations, Other sub-topics, if any.
3. English Language and Comprehension
Vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure, synonyms, antonyms and their correct usage; Spot the Error, Fill in the Blanks, Synonyms/ Homonyms, Antonyms, Spellings/ Detecting mis-spelt words, Idioms & Phrases, One word substitution, Improvement of Sentences, Active/ Passive Voice of Verbs, Conversion into Direct/ Indirect narration, Shuffling of Sentence parts, Shuffling of Sentences in a passage, Cloze Passage, Comprehension Passage. To test comprehension, three or more paragraphs will be given and questions based on those will be asked. At least one paragraph should be a simple one based on a book or a story and the other two paragraphs should be on current affairs, based on a report or an editorial.
4. General Awareness
Questions are designed to test the candidates’ general awareness of the environment around them and its application to society. Questions are also designed to test knowledge of current events and of such matters of everyday observation and experience in their scientific aspect as may be expected of an educated person. The test will also include questions relating to India and its neighboring countries especially pertaining to History, Culture, Geography, Economic Scene, General policy and scientific research.
Computer Proficiency
Computer Basics: Organization of a computer, Central Processing Unit (CPU), input/ output devices, computer memory, memory organization, back up devices, PORTs, Windows Explorer. Keyboard shortcuts.
Software: Windows Operating system including basics of Microsoft Office like MS word, MS Excel and Power Point etc.
Working with Internet and e-mails: Web Browsing & Searching, Downloading & Uploading, Managing an E-mail Account, e-Banking.
Basics of networking and cyber security: Networking devices and protocols, Network and information security threats (like hacking, virus, worms, Trojan etc.) and preventive measures.
Paper-II (Statistics):
Collection, Classification and Presentation of Statistical Data – Primary and Secondary data, Methods of data collection; Tabulation of data; Graphs and charts; Frequency distributions; Diagrammatic presentation of frequency distributions.
Measures of Central Tendency– Common measures of central tendency – mean median and mode; Partition values- quartiles, deciles, percentiles.
Measures of Dispersion– Common measures dispersion – range, quartile deviations, mean deviation and standard deviation; Measures of relative dispersion.
Moments, Skewness and Kurtosis – Different types of moments and their relationship; meaning of skewness and kurtosis; different measures of skewness and kurtosis.
Correlation and Regression – Scatter diagram; simple correlation coefficient; simple regression lines; Spearman’s rank correlation; Measures of association of attributes; Multiple regression; Multiple and partial correlation (For three variables only).
Probability Theory – Meaning of probability; Different definitions of probability; Conditional probability; Compound probability; Independent events; Bayes’ theorem.
Random Variable and Probability Distributions – Random variable; Probability functions; Expectation and Variance of a random variable; Higher moments of a random variable; Binomial, Poisson, Normal and Exponential distributions; Joint distribution of two random variable (discrete).
Sampling Theory – Concept of population and sample; Parameter and statistic, Sampling and non-sampling errors; Probability and non-probability sampling techniques (simple random sampling, stratified sampling, multistage sampling, multiphase sampling, cluster sampling, systematic sampling, purposive sampling, convenience sampling and quota sampling); Sampling distribution (statement only); Sample size decisions.
Statistical Inference – Point estimation and interval estimation, Properties of a good estimator, Methods of estimation (Moments method, Maximum likelihood method, Least squares method), Testing of hypothesis, Basic concept of testing, Small sample and large sample tests, Tests based on Z, t, Chi-square and F statistic, Confidence intervals.
Analysis of Variance – Analysis of one-way classified data and two-way classified data.
Time Series Analysis – Components of time series, Determinations of trend component by different methods, Measurement of seasonal variation by different methods.
Index Numbers – Meaning of Index Numbers, Problems in the construction of index numbers, Types of index number, Different formulae, Base shifting and splicing of index numbers, Cost of living Index Numbers, Uses of Index Numbers.
How to Apply For SSC-CGL Exam
The step by step application process is given below:
| Section | Details |
| 1. Official Website | https://ssc.gov.in |
| 2. Registration | One-Time Registration (OTR) required for new users |
| 3. Login | With registration ID and password |
| 4. Form Fill-Up | Personal, educational, and other required details |
| 5. Documents to Upload | – Passport-sized photo (20–50 KB, JPEG) – Signature (10–20 KB, JPEG) – ID Proof – Educational Certificates |
| 6. Application Fee | ₹100 (Exempted for SC/ST/PwBD/ESM/Women candidates) |
| 7. Payment Mode | Online (Debit/Credit Card, UPI, Net Banking) |
| 8. Confirmation | Submit form and download confirmation page |
Conclusion
Apart from SSC-CGL exam, staff selection conduct many exams annually like SSC MTS (Multitasking Staff), SSC GD (General Duty Constable), SSC CHSL (Combined Higher Secondary Level Examination), SSC CPO (Central Police Organization), SSC JE (Junior Engineer), SSC Selection Post, SSC Stenographer, etc. The best part of preparing SSC-CGL Exam is you can also give other SSC exam with same preparation. Many aspirant who prepare for SSC-CGL exam have crack other SSC exam like SSC MTS, CHSL, and CPO.
Preparing for the SSC-CGL exam is a journey that requires consistency, smart planning, and dedication. With a well-structured study plan, a clear understanding of the syllabus, regular practice through mock tests, and focused revision, cracking the exam is absolutely achievable. Remember, success in SSC-CGL isn’t just about hard work—it’s about working smart and staying motivated throughout the process. Stay updated with official notifications, manage your time wisely, and most importantly, believe in yourself. Your determination today will shape your success tomorrow. All the best for your SSC-CGL journey!