SSC CGL — Complete Syllabus, Exam Pattern & Previous Year Papers
SSC Combined Graduate Level — Tier I & II syllabus, section-wise exam pattern, previous year papers with solutions.
Quick facts
- Tier I: 100 Qs · 200 marks · 60 minutes
- Neg. Marking (Tier I): −0.5 per wrong answer
- Tier II Paper I: 3 modules · 390 marks · 2.5 hours
- Neg. Marking (Tier II): −1 per wrong (Math/Reasoning), −0.25 (English)
- Top Post: Income Tax Inspector, CBI Sub-Inspector
- Attempts: No limit (subject to age: 18–27 for most posts)
About SSC CGL
The SSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) Examination is conducted by the Staff Selection Commission for recruitment to Group B and Group C posts in Central Government departments including CBDT (Income Tax), CBIC (Customs & Excise), CAG (Audit), CBI, Ministry of External Affairs, and several others. Over 30 lakh candidates apply annually making it one of India's most attempted exams.
SSC CGL has two tiers. Tier I is the qualifying-cum-merit stage — 100 questions, 200 marks, 60 minutes — covering Reasoning, General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude, and English. Tier II is the main examination for final merit, with Paper I (Math + Reasoning, 390 marks) being compulsory for all posts.
Key posts through SSC CGL include Income Tax Inspector (most preferred), Central Excise Inspector, Preventive Officer (Customs), Sub-Inspector CBI, Assistant Audit Officer, Statistical Investigator Grade II, and Tax Assistant. The 2023 CGL Tier I paper across all shifts is solved and available on Ministry of Papers.
Previous year papers
- SSC CGL 2023 Tier I — All Shifts Combined 2023 - 100 questions
General Intelligence & Reasoning (Tier I: 25 Qs)
- Analogies — Verbal, Non-Verbal, Figural
- Series — Number, Letter, Mixed, Figural
- Classification, Coding-Decoding, Blood Relations
- Direction & Distance, Ranking, Arrangement
- Syllogism, Statement-Conclusion, Input-Output
- Mirror/Water Images, Paper Folding, Embedded Figures, Venn Diagrams
- Matrix, Word Formation, Cube & Dice
General Awareness (Tier I: 25 Qs)
- History — Ancient/Medieval/Modern India, Freedom Movement
- Geography — Physical, Economic, Political (India & World)
- Polity — Constitution, Parliament, Judiciary, Schemes
- Economy — Budget, RBI, Banking, GDP, Inflation
- Science — Physics, Chemistry, Biology (Class 10 level)
- Current Affairs — Last 6 months, National & International
- Sports, Awards, Books & Authors, Important Days
- Static GK — HQs of organisations, national symbols, capitals
Quantitative Aptitude (Tier I: 25 Qs)
- Number System — LCM/HCF, Simplification, Surds & Indices
- Arithmetic — Percentage, Profit & Loss, Discount, SI & CI
- Ratio & Proportion, Mixture & Alligation, Partnership
- Time-Speed-Distance, Time & Work, Pipes & Cisterns
- Mensuration — 2D & 3D figures (area, volume, surface area)
- Data Interpretation — Tables, Bar graphs, Pie charts, Line graphs
- Algebra — Basic equations, Polynomial
- Geometry & Trigonometry — Triangle properties, Circle, Heights & Distances
English Comprehension (Tier I: 25 Qs)
- Reading Comprehension passages (2–3 per paper)
- Cloze Test, Fill in the Blanks
- Synonyms, Antonyms, One-Word Substitution
- Idioms & Phrases, Phrasal Verbs
- Sentence Correction, Spotting Errors
- Active/Passive Voice, Direct/Indirect Narration
- Para Jumbles, Sentence Completion
Tier II — Paper I: Mathematical Abilities + Reasoning (290 Qs · 290 marks)
- Module I: Mathematical Abilities — advanced Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Mensuration, Trigonometry, Statistics
- Module II: Reasoning & General Intelligence — advanced puzzles, critical thinking, data sufficiency
- Module III: English Language (compulsory for JSO/AAO posts) — Grammar, Vocabulary, Comprehension