SSC CGL Tier 1 is just around the corner. With just few months months to go (as exam is postponed), you have to draft a solid timetable for SSC CGL preparation. Since the competition in this exam is very high, the process of getting selected or rejected is a matter of getting a few questions right.
The expected cutoff for SSC CGL is also very high. Hence, without leaving things to luck, aspirants must try to make a fool proof plan.
In this blog post, we give you a timetable for SSC CGL to give you a framework to work on. Aspirants must customise this timetable to their needs, as there cannot be a one size fits all solution.
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A Brief Introduction:
SSC conducts CGL exam in 4 tiers.
Tier 1 exam:
Tier 1 exam consists of 4 sections.
1.English Language
2.Quantitative aptitude
3.General awareness
4.General Intelligence and reasoning
Each section contains 25 questions. Each question carries 2 marks. The penalty for answering a question wrong is 0.5 marks. The time duration of the exam is 1 hour. There are no sectional timings or sectional cutoffs in this exam.
Candidates can take SSC CGL previous year papers to gauge their level of preparation.
English Language section contains questions on Reading Comprehension, Idioms and phrases, Synonyms and Antonyms, error correction, etc. The section is not comprehension heavy as in banking. It is rather a mixed bag with a variety of questions thrown in. Read more about how to prepare for English section for SSC CGL exam.
Quantitative ability section has questions on Number Systems, Geometry, Mensuration, Trigonometry, Unitary methods, Algebra, Ratio and proportions, etc. Banking aspirants have a lot of ground to cover here. Since they would have covered only ratios and proportions earlier, they will have to work on other topics. You can read more about Quantitative aptitude section for SSC exam.
Reasoning section contains questions on Anagrams, Visual reasoning, blood relations, coding decoding, series, etc. Questions in this section are a lot simpler than those asked in banking exams. This is one of the high scoring sections in SSC CGL. You can read about Reasoning for SSC CGLÂ in detail.
The general awareness section is as broad as it can get. From photosynthesis to fiscal deficit, this section asks nearly anything under the Sun. Candidates must avoid trying to master this section. As we are short of time, reading Lucent’s for an hour a day will ensure a decent score. Read more about general awareness section preparation for SSC.
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Tier 2 Exam:
Tier 2 exam consists of 2 papers of 200 mark each.
1.English Language
2.Quantitative Aptitude
The paper on the English language contains 200 questions for a mark each. The paper on Quantitative Aptitude contains 100 questions for 2 marks each.
Tier 3 is a descriptive paper. This exam is used to check the written communication skills of the candidate. Tier 4 exam is Computer proficiency test or Data entry skill test.Candidates will have ample time to prepare for tier 3 & 4 exams after tier 2 exam.Moreover, there isn’t much to prepare for DEST and descriptive test.
Let us now focus on how to prepare for Tier 1 and 2 exams.
SSC CGL Previous solved papers
Timetable for SSC CGL 2018 exam preparation:
From the exam pattern, it can be observed that English language and Quantitative ability carry the maximum weightage. Hence, the maximum time for preparation must be allotted to these 2 sections. You could also practice GK questions for SSC CGL.
We recommend aspirants to study for at least 4 hours a day for the remaining 70 days. By 4 hours, we mean effective time spent on studying. Any time spent on allied activities, like reading this blog, does not count in as preparation time.
The following timetable is drafted assuming a candidate starts from ground zero. Candidates must tweak this plan to arrive at their own customized plan.
| Days | Â First Hour | Second Hour | Third Hour | Â Fourth Hour |
| 0 – 5 | Number systems | Reading Comprehension | Vocabulary | Analogy |
| Â Â 5-10 | Anagram | Percentages/ profit loss | Anagrams | Number systems |
| 10-15 | Interests, Unitary methods | Non-verbal reasoning | Biology | Blood relations/ Direction sense |
| 15 -20 | Algebra | Physics | Reading comprehension | Geometry |
| 20 – 25 | Mensuration | One word substitution | Trigonometry | Economics |
| 25 – 30 | Chemistry | Algebra | Unitary methods | Idioms and phrases |
| 30 – 35 | Error spotting | Inventions, Static GK | History | Non-verbal reasoning |
| 35 – 40 | Patterns, figures | Averages, Mixtures | Sentence improvement | Odd one out |
| 40 – 45 | Reading Comprehension | Practice for Data Interpretation | Series, Coding-Decoding | Geography |
| 45 – 50 | Venn Diagrams | Polity/ Basics of Computer | Unitary methods | Spotting errors |
Be thorough with the basics. Allocate enough time for topics such as Number systems, Geometry, etc. As you are the one who knows about your pace, tweak the timetable to suit you. Post that, try to stick to the timetable for SSC CGL as much as possible.
Download SSC CGL 2018 Syllabus PDF
Revision and mock tests:
Use the last 20 days as a buffer. If you feel that you are not strong enough in a topic, extend the timetable for SSC CGL accordingly. Revise whatever you have studied, in the last 20 days.Make your mistakes in the SSC CGL mock tests. The more you sweat in practice, the less you bleed in the battle.Post 50 days, the emphasis must be on taking SSC CGL mock tests. Analyse the mock tests to find out where you go wrong. Fix the gaps by working on them. Try to eliminate silly mistakes as much as possible. If you are making fundamental mistakes, go back to the topic and make your foundations strong.
Have a sound test taking strategy. You have less than a minute a question in the actual exam. Hence, make sure that you cannot go wrong with template questions. Also, don’t get stuck in a question for a long time. Remember, it is important to move on in life.
Take the exam with a clear head. Go in with a feeling that you have done whatever you could have. Let the lady luck be with you. We wish you the best for your SSC CGL preparation.
Read about maths tips and shortcuts useful for SSC CGL exam.
Also read about general science tips for SSC CGL.
