SSC CGL 2023 Preparation Strategy: The Staff Selection Commission every year conducts the SSC CGL examination, which is one of the most sought-after examinations conducted for the posts of Group B and Group C in the ministries and departments under the Government of India.
CGL stands for Combined Graduate Level, which comes as a golden opportunity for all the graduate aspirants who want a respectable government job. Hence, thousands of candidates apply for the examination every year, which leads to tough competition among the candidates.
The Staff Selection Commission released the SSC CGL 2023–24 exam calendar in December 2022, and soon they will release the SSC CGL 2023–24 recruitment notification on its official website, www.ssc.nic.in.
Before preparing for the SSC CGL examination, candidates must have a proper knowledge of its selection process, exam pattern, etc., followed by a good and effective preparation strategy to crack the examination.
SSC CGL 2023 Selection Process
The SSC CGL 2023 Selection Process comprises two stages, i.e., Tier I and Tier II. The table given below will give you a detail of all tiers.
| SSC CGL Tier | Type of Examination | Mode of Examination |
| Tier I | Objective Multiple Type Question | Computer-based Test (Online) |
| Tier II | Papar I: Compulsory for all posts Paper II: For candidates who apply for the post of Junior Statistical Officer (JSO) in the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation Paper III: For Candidates who apply for the post of Assistant Audit Officer/Assistant Accounts Officer. (Objective type, multiple choice questions, except for Module- II of Section III of Paper I). | Computer-based Test (Online) |
SSC CGL 2023 Exam Pattern- Tier I & Tier II
The revised SSC CGL 2023 exam pattern is divided into two parts, i.e., Tier I and Tier II. While the marks obtained by candidates in Tier I will only be of a qualifying nature, the marks obtained by them in Tier II will only be considered for the final merit.
SSC CGL 2023 Tier I Exam Pattern
The first stage of the SSC CGL 2023 Exam is Tier I, which is mandatory for all. It consists of 100 questions, containing 25 questions each from four different sections: English, Quantitive Aptitude, General Awareness and General Intelligence & Reasoning. There is a negative marking of 0.5 mark for each wrong answer.
| Section | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks | Time Duration |
| General Intelligence & Reasoning | 25 | 50 | |
| General Awareness | 25 | 50 | |
| Quantitive Aptitude | 25 | 50 | |
| English Comprehension | 25 | 50 | |
| Total | 100 | 200 | A Composite time of 60 minutes (1 hour 20 minute for the candidate’s scribe) |
SSC CGL 2023 Tier II Exam Pattern
The SSC CGL 2023 Tier II Exam will be conducted in three phases: Paper I, Paper II, & Paper III. There is a negative marking of 1 mark for each wrong answer in Paper I and 0.5 marks for each wrong answer in Paper II and Paper III.
| Paper | Sections | Time |
| Paper 1 | Section I Module 1: Mathematics (30 Question) Module 2: General Intelligence and Reasoning (30 Question) Total Questions: 30+30= 60 Total Marks: 60*3= 180 Section II Module 1: English Language and Comprehension (45 Questions) Module 2: General Awareness (25 Questions) Total Questions: 45+25= 70 Total Marks: 70*3= 210 Section III Module 1: Computer Knowledge (20 Questions) Module 2: Data Entry Speed Test (One Date Entry Task) Total Questions: 20 Total Marks: 20*3=60 | 2 Hour 30 Minutes |
| Paper 2 | Statistics Total Questions: 100 Total Marks: 100*2= 200 | 2 Hours |
| Paper 3 | General Studies (Economics and Finance) Total Questions: 100 Total Marks: 100*2= 200 | 2 Hours |
SSC CGL 2023 Subject-Wise Preparation Tips
If you are preparing for the SSC CGL 2023-24 examination, you must understand the syllabus. The subject-wise preparation strategy given below will help you make your preparation better.
English Language & Comprehension
- This section comprises 25 questions worth 2 marks each in Tier I and 45 questions worth 3 marks each in Paper I of SSC CGL Tier II.
- To prepare for the English section, candidates need to ace three important components of this section, i.e., grammar, comprehension, and vocabulary.
- In order to have an edge in this section, the candidates need to start reading newspapers on a daily basis, especially the editorial section.
- List down the important words you find while reading the newspaper and practise reading comprehension regularly.
- Practice mock tests and quizzes regularly, and make sure to analyse them in order to assess your strong and weak points. This will increase your problem-solving ability.
Quantitive Aptitude
- The Quantitive Aptitude section is considered the toughest of all sections in the SSC CGL examination. It comprises 25 questions worth 2 marks each in Tier I and 30 questions worth 3 marks each in the Paper of SSC CGL Tier II.
- This section requires a lot of consistent practise to master basic concepts. It is divided into three components, i.e. Arithmetic, Advanced Maths and Data Interpretation.
- Once you understand the basic concepts, practise quizzes every day and analyse them later to assess your strong and weak points.
- Identify your weak topics and give more time to those topics so that you can ace this section.
Reasoning
- The Reasoning section assesses the candidate’s abilities in problem solving, decision-making, and analytical thinking.
- This section comprises 25 questions in Tier I, worth 2 marks each, while in Tier II of the SSC CGL, this section is included in Paper I, which is mandatory for all, and comprises 30 questions, worth 3 marks each.
- In order to score well in this section, a candidate needs to practise consistently for puzzles, matrix, coding-decoding, blood relations, classification, analogy, etc.
- Also, having a good knowledge of directions, shapes, and diagrams will help you ace this section. Hence, practise daily with mock tests and quizzes to boost your speed and clear the basic concepts.
General Awareness
- The General Awareness section consists of 25 questions worth 2 marks each in Tier II and 25 questions worth 3 marks each in Tier II.
- It is a high-scoring and less time-consuming section that comprises questions on current affairs, Statistic General Knowledge and Science.
- To prepare for the General Science, read NCERT textbooks of Science and Social Science from Class 6 to 10 along with Class 11 and 12 for Geography and History subjects, especially.
- For current affairs, read about national and international news related to Sports, Summit & Conference, appointments, Science & Defence, Appointment, National & International, Important Days, Government Schemes etc.
Computer Proficiency
- Computer Proficiency section is asked only in the Tier II examination of SSC CGL 2023. It consists 20 questions worth 3 marks.
- This section comprises questions on Computer Organization, Input/Output Devices, Computer Memory, Memory Organization, Backup Devices, PORTs, Windows Explorer, Keyboard Shortcuts, MS Office, Web Browsing & Searching, Downloading & Uploading, Managing an e-mail Account, e-Banking, Networking Devices & Protocols, Basics of Networking & Cyber Security.
- You can also prepare this section from Lucent’s “Computers,” Arihant’s “Computer Awareness,” or any other reputed author’s or publication’s material.
Statistics
- “Statistics” is Paper II of Tier II, which is conducted for the candidates who apply for the post of Junior Statistical Officer (JSO) in the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
- This section comprises 100 questions worth 2 marks each, and the exam duration is 2 hours. 0.5 mark will be deducted for each wrong answer.
- The candidates are advised to solve the statistics practise books of reputed authors/publications such as “Fundamentals of Statistics” and “Programmed Statistics.”
- Focus on the scoring topics such as skewness and kurtosis, time series, probability, correlation, regression, etc.
General Studies
- It is Paper III of SSC CGL Tier II, which is compulsory for those who apply for the post of Assistant Audit Officer/Assistant Accounts Officer.
- It comprises 100 questions worth 2 marks each, and the time allotted for the paper is 120 minutes. There is a penalty of 0.5 marks for each wrong answer.
- Candidates with a basic understanding of class 11-12 economics can easily learn this section, which includes topics such as foreign exchange demand and supply, national and international financial issues, economic development, and scoring topics such as Indian tax structure, economic terms, five-year plans, money and banking, and economic reforms in India.
- You can also refer to books like “Accounting and Finance for Bankers” by Macmillan Education, “SSC CGL Finance and Economics (Tier-II)” by Rph Editorial Board, and “Indian Economy” by Ramesh Singh.
SSC CGL 2023 FAQs
A. The official website of the Staff Selection Commission is www.ssc.nic.in.
A. The official notification of SSC CGL 2023 will be released on April 1, 2023, on the official website of the SSC.
A. The SSC CGL 2023 Selection Process comprises two stages, i.e., Tier I and Tier II.
A. The SSC CGL 2023 online application is Rs 450. The SC/ST/Ex-Servicemen/Female candidates have been exempted from the fee payment.
A. There are approximately 20,000 vacancies which are expected to be released I note SSC CGL 2023-24 recruitment notification.
Can you pass the SSC CGL exam without coaching?
Yes, passing the SSC CGL exam without coaching is absolutely achievable. All you need to do is maintain your concentration, have a well-thought-out study strategy, and use the proper books and study materials.
The SSC CGL has negative marking, right?
Yes, both paper I and paper II of the SSC CGL test have negative markings. Candidates should exercise caution when answering questions about which they are uncertain.
How can I stay up to date on current events?
A daily newspaper reading is required if you want to stay current on current events. Any monthly GK magazine can also be subscribed to.
How am I going to pass the SSC CGL 2023 exam?
By remaining committed and focused throughout the hiring process, candidates can pass the SSC CGL 2023 exam.
I’ve already started my Civil Services preparations. Could I study simultaneously for the SSC CGL exam?
Yes, you can prepare for both the UPSC and SSC CGL exams at once. Both exams, however, have a separate syllabus and exam format. Therefore, carefully review the exam syllabus and format.