SSC CGL Tier-1 Exam Pattern & Marking Scheme
A targeted 90-day preparation roadmap balances syllabus coverage, speed practice, and negative marking control across 100 questions in 60 minutes.
The exam consists of 4 sections with 25 questions each (50 marks each): Reasoning, General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude, and English Comprehension, with a negative marking of 0.50 marks per wrong answer.
Month 1: Core Fundamentals & Arithmetic
Focus on core arithmetic: Percentages, Profit & Loss, Ratio & Proportion, and Time & Work.
Master high-frequency English grammar rules (Subject-Verb Agreement, Prepositions) and begin static GK revision from standard NCERT summaries.
Month 2: Advanced Math & Analytical Reasoning
Transition to advanced mathematics: Algebra identities, Trigonometry ratios, Geometry theorems, and Mensuration 2D/3D formulas.
Practice analytical reasoning sets: Syllogisms, Blood Relations, Coding-Decoding, and Non-Verbal series.
Month 3: Full-Length Mocks & Speed Calibration
Dedicate the final 30 days entirely to alternate-day full-length test simulations under strict 60-minute countdowns.
Perform thorough error analysis after every test, cataloging recurring errors into a designated revision notebook.
Exam-Hall Time Allocation Strategy
Recommended timing: Reasoning (12-14 mins), General Awareness (6-8 mins), English (10-12 mins), and Quantitative Aptitude (24-26 mins).
Never spend more than 60 seconds on any single tricky arithmetic problem during the first pass through the paper.
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