How Can I Start Preparation for SSC CGL as a Beginner?

The Staff Selection Commission has presented the graduates of the country with a golden opportunity of 17727 vacancies in the upcoming SSC CGL Recruitment 2024. The commission will conduct this recruitment in two stages i.e. Tier 1 and Tier 2 to select suitable candidates for the multiple Group B and Group C posts across various government departments and ministries. Among the lakhs of applications that are expected to be submitted this year, a major portion will be that of the candidates who are appearing in the exam for the first time.

How To Start Preparation for SSC CGL as a Beginner?

The preparation for the various aspects of the SSC CGL Exam is a massive undertaking and demands a lot of consistent efforts over a period of months. The candidates who wish to be successful in this exam should have an efficient preparation strategy in place to tackle all the areas of the Tier 1 and Tier 2 stages of the selection process. The candidates who are preparing for the SSC CGL Exam 2024 for the first time should follow some key steps in order to secure a successful result on the very first attempt.

SSC CGL Preparation Strategy for Beginners

The preparation for the SSC CGL exam is a long process and demands serious effort from the candidates. The Staff  Selection Commission keeps revising the exam pattern and syllabus from time to time in order to select the most well-informed and dynamic candidates according to the requirements of the posts. Before starting the preparation, the candidates should ask themselves three questions i.e. What is SSC CGL? and How to prepare for SSC CGL Exam 2024?

What is SSC CGL?

The Combined Graduate Level Exam is one of the most competitive recruitment processes in India and is conducted to recruit eligible candidates for various Group B and C posts in the ministries and departments under the Government of India. The SSC CGL Notification 2024 has been released by the commission on its official website ssc.gov.in and the candidates can submit their duly filled application forms by 24th July 2024. The details regarding the various aspects of SSC CGL 2024 has been provided below for the reference of the candidates.

How to prepare for SSC CGL Exam 2024?

Once the candidates are acquainted with the important aspects of the SSC CGL exam and have decided to prepare for it, they need a complete strategy to do so in an organized manner. Given below are some of the basic steps that every candidate should follow in order to perform well in both Tier 1 and Tier 2 exams. The candidates should keep in mind that these steps are mere suggestions and can be adopted according to the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate.

1. Getting Acquainted With the Exam Pattern and Syllabus.

The very first step to understand the recruitment process is to know what will be asked in the examination. For this, the candidates should go through the detailed SSC CGL Exam Pattern and syllabus mentioned in the official SSC CGL Notification 2024. The Tier 1 Exam is scheduled to be held in September-October 2024. So it is necessary that the candidates take a look at the detailed pattern and topics of the syllabus in order to start the preparation as soon as possible.

SSC CGL Syllabus 2024 – Click Here to Check the Detailed Syllabus for Tier 1 and Tier 2

2. Going Through Previous Year Questions

The candidates who are beginning their preparation journey for the SSC CGL Exam need an authentic source of preparation that they can trust throughout the preparation process. The most efficient way to get an idea about the latest trend and level of the exam is to analyze the previous year questions for each section of the SSC CGL Exam. The Previous Year Papers play a very important role at all stages of the preparation process. The advantages of the PYPs are as follows.

• Before starting the preparation, the candidates get an idea about the latest trends in the exam which helps them make a proper preparation strategy.
• When they learn any new concept, the candidates can solve the PYQs to check their grip on the concept.
• At the final stage of the preparation, the PYPs can act as the perfect source for sectional and full-length mock tests.

SSC CGL Previous Year Papers – Click Here to Download PDF

3. Learn Concepts and Practice Relevant Questions

The most important aspect of preparation is the process of learning the concepts of the various topics mentioned in the detailed syllabus section of the official SSC CGL Notification 2024. The proper analysis of the Previous year papers also provides the candidates with an understanding of the weightage of each topic in the paper. However, for someone who is preparing for the exam for the first time, it is advised that they give equal importance to each topic and prepare for them accordingly.

After learning the concepts, it is very necessary to practice as many questions as possible from authentic sources. This step helps the candidates identify all the doubts and questions the candidates have which they can try to resolve and improve their preparation level.

4. Attempt Mocks and Do Multiple Revisions

In today’s age, when the competition levels are high and almost everyone has access to the same resources, thanks to the Internet, it is necessary to do smart work along with hard work. One of the ways to stand apart from the competition is to attempt sectional as well as full-length mock tests. The sectional tests identify the candidates’ strong and weak areas and the full-length tests help them integrate the entire preparation along with the time management skills.

SSC CGL is a very comprehensive selection process that tests the candidates on various levels. In addition to their knowledge, it also tests their ability to stay calm under pressure and solve the questions in the examination hall in split seconds. The key to performing well on the actual exam day is Revision. Doing multiple revisions helps the candidates recall the important concepts instantaneously in the exam hall which helps them score high in the exam.

5. Give Equal importance to All the Sections

The candidates who are preparing for the SSC CGL Exam for the first time should treat all of the four sections equally. This will ensure a high score in both tier 1 and tier 2 exams. As a beginner, candidates are generally influenced by the plethora of strategies and guidance available on the internet.

However, each candidate possesses a unique combination of strengths and weaknesses. Based on these attributes, they should make their own strategies and give each section equal importance, time and effort. In the Tier 1 exam, each question carries 2 marks and in the Tier 2 exam, each question carries 3 marks. When candidates prepare all the sections equally well their score automatically goes up.

SSC CGL Preparation Tips & Tricks for Beginners

The points given above represent the basic preparation strategy that beginners can follow to perform well in the SSC CGL Exam. In addition to these, the candidates should keep some points in mind while crafting their preparation strategies. For the reference of the candidates, we have provided some tips and tricks they can follow to prepare for the SSC CGL Exam 2024.

• Prepare handwritten notes for each topic as mentioned in the syllabus.
• Keep your resources limited and go through them multiple times.
• Start attempting mocks as soon as possible and make proper adjustments in the preparation strategy to improve your performance.
• Prepare for both Tier 1 and Tier 2 in an integrated manner.
• Keep revising the concepts you have learned on a daily, weekly and monthly basis.
• Do not ignore static GK and focus on Current Affairs of the past 1 to 1.5 years.
• Do not start memorizing short tricks in the beginning. First clear all the concepts then you will automatically understand how the short tricks work.
• Focus on accuracy more than on speed in the initial phases of the preparation.