How to Crack SSC CGL Exam in the First Attempt?

How to Crack SSC CGL Exam in the First Attempt?

Every year, the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) organizes the SSC CGL Exam to select qualified candidates for Group B and Group C positions. It is one of the most highly sought-after exams in India. Numerous aspirants appear for the SSC CGL Exam, but cracking it can be challenging. Without adequate preparation and a solid strategy, candidates may find themselves attempting the exam multiple times. In this article, we provide some tips on how to crack SSC CGL Exam in the first attempt. Check the article below to get an idea of how to crack the SSC CGL Exam on the first attempt.

Understand the SSC CGL Exam First

The first step in any exam preparation is to understand the exam well. Candidates must first go through the SSC CGL Notification well and understand the eligibility criteria, exam pattern, and exam syllabus well. The SSC CGL Exam Pattern will help the candidates to understand the different levels of the exam, the marking scheme, and the topics that will be asked in different stages of the exam. The SSC CGL Syllabus will help the candidates to know the topics they need to cover and the topics they need to avoid. Check the SSC CGL Exam Pattern, which we have shared below for your reference. 

SSC CGL Tier I Exam Pattern

The very first level of the SSC CGL selection process is known as the Tier 1 exam. This exam is qualifying in nature (i.e. those who clear the cutoff of this level are selected for the next level and the score of this level is not included in the final merit list). The paper consists of 4 sections General Intelligence and Reasoning, General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude and English Comprehension. Each section contains 25 questions and the candidates are provided a composite time of 60 minutes to attempt the entire paper. Each correct answer adds 2 marks to the score and each wrong answer deducts 0.5 marks.

SSC CGL Tier II Exam Pattern

The candidates who qualify for the first tier are eligible for the second level of the exam. The pattern for this section has been changed in 2022 and tests the candidates on various subjects. The subjects common to all subjects are the same as those in the first tier. Apart from them, the candidates who have applied for and cleared the cutoff for AAO and JSO/SI appear for some additional subjects.

• Paper I is a compulsory paper and consists of 130 questions (60 in Section I and 70 in Section II) worth 390 marks. Each correct answer adds 3 marks and each wrong answer subtracts 1 mark from the score
• The Section III of the first paper has 2 modules. Module I contains 20 questions of computer knowledge and Module II is a data entry skill test. Both of these modules are qualifying in nature and are allocated 15 minutes each.
• Papers II & III consist of 100 questions and are worth 200 marks each. The marking scheme in this section is similar to that of Tier 1 i.e. (+2) for correct and (-0.5) for incorrect answers.

Analyzing the Previous Year Papers

Once candidates have understood the SSC CGL Exam Pattern and Syllabus, then they should analyze the SSC CGL Previous Year Papers. By analyzing the previous year’s papers, candidates will be able to understand the type of questions asked in different stages of the SSC CGL Exam, the difficulty level of the questions, and the areas/topics from which the questions were asked. SSC revamped the SSC CGL Exam Pattern recently but still candidates can analyze the SSC CGL Question Papers for the last five years to get an idea of the exam difficulty. 

Going Through the Syllabus

The notification for SSC CGL provides a detailed syllabus for all the sections in both levels of the exam. Being aware of the topics mentioned in the syllabus provides a good perspective for the candidates to craft their strategies. Keeping the syllabus and the previous year’s questions along while preparing for the exam ensures that the candidates stay on track and don’t digress from the strategy.  In subjects like General Awareness, candidates can do a basic internet search regarding the topics and widen their area of concepts.

Build Your Strategy

Once, candidates have gained complete knowledge regarding the SSC CGL Exam and have identified their weak and strong areas, they can start the SSC CGL Exam preparation. But, before just jumping into the preparation phase, candidates should go through the planning phase. Candidates should devise their preparation strategy by dividing it into three stages- Macro, Mirco, and Mini stage. The macro stage means planning for months like 3 months or 6 months, the micro stage means planning for weeks, and the mini stage is per day planning or setting the per day study goal. In this way, candidates should create a roadmap for themselves and stick to them.

Plan Your Routine

Every candidate has their own set of strengths and weaknesses. While planning their daily routines, they should keep these in mind and focus on the areas that need more time and attention. Candidates should plan and follow a strict routine. They should divide their day into several shifts and then as per shift they should dedicate some hours to each subject/topic. Following a routine is very important to develop discipline and this will help the students to stay focused in the long run.  

Attempt Mock Tests

Mock Tests are the Key to success in the SSC CGL Exam. Candidates should attempt daily and weekly mocks to track their preparation. Candidates should not wait for the right time to complete their entire preparation and then attempt the mock tests. Instead, they should start attempting mock tests and then analyze their performance. Candidates can learn a lot more from mock tests than by any other means. The benefits of attending the SSC CGL Mock Tests are:

• Gives candidates a chance to practice in an exam-like environment
• Helps the candidates to track the exam duration and complete the exam in the stipulated time
• The questions in the mock tests are more or less similar to that of the actual exam, hence candidates can get an idea of how well they are prepared for the exam
• Helps in analyzing weak and strong topics for the exam. 

After attempting the mock tests, candidates should also analyze their performance and then work on their weak topics. Above all, candidates should keep themselves motivated and avoid any kind of distractions. SSC CGL Exam is easy to crack only if candidates put in the right dedication, and effort, and have prepared the correct roadmap for themselves to follow. 

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