SSC CGL is an examination conducted to recruit staff to various posts in ministries, departments, and organizations of the Government of India. It is conducted by the Staff Selection Commission for selecting staff for various Group B and Group C posts. Interested and Eligible candidates can apply online for the post through the official website https://ssc.nic.in.
Tentative total vacancies for SSC CGL 2020 is 6506.
Education Qualification:
Graduation in any discipline from a recognized university/institution. The educational qualifications vary according to the post for SSC CGL and are listed below
SSC CGL Post |
Educational Qualification |
Assistant Audit Officer |
Bachelor’s Degree in any subject from a recognized University. OR Desirable Qualification: CA/CS/MBA/Cost & Management Accountant/ Masters in Commerce/ Masters in Business Studies |
Junior Statistical Officer |
Bachelor’s Degree in any subject from a recognized University or Institute with at least 60% Marks in Mathematics at 12th standard. OR Bachelor’s Degree in any subject with Statistics as one of the subjects at degree level. |
Statistical Investigator Grade-II - |
Bachelor‟s Degree in any subject with Statistics as one of the subjects from a recognized University or Institute. Note: Statistics should be a subject in all the three years of the graduation course. |
All Other Posts |
Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline from a recognized University or equivalent |
Important Note |
The candidates appearing in the final year of their graduation can also apply. |
Age Limit:
Type |
Age Limit |
Group B |
Minimum: 18 years Maximum: 27 years |
Group C |
Minimum: 18 years Maximum: 27 years |
SSC CGL Post Wise Age Limit:
Department |
Age Limit |
Posts |
CSS |
20-30 years |
Assistant Section Officer |
Intelligence Bureau |
Not exceeding 30 Years |
Assistant Section Officer |
Directorate of Enforcement, Department of Revenue |
Up to 30 years |
Assistant Enforcement Officer |
M/o of Statistics & Prog. Implementation |
Up to 32 years |
Junior Statistical Officer |
NIA |
Up to 30 years |
Sub Inspector |
CBI |
20-30 years |
Sub Inspector |
Narcotics |
18-25 years |
Sub Inspector |
CBEC |
20-27 years |
Tax Assistant |
Other departments |
18-27 years |
All other posts |
SSC CGL Age Relaxation:
S.No |
Category |
Age Relaxation permissible beyond the upper age limit |
1 |
OBC |
3 years |
2 |
ST/SC |
5 years |
3 |
PH + Gen |
10 years |
4 |
PH + OBC |
13 years |
5 |
PH + SC/ST |
15 years |
6 |
Ex-Servicemen (Gen) |
3 years |
7 |
Ex-Servicemen (OBC) |
6 years |
8 |
Ex-Servicemen (SC/ST) |
8 years |
SSC CGL Examination will be conducted in four tiers as indicated below:
Tier-1: Written Examination (Objective Type)
Tier-2: Written Examination (Objective Type)
Tier-3: Written Examination (Descriptive Type)
Tier-4: Computer Test / Skill Test (wherever applicable)/Document Verification
SSC CGL Tier-I Exam Pattern:
The major sections asked in SSC CGL Preliminary Exam are General Awareness, Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude, and English Language. The detailed s exam pattern for SSC CGL exam Tier-I are mentioned below:
S No. |
Sections |
No. of Questions |
Total Marks |
Time Allotted |
1 |
General Intelligence and Reasoning |
25 |
50 |
A cumulative time of 75 minutes For VH/ OH (afflicted with Cerebral Palsy/ deformity in writing hand- 80 Minutes. |
2 |
General Awareness |
25 |
50 |
|
3 |
Quantitative Aptitude |
25 |
50 |
|
4 |
English Comprehension |
25 |
50 |
|
Total |
100 |
200 |
|
Click here to take free mock test for SSC CGL prelims Exam
SSC CGL Tier-2 Exam Pattern:
The Mains Exam will be conducted online and is an objective multiple-choice exam. The major sections asked in Mains Exam are Quantitative Aptitude, English Language and Comprehension, Statistics, General Studies (Finance and Economics). The detailed s exam pattern for SSC CGL exam Tier- II are mentioned below:
S No. |
Sections |
No. of Questions |
Total Marks |
Time Allotted |
1 |
Quantitative Ability |
100 |
200 |
2 hours |
2 |
English Language and Comprehension |
200 |
200 |
2 hours |
3 |
Statistics (only for the post of Statistical Investigator Gr. II) |
100 |
200 |
2 hours |
4 |
General Studies (Finance and Economics) (Only for the post of Assistant Audit Officer) |
100 |
200 |
2 hours |
Note: For VH/ OH (afflicted with Cerebral Palsy/ deformity in writing hand- 160 Minutes
SSC CGL Tier-3 Exam Pattern:
Tier-III of the SSC CGL exam is a descriptive exam to test the written skills of the candidates in English/Hindi. The mode of examination is offline (Pen and Paper mode) and students are required to write essays, précis, applications, letters, etc. in this exam. The exam carries 100 marks and the time allotted for the same is 60 minutes. The time allotted for candidates belonging to the PWD category is increased to 80 minutes. Tier-III paper is given by specific candidates who are interested only for the post of “Statistical Investigator Grade-II” & “Compiler”.
Number of Papers |
1 |
Total Marks |
100 |
Question Type |
Descriptive(Hindi/English) |
Sections |
Essay Writing Letter/Application Writing Passage Writing |
Duration |
1 hour For VH/ OH (afflicted with Cerebral Palsy/ deformity in writing hand- 80 Minutes |
Exam Mode |
Offline |
SSC CGL Tier IV Exam Pattern:
Total Marks |
Qualifying in Nature |
Time Duration |
15 minutes/45 minutes |
Tests |
Data Entry Skill Test (DEST)/Computer Proficiency Test (CPT) |
Exam Mode |
Online |
Data Entry Skill Test (DEST) |
Only for candidates applying for the post of Tax Assistants (in Central Excise and Income Tax) Criteria: 2000 key depression in 15 minutes |
Computer Proficiency Test (CPT) |
Only for candidates applying for the post of CSS, MEA, Inspector (Central Excise), Inspector (Preventive Officer), Inspector (Examiner).r Three modules: Word Processing, Spreadsheet, and Generation of Slides |
SSC CGL Marking Scheme: Paper I, Paper III & Paper IV - 0.5 marks, Paper-II - 0.25 marks
Physical Fitness Requirements: Apart from the above, there are certain requisite Physical Standards for Inspector (Central Excise/ Examiner/Preventive Officer), Sub-Inspector in CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation), and Sub-Inspector in NIA (National Investigation Agency).
The SSC CGL syllabus covers major topics related to various subjects like – Reasoning, Aptitude, Current Affairs, English Language, and Comprehension.
SSC CGL Tier 1 Syllabus:
Tier I comprises four sections-
General Intelligence & Reasoning
General Awareness
Quantitative Aptitude
English Comprehension skills
English Comprehension skills |
General Intelligence & Reasoning |
General Awareness |
Quantitative Aptitude |
Vocab and grammar skills, Phrases and Idioms, One-word Substitution, Sentence Correction, Error Spotting, Fill in the Blanks, Spellings Correction, Reading Comprehension, Synonyms-Antonyms, Active Passive, Sentence, Jumbles, Rearrangement, Sentence Improvement, Cloze test |
General Mental Ability Alphabet Test, Analogy, Arithmetic Reasoning, Blood Relation, Classification, Coding-decoding, Distance direction test, Matrix, Logical Venn diagram, Missing Number Non-Verbal Reasoning Papercutting & folding, Embedded figures, Figure Formation & Analysis, Series, Cube & Dice, Mirror Image, Water Image, Pattern Completion, Counting of figures |
History- Harappa Civilization, Vedic culture, Medieval India and their important systems; India’s freedom movement and their leaders, Geography- about countries and their geographical details, Famous Seaport and Airport and their location. General Knowledge, current affairs |
Arithmetic Average, Boat & Stream, Compound & Simple Interest, LCM & HCF, Mixture & Alligation, Partnership, Percentages, Pipes & Cistern, Problem on Ages, Profit loss & Discount, Ratio Proportion, Speed, Time, and work and Time work & wages Advance Maths Geometry, Mensuration, Data Interpretation, Trigonometry, Degree and Radian Measures, Histogram, Standard Identities, Complementary, angles, Heights and Distances, Histogram, Frequency polygon, Bar diagram, Pie chart, |
SSC CGL Tier 2 Syllabus:
The SSC CGL syllabus for Tier II will have 4 papers-
Quantitative Aptitude
English Language & Comprehension
Statistics (Jr. Statistical Investigator)
General Studies- Finance & Economics (for the post of Assistant Audit Officer (AAO). The detailed SSC CGL Syllabus for Tier-II Exam is given below:
Quantitative Aptitude |
English Language & Comprehension |
Statistics |
General Studies- Finance & Economics- |
Arithmetic Ratio Proportion, LCM & HCF, Percentages, Boat & Stream, Speed, time, and distance, Partnership, CI & SI, Pipes & Cistern, Problem on Ages, Time & Work, Average, Mixture, Allegation, Profit loss & Discount, Advance Math Geometry (Circles, Triangle, Quadrilateral, etc.), Mensuration (Cube, Cylinder, Sphere, Pyramid, etc.), Data Interpretation, Trigonometry, Height & Distance, Algebra, Coordinate Geometry |
Active and Passive voice, Direct and Indirect Speech conversion and narration, Error Spotting, Sentence Improvement, Para jumbles, One-word substitution, Idioms & Phrases, Spelling Errors, Antonym/Synonym, Shuffling of sentence parts in passages, Comprehension passage, Cloze Test |
Collection, Classification and Presentation of Statistical Data, Measures of Central Tendency, Measures of Dispersion- Common measures dispersion, Moments, Skewness and Kurtosis, Correlation and Regression, Probability Theory, Random Variable, and Probability Distributions, Sampling Theory, Statistical Inference, Analysis of Variance, Time Series Analysis, Index Numbers |
1. Economics & Governance Topics Auditor Role and Responsibility, Finance Commission Role & Functions, About Economics/ Micro Economics, Theory of Demand and Supply, About Indian Economy, Role of Information Technology in Governance 2.Finance & Accounts Topics
Fundamentals of Accounting, Principles of Accounting, Basics of Accounting, Nature, and Scope of Financial Accounting, Limitations of Financial Accounting, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles |
SSC CGL Tier 3 Syllabus:
The main aim of this Tier III exam is to evaluate the candidates’ language proficiency, grammar knowledge, vocabulary usage, and writing skills in English/Hindi.
The topics for this exam can be related to current affairs and sensitive matters like- Demonetization, women empowerment, Terrorism, Right to equality, freedom of women in a country like India, etc.
Candidates need to write precis, application, letters, essays, passages as a part of the qualification for this exam.
SSC CGL Tier 4 Syllabus:
The syllabus for the SSC CGL Tier-IV exam is as follows:
SSC CGL Test |
Description |
Post |
Data Entry Speed test |
2000 (two thousand) Key Depression in 15 minutes on the Computer Candidates are given an article in English which they have to type on Computer. |
Tax Assistants( Central & Excise) |
A passage of about 2000 (two thousand) key depressions for a duration of 15 (fifteen) minutes. |
||
Computer Proficiency Test |
Word Processing Spreadsheet Generation of slides |
Assistant Section Officer of Central Secretariat Service (CSS), Assistant Section Officer (MEA), Assistant in Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs and Assistant (GSI) in the Ministry of Mines. |
Note: SSC CGL Tier 4 is qualifying in nature, no marks will be rewarded in SSC CGL Tier 4.
Candidates have to score well in all the Tiers i.e., Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3, and also qualify in Tier 4 of SSC CGL to get the desired post and location.
Group B Pay Scale |
Group C Pay Scale |
|
|
SSC CGL Post-Wise Salary:
After the 7th pay commission, there has been an increment of 3 percent in the salaries of employees working for different SSC CGL posts.
SSC CGL is conducted to recruit candidates for different posts under different pay levels. The salary package and the allowances given to the SSC CGL employees are diverse for various posts. The table below gives details regarding the SSC CGL salary for various posts:
Posts |
Group |
Gross Salary |
Grade Pay |
In Hand Salary |
Assistant Audit Officer (Indian Audit & Accounts Department under CAG) |
Group B |
54,864 – 61,424 |
4,800 |
50,725 – 57,285 |
Assistant Section Officer (Central Secretariat Service) |
Group B |
41,003 – 46,183 |
4,600 |
36,864 – 42,044 |
Assistant (Central Vigilance Commission) |
Group B |
41,003 – 46,183 |
4,600 |
36,864 – 42,044 |
Assistant (Intelligence Bureau) |
Group B |
41,003 – 46,183 |
4,600 |
36,864 – 42,044 |
Assistant (Ministry of Railway) |
Group B |
41,003 – 46,183 |
4,600 |
36,864 – 42,044 |
Assistant (Ministry of External Affairs) |
Group B |
41,003 – 46,183 |
4,600 |
36,864 – 42,044 |
Assistant (AFHQ) |
Group B |
41,003 – 46,183 |
4,600 |
36,864 – 42,044 |
Assistant (Other Ministries/ Departments) |
Group B |
41,003 – 46,183 |
4,600 |
36,864 – 42,044 |
Inspector (Central Excise) CBEC |
Group B |
41,003 – 46,183 |
4,600 |
36,864 – 42,044 |
Inspector (Preventive Officer) CBEC |
Group B |
41,003 – 46,183 |
4,600 |
36,864 – 42,044 |
Inspector (Examiner) CBEC |
Group B |
41,003 – 46,183 |
4,600 |
36,864 – 42,044 |
Assistant Enforcement Officer (Directorate of Enforcement, Department of Revenue) |
Group B |
41,003 – 46,183 |
4,600 |
36,864 – 42,044 |
Assistant (Other Ministries/ Departments) |
Group B |
32,667 – 37,119 |
4,200 |
29,455 – 33,907 |
Sub Inspector (Central Bureau of Investigation) |
Group B |
32,667 – 37,119 |
4,200 |
29,455 – 33,907 |
Inspector of Posts (Department of Post) |
Group B |
32,667 – 37,119 |
4,200 |
29,455 – 33,907 |
Statistical Investigator Gr.II (Ministry of Statistics & Prog. Implementation) |
Group B |
32,667 – 37,119 |
4,200 |
29,455 – 33,907 |
Inspector (Central Bureau of Narcotics) |
Group B |
41,003 – 46,183 |
4,600 |
36,864 – 42,044 |
Sub Inspector National Investigation Agency (NIA) |
Group B |
32,667 – 37,119 |
4,200 |
29,455 – 33,907 |
Inspector (Income Tax) CBDT |
Group C |
41,003 – 46,183 |
4,600 |
36,864 – 42,044 |
Auditor (Offices under CAG) |
Group C |
27,766 – 31,790 |
2,800 |
25,123 – 29,147 |
Auditor (Offices under CGDA) |
Group C |
27,766 – 31,790 |
2,800 |
25,123 – 29,147 |
Auditor (Offices under CGA & others) |
Group C |
27,766 – 31,790 |
2,800 |
25,123 – 29,147 |
Accountant /Junior Accountant (Offices under CGA) |
Group C |
27,766 – 31,790 |
2,800 |
25,123 – 29,147 |
Sr. Secretariat Assistant (Central Govt. Offices/Ministries other than CSCS cadres.) |
Group C |
24,446 – 28,180 |
2,400 |
22,121 – 25,855 |
Tax Assistant (CBDT) |
Group C |
24,446 – 28,180 |
2,400 |
22,121 – 25,855 |
Tax Assistant (CBEC) |
Group C |
24,446 – 28,180 |
2,400 |
22,121 – 25,855 |
Compiler (Registrar General of India) |
Group C |
24,446 – 28,180 |
2,400 |
22,121 – 25,855 |
Sub Inspector (Central Bureau of Narcotics) |
Group C |
24,446 – 28,180 |
2,400 |
22,121 – 25,855 |
The SSC CGL salary offers other allowance apart from the gross salary which includes, HRA, travel allowances, medical, dearness allowances, etc.
The table below gives details regarding the HRA and travel allowances for SSC employees posted in different cities:
Cities |
HRA (percentage) |
Travel Allowances |
X (Only 8 urban cities) |
24 |
3600 |
Y (Towns with population over 5 lakhs) |
16 |
1800 |
Z (Rural Areas) |
8 |
1800 |