The SSC CGL (Staff Selection Commission – Combined Graduate Level) exam is one of the most prestigious government exams in India. Lakhs of aspirants appear every year, but only a few succeed — those who follow the right strategy with dedication.
In this blog, we’ll walk you through a complete strategy to crack SSC CGL in your very first attempt.
📊 Understand the SSC CGL Exam Structure
✅ Tier 1 (Prelims – Objective)
- Subjects:
- General Intelligence & Reasoning
- General Awareness
- Quantitative Aptitude
- English Comprehension
- Total Marks: 200
- Time: 60 minutes
- Negative Marking: 0.50 per wrong answer
✅ Tier 2 (Mains – Objective)
- Paper 1 (Compulsory): Reasoning, Maths, English, and General Awareness
- Paper 2 (Optional): Statistics (for certain posts)
- Paper 3 (Optional): Finance & Economics (for AAO post)
📚 Best Study Material
| Subject | Book | Author/Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| Maths | Advanced Maths | Rakesh Yadav / Arihant |
| English | Objective English | SP Bakshi |
| Reasoning | Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning | R.S. Aggarwal |
| GK | Lucent General Knowledge | Lucent |
| PYQs | Previous Year Solved Papers | Kiran Publication |
🧠 Subject-wise Strategy
📌 Quantitative Aptitude:
- Focus on arithmetic + advanced maths equally
- Practice daily 20–25 questions chapter-wise
- Revise all formulas weekly
- Solve at least 2 DI sets daily (Tier 2 level)
📌 English:
- Daily practice of comprehension, cloze test, para jumbles
- Learn 10 new vocabulary words every day
- Grammar rules from Wren & Martin/SP Bakshi
📌 Reasoning:
- Practice puzzles, coding-decoding, blood relations, series
- Mock tests help improve accuracy and speed
📌 General Awareness:
- Read Lucent + revise static GK topics
- Follow monthly current affairs magazines (Vision/Drishti)
🕘 Ideal Daily Timetable (Beginners)
| Time | Task |
|---|---|
| 6:00 AM – 7:00 AM | Current Affairs |
| 7:00 AM – 9:00 AM | Maths Practice |
| 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM | English Practice |
| 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM | Reasoning |
| 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM | GK + Revision |
| 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM | Mock Test & Analysis |
✅ Smart Preparation Tips
- Start with basics, move to advanced gradually
- Make your own handwritten notes for revision
- Focus more on weak areas without ignoring strengths
- Give at least 2 full mock tests per week initially, then daily before exam
- Analyse every test in detail: your mistakes = your next lessons
💪 Final Words – You Can Do It!
Cracking SSC CGL in the first attempt is 100% possible if you have:
- A clear roadmap
- The right study material
- Daily consistency
- Strong belief in yourself
