SSC CHSL Preparation Tips 2020: In India, the SSC CHSL is one of the most competitive exam which is conducted by Staff Selection Commission (SSC). Attendance for this exam is very high as a 10+2 candidates can also apply for SSC CHSL.
Most of students after 12th as well as many graduates leaning towards SSC CHSL exam because it offers many attractive government posts. So, we need not to say that to crack SSC CHSL you must have proper study plan.
To get success in SSC CHSL exam, you need to have proper understanding about the syllabus, exam pattern & preparation strategy. A very good understanding of the combination of syllabus, exam pattern & preparation strategy will give you confidence and no one can prevent you to crack SSC CHSL exam.
Do not feel tense, we will sum up the whole thing to clear SSC CHSL exam without joining coaching centers. Many aspirants unable to join coaching centers for different reasons such as lack of time, not having sufficient money, do higher study along with preparation and having a full time job.
Here, we have highlighted some points that must be kept in mind while preparing for SSC CHSL.
- Know eligibility criteria in detail.
- Analyze in detail the syllabus of SSC CHSL.
- Make your doubts clear about different topics regarding syllabus.
- Analyze questions papers and make a clear understanding of SSC CHSL exam pattern.
- Collect study materials related to the different subjects in SSC CHSL exam.
- Follow your study plan strictly.
The SSC CHSL examination consists three phases i.e.
| Phases | Marks | Allotted Time | Mode of Exam |
| Tier I | 200 | 60 Minutes | Computer Based Test (Online) |
| Tier II | 200 | 2 Hours | Pen and Paper (Descriptive) |
| Tier III | – | – | Skill /Typing Test |
Starting Preparation for SSC CHSL Exam
It is suggested to every aspirant that to have a clear concept about the exam pattern and syllabus. Ignoring this, you are unable to achieve your goal. Below we will discuss every aspects of Tier-Wise with important points.
Preparation for Tier I
This is the first step towards your goal. Let’s first summarize the facts of Tier I.
| Subject | Full Marks | No of Questions | Allotted Time | Marking Scheme |
| General Intelligence | 50 | 25 | Overall 60 Minutes provided | 1 Mark deducted for every two wrong answer |
| English Language | 50 | 25 | ||
| Quantitative Aptitude | 50 | 25 | ||
| General Awareness | 50 | 25 | ||
| Total | 200 | 100 |
As tabled above, you can easily understand that SSC CHSL Tier I exam has four sections with a total of 200 marks. Total number of questions is 100 (25 questions from each section) and 60 minutes is allotted to answer questions. Negative marking is also applicable in this examination and 0.5 mark is deducted for every wrong attempt.
1. General Intelligence
In this section, the Staff Selection Commission tests aspirant’s fundamental knowledge about the subject. The important topics which are asked most of the time in examination are Sitting Arrangement, Puzzle Test, Syllogism, Data Sufficiency Problems, Blood Relationship Problems, Coding- Decoding, visual reasoning and others.
- Sitting Arrangement: 4-5 questions
- Puzzle Test: 4-5 questions
- Syllogism: 1-2 questions
- Data Sufficiency Problems: 3-4 questions
- Blood Relationship Problems: 2-3 questions
- Coding- Decoding: 3-4 questions
- Visual Reasoning: 3-4 questions
- Others: 1-2 questions
Important Tips:
Above table is the analysis of previous year question paper and number of questions asked from different topics are subject to change.
- Do regular practice of seating arrangement, puzzle and Coding-decoding as maximum number of questions are asked from this topic.
- Try to attempt mock tests for SSC CHSL exam to be familiar with question pattern and learn time management in the given time.
- At least cover 3-5 topics per day to understand the fundamental principles topics.
- Revise all the topics regularly which you have completed earlier.
SSC CHSL Books for General Intelligence:
| Title | Author /Publication |
| Analytical Reasoning | MK Pandey |
| Test of Reasoning | Edgar Thorpe |
| A Modern Approach to Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning | RS Aggarwal |
| New Approach to Reasoning Verbal, Non-Verbal and Analytical | BS Sijwali and Indu Sijwali |
2. Quantitative Aptitude
If you manage 2-4 hours daily for Qualitative Aptitude, you can easily score high marks in this section in SSC CHSL exam. The numerical sense and use of numbers are tested in quantitative aptitude section. Important topics of this section is shown below.
- Arithmetic: 9-11 questions
- Trigonometry: 3-5 questions
- Geometry: 2-4 questions
- Volume & Surface area: 2-4 questions
- Miscellaneous: 2-4 questions
Important Tips:
- This section may be little bit of challenging and to get better result practice daily.
- Try to avoid those questions which are time consuming to finish other questions on time.
- Memorize all the formulas and tricky shortcuts.
- To be more focused on those topics in which you face difficulties.
- Attend mock tests as many as possible which will help you to be familiar with exams environment.
- Up to class 10th math is enough with some advance book is enough for this section.
SSC CHSL Books for Quantitative Aptitude:
| Title | Author /Publication |
| Quantitative Aptitude | RS Aggarwal |
| Fast Track Objective Arithmetic Book | Rajesh Verma |
| NCERT Maths | Class 6 to 11 |
| Magical Books on Quicker Maths | M Tyra |
| Advance Maths | Rakesh Yadav |
3. Strategy for English
Preparation for SSC CHSL English will be easy if you follow the right strategy for this section. Important topics and the number of questions asked are given below:
- Antonyms/ Synonyms: 4-6 questions
- Spotting the Error: 4-5 questions
- English Miscellaneous: 4-6 questions
- Fill in the blanks: 4-5 questions
- Sentence Correction: 2-3 questions
- Para jumbles: 2-3 questions
- Idioms and Phrases: 2-3 questions
Important Tips:
This section is common to all irrespective of their stream. Give same amount of attention to the grammar like other subjects. To improve your performance in English, follow some points.
- Read English Newspaper daily to improve your vocabulary, General Knowledge and Grammar.
- Add daily some words in your stock through Newspaper reading.
- Try to solve as much passages as possible to boost your solving ability.
- While learning phrases try to get the logic lies behind it and use it in the right places to correct sentences.
SSC CHSL Books for Quantitative Aptitude:
| Title | Author /Publication |
| Objective General English | RS Aggarwal |
| Word Idioms & Phrases for SSC CGL | Arihant |
| Power Made easy by Norman Lewis | Normen Lewis |
| Common Errors in English | Kiran Prakashan |
| Objective English | SP Bakshi |
| A Mirror of Common Errors | Dr Ashok Kumar Singh |
| Plinth to Paramount | KD Campus |
| Perfect Competitive English | Kiran Prakashan |
4. General Awareness
This is a very high scoring section as time consumption is low. For this section either you know the answer or you don’t. This section is very huge as it covers general science, geography, economics, and politics. Here we gave analysis of previous year question paper.
- Current Affairs: 4-6 questions
- Static Affairs: 6-8 questions
- Subject Based (History, Geography, Polity, Economics): 12-14 questions
Important Tips:
Though it is a very big section, you can score better. Don’t worry, just follow points given below:
- Divide this section into different topics and make a separate note.
- Revive your fundamental knowledge of science group (Physics, Chemistry, and Biology).
- Follow Newspaper and monthly magazines to get more information regarding this section.
- Keep your eyes on National as well as International news.
- Give at least 1-2 Hours daily to build a good concept in it.
SSC CHSL Books for General Awareness:
- Manorama Yearbook 2019 (English & Hindi Separate books)
- Lucent`s General Knowledge (English & Hindi Separate books)
- Yojana Monthly Magazine
- Pratiyogita Darpan Monthly Magazine
Preparation for Tier II Exam
This is the second step towards your goal. Mainly letter and essays are asked in this Tier. This is a descriptive paper and writing ability is tested. The brief description is given below.
- Letter / Application: 50 marks of 1 Question.
- Essay Writing: 50 marks of 1 Question.
The questions will be from National Interest, Finance & Economy, Ecological Issues, Social Issues, Politics, Schemes, and Governance, etc.
Preparation for Tier III Exam
This is qualifying in nature but marks obtained from this examination is carried forward to prepare final merit list. The tests included in this Tier is Typing Test and Skill Test.
- Typing Test: Typing test is taken to check English and Hindi typing speed. The required typing speed for English is 35 words per minute and for Hindi 30 words per minute. For Postal Assistant/Sorting Assistant, LDC, and Court Clerk posts typing test is mandatory.
- Skill Test: Only for Data Entry Operator post, Skill test is taken and 8000 Key Depressions per hour on the computer must be achieve to qualify.
SSC CHSL Preparation Strategy
Here we will give you some important tips for preparation and follow the tips as far as possible.
- Read complete Syllabus of SSC CHSL: It is essential for the aspirants to read complete syllabus in detail to know what to study and don’t. Make a list of topics difficulty-wise. Try to study easy topics first as difficult topics may make your confidence lower.
- Analyze Question Paper: Analyze previous years question papers to get a complete idea about exam pattern. Analyze the question paper carefully and find out the topics from which maximum questions are given.
- Prepare Study Plan: It is very important to have a study plan without which you cannot execute your study to achieve your goal.
- Make a Gist of Your Study: You have to study a lot but you should prepare a gist of every topic in very simple language which will help you to revise quickly at the time of examination.
- Do Revise & Attend Mock Tests: Revision of the topics you have studied makes your understanding better. By attending mock tests, you can revise as well as can be able to familiar with exam condition.
Hopefully you will be benefited with our discussion. You can also check our other articles which will be helpful to you.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Ans: There are some topics you need to focus more are Sitting Arrangement, Puzzle Test, Syllogism, Data Sufficiency Problems, Blood Relationship Problems, Coding- Decoding, visual reasoning.
Ans: There are lots of books available in the market and we suggest you to follow Analytical Reasoning by MK Pandey, Test of Reasoning by Edgar Thorpe, A Modern Approach to Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning by RS Aggarwal, New Approach to Reasoning Verbal, Non-Verbal and Analytical by BS Sijwali and Indu Sijwali.
Ans: Yes, negative marking is applicable only for Tier I exam. You will be penalized 1 marks if you give two wrong answers.
Ans: Typing and Skill test is taken to evaluate your typing speed. The most interesting thing of this test is that it is only qualifying test and marks will not be carried forward further to prepare final merit list.
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