The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) is conducting the Combined Graduate Level (CGL) Examination 2024 to recruit for various government jobs. These jobs include Group B and Group C positions across different ministries, departments, organizations, and other entities like constitutional bodies, statutory bodies, and tribunals.
The recently released notification lists the posts to be filled across different departments of the SSC. The total number of posts reported in the notification is 17727, but it may change later. The SSC CGL exam is conducted to find qualifying candidates who can fill vacancies from Pay Level 4 (25,500 – 81,100) through Pay Level 7 (44,900 – 1,42,000) as Grade B and Grade C officers.
SSC CGL Exam Important Dates
Candidates aspiring for the SSC CGL Exam in 2024 should note down the following dates and deadlines for tentative exam conduction, application submission and other specifics. Following are the SSC CGL important exam dates:
| Dates for submission of online applications | 24-06-2024 to 24-07-2024 |
| Last date and time for receipt of online applications | 24-07-2024 (23:00) |
| Last date and time for making online fee payment | 25-07-2024 (23:00) |
| Dates of ‘Window for Application Form Correction’ including online payment. | 10-08-2024 to 11-08-2024(23:00) |
| Tentative Schedule of Tier-I (Computer Based Examination) | September-October 2024 |
| Tentative Schedule of Tier-II (Computer Based Examination) | December 2024 |
Eligibility
The SSC CGL exam eligibility criteria is explained in detail, in the recent SSC CGL notification 2024. Each candidate has to fulfil the eligibility criteria to be considered for appearing in the exam. Fulfilling the eligibility criteria is not the same as being selected.
Nationality-wise, to be eligible for the SSC CGL exam, you must be one of the following:
- A citizen of India.
- A subject of Nepal.
- A subject of Bhutan.
- A person of Indian origin who has migrated from these countries with the intention of permanently settling in India: Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, or East African countries (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Ethiopia, Vietnam).
The age limit for SSC vacancies changes based on the pay level and post specifics. The age limits for each pay level are as follows:
| Age Limit for SSC CGL Exam | |
| Pay Level 4 Posts | 18-27 Years |
| Pay Level 5 Posts | 18-27 Years |
| Pay Level 6 Posts | 18-30 Years except for the post of “Junior Statistical Officer” the age limit for which is 18-32 years |
| Pay Level 7 Posts | 18-30 Years except for the posts: “Assistant Section Officer” and “Sub Inspector” in specific departments, wherein the age limit is 20-30 years |
The SSC CGL exam offers age relaxation for various candidate categories. This extends the upper age limit for appearing in the exam. For instance, Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates get 5 extra years, while Other Backward Classes (OBC) get 3 years. Persons with Disabilities (PwBD) have significant relaxation depending on their category. There’s further relaxation for certain Group C positions. Government employees with a minimum service period and women in specific situations can also avail of age relaxation benefits.
The SSC CGL exam requires a bachelor’s degree from a recognized university or equivalent qualification. Final year graduation students can apply, but they must possess the essential qualification (bachelor’s degree) by the cut-off date of August 1, 2024. Some posts within the SSC CGL exam-based recruitment have specific requirements, which are as follows:
- Junior Statistical Officer: This position demands either: A Bachelor’s degree in any discipline with at least 60% marks in Mathematics at the 12th standard level OR a Bachelor’s degree with Statistics as one of the subjects at the graduation level.
- Statistical Investigator Grade-II: Candidates must have a bachelor’s degree with Statistics as a subject studied throughout their graduation program.
- Research Assistant in National Human Rights Commission (NHRC): For this post a Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university or institute is mandatory. Other desirable but not mandatory requirements for this post include:
- Minimum of one year’s research experience in a recognized university or research institution.
- Degree in Law or Human Rights from a recognized university.
SSC CGL Exam Syllabus
The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) conducts the CGL exam through a two-tier computer-based testing process:
- Tier-I: This is the first level of the exam.
- Tier-II: Candidates who qualify in Tier-I proceed to Tier-II.
The SSC might conduct the computer-based exams in multiple sessions or shifts. To ensure fairness across these sessions, the Commission applies a normalization technique. This means raw scores obtained by candidates are adjusted using a formula published in their Notice No: 1-1/2018-P&P-I dated February 7, 2019. These normalized scores are then used to determine the final merit list and cut-off marks for each position.
The SSC CGL exam syllabus is extensive and covers a wide range of subjects to assess a candidate’s overall aptitude for various government positions.
Tier-I, is a computer-based test that evaluates your general knowledge and core abilities across divided across four sections: General Intelligence and Reasoning, General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude, and English Comprehension. Each section carries 25 questions and holds a maximum weightage of 50 marks, bringing the total exam to 100 marks and 100 questions. All sections consist solely of objective-type, multiple-choice questions. Each wrong answer will deduct 0.50 marks from your final score.
The SSC CGL Tier-I Exam Syllabus is as follows:
| SSC CGL Tier-I | Syllabus |
| General Intelligence and Reasoning | |
| General Awareness | |
| Quantitative Aptitude | |
| English Comprehension |
The SSC CGL Tier-II exam is the second stage of the selection process. It involves two papers: Paper-I and Paper-II (applicable only to specific posts). Paper-I is mandatory for all candidates, irrespective of the position they’re applying for. It comprises three sections, each with two modules.
Paper-I is conducted in two sessions on the same day (Session I & Session II). You must qualify in all sections of Paper-I to proceed further. The exam format is mostly objective type with multiple-choice questions. However, Module-II of Section-III (DEST) is a skill test. While the Module-I of Section-III (Computer Knowledge Test) is mandatory, you only need to qualify it.
The Data Entry Speed Test (DEST) is also mandatory but qualifying in nature. It involves typing a passage for 15 minutes with specific instructions provided by the regional SSC offices.
The SSC CGL Tier-II, Paper 1 syllabus is as follows:
| SSC CGL Tier-II, Paper 1 | Syllabus |
| Mathematical Abilities | |
| Reasoning and General Intelligence | |
| English Language and Comprehension | |
| General Awareness | |
| Computer Knowledge Module | |
| Data Entry Speed Test Module |
Paper-II is only for candidates applying for Junior Statistical Officer (JSO) and Statistical Investigator Grade-II positions. The SSC CGL Tier-II Paper 2 syllabus is as follows:
| SSC CGL Tier-II, Paper 2 | Syllabus |
| Statistics |
While a strong performance on the written exam is crucial, a few specific roles have additional hurdles – physical requirements. This applies to some sought-after positions like Inspector (Central Excise/ Examiner/ Preventive Officer), Inspector and Sub-Inspector in Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN), Sub-Inspector/ Junior Intelligence Officer in Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), and Sub-Inspector in Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and National Investigation Agency (NIA).
The SSC itself isn’t involved in assessing your physical fitness. But if you qualify in the written stages of the CGL exam, the respective user department (the department where you’ll be placed after selection) will conduct physical tests to assess your fitness for the job. You’ll also need to pass a medical examination to ensure you’re in good health and can handle the demands of the role.
Preparing for SSC CGL with ixamBee
With the SSC CGL exam approaching, aspiring candidates should be well into their preparation phase. Start by familiarizing yourself with the exam syllabus and format. IxamBee provides access to free SSC CGL Tier-I previous year question papers, Tier-II mock tests, and other practice questions for the SSC CGL exam. Utilize previous years’ papers and mock tests to identify your strengths and weaknesses. You can also cover the entire syllabus with practice tests for all SSC exams including the SSC CGL through ixamBee’s SSC Super Pac online course.
With ixamBee you can dedicate time to improving your quantitative abilities with daily quizzes, practice reasoning skills, and daily quizzes for general awareness. Seeing as how general knowledge and current affairs are such a critical part of the syllabus of almost all government exams, ixamBee helps students keep track of static GK and recent developments in one place: ixamBee Beepedia. With a suitable study plan and consistent efforts, you can qualify the SSC CGL exam 2024.
Conclusion
The SSC CGL exam is a gateway to a stable and fulfilling career in government service. With the notification for the 2024 exam now available, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and begin your preparation journey. Remember, a well-planned strategy, consistent effort, and the right resources can make all the difference. Be sure to check the official SSC website regularly for updates and refer to the notification for detailed information. We wish you the very best in your SSC CGL endeavors!
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