SSC · CGL, CHSL and MTS

SSC exams: practise to understand, not to memorise.

Speed in the SSC papers comes from methods you understand, not from tricks you have memorised. Here is what each section tests, from the Commission's own notices, and how understanding-first practice helps.

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The three exams, in one line each

Combined Graduate Level (CGL)
Tier-I is a 60-minute computer-based test of 100 questions across reasoning, general awareness, quantitative aptitude and English, with a timer for each section.
Combined Higher Secondary Level (CHSL)
The Higher Secondary (10+2) Level exam. Tier-I has the same four areas at a more basic level: English, general intelligence, basic arithmetic and general awareness.
Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) and Havaldar
The computer-based exam has two sessions: numerical and reasoning ability first, then general awareness and English.

What the questions really test

In CGL and CHSL Tier-I, reasoning and quantitative aptitude make up half the paper. Each question asks you to recognise which method applies and use it quickly. A student who has memorised a shortcut but not why it works loses time the moment the question is phrased differently.

Take percentages. A remember question asks for the rule: what is 15% of 240? An apply question hides it: a price rises 20% and then falls 20%; is it back where it started? Only a student who understands why the second 20% is taken on a bigger number answers that in seconds.

English rewards reading closely, and general awareness is mostly recall. Practice should treat them differently.

A young man solves a problem at a bright desk with a small timer beside him

The papers, from the official notices

The Staff Selection Commission's computer-based exams look like tests of speed. Underneath, three of the four sections reward something slower: knowing a method well enough to use it on a question you have not seen. Reasoning and quantitative aptitude ask you to apply and analyse, English asks you to read closely, and only general awareness is mostly recall. Practice that climbs from remembering a rule to using it under time builds exactly that.

SSC CGL Tier-I

Combined Graduate Level Examination, 2026

100 questions, 200 marks, 60 minutes with a 15-minute sectional timer per subject; negative marking 0.50 per wrong answer

Section	Questions	Marks
General Intelligence and Reasoning Semantic Analogy · Symbolic/Number Analogy · Figural Analogy · Semantic Classification · Symbolic/Number Classification · Figural Classification · Semantic Series · Number Series · Figural Series · Problem Solving · Word Building · Coding & de-coding · Numerical Operations · Symbolic Operations · Trends · Space Orientation · Space Visualization · Venn Diagrams · Drawing inferences · Punched hole/pattern-folding & un-folding · Figural Pattern-folding and completion · Indexing · Address matching · Date & city matching · Classification of centre codes/roll numbers · Small & Capital letters/numbers coding, decoding and classification · Embedded Figures · Critical thinking · Emotional Intelligence · Social Intelligence	25	50
General Awareness Current events · Everyday observation and experience in their scientific aspect · History · Culture · Geography · Economic Scene · General Policy · Scientific Research	25	50
Quantitative Aptitude Computation of whole numbers, decimals, fractions and relationships between numbers · Percentage · Ratio & Proportion · Square roots · Averages · Interest · Profit and Loss · Discount · Partnership Business · Mixture and Alligation · Time and distance · Time & Work · Basic algebraic identities of School Algebra & Elementary surds · Graphs of Linear Equations · Triangle and its various kinds of centres · Congruence and similarity of triangles · Circle and its chords, tangents, angles subtended by chords of a circle, common tangents to two or more circles · Triangle · Quadrilaterals · Regular Polygons · Circle · Right Prism · Right Circular Cone · Right Circular Cylinder · Sphere · Hemispheres · Rectangular Parallelepiped · Regular Right Pyramid with triangular or square base · Trigonometric ratio · Degree and Radian Measures · Standard Identities · Complementary angles · Heights and Distances · Histogram · Frequency polygon · Bar diagram & Pie chart	25	50
English Comprehension Understanding correct English · Basic comprehension · Writing ability	25	50

SSC CHSL Tier-I

Combined Higher Secondary (10+2) Level Examination, 2026

100 questions, 200 marks, 60 minutes with a 15-minute sectional timer per subject

Section	Questions	Marks
English Language (Basic Knowledge) Spot the Error · Fill in the Blanks · Synonyms/Homonyms · Antonyms · Spellings/Detecting mis-spelt words · Idioms & Phrases · One word substitution · Improvement of Sentences · Active/Passive Voice of Verbs · Conversion into Direct/Indirect narration · Shuffling of Sentence parts · Shuffling of Sentences in a passage · Cloze Passage · Comprehension Passage	25	50
General Intelligence Semantic Analogy · Symbolic operations · Symbolic/Number Analogy · Trends · Figural Analogy · Space Orientation · Semantic Classification · Venn Diagrams · Symbolic/Number Classification · Drawing inferences · Figural Classification · Punched hole/pattern-folding & unfolding · Semantic Series · Figural Pattern-folding and completion · Number Series · Embedded figures · Figural Series · Critical Thinking · Problem Solving · Emotional Intelligence · Word Building · Social Intelligence · Coding and de-coding · Numerical operations	25	50
Quantitative Aptitude (Basic Arithmetic Skill) Number Systems: Computation of Whole Number, Decimal and Fractions, Relationship between numbers · Fundamental arithmetical operations: Percentages, Ratio and Proportion, Square roots, Averages, Interest (Simple and Compound), Profit and Loss, Discount, Partnership Business, Mixture and Alligation, Time and distance, Time and work · Algebra: Basic algebraic identities of School Algebra and Elementary surds (simple problems) and Graphs of Linear Equations · Geometry: Triangle and its various kinds of centres, Congruence and similarity of triangles, Circle and its chords, tangents, angles subtended by chords of a circle, common tangents to two or more circles · Mensuration: Triangle, Quadrilaterals, Regular Polygons, Circle, Right Prism, Right Circular Cone, Right Circular Cylinder, Sphere, Hemispheres, Rectangular Parallelepiped, Regular Right Pyramid with triangular or square Base · Trigonometry: Trigonometric ratios, Complementary angles, Height and distances (simple problems only), Standard Identities · Statistical Charts: Histogram, Frequency polygon, Bar-diagram, Pie-chart	25	50
General Awareness Current events · Everyday observation and experience in their scientific aspect · History · Culture · Geography · Economic Scene · General Policy · Scientific Research	25	50

SSC MTS (Non-Technical) & Havaldar CBE

Multi-Tasking (Non-Technical) Staff and Havaldar (CBIC & CBN) Examination, 2025

Two sessions of 45 minutes each. Session-I: Numerical and Mathematical Ability 20 Q/60 marks, Reasoning Ability and Problem Solving 20 Q/60 marks. Session-II: General Awareness 25 Q/75 marks, English Language and Comprehension 25 Q/75 marks. PET/PST only for Havaldar.

Section	Questions	Marks
Numerical and Mathematical Ability Integers and Whole Numbers · LCM and HCF · Decimals and Fractions · Relationship between numbers · Fundamental Arithmetic Operations and BODMAS · Percentage · Ratio and Proportions · Work and Time · Direct and inverse Proportions · Averages · Simple Interest · Profit and Loss · Discount · Area and Perimeter of Basic Geometric Figures · Distance and Time · Lines and Angles · Interpretation of simple Graphs and Data · Square and Square roots	20	60
Reasoning Ability and Problem Solving Alpha-Numeric Series · Coding and Decoding · Analogy · Following Directions · Similarities and Differences · Jumbling · Problem Solving and Analysis · Non-verbal Reasoning based on diagrams · Age Calculations · Calendar and Clock	20	60
General Awareness Social Studies: History · Social Studies: Geography · Social Studies: Art and Culture · Social Studies: Civics · Social Studies: Economics · General Science · Environmental studies (up to 10th Standard)	25	75
English Language and Comprehension Vocabulary · Grammar · Sentence structure · Synonyms · Antonyms · Correct usage · Comprehension of a simple paragraph	25	75

Official sources (checked 2 October 2026)

How SelfEnabler practice works

The same loop SelfEnabler uses for school subjects, applied to exam topics.

Check first
A short check finds which kind of question you can already answer in a topic, and which you cannot yet.
Understand the gap
Explanations start from the exact step you missed, not from the beginning of the chapter.
Practise up the ladder
Questions climb from recalling a rule to using it on unfamiliar problems, then under time.
See what is weak
A record of topics by kind of thinking shows where the next hour of practice should go.

What we don't promise

We do not promise selection, a rank or a score.
We do not publish selection counts or success stories.
We do not predict dates or vacancies. The Commission publishes them, and its calendar can change.
SelfEnabler is not affiliated with the Staff Selection Commission, IBPS, the State Bank of India or the National Testing Agency. We use their names only to say which exam we mean. For dates, eligibility and the final syllabus, always check the official website.

Questions about SSC practice

Is the SSC exam calendar final?

No. The Commission marks its calendar as tentative and has changed dates within the same year. Check the notices on ssc.gov.in before you plan; we link the latest notices on this page.

Which syllabus does this page use?

The Tier-I schemes in the Commission's own notices: the Combined Graduate Level Examination 2026, the Combined Higher Secondary Level Examination 2026, and the latest Multi-Tasking Staff notice, for 2025. We checked them on 2 October 2026.

Is there negative marking?

The CGL 2026 notice deducts 0.50 marks for each wrong answer in Tier-I. Read the notice for your own exam, because the rules differ between exams and tiers.

Why practise by kind of thinking rather than by topic alone?

Because the same topic can be asked as a rule to recall or as a problem to solve. Knowing which of the two you can do tells you what to practise; a topic score alone does not.

Can I practise in Hindi?

SelfEnabler can be used in English and Hindi. Ask in your free demo which practice material is available in Hindi for your exam.

See the method on a topic you find hard

In a free demo we run a short check on one topic and show you what it finds.

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