Is solving the previous year’s question paper useful to crack SSC CGL exam?

SSC CGL, or the Staff Selection Commission – Combined Graduate Level Examination, is a national level exam conducted for recruitment in various Government ministries, departments and organisations. Once you pass the exam, you are hired for service under the Group ‘B’ or Group ‘C’ posts which include – Assistant Audit Officer, Assistant Section Officer, Sub Inspector, Tax Assistant, and many more.

SSC CGL is conducted in four levels or tiers, namely – Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3, and Tier 4. Thepattern of the SSC CGL syllabus consists of Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ). The SSC CGL assessment comprises 500 marks. The exam is conducted in both online and offline modes.

Importance of solving previous year SSC CGL question paper

The SSC CGL exam attracts lakhs of application every where and  solving the previous year’s question paper is crucial to have an edge. Solving the previous year papers for SSC CGL lets you practice a variety of important questions and makes you familiar with all the topics being asked in the exam. You can downloadthe previous year paprs on BYJU’S Exam Prep.

  • Learn and improve time management: While solving previous year’s papers, you learn how to manage time and complete the question paper within the set timeframe. Sometimes, you may end up spending more time on a single question, leaving less time for other questions. To avoid getting into hot water on the D-Day, try solving papers before the primary exam day.
  • Discover tricks and shortcuts to solve the paper faster: Completing 100 questions within 60 minutes is not easy, and the difficulty only increases with each tier. What comes in handy are ‘tricks and shortcuts’. The more questions you practice, the better you can apply tricks and shortcuts to solve the paper faster.
  • Analysis of exam pattern and marking scheme: The SSC CGL pattern varies from one tier to the other. Following is an overview of the exam pattern for each tier:
TierExam modeExam durationNumber of QuestionsType of questionsTotal marks
1Online60 minutes100MCQs  200
2Online120 minutes for each paper500MCQs 800
3Offline (Pen & Paper Mode)60 minutes       1Descriptive100
         4Computer proficiency test/skill test/document verification15 minutes for each module       –        –Qualifying in nature

Solving mocks is of utmost importance to understand and adapt to the exam pattern.

  • Boost confidence: Being confident on the exam day is essential, and this confidence comes only with practice. When you solve numerous previous year’s question papers, you get a hold of the difficulty level, exam pattern, scoring topics, and marks allocation. All this will make the final exam paper look much more friendly, and you will be able to approach it confidently.
  • Understand your weaknesses: If you are worried about the D-Day, start giving mocks or practice for SSC CGL in an SSC CGL-simulated environment. Give the test correctly, see the outcomes, and cross-analyse the answers. Also, try and take the mock tests per your SSC CGL exam time slot. All this will give you an understanding of the topics that need to be revised thoroughly, where you are lacking, and how you can improve.

It needs a lot of dedication and hard work to crack a prestigious exam like SSC CGL. To help you ace it, BYJU’s Exam Prep brings expert teachers together on one platform so that you get the best guidance and crack your exam.

Teachers explain topics in-depth and in an easy-to-grasp manner. The guidance, mock tests, and comprehensive study material offered here will help you prepare for your SSC CGL exam.

SSC CGL is an aptitude exam, and it is a game of high accuracy and correct choices. BYJU’S Exam Prep combined with mocks can help you ace them. Mocks teach you techniques to manage time, help you learn how to apply shortcuts, and boost your confidence. So why wait? Start with your first mock exam right now.