Subject-wise chapter notes & PYQs
By qualification
Eligibility, syllabus, exam pattern and preparation strategy for every major exam — 7 guides.
Staff Selection Commission (SSC)
SSC Stenographer Grade C and D is the exam for 12th-pass candidates who want a desk job as a stenographer in Central Government ministries, departments and offices. A stenographer takes dictation from officers in shorthand, types it out, and handles their correspondence and records. Grade C posts sit at Pay Level 6 and Grade D posts at Level 4. Unlike most SSC exams, there is no maths section. The written test covers reasoning, general awareness and English. A shorthand skill test then checks whether you can take dictation and type it out accurately. The skill test is qualifying, so your rank comes from the written test.
SSC CPO is the Staff Selection Commission's yearly exam for graduates who want a uniformed, officer-level job. Selected candidates join as Sub-Inspector (Executive) in Delhi Police or as Sub-Inspector in one of the five Central Armed Police Forces: BSF, CISF, CRPF, ITBP and SSB. It is the only SSC exam that combines two written papers with a physical test. Your rank comes from Paper 1 and Paper 2, while the physical standards and endurance test are pass or fail. A Sub-Inspector starts at Pay Level 6, which makes CPO one of the best-paid SSC entry points for graduates.
SSC JE recruits Junior Engineers in Civil, Electrical and Mechanical engineering for Central Government organisations such as CPWD, the Military Engineer Services (MES), the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and the Central Water Commission. Every JE post is at Pay Level 6, whether you join with a diploma or a degree. The exam has two computer-based papers. Paper 1 is a qualifying screening test, and your final rank comes only from Paper 2, a purely technical paper in your branch. That makes your engineering subject knowledge the biggest factor in selection.
SSC GD Constable is the biggest uniformed recruitment for 10th-pass candidates in India. It fills Constable (General Duty) posts in the Central Armed Police Forces (BSF, CISF, CRPF, ITBP and SSB) and the Secretariat Security Force (SSF), and Rifleman (General Duty) posts in Assam Rifles. Every post is at Pay Level 3. Selection starts with a short computer-based test of 80 questions in 60 minutes. Candidates who clear it take a running test and a height and chest check, then a detailed medical exam. Your rank comes from the computer test, plus bonus marks if you hold an NCC certificate.
SSC MTS is the entry-level SSC exam for 10th-pass candidates. It fills two kinds of posts: Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) in Central Government ministries, departments and offices, and Havaldar in the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) and the Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN). Both are at Pay Level 1. There is only one computer-based exam, split into two sessions on the same day. Session 1 (maths and reasoning) is qualifying with no negative marking. Your rank comes only from Session 2 (general awareness and English). Havaldar candidates also take a walking test and a physical measurement test.
SSC CHSL (Combined Higher Secondary Level) is the main SSC exam for 12th-pass candidates. It fills office posts in Central Government ministries, departments and offices across India: Lower Division Clerk (LDC) and Junior Secretariat Assistant (JSA) at Pay Level 2, and Data Entry Operator (DEO) at Pay Level 4. Selection has two computer-based tiers. Tier 1 is a qualifying screening test, and your rank comes from Tier 2, which also includes a typing test (for LDC/JSA) or a data entry skill test (for DEO). Those tests carry no marks, but you must pass the one for your post.
SSC CGL (Combined Graduate Level) is the Staff Selection Commission's biggest exam for graduates. One exam fills dozens of Group B and Group C posts across the Central Government: Assistant Section Officer in ministries, Inspector in CGST, Customs and Income Tax, Sub-Inspector in the CBI, Auditor, Accountant, Tax Assistant and more, from Pay Level 4 up to Level 8. Selection has two computer-based tiers. Tier 1 is a qualifying screening test, and your rank comes from Tier 2. Your post depends on your rank and the order of post preferences you give, so knowing which posts you actually want matters as much as your score.