This Is How I Scored 353 out Of 400 In SSC CGL Tier 2

SSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) exam is conducted by the Staff Selection Commission. Through SSC recruitments of inspectors, auditors, Junior Accountants etc are done in various departments across India. The exam was conducted as tier 1, tier 2 and tier 3 and tier 4 for some of the posts. But in 2022 the final selections are based on the SSC CGL tier 2 paper. Tier 3 and 4 are combined with tier 2 in 2022 SSC CGL. Here I share SSC CGL preparation tips for tier 2 and a brief about tier 3 which I had attempted in 2018. I achieved an AIR of 912 and today I am currently working as Inspector of Customs (Preventive Officer) at Custom House, Cochin.

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Tips for SSC CGL Tier 2

1. Quantitative Aptitude (QA)

As the SSC CGL syllabus for Tier 2 QA is the same as that of Tier 1 QA, I did not invest much time in learning new topics. I referred to the same books and materials that I used for Tier 1 QA, to prepare for Tier 2 QA. I was sure I had prepared all the topics of QA by the time I wrote Tier 1. I focused on writing mock tests (offline as well as online) to increase speed and accuracy. The first step I took in preparing for CGL 2018 Tier 2 QA was solving the 2017 SSC CGL Tier 2 question paper. SSC generally follows the pattern of previous year questions, I solved 2017 Tier 2 QA papers of all shifts conducted by SSC. As 2017 Tier 2 QA was one of the hardest QA exams conducted by SSC, I thought SSC would ask questions of the same difficulty in 2018 CGL also. So, I learned all concepts and theorems that were used to solve the QA of 2017 SSC CGL Tier 2 papers.

After solving the SSC CGL Tier 2 previous year paper, I gave an offline SSC CGL tier 2 mock test provided by the institute, which consisted of questions of various difficulties. I noted down the questions which I found difficult in a notebook, so that I can refer to them intermittently and grasp the concept and be well-versed in it. Then I started practising through online mock tests which I still believe is the key to scoring good marks. Like my peers, I too found the online mocks to be very difficult and it was not easy to sit through the examination for two hours in front of a screen. But through patience and persistence, I started writing online mocks provided by various online platforms like Testbook, Qmaths etc. To know where I stand on a national level, I started writing live weekly mocks. I used to write at least two live mocks every week to assess myself.

2. English Comprehension

Just like QA, the syllabus of Tier 1 English Comprehension and Tier 2 English Comprehension are the same. Therefore, I followed the same strategy for English Comprehension as I did for Tier 2 QA. Soon after Tier 1, I started revising the books again for my preparation for Tier 2. Also, the institute where I did my SSC CGL preparation gave us an umpteen number of offline mock tests for Tier 2 English. Just like QA, I then started solving 2017 Tier 2 English Comprehension with my peers.

I also attempted online mocks provided by various online platforms and noted down the questions where I made mistakes or which were difficult. The directors of the institute were retired English professors, so they were a great help in understanding the grammatical rules and its exceptions, usage of phrasal verbs etc. Also, I made use of my peer group to revise the topics which seemed easily forgettable. To increase my reading skills, rather than reading The Hindu newspaper or its editorial, I practised previous year passage questions and Cloze tests, which further decreased my revision time. Also, like Tier 2 QA, I did weekly live SSC CGL mock tests for English Comprehension so as to know where I should improve and to know what my standing was on an All-India basis.

Note: Attempting mock tests plays a crucial role in your performance in the examination. So, if you are serious about your SSC CGL preparation, try to start doing mock tests once you have covered 50 - 60 per cent of your syllabus. Don’t wait for your syllabus to be finished to start writing mock tests. You may get very low marks in the beginning, but you will be able to learn new topics on the way and will definitely have an edge in the long run.

Tier 3: Descriptive Paper (100 marks)

The directors of the institute where I studied played a crucial role in my securing of 64/100 for Tier 3 (Descriptive Paper). My mentors used to give a random essay and letter topic each day and I would write them with the limited knowledge that I possessed. Then they corrected those essays and letters and instructed me on how to write, how to be neutral in my writing etc. I went through several online websites to learn basic facts about India, indices of India in various rankings, problems faced by our society and its solutions, various schemes by Government of India, current events etc. so as to substantiate the points that I write on the answer paper. I practised writing about 20-25 essays and letters before I attended my Tier 3.