SSC CGL Exam Pattern 2025: Tier 1 & Tier 2 Marking Scheme
By Athena Team 1 July 20261 min read
A clear grasp of the SSC CGL exam pattern helps you plan section-wise time and avoid costly negative marking.
SSC CGL Tier 1 Pattern
Tier 1 is a single 60-minute computer-based test with four sections.
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General Intelligence & Reasoning | 25 | 50 |
| General Awareness | 25 | 50 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | 50 |
| English Comprehension | 25 | 50 |
| Total | 100 | 200 |
- Duration: 60 minutes (80 minutes for PwD candidates with scribe).
- Marking: +2 for every correct answer, −0.5 for every wrong answer.
- The interface is the standard TCS-iON style — the same look you get in Athena's SSC mock tests.
SSC CGL Tier 2 Pattern
Tier 2 has Paper 1 (for all posts) and additional papers for specific posts.
- Paper 1 has modules for Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning & General Intelligence, English Language & Comprehension, General Awareness and Computer Knowledge, plus a Data Entry Speed Test (DEST).
- Negative marking in Tier 2 is −0.5 (Paper 1 sections) — always confirm against the current notification.
Section Strategy
- General Awareness is the fastest to attempt — pure recall, no calculation. Strengthen it via SSC GA.
- Reasoning is scoring with practice — see SSC Reasoning.
- Quant and English decide your final rank — train them daily on SSC Quant and SSC English.
Because of negative marking, accuracy beats reckless attempts. Practise with previous year papers to calibrate how many questions to attempt safely.
Put this into practice
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