In our previous post, we have discussed everything you need to know about SSC CGL Tier 1 exam. After you clear Tier 1 exam, the next challenge in the selection procedure is to do well in Tier 2.
SSC CGL tier 2 comprises of three four different papers – Paper 1, Paper 2, Paper 3 and Paper 4. You don’t have to appear for all of these! Your papers will depend upon the posts you are applying for. As in Tier 1, all the questions are of multiple choice type.
Which Papers Apply To You
- Paper-I & II – These are compulsory for all the categories of posts. The Paper I tests your Quantitative ability while Paper II judges your understanding over the English language.
- Paper-III – This paper is only for those who have applied for the post of Statistical Investigators Grade II and Compilers.
- Paper IV – This is only for those who have applied for the post of Assistant Audit Officer.
Check the table below for more details of each paper.
| Paper | Subject | Maximum Marks | Number of Questions | Exam Duration and Timings |
| 1 | Quantitative Abilities | 200 | 100 | 2 Hours, 10 AM to 12 Noon |
| 2 | English Language & Comprehension | 200 | 200 | 2 Hours, 2 PM to 4 PM |
| 3 | Statistics | 200 | 100 | 2 Hours, 2 PM to 4 PM |
| 4 | General Studies (Finance and Economics) | 200 | To be announced | 2 Hours, 10 AM to 12 Noon |
The Tier 2 papers will be conducted over two days. Paper 1 and Paper 2 on the first day. And Paper 3 and Paper 4 on the second day.
Level Of Questions In Tier 2 Vs Tier 1
The level of questions asked in this Tier 2 is different from that in Tier 1. The preparation level for Tier 2 is higher, as the level of difficulty and pattern is completely different.
So, if you are reading this post before the Tier 1 exam, then try to cover the topics which are common between Tier 1 and Tier 2 in detail. As this will save you some time later on. However, do keep in mind that your first aim is to clear SSC CGL Tier 1. So strike a balance.
For the preparation of Tier 2, candidates get a period of approximately three months. You should use this time judiciously as this exam needs better speed and understanding than your Tier 1.
Let’s now dive into each individual paper of SSC CGL Tier 2 exam.
Paper 1: Quantitative Ability
100 questions each of 2 marks will be asked in this paper. Time allotted for solving them would be two hours. Now you may be thinking that’s a lot of a time and it would be a cake walk.
But let me tell you one thing.
The level of these questions would be much more difficult (sorry that I’m repeating this point but it is important). And if you have not practised well, and are slow, your time will go through the window.
Also, there is a negative marking of 0.50 mark for each wrong answer.
Keeping the time and negative marking in mind, it is very important that you have a high accuracy.
Topics to focus for Paper 1
For this tier, the key topics would be Geometry, algebra, trigonometry, date interpretation and percentage. Around 60 to 70 %questions are asked from these topics.
Again, if you are reading this before Tier 1, prepare these topics well.
In any case, since you would have practised these topics for Tier 1 and your concepts are supposed to be crystal clear, you will not have to start afresh. Speed, command over the topic and accuracy are the three crucial elements to shine in this section.
And all three come from a single source – practice!
Spend a lot of your quality time to practice previous year’s solved papers. To strengthen your chances of clearing Tier 2, you should aim to get about 80 % of the questions with accuracy.
Paper 2: English Language & Comprehension
There will be 200 questions each carrying 1 mark.
There would be negative marking for every incorrect answer. 0.25 mark will be deducted from your total score for each wrong answer. So, if you are unsure about a particular question it is advisable not to attempt it.
The pattern of this section is very similar to tier 1 but the difficulty level is higher in this tier.
Topics To Focus For Paper 2
Around 40- 50 % of question are grammar based. So, if you are good with the language you won’t face too many hurdles in attempting this paper.
These days quality of most of the newspapers is just bad. I guess only the editorial section is checked properly – try reading those. Books on grammar and practicing exam pattern questions would surely help you to stand out from the crowd.
Paper 3: Statistics
You have to attempt 100 questions in two hours. Each correct answer will earn you 2 marks while 0.50 mark will be deducted from your score for every wrong answer.
Topics To Focus For Paper 3
Not enough study materials or books are available online for this paper. However, if you focus on areas like Skewness and Kurtosis, Correlation and Regression, Probability Theory, Time Series Analysis, Sampling Theory, Statistical Inference etc; you would be able to do fairly well in the examination.
Paper 4: General Studies (Finance and Economics)
With the addition of the new post of Assistant Audit Officer in SSC CGL exam, Paper 4 has been added to CGL Tier 2. As of now we don’t even know how many questions this paper will have!
I’ll update this post as and when I get to know something about this. Meanwhile, you can check the syllabus in the official notification to get some idea.
Books For SSC CGL Tier 2
Books for SSC CGL Tier 2 will be added in due course. Remember to bookmark this page for reference. Best of luck!
Enakshi Banerjee says
Hi. I have not applied for the post of statistical investigator as well as compiler neither am I eligible as per my qualification (B.Tech in Electronics and Communication) but still I have received the admit card for statistics. My doubt, is it ok if I don’t appear for paper 3? Will I be eligible for the other 2 papers if I don’t appear for Paper 3?
I have written to SSC asking these doubts but they haven’t replied yet.
admin says
Sorry it took me a while to get back to you.
It seems you are in a difficult position! But don’t worry, keep calm.
First of all, check your application form, had you (maybe by mistake) applied for the Statistical investigator or compiler positions? In any case I think it would be possible for you to appear only for Paper 1 and Paper 2, even if you don’t appear for Paper 3, provided you have applied for positions which require only Paper 1 and Paper 2.
SSC people will never reply to your email, to be fair they would be receiving hundreds, if not thousands of email a day!
It would be a better idea to contact your respective centre over phone, in case the numbers given below don’t work please look for contact information on the site of your regional centre. Remember these are office numbers, choose your calling time wisely.
Hope this helps
SSC(NR), New Delhi – 01164715222, 01165021888,01124363343,01124360840
SSC(CR), Allahabad – 05322460511, 05326541021
SSC(SR), Chennai – 09445195946, 04428251139
SSC(WR), Mumbai – 09869730700, 07738422705
SSC(ER), Kolkata – 09477461228, 09477461229
SSC(MPR) Raipur – 09407921504, 09407921505
Best of Luck
priyanka says
Dear sir ,
can u guide me about ssc and its various posts .
I’v completed MBA in HR ,,
admin says
Sorry it took me a while to get back to you.
It seems you are in a difficult position! But don’t worry, keep calm.
First of all, check your application form, had you (maybe by mistake) applied for the Statistical investigator or compiler positions? In any case I think it would be possible for you to appear only for Paper 1 and Paper 2, even if you don’t appear for Paper 3, provided you have applied for positions which require only Paper 1 and Paper 2.
SSC people will never reply to your email, to be fair they would be receiving hundreds, if not thousands of email a day!
It would be a better idea to contact your respective centre over phone, in case the numbers given below don’t work please look for contact information on the site of your regional centre. Remember these are office numbers, choose your calling time wisely.
Hope this helps
SSC(NR), New Delhi – 01164715222, 01165021888,01124363343,01124360840
SSC(CR), Allahabad – 05322460511, 05326541021
SSC(SR), Chennai – 09445195946, 04428251139
SSC(WR), Mumbai – 09869730700, 07738422705
SSC(ER), Kolkata – 09477461228, 09477461229
SSC(MPR) Raipur – 09407921504, 09407921505
Best of Luck,
Competition Digest
Megha Sharma says
Sir, I am B.TECH(electronics) student. In SSC (CGL) which type of post are required.
admin says
Hi Megha,
Please refer to the section “Educational Qualifications For SSC CGL 2015” above. As you can see, with a B.Tech you are eligible for all positions except – Compiler and Statistical Investigator Grade II. Does that help?
Dev says
Sir, i had business statistics as a paper in graduation …am i eligible for stat investigator post ?
admin says
Hi Dev,
If you look at the Educational Qualifications For SSC CGL 2015, particularly for Statistical Investigator Grade II it says you need – Bachelor’s Degree in any subject from a recognized University or Institute with at least 60% in Mathematics at 12th standard level: OR Bachelor’s Degree in any subject with Statistics as one of the subjects at degree level.
So the simpler question to ask is are you a graduate AND did you also get 60% in Mathematics at 12th standard? If yes then you qualify.
Otherwise, I am afraid you will have to call the SSC office. In fact I found a case where someone had gone to court against SSC due to reasons similar to you (read it here), but I couldn’t find what came out of it.
Niha says
Sir,
I have applied for SSC CGL 2015.. but i have noticed a mistake in application after submission.. In the preference list i have listed Statistical investigator and compiler but when they have asked have you applied for those two posts in other dialog box, I have answered it “NO”.
will there be any problem regarding this.. i m engineering student, having no knowledge of statistics, will i need to take exam of tier 2 paper 3?
Thanks in this regard
Niha
admin says
Your case is really very complex. This may cause problems if you intend to appear for Statistical investigator and compiler posts, otherwise you should be Ok. A lot depends on SSC. I can only wish you luck!
NIVEDITA SINGH says
Sir is there any minimum qualifying marks in case of statistics paper?
I have secured above 60% marks in maths in 12th and I intend to apply for statistical investigator post but if I apply for the post and then later I decide not to appear in paper III of statistics or I am not able to secure minimum marks to be allotted this post then whether this will have impact on my other interview-based preferred posts as I have given priority to assistants post in CSS, railway, AFHQ, CVC, IB and so on?
admin says
Hi Nivedita. SSC has not placed any qualification criteria for statistics paper.
raghu says
I have given preference to statistical investigator post in my options.Later, I realised that I do not have knowledge of the subject required for this paper-3 of tier-2.Now, can I skip this paper-3.If I don’t write this paper, will I have to face any problem if I qualify tier-2?
admin says
Ideally you should not. And I have heard people not face any problems. BUT please confirm by calling up your regional SSC centre. In case you are not able to confirm, there is no harm in appearing for the paper.
NOTE TO OTHERS: PLEASE be careful when you are filling up your application forms, don’t get into tricky situations which can be avoided!
rupali says
Sir, I wanted to know when the admit cards for tier II will be available. I tried searching but there is no download link available on the website.
admin says
Different regions start releasing admit cards on different dates. Please check your date on SSC website. Don’t panic!
abhishek anand says
sir i am not graduate yet,,, i applied for statistical officer (i have 60% marks in 12th standard in math),,,,am i eligible?
admin says
No, you are not eligible because you have NOT FINISHED your graduation. Only if you have finished your graduation can you register for the exam.
SHAMSHUDDIEN says
Respected Sir,
I have cleared tire 1 of ssc cgl. I completed btech ece. I also opted for compiler post in cgl. so i got hall ticket with all three papers schedule. but i don’t want to write paper 3 . am I eligible to get job other than compiler if I got sufficient marks in the exam.
Please help me as early as possible.
Thank you.
admin says
Hi Shamshuddien,
Your selection depends on both the marks you score and your post priority list. So skipping/not passing paper 3 should not be a problem. However, please call up your zonal SSC office to clarify this. In case of doubt, appear for the paper 3 – even if you don’t clear it, you will be eligible for other posts. PROVIDED you have filled them as your choice in the application form.
Dhamu says
Hi sir, I am qualified for tier 2, Do we need to apply for that again as we applied for tier 1. I am worried. Thanks in advance
admin says
No. You don’t need to apply again for Tier 2.
Amit Goswami says
Dear Sir, can a student in final year of his graduation apply for ssc cgl?
admin says
Hi Amit. The quick answer would be no. While filling up the application form you will have to enter details like subjects taken, year of exam, medium and marks obtained. If you don’t have these details either because you have not appeared for the exam as of yet, or because the results have not come, you will not be able to apply.
Monu says
If I apply assistance auditor and compiler and statics and failed then I would be considered for rest job as per merit or I have to clear all 3 exam
Arav says
Yes, if you qualify the other two papers in Tier 2, but don’t clear statistics, you will still be considered for the posts which you have filled in the preference list. This will be as per the merit list for your particular category.
jaga says
sir, will all candidates get job who qualified in tier-2 ? how will be the selection processor after tier-2 ?
Arav says
No. SSC will prepare a merit list after the Tier 2. And the number of candidates to be recruited will depend on the vacancies available. To get a job, you will have to get a high enough rank in your respective category.
jaga says
sir. so they will look in to respective category wise? so one needs to top his category right?… which rank may be safe?…top 100 is better?? or top 10 rank
Arav says
Yes. Getting a high rank in your category (general/sc/st etc.) is important. Obviously 10 is better than 100 😛
NVNEETA MHANTA says
WHAT IS EXAM PATTERN
WHAT IS TIER 1 & 2
PLS TELL DETAILS
NVNEETA MHANTA says
pls tell me which books should should be used for Tier 2 preparation
Vkas Vd says
i am b.tech ee can i apply for compiler and statstical investigator
Sandeep Saneja says
i need to know what happens when a person is selected for interview post after tier 2, but he doesn’t crack the overall cut off for an interview post ,after the interview is done.
what would happen then.. will he be rejected or he will be considered qualified for the non- interview posts .. ? kindly help ..
Arav says
I am working on SSC CGL Tier 2 books post. Will take a few days. Only advice is that you cover the common topics in one go, but concentrate more on Tier 1 at the moment.
Arav says
Hello Vikas, have you checked this post – https://competitiondigest.com/ssc-cgl-eligibility-in-simple-english
Please let me know if your doubts persist.
Arav says
Hi Sandeep, you would be happy to know that SSC CGL posts will not have any interview from now on 😀 Just to answer your question, though, in such a case candidates would have definitely been considered for non-interview posts on the basis of their order of post preference and their rank in their own category. But now there is no interview!
Zubair Sajid says
Sir if i have applied for the post of assistant audit officer and dont have ‘desirable qyalification’ can i leave that paper4 and still be eligible for other posts?
Pls answer because i m only b.tech and dont posses qualificatios like finance and economics etc but applied for that post because these were not essential qualifications for the post
Arav says
Please check the ssc cgl notification for complete details – https://competitiondigest.com/ssc-cgl-notification-released/
SHUBHAM says
quantitative aptitude by rs aggarwal does not have most of the topics which are very important for the exam like trignometry,geometry,triangles etc
Suggest me maths book which cover all the topics and is specifically for ssc
durga says
I would like to apply for Assistant Audit officer post also along with other post. If I fail in paper 4..Can I eligible to other posts ? kindly advice me.
Arav says
Yes If you clear other papers and fail paper 4, you will still be considered for other posts.
Arav says
You can go for SSC Mathematics Chapterwise Solved Papers 1999 – Till Date by Kiran Prakashan (CLICK HERE). But this will not have much of concepts. In case you have doubts in only a few areas, you can refer NCERT books. Also, RS Agarwal is otherwise a good book so may use it along with NCERT books. There are several new books in the market, but I have not really checked any of those. Let me know what you think.
Arav says
Hi Priyanka, I am sorry. Due to some error, I missed your comment. Have you seen this post – https://competitiondigest.com/ssc-cgl-posts-salary/
Please let me know if you need to know something more.
Surendra Kumar says
Sir , i am unable to log in to view my registrn form ssc cgl 16 ,as my password which i hv enterd i hv forget,neither it is notpresent in email they have send, is there any way to get forget password .
thank you.
Arav says
Search your email for “Acknowledgement SSC online Registration”. You should have received mail from SSC. Don’t forget to check spam.
If you can’t locate this message, then you will have to register on the second server. Go to http://ssconline2.gov.in
On the top right side in the menu there is a link called “Examination”, In that choose “Part-I Registration” and register again. Please note down all details carefully. Also, remember that if you are filling the application on this server you will be required to
view the registration of the application on the same server (i.e. Server-II)
M S D says
As said in notification (No interview fr cgl 16)
The merit list list ll be prepared based on our Tier1 andTier 2 marks alone ryt ??
Arav says
Yes. That’s correct. Also, skill test/ computer proficiency test will be used as a qualifier (only have to pass, marks in these will not be used for merit list)
M S D says
Thanks 🙂
durga says
what is the job location for Assistant Audit officer if candidate select through SSC CGL? Does it good post for girls ?
Arav says
Check this link (Note IV, Page 5) – http://ssc.nic.in/SSC_WEBSITE_LATEST/notice/notice_pdf/exam_notice_CGLE_12_02_2016.pdf#page=5
Essentially, you can be posted across India. However, you are asked for your preference and decision will be based on your merit rank.
The post is definitely good for female candidates.
Rekha says
Sir I have completed my Btech ECE. Can I apply for SSc CGL posts Statistical Investigator Gr. II post and Compiler posts ?
durga says
Dear Sir , I am from TamilNadu. Due to elections on May 16 , exam will postponed ? please let me know.
SelvaRaj says
Due to Tamil Nadu general elections on May 16 2016. People are telling SSC CGL Exam may postponed in Tamil Nadu. So could you pls. explain any chance to postpone ?
Chitranshu says
Hello Sir.
I applied for the AAO post.I did not know that there would be a separate exam for it. Being a Btech I don’t feel I would be able to crack the Paper-4. I put the preference for AAO post at number 12. Please tell me whether failing the paper-4 will ruin my chances for the other posts or not?
Thank you.
Arav says
No. Even if you fail Paper 4, you will be considered for posts other than AAO, provided you clear the other exams.
santhiya says
how to register ssc tier 2??
Arav says
Unless you see a notice on SSC website, do not believe in what people have to say. As of now, change of exam schedule has not been announced.
Arav says
SSC website does not say anything, so expect the exams to be on schedule.
Arav says
Have you read this post – https://competitiondigest.com/ssc-cgl-posts-salary/
Arav says
Yes Zubair. You will still be eligible for other posts if you leave paper 4.
Narinder singh says
Hii sir ..Unfortunately I filled all the vacancies of cgl 2016 but my preference for income tax and cbi SI .I done btech and I have no idea about paper3 and paper 4 of tier2 ..if I skip the paper 3 and 4 ..can I eligible for posts like income , cbi,excise etc on the basis of paper 1 n 2
Arav says
Yes. You may leave. It won’t affect other posts.
Arav says
You have to register only for SSC CGL Tier 1, there is no separate registration for Tier 2.
S. Alam says
sir plz recommend book for GS-paper iv (Finance and Economics)… for tier ii.. sir i m b-tech graduate but have studies some basics of economics for UPSC GS paper iii.
thanks…
Arav says
Hello Alam,
There are no exam-ready books for this particular paper at the moment. Something may appear after the Tier 1 exam – if that happens I will update it on this site. In the meantime, I’ll share some important points which should help you with your preparations:
1. The paper will have two parts. Part A – Finance and Accounts – (80 marks) and Part B – Economics and Governance – (120 marks). From the marks, you can judge which topics are more important and should prepare accordingly.
2. Prepare using graduate level books. Check this site for material from Delhi University – https://sol.du.ac.in/solsite/Courses/StudyMaterial.aspx?ID=02
3. You DON’T need UPSC (IAS) level preparation. The paper will consist of only objective questions (as per the notification). SSC CGL papers mostly test candidates on subject knowledge and some simple application.
Some time later I plan to write a separate post for this. Feel free to check after Tier 1 exam. Best of luck.
RAJESH CHANDRA DAS says
sir i have completed(filled) my SSC CGL 2016 form and submitted.
but after the submission process when i print it out then i saw that in postal address post office adderess is copied two times and district name is missed but in permanent address everything is okay.is this could be any cause of rejection ?? please reply soon
Arav says
No. This shouldn’t worry you. Focus on preparation.
RAJESH CHANDRA DAS says
thank you sir…..