The SSC GD constable exam has 80 questions, 160 marks, and a 60-minute time limit. With 48 lakh+ applicants for 25,487 posts, strategy matters.
SSC GD Age Limit & Basic Eligibility
SSC GD age limit (as on 1 January 2026): 18–23 years (General/UR)
| Category | Relaxation | Upper Limit |
| OBC | 3 years | 26 years |
| SC / ST | 5 years | 28 years |
| Ex-Servicemen (General) | 3 years after service | Varies |
| Ex-Servicemen (OBC) | 6 years | Varies |
| Ex-Servicemen (SC/ST) | 8 years | Varies |
- Education: Class 10 pass. No minimum percentage.
- EWS gets no SSC GD age limit relaxation.
Exam Pattern
| Section | Questions | Marks |
| General Intelligence & Reasoning | 20 | 40 |
| General Knowledge & Awareness | 20 | 40 |
| Elementary Mathematics | 20 | 40 |
| English / Hindi | 20 | 40 |
| Total | 80 | 160 |
- Duration: 60 minutes | Correct answer: +2 | Wrong answer: −0.25
- Minimum qualifying: General/EWS — 30% | OBC — 25% | SC/ST — 20%
Section-wise Study Tips for SSC GD Constable Exam
General Intelligence & Reasoning
Key topics: Analogies, coding-decoding, number series, blood relations, mirror images, syllogism.
- Attempt this section first. It is the most scoring.
- Practice 30 questions daily.
- Solve 5 years of previous papers. Question types repeat.
General Knowledge & Awareness
Key topics: Current affairs (last 6 months), Indian history, polity, geography, general science (Class 8–10), sports, and awards.
- Read one monthly current affairs.
- Use NCERT Class 6–10 for History, Geography, and Science. Free PDF at ncert.nic.in
- Revise static GK every week. Memory fades without revision.
Elementary Mathematics
Key topics: Percentage, profit/loss, ratio, interest, time, speed, distance, mensuration, number system.
- Learn shortcut methods. 60 minutes for 80 questions leaves no room for long calculations.
- Do not guess. Wrong answers cost 0.25 marks.
- Practice 20 questions daily with a timer.
English / Hindi
Choose the language you are stronger in. You cannot switch after registration.
- English key topics: Error spotting, synonyms, antonyms, idioms, one-word substitution, comprehension.
- Hindi key topics: वाक्य-शुद्धि, संधि-समास, मुहावरे, पर्यायवाची-विलोम, अपठित गद्यांश.
Mock Test Strategy
- Start full mock tests 4 weeks before the exam.
- Attempt a minimum of 2 full mocks per week.
- Analyse wrong answers after every mock. Do not skip this step.
- Competitive score range: 130–154 marks based on recent cut-off trends.
- Free mock test available on ssc.gov.in
Exam Day Time Management
- Suggested order: Reasoning → English/Hindi → Mathematics → GK
- Reasoning + English/Hindi: 20 minutes maximum
- Mathematics: 25 minutes
- GK: 10 minutes
- Last 5 minutes: review skipped questions
- Never attempt a question you have no idea about.
Physical Fitness Preparation
PET is qualifying. Failing it results in disqualification, regardless of the CBE score.
| Category | Task | Time |
| Male | 5 km run | 24 minutes |
| Female | 1.6 km run | 8.5 minutes |
NCC Certificate Bonus Marks
| Certificate | Bonus Added to CBE Score |
| NCC ‘C’ | 5% of total marks |
| NCC ‘B’ | 3% of total marks |
| NCC ‘A’ | 2% of total marks |
