How To Start SSC Exam Preparation - The most preferred exams to get a government job in India are conducted by the Staff Selection Commission. SSC recruits candidates who have cleared matric level through MTS exam, 10+2 level via CHSL and graduate level through CGL exam. The staff selection commission has released the yearly calendar for the SSC exams which will be conducted in 2023-24. The most striking aspect as of now is the fact that SSC has skyrocketed its selection process by conducting the exam and declaring the result on time. Moreover, the cadre and joining letter to the candidates who cleared the SSC CGL 2022 exam has been allocated. Candidates might be looking forward to grabbing this opportunity to secure a job under the central government. This article is for the candidates who are starting their preparation journey for the competitive exams conducted by SSC. This article will help you out by indicating the do's and don'ts that should be kept in mind while figuring out the strategies at the beginning of the preparations. Check out more in this article.

Popular SSC Exams

The table given below represents the most renowned exams conducted by SSC along with their schedule in 2023 for each stage.

How To Start SSC Exam Preparation?

Here, we are displaying the preparation strategies for someone who has stepped into government exam preparation very recently and trying to figure out how to start SSC exam preparation. The tips given below will certainly help the candidates to improve their chances of selection.

Know the Complete Syllabus: Having the proper knowledge and understanding of what will be asked in the exam and what not is the first thing one should care about. SSC releases the syllabus for the exam in a pdf format along with the notification. Moreover, candidates can find the syllabus on the internet on ‘n’ number of websites. Therefore, it is suggested that candidates should first note the complete syllabus before starting their preparation as this will help them to stay away from irrelevant subjects and make them aware about the necessary concepts that they need to cover to crack the exam.        ​​​
Go through the Previous Year Papers: While you are about to start your preparations, it is advised to go through the previous years' question papers. Since the exam is conducted in the CBT mode, candidates should be fast in solving the questions. The previous years' question papers introduce candidates to the types of questions asked in the exam. By solving these question papers, candidates can also get an idea about the weightage of marks. The marks alloted to each question gives an idea about which topics are important. Moreover, it is the best way to analyze your preparation. Accordingly, candidates can focus on the topics that require more attention. 

Give a Mock Test first: Before beginning the preparations, how about checking your own level. It is mandatory for students to complete the syllabus and check their preparation level through mock tests. These tests help students to know where exactly they stand. This will provide you a clear understanding of how much focus is required on which topic? By focusing on the required topics, you can achieve success in the exam. There are a whole lot of free mock tests available online. Try to pick and give one mock test on a regular basis. Check the score. See which section you found easy to attempt and which was a tough nut to crack. Analyze the mistakes you have made. All this process in the beginning, will eventually help you in the long run.

A feasible Study Plan: Competitive exams are a marathon. One cannot think of cracking the exam by studying hard for just a month or two. It is said you need to have patience while preparing for the government exams. Therefore, it is suggested that the candidates should prepare a robust time table, which is feasible at the same time. Stay focused and disciplined. You will see a lot of toppers dictating that it was their consistency that helped them to achieve the feat. So, staying persistent is the key to success. 

Have a general idea about the cutoff: Cutoff signifies the minimum marks required to clear the exam. Once you are about to get on the ride, it is better to know how far you need to go. Since the competition in today’s time is at high, there has been an increase noticed in the cutoffs for each exam. Nevertheless, it is important to know what score you need to get in order to clear the exam. This will help you to organise your preparations and will act as a tiny fear factor that will ultimately instigate you to study. Remember, the cut-offs differ for candidates from different categories. So, prepare accordingly.

Rely on Online Sources for Coaching

After going through the syllabus, if a candidate is unable to figure out how to prepare for the SSC exam, they can go online and take some help from reliable resources. There are various coaching centers with online portals to help candidates in preparing for the SSC exams. Before relying on any coaching channel, candidates can read the online reviews. The past results of candiates can available study material will help candidates to analyze the quality of education available. They can apply for some mock classes from different institutes and then pick the best coaching center for online help to prepare for the exam. While following the online resource, candidates must possess self-belief and confidence to qualify for the SSC exam. Using such resources, candidates must study smart and apply their best efforts to crack the exam.

Refer to Youtube for Guidance: In this tech savvy era, smart people are using youtube as their source of learning. Free and accessible matter on youtube is proving to be a savior for many. There are a lot of channels which specifically help the candidates in their journey of SSC exam preparation. By taking online classes on youtube, you will get to know your competition as well as most of the candidates, today, are preferring to study from youtube itself. 

Read the Newspaper Regularly: The SSC exams have GS as well as English sections. Reading the newspaper will help you to get a grip over both. Reading newspapers will help you to answer questions related to current affairs and at the same time it will improve your understanding ability and grammar. 

Learn to Manage Time for SSC Exam Preparation: Always keep in mind the time left for SSC exam preparation. The candidates should plan things day by day. It is advised to divide the subjects and topics according to the availability of time. They should prepare a time table that helps them to achieve daily targets. Try to set the tasks that can be completed in a day, otherwise, it will become a burden to complete the target.

Have a Definite Study Source: It is believed that having too much on the plate puts one in confusion. The problem of plenty is no exception when it comes to the study sources for SSC Exam preparation. Since there are a lot of options available in the market regarding books, coaching, test series, etc. candidates often end up with multiple possession of these resources. It is advised that candidates should try to filter out the sources and find the best suit for them. Keeping your sources limited and revising them multiple times is what is the reality to succeed. 

The following table lists out the booklist for English subject:

The following table lists out the booklist for General Knowledge subjects

The following table lists out the booklist for Quantitative Aptitude subject

The following table lists out the booklist for Intelligence and Reasoning subject