To crack any competitive exam, a structured and systematic method of preparation is essential, especially for a very competitive exam like the SSC online test. For this, what you need is a proper study plan. Following a well-structured study plan will surely help you to crack the SSC online exam without having to depend on any coaching centers. Since the SSC exams are mostly online, the wisest idea would be to do online test preparation and to keep practicing SSC online mock tests.
The SSC (Staff Selection Commission) conducts exams for various posts coming under different ministries/departments in India. Some of these exams are the CGL (Combined Graduate Level) exam, Junior Engineer exam, Stenographers (Grade C and D) exam, SSC JHT exam and more. These exams are conducted from time to time throughout the year. Most SSC exams have almost the same syllabus, with one or two of the sections differing based on the particular exam. For example, in the SSC JE exam, there will be a section with engineering questions as this exam is conducted to recruit candidates for the Junior Engineer post. Similarly, for the JHT (Junior Hindi Translator) post, there will be questions to test the candidate's proficiency in Hindi. Apart from these, most SSC exams have the following syllabus:
Quantitative Aptitude: Data Interpretation, Simplification/ Approximation, Number Series, Quadratic Equations, Quantity based problems, Ratio & Proportion, Percentage & Averages, Profit & Loss, Mixtures & Allegations, Pipes and Cisterns, Boats and Streams, Simple Interest & Compound Interest, Time, Work and Wages, Time & Distance, Permutation, Combination & Probability
Logical Reasoning: Seating Arrangement (Circular, Linear, Square), Puzzles, Syllogism, Input-Output, Coding-Decoding, Blood Relations, Alphanumeric Series/Number Series/Alphabet Series, Order and Ranking, Direction based questions, Data sufficiency, Inequalities
English: Reading Comprehension, Cloze test, Fill in the blanks, Error Spotting/New Pattern Error Spotting, Sentence Correction/Sentence Improvement, Para Jumbles, Para Summary, Odd One Out, Para Completion
General Studies: Questions in this section may be asked from numerous topics including Biology, Chemistry, Polity, Economy, etc.
The Glow & Lovely Careers (formerly known as Fair & Lovely Career Foundation) provides free online aptitude tests that you can take to ace the Quantitative Aptitude and Logical Reasoning sections of the exam.
Now that you have an idea of the syllabus for the exam, you can create a detailed study plan. Here are a few tips for the same:
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Identify your weak areas and plan to work on those during that period of the day where you feel you can be most productive. For some people, it is the morning hours, and for some, it is the night time. Spend these productive hours practicing aptitude questions or maybe doing some English comprehension questions, if English is the toughest for you.
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Make sure you spend at least 2 hours every day studying for all the 4 sections.
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For each subject, aim to get the basic concepts cleared first. For example, in the first 3 months of preparation, aim to cover the following portions under each subject:
Quantitative Aptitude: Basic Algebra (linear equations, polynomials, quadratic equations), number series, percentage, average, ratio & proportion, Simple & Compound interest, basic geometry
Reasoning & Intelligence: Figure based questions, letter, and number based questions, blood relation, direction & distance, seating arrangement
English Language: Basic grammar, vocabulary, synonyms & antonyms, sentence completion. Also, aim to keep increasing your reading speed.
Once the foundation for every subject is made strong, then you can easily build on it.
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In the next 3 months, aim to work on the rest of the topics and complete the entire syllabus in 6 months. This is easily possible as you will be devoting at least 6-7 hours daily. Only if you finish the entire syllabus in 6 months, you will get ample time to practice mock tests and online mock examsin the remaining months.
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In the last 2-3 months of preparation, you need to devote a lot of time practicing previous years' question papers. This is extremely important as you will get clarity on the specific portions that you need to emphasize in case you are falling behind on any.
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In addition to solving online practices questions and mock exams every day, make sure you learn the various shortcut methods, tips, and tricks to easily solve Maths and other questions. This will give you an edge over the other candidates. Make notes of all important equations, formulae, etc. and study them by-heart.
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Make sure you are accessing the right online study material while preparing for these important exams. You will find a lot of material online, but not everything might be dependable. So, ensure that you are not wasting time on material that does not have the potential to bring out the best in you.
The key to cracking a competitive exam without taking help from a coaching centre is to manage time and follow a strict daily routine. If you can manage your time well, then with the help of the Glow & Lovely Careers, you can easily crack any SSC exam and come out with flying colours.
