Is SSC CGL Tough To Crack?

If you are an SSC CGL 2025 aspirant, you might be wondering, “Is SSC CGL tough?” There is no doubt that the SSC CGL is one of the most competitive exams in India. Yes, the SSC CGL is tough to crack, but not impossible. SSC CGL Exam is a very attractive exam in India. Every year, lacs of candidates make up their minds to appear for the SSC CGL Exam. As far as the exam process is concerned, the SSC CGL exam can be considered a challenging one. But is SSC CGL tough to crack? Is the SSC CGL syllabus vast? What type of questions comes in the exam? Read this blog carefully, you will get complete knowledge of all these questions.

Is SSC CGL Tough? Not Really; Test Yourself With Free Resources

Start practicing for the SSC CGL 2025 exam with our best, reliable, and free resources that will help you in your exam preparation. Below, we have provided the direct links to our free resources that include the SSC CGL free mock test (complete and topic-wise tests), weekly current affairs tests, and much more.

Task 1	SSC CGL Free Full-Length Mock Test
Task 2	SSC CGL Free Weekly Current Affairs Tests
Task 3	Quantitative Aptitude Free Topic Tests
Task 4	General Reasoning Free Topic Tests
Task 5	English Comprehension Free Topic Tests
Task 6	General Knowledge Free Topic Tests
Task 7	Free SSC CGL Previous Year Question Papers

Is SSC CGL Exam Tough? Why and What Makes it Tough?

There are a lot of things that make the SSC CGL examination tough, such as it consists of a vast syllabus, lacs of candidates apply for the exam which tend to increase in competition, and many more things. Below, we have discussed some of the most important facts that increase the level of toughness of the SSC CGL exam. Go through these points carefully so that you can work on them and increase your chances of success.

1. Vast Syllabus Makes SSC CGL Tough

No doubt that the SSC CGL has a vast syllabus. The SSC CGL Tier 1 exam consists of four sections: General Intelligence and Reasoning, English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, and General Awareness (including current affairs). All the sections consist of a lot of topics, which makes it difficult to cover the syllabus and makes SSC CGL tough to crack the exam. But if you follow a study plan that covers a complete syllabus, it can help you crack the exam easily.

2. High Competitions Are Making SSC CGL Exam Hard

Every year, at least 20 Lakh+ aspirants fill out the form to appear in the exam, which is a very high number in comparison to the vacancies released. Due to the large number of candidates, the cut off gets high, which increases the toughness of the exam.

3. Negative Marking

In the SSC CGL Tier 1 exam, there is a negative marking of 0.50 marks. It means if you attempt a question and it gets wrong, then you will not be rewarded any mark; instead, you will lose 0.50 marks. This increases the toughness of the exam. You will not be able to do more guesswork. You should be confident in your answers and attempt only those questions on which you can rely.

4. Level of Questions

The level of questions mainly depends on your preparation. If you have prepared well for the exam, then you will find the level of questions from easy to moderate. As per the previous year’s exam analysis, it has been found that the questions are easy and can be attempted easily if candidates have practiced enough. The SSC CGL consists of two phases: Tier 1 and Tier 2. The questions in tier 1 are much easier than the questions asked in the tier 2 exam. So, you are advised to practice on different types of questions and solve questions from easy to difficult levels.

5. Challenges – Speed, Accuracy, Time Management

The SSC CGL tier 1 is a time-bounded exam in which you will be provided 60 minutes or 1 hour to attempt the overall test (100 questions will be provided). Attempting the 100 questions in 60 minutes is somehow difficult. So, the solving speed, maintaining accuracy, and time management skills are the factors that make the SSC CGL exam tough. But you can manage all these things just by practicing the SSC CGL mock tests and decreasing the exam’s toughness.

Is SSC CGL Tough to Crack? Make it Easy by Following Tips

Here, we have provided some tips and important facts that will help you to make your SSC CGL exam preparation easy.

1. Understanding of the Exam

Understanding the SSC CGL exam should be the first step. It includes syllabus, exam pattern, salary, selection process, etc. When you have a good knowledge of the exam, then you can plan your study accordingly.

2. Create a Study Plan

A study plan or schedule is one of the best ways to tackle your preparation in a very easy manner. Create your study plan in a way that can help you to cover the complete syllabus, time for proper revision, and time for practicing the mock tests. When you create a study plan, you set a goal to complete a task. For example, if you want to finish the basics of the topics and you allocate one month, then there are more chances to finish the task in that allocated time.

3. Practice Mock Tests

• Improve speed: The SSC CGL exam has a time limit, and practicing mock tests helps you solve questions quickly.
• Create accuracy: Regular practice helps to reduce errors. You will learn how to solve problems with greater accuracy.
• Time management: By taking mock tests under time-bound conditions, you will improve your ability to manage the time assigned to each section of the exam itself.
• Get to know the exam pattern: By taking a mock test, you can experience questions that appear in the exam itself, which reduces anxiety and helps you remain calm.

4. Create a Schedule for Revision

As we all know, the syllabus is vast, which means whatever you learn, you can forget at any time. So, to remember whatever you are learning, it’s important to revise it from time to time. Make a schedule for revision and track your progress regularly. If the schedule is effective, then be consistent with that, and if you find that the schedule is not that effective, change the schedule and create a more effective one.

5. Focus on Weak Areas

During your preparations, be sure to focus on your weak areas. You have a syllabus; look for more challenging topics, so it is important to identify them and dedicate extra time to improve them. Do not ignore difficult topics; Instead, break them into small, manageable parts and practice them by attempting topic-wise tests to get in-depth knowledge. The more time you spend in your weak areas, the more confident.

6. Improve Your Speed and Accuracy

Improvement in speed and accuracy is a must. When you practice the mock test, you always aim to improve your speed and accuracy. The SSC CGL examination has a time limit, so it is necessary to be able to solve the questions quickly and correctly. With regular practice, you will be able to improve your speed and accuracy. Work on techniques and shortcuts to solve the questions that will help you save time and increase accuracy.

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Other Blogs of SSC CGL 2025
SSC CGL Notification	SSC CGL Syllabus
SSC CGL Study Plan	SSC CGL Exam Pattern
SSC CGL Cut Off	SSC CGL Preparation Strategy
SSC CGL Previous Year Question Papers

Is SSC CGL Tough To Crack? FAQs