After SSC has declared its new pattern for CGL 2016, students are getting confused more than ever before. Although, notifications of SSC are very clear on their own. Still, I have seen teachers spreading rumors. Then there was an article of SSC-Tube which I read few days back. And Unacademy released a video about the same. Instead of clearing the stuff, they have actually provided with their own biased strategies, which I find flawed to large extent. So, here I am trying to help students somewhat.
1) Not much has changed
3) How does it affect? What does it mean?
Earlier, you were supposed to solve 200 questions in 120 min, i.e. on an average 36 seconds per question. Now you get 100 questions in 75 min i.e. 45 seconds per question. This is an advantage in time. But wait ! There's more.
Suppose two intelligent candidates P and Q. Both will clear the CGL and both will get job. Both have same knowledge. However they have different time management. P has both practice and knowledge, but Q has only knowledge with no practice to manage time. It will affect his rank, and post preferences as follows:
Old style: I am assuming that maths questions are always correctly solved, so that you eliminate all negative marking in maths. P attempts all 50 questions of maths correctly. Most time consuming section for unprepared candidate Q is mathematics where he can attempt maximum 35 questions in limited time, although he could solve all question if sufficient time was given. So, we have a gap of 15 marks. Next is GK. Both get around 20 marks including negative. English section brings around 35 marks each for both candidates, if both are at par with knowledge. GK and English are not much time consuming. Reasoning takes a fair share of time, but less than Maths. So, P gets 45 marks and Q gets 40. Overall, P is at loss of 20 marks from Q.
P = 50 + 20 + 35 + 45 = 150
Q = 35 + 20 + 35 + 40 = 130
So, you see that GK and English do not matter much. Still, English will be given some importance because Tier-II is waiting ahead. This puts GS at lowest priority.
New style: Now each candidate gets 15 minutes extra advantage. But P can't take use of it, becayse for him, time was not a problem. He had the limitations of the maximum he knows. But for Q, this is a leap. He was not short of knowledge. Time was the only problem. He can solve at least 10 questions in 15 minutes, which means 20 marks extra.
P = 150
Q = 150
So, new pattern removes time-barrier for most of the intelligent (but lazy) candidates. This is the loss to hard-working guy. So what should be done?
GK !! Yes that's what can be enhanced. This patterns emphasizes that now you focus on GK too. Lazy Q will read a GK book, get 1 question extra (and 2 marks) and hard working will be just depending of 50 marks of Maths.
Remember that in sufficiently given time, anyone will get 50/50 in maths. Barrier is only GK. So now master this section also to improve your chances.
4) A loss to those who guess the answers
Earlier, guess work would give you either +1 or -0.25. So, if I do it right and you do it wrong, we would be at a difference of 1.25 marks. But now it is +2 and -0.5. So wrong guess and right guess would create a difference of 2.5 marks.
Also, don't fall in trap of those who says that there is 25% chance of getting is right. That is the case only when guess is purely like 'akkad-bakkad-bambe-bo'. But in reality, there is always some preconception which will affect your decisions in guess. Your guesses are always under influence of some sort of bias. And examiner knows that too. Options are deliberately made in such a manner that you choose wrong answer with confidence. Your brain is highly prone to influences. And under such biased situations, you are never at 25% chance of getting it right.
5) What does it mean when SSC says that Tier-I is qualifying?
Simply put, without clearing the cutoff for Tier-I, you will not be allowed to sit for Tier-II. But normally when we say 'qualifying' it means that marks obtained in that paper should not be counted while generating merit list. But SSC-CGL Tier-I is not 'purely qualifying'. It is necessary to clear its cutoff, as well as its marks will be counted.
Example: There are four candidates, P, Q, R and S.
Let us assume that out of 200 marks exam in Tier-I,
Here, R and S, both are disqualified. They are both equal and they need to prepare again and try next year (if age limit also permits). But P and Q are not equal. Although both cleared pre and both are allowed to sit in mains, but difference of 39 marks have to be covered by Q in mains and essay combined. Only then, he will get better rank (and better job) than P. Extra hardwork done by P is not wasted. He is at advantage from the begining. (And it is very hard to cover in mains, because all those who sit in mains are equally capable of getting high score if they study hard enough in the time before mains). So, each single mark in pre (and mains) is highly important.
5) Why essay is so important?
When Government of India decided that there will not be any interviews now onwards, SSC must have thought of this idea to check communication skills anyhow. Essay is seperately qualifying on its own. So, earlier, if total score of Pre+Mains+Interview were 150+350+0 = 500, still you would get the best possible ranks even after zero score in interview. But if you get the same zero score in essay, you wont be able to get any rank. Whereas anyone with marks like 130+320+40 = 490 will get a very nice rank. So take it seriously. Interview did not have any cutoff. You can't say 'interview mein nikaal diya'. But essay will have its own cutoff. So, now if you are not good enough in essay, you can say 'essay mein nikal gaya ladka'. 😁
Moreover, essay will not be like school's English exam of 'write essay on my best friend'. You are going to become govt officers. You are supposed to act like one. It will be like 'write your views on GST bill' or 'write why Polio eradication is difficult in developing countries'. I hope I have made my point, that you need a fine awareness of the world around you. For this, you may refer some examples from CAPF written exam also. I believe, CGL esaay will also follow similar pattern. However no one yet knows for sure because this is first time that essay is being introduced.
6) AAO and Statistical Invetigator
For Statistical, you need special degree. Otherwise you will not be treated qualified. But for AAO, special degree will only be a convenience for the post, but there is no special qualifying degree needed. Everyone eligible for CGL can also give exam of AAO.
7) I filled for AAO / Statistical, but I don't want to attempt its exam now. Will I get disqualified?
No! You will still remain a candidate for all other posts. You will just get zero marks in these 2 papers, which makes you disqualified for only these 2 posts.
8) If I clear AAO / statistical, are other posts still open for me?
Yes ! Your post preferences will be asked* during your document's verification after you have cleared Tier-II also. There, you can opt for all the posts.
Let me know if I left any part of this issue untouched. I will be happy to help.
* Asking fresh post-preferences is not a rule. SSC can completely skip this step if it wants to do so. Till now, they have been giving this option to freshly fill preferences because SSC knows that no-one is well aware of the posts while filling the form for the first time. Still, i would recommend that you choose your preferences with open mind even while filling form. Don't depend on this convenience that you will be asked again.
1) Not much has changed
- Pre (Tier-I) is still of 200 marks
- It's sections are still of 50 marks each
- Mains papers are still of 200 marks each
- There is still 100 marks test on your communication skills.
- Instead of 200 ques, you will get 100 ques.
- Instead of 2:00 hours, you will get 1:15 hrs
3) How does it affect? What does it mean?
Earlier, you were supposed to solve 200 questions in 120 min, i.e. on an average 36 seconds per question. Now you get 100 questions in 75 min i.e. 45 seconds per question. This is an advantage in time. But wait ! There's more.
Suppose two intelligent candidates P and Q. Both will clear the CGL and both will get job. Both have same knowledge. However they have different time management. P has both practice and knowledge, but Q has only knowledge with no practice to manage time. It will affect his rank, and post preferences as follows:
Old style: I am assuming that maths questions are always correctly solved, so that you eliminate all negative marking in maths. P attempts all 50 questions of maths correctly. Most time consuming section for unprepared candidate Q is mathematics where he can attempt maximum 35 questions in limited time, although he could solve all question if sufficient time was given. So, we have a gap of 15 marks. Next is GK. Both get around 20 marks including negative. English section brings around 35 marks each for both candidates, if both are at par with knowledge. GK and English are not much time consuming. Reasoning takes a fair share of time, but less than Maths. So, P gets 45 marks and Q gets 40. Overall, P is at loss of 20 marks from Q.
P = 50 + 20 + 35 + 45 = 150
Q = 35 + 20 + 35 + 40 = 130
So, you see that GK and English do not matter much. Still, English will be given some importance because Tier-II is waiting ahead. This puts GS at lowest priority.
New style: Now each candidate gets 15 minutes extra advantage. But P can't take use of it, becayse for him, time was not a problem. He had the limitations of the maximum he knows. But for Q, this is a leap. He was not short of knowledge. Time was the only problem. He can solve at least 10 questions in 15 minutes, which means 20 marks extra.
P = 150
Q = 150
So, new pattern removes time-barrier for most of the intelligent (but lazy) candidates. This is the loss to hard-working guy. So what should be done?
GK !! Yes that's what can be enhanced. This patterns emphasizes that now you focus on GK too. Lazy Q will read a GK book, get 1 question extra (and 2 marks) and hard working will be just depending of 50 marks of Maths.
Remember that in sufficiently given time, anyone will get 50/50 in maths. Barrier is only GK. So now master this section also to improve your chances.
4) A loss to those who guess the answers
Earlier, guess work would give you either +1 or -0.25. So, if I do it right and you do it wrong, we would be at a difference of 1.25 marks. But now it is +2 and -0.5. So wrong guess and right guess would create a difference of 2.5 marks.
Also, don't fall in trap of those who says that there is 25% chance of getting is right. That is the case only when guess is purely like 'akkad-bakkad-bambe-bo'. But in reality, there is always some preconception which will affect your decisions in guess. Your guesses are always under influence of some sort of bias. And examiner knows that too. Options are deliberately made in such a manner that you choose wrong answer with confidence. Your brain is highly prone to influences. And under such biased situations, you are never at 25% chance of getting it right.
5) What does it mean when SSC says that Tier-I is qualifying?
Simply put, without clearing the cutoff for Tier-I, you will not be allowed to sit for Tier-II. But normally when we say 'qualifying' it means that marks obtained in that paper should not be counted while generating merit list. But SSC-CGL Tier-I is not 'purely qualifying'. It is necessary to clear its cutoff, as well as its marks will be counted.
Example: There are four candidates, P, Q, R and S.
Let us assume that out of 200 marks exam in Tier-I,
'P' = 150 marks
'Q' = 111 marks
----------Cutoff is 110----------
'R' = 109 marks
'S' = 085 marks
Here, R and S, both are disqualified. They are both equal and they need to prepare again and try next year (if age limit also permits). But P and Q are not equal. Although both cleared pre and both are allowed to sit in mains, but difference of 39 marks have to be covered by Q in mains and essay combined. Only then, he will get better rank (and better job) than P. Extra hardwork done by P is not wasted. He is at advantage from the begining. (And it is very hard to cover in mains, because all those who sit in mains are equally capable of getting high score if they study hard enough in the time before mains). So, each single mark in pre (and mains) is highly important.
5) Why essay is so important?
When Government of India decided that there will not be any interviews now onwards, SSC must have thought of this idea to check communication skills anyhow. Essay is seperately qualifying on its own. So, earlier, if total score of Pre+Mains+Interview were 150+350+0 = 500, still you would get the best possible ranks even after zero score in interview. But if you get the same zero score in essay, you wont be able to get any rank. Whereas anyone with marks like 130+320+40 = 490 will get a very nice rank. So take it seriously. Interview did not have any cutoff. You can't say 'interview mein nikaal diya'. But essay will have its own cutoff. So, now if you are not good enough in essay, you can say 'essay mein nikal gaya ladka'. 😁
Moreover, essay will not be like school's English exam of 'write essay on my best friend'. You are going to become govt officers. You are supposed to act like one. It will be like 'write your views on GST bill' or 'write why Polio eradication is difficult in developing countries'. I hope I have made my point, that you need a fine awareness of the world around you. For this, you may refer some examples from CAPF written exam also. I believe, CGL esaay will also follow similar pattern. However no one yet knows for sure because this is first time that essay is being introduced.
6) AAO and Statistical Invetigator
For Statistical, you need special degree. Otherwise you will not be treated qualified. But for AAO, special degree will only be a convenience for the post, but there is no special qualifying degree needed. Everyone eligible for CGL can also give exam of AAO.
7) I filled for AAO / Statistical, but I don't want to attempt its exam now. Will I get disqualified?
No! You will still remain a candidate for all other posts. You will just get zero marks in these 2 papers, which makes you disqualified for only these 2 posts.
8) If I clear AAO / statistical, are other posts still open for me?
Yes ! Your post preferences will be asked* during your document's verification after you have cleared Tier-II also. There, you can opt for all the posts.
Let me know if I left any part of this issue untouched. I will be happy to help.
* Asking fresh post-preferences is not a rule. SSC can completely skip this step if it wants to do so. Till now, they have been giving this option to freshly fill preferences because SSC knows that no-one is well aware of the posts while filling the form for the first time. Still, i would recommend that you choose your preferences with open mind even while filling form. Don't depend on this convenience that you will be asked again.
