The SSC Combined Higher Secondary Level Examination (CHSL) recruits candidates who have completed Class 12 for clerical and data-entry posts across central government ministries and departments. It is the most-attempted SSC exam for 12th-pass aspirants, drawing 30-40 lakh applicants annually.

CHSL fills Lower Division Clerk (LDC), Junior Secretariat Assistant (JSA), Data Entry Operator (DEO), Postal Assistant / Sorting Assistant (PA/SA) and DEO Grade A roles. Postings are spread across CSS, Election Commission, departments of Post, CAG audit offices, ministries, and other Group C non-gazetted establishments.

The exam has a two-tier structure — both tiers are computer-based. Tier 1 is qualifying. Tier 2 has an objective MCQ session followed by a Skill/Typing Test that is qualifying-only (no marks added to merit). Final selection is based purely on Tier 2 objective scores plus DV.

Conducted by: Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Government of India

Eligibility

General eligibility

Age:: 18-27 years. Relaxation: SC/ST +5 yrs, OBC +3 yrs, PwD +10 yrs, ex-servicemen as per rules.
Education:: 12th pass (10+2) or equivalent from a recognised board. For DEO posts in C&AG, candidates must have studied Mathematics in 12th.
Nationality:: Indian citizen, or subject of Nepal/Bhutan, or Tibetan refugee, or person of Indian origin from specified countries.

Skill / typing requirement (post-specific)

Age:: Same as above.
Education:: Same general 12th-pass requirement.
Nationality:: Same.
Attempts:: For DEO posts: typing speed of 8,000-15,000 key depressions per hour on computer. For LDC/JSA/PA/SA: 35 wpm in English or 30 wpm in Hindi.

Exam Pattern

Stage-by-stage breakdown of the recruitment process.

Tier 1 (Computer Based Test)

Mode: Online CBT
Sections: General Intelligence · General Awareness · Quantitative Aptitude (Basic) · English Language (Basic)
Questions: 100 (25 per section)
Marks: 200 (50 per section, +2 each)
Duration: 60 minutes (80 min for PwD)
Negative marking: -0.50 marks per wrong answer

Qualifying in nature. Used only to shortlist candidates for Tier 2.

Tier 2 Session 1 — Objective (merit-deciding)

Mode: Online CBT
Sections: Section I: Maths Abilities + Reasoning & GI · Section II: English + General Awareness · Section III: Computer Knowledge (qualifying)
Questions: Section I: 60 (30+30) · Section II: 60 (40+20) · Computer Knowledge: 15
Marks: Section I: 180 · Section II: 180 · Computer Knowledge: 45 (qualifying)
Duration: Section I: 1 hour · Section II: 1 hour · Computer: 15 min
Negative marking: -1 mark per wrong answer in Sections I and II

Each correct answer = +3 marks. Section I and II have separate fixed 1-hour windows — time cannot be carried over. Computer Knowledge is qualifying only.

Tier 2 Session 2 — Skill / Typing Test (qualifying)

Mode: Computer-based skill / typing test
Sections: DEO posts: Data Entry Skill Test (DEST) · LDC/JSA/PA/SA: Typing Test in English or Hindi
Questions: —
Marks: Qualifying only
Duration: 15 minutes
Negative marking: —

Must qualify, but no marks added to final merit. Final selection = Tier 2 Session 1 objective marks + document verification.

Syllabus

Tap any section to see the full list of subtopics.

General Intelligence11 topics

Series (number, letter, alphanumeric)
Coding-decoding
Blood relations
Direction sense
Syllogisms (2-statement, possibility cases)
Ranking and seating arrangement
Calendar (day from date)
Clock (angle calculations)
Analogies and odd-one-out
Venn diagrams (2-3 sets)
Matrix reasoning

Quantitative Aptitude (Basic Arithmetic + Basic Algebra)13 topics

Number system, LCM and HCF
Percentages
Profit, loss and discount (single step)
Simple and basic compound interest
Ratio, proportion and partnership
Time, work and basic pipes-cisterns
Time, speed and distance (basic train and boat)
Averages, ages
Algebra (linear equations, basic quadratic)
Geometry (triangles, circles — basic properties)
Mensuration (perimeter, area of standard shapes)
Basic trigonometry
Data interpretation (tables, bar / pie charts)

English Language (Basic Knowledge)11 topics

Synonyms and antonyms (intermediate vocabulary)
One-word substitutes
Idioms and phrases
Spelling correction
Error spotting (subject-verb, tense, prepositions)
Sentence improvement
Fill-in-the-blanks
Active / passive voice
Direct / indirect speech
Reading comprehension (short passages)
Cloze test

General Awareness8 topics

Indian History (key dynasties, freedom struggle, major leaders)
Indian Geography (states, rivers, mountains, climate)
Indian Polity (Fundamental Rights, major Constitutional bodies)
Indian Economy (RBI basics, major schemes)
General Science (NCERT 9-12 fundamentals)
Sports, awards, books and authors
Current Affairs (last 6-12 months)
Static GK (national symbols, monuments, dance forms)

Computer Knowledge (Tier 2 — qualifying)5 topics

Computer fundamentals and terminology
MS Office basics (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
Internet, email and web browsers
Networking fundamentals (LAN, IP)
Cybersecurity (firewall, phishing, malware basics)

Preparation Strategy

Solve at least 3-5 years of CHSL Tier 1 previous-year papers before starting any mock test series. The papers tell you exactly what difficulty to expect and which topics get repeated.

Quant and Reasoning together carry 50% weightage of Tier 1 and the Maths + Reasoning section in Tier 2. Cover the basics deeply rather than rushing through. Build daily routine of 20 questions per topic with 90-second target per question.

English needs daily practice — 10 new vocabulary words a day, weekly grammar revision, and 1 reading comprehension passage in a timed setting. Most aspirants under-prepare for English; consistent effort there gives a major edge.

For General Awareness, focus on static GK (well-known facts that don't change) plus the last 6 months of current affairs. Pick one source — newspaper or monthly magazine — and stay consistent. Don't read 5 different sources.

Practice typing daily from Day 1 of preparation — DEO posts need 8,000+ key depressions per hour, and LDC needs 35 wpm. Use TypeRush, TypingMaster or any free typing tutor. This skill is qualifying but candidates who ignore it fail at the last step.

Recent Changes to Know

Skill / Typing Test (Tier 2 Session 2) is qualifying only — no marks added to final merit. Selection is purely on Tier 2 Session 1 objective score.
Tier 2 marking scheme: +3 marks for each correct answer, -1 for each wrong answer in Section I and Section II.
Section I and Section II of Tier 2 have separate 1-hour time slots that cannot be combined.
Tier 1 is fully qualifying — marks not counted in final selection. Final merit decided entirely by Tier 2 objective score.

Important Dates

Notification: Typically released in May-June
Exam: Tier 1: July-September · Tier 2: October-December · Final results: typically March-May of the following year
Results: Tier 1 results 1-2 months after the exam; final selection list after Tier 2 + Skill Test + DV

Dates change every cycle. Always check the latest notification on ssc.gov.in before applying.

SSC Official Website SSC CHSL Notification SSC Calendar

Widely-Used Reference Books

Popular books many aspirants use — pick what fits your level.

Rakesh Yadav — Arithmetic (good for CHSL-level Quant)
RS Aggarwal — Quantitative Aptitude / Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning
SP Bakshi — Objective General English
Wren & Martin — High School English Grammar
Lucent's General Knowledge
Manorama Yearbook (current affairs)
Kiran Publications — Previous Year SSC CHSL Papers

SSC CHSL mock test — frequently asked questions

Is the SSC CHSL mock test on Kamiyab really free?

Yes, completely free. No signup, no payment and no hidden charges — every SSC CHSL practice test and full mock on Kamiyab is free to use.

Do I need to create an account to attempt the SSC CHSL mock test?

No. You can start any SSC CHSL quick practice or full mock without signing up. Just pick a topic and begin.

How many questions are there in the SSC CHSL mock test?

Quick Practice gives you a focused 10-question, ~10-minute test on a single topic. Full Mock is a longer paper of up to 100 questions built to match the SSC CHSL exam pattern and timing.

Which subjects and topics are covered for SSC CHSL?

4 topics are covered for SSC CHSL, including General Intelligence & Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude (Basic), English Language and more. Each topic can be practised on its own as a quick test or combined into a full-length mock.

Are the SSC CHSL questions reliable and up to date with the latest syllabus?

Quick Practice questions are hand-curated and kept aligned with the current official SSC CHSL syllabus, each with a short explanation. When the exam body revises the syllabus, the question bank is updated so you are not practising removed or out-of-syllabus topics.

Do I get the correct answers and explanations for SSC CHSL?

Yes. After you submit the test, every question shows the correct option along with a short explanation, so you can review and fix weak areas immediately.

Will the SSC CHSL mock test work on a low-end phone or slow connection?

Yes. Kamiyab runs in any modern mobile browser with no app install. The timer, scoring and explanations all work on basic Android phones and on slow networks.

How should I use Kamiyab to prepare for SSC CHSL?

Use Quick Practice daily for topic-wise revision, then take a Full Mock to simulate the real SSC CHSL timer and pressure. Read the explanations after every test and re-practise the topics where you score low.

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