SSC GD Exam Pattern: The CBT and All Four Stages
One short written test, then three stages where no book helps. Here is how selection actually runs.
SSC GD selection has four stages: a 90-minute computer-based test, the Physical Efficiency Test and Physical Standard Test, a medical examination, and document verification. Only the first is a written exam. The other three check your body and your paperwork, and each can end the attempt on its own.
This page covers the CBT mechanics and the stage order. The physical and medical standards have their own page.
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The CBT: Sections and Marks
90 minutes, online, four sections of equal weight:
General Intelligence & Reasoning
Questions
20
Marks
40
General Knowledge & Awareness
Questions
20
Marks
40
Elementary Mathematics
Questions
20
Marks
40
English / Hindi
Questions
20
Marks
40
Total
Questions
80
Marks
160
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General Intelligence & Reasoning | 20 | 40 |
| General Knowledge & Awareness | 20 | 40 |
| Elementary Mathematics | 20 | 40 |
| English / Hindi | 20 | 40 |
| Total | 80 | 160 |
A Short Paper Where Every Question Weighs Double
Eighty questions for 160 marks means each question carries 2 marks, and 90 minutes gives you over a minute per question, generous by SSC standards. The paper is not a speed trap; it is an accuracy contest. With vacancy counts in the tens of thousands and applicants in the lakhs, the difference between selection and miss is usually a handful of questions.
A commonly used safety target among repeat candidates is 120 or more out of 160 to be comfortable for the PET call, though actual cut-offs vary by cycle, category and force.
The format described here, as real questions. No signup.
The Four-Stage Sequence
- 1
Computer Based Test
The 160-mark paper above. Clearing its cut-off earns the physical call letter.
- 2
PET and PST
Running events and height/chest measurement, detailed on the physical test page. Eliminating, not scored.
- 3
Medical examination
Vision, hearing and general fitness checks against the forces' medical standards.
- 4
Document verification
The final stage: certificates, category documents and identity checks before allocation.
Marking Scheme: Check the Current Notification
SSC states the exact marking scheme, including any deduction for wrong answers, in each cycle's official notification on ssc.gov.in. Confirm it there before deciding how to treat questions you are unsure of.
Exam Pattern FAQs
How many questions are in the SSC GD CBT?expand_more
80 questions for 160 marks in 90 minutes: 20 questions of 40 marks each in reasoning, general knowledge, elementary mathematics and English/Hindi.
How many stages does SSC GD selection have?expand_more
Four: the CBT, the PET/PST physical tests, the medical examination, and document verification. Only the CBT is a written test.
What score should I target in the SSC GD CBT?expand_more
Repeat candidates commonly target 120 or more out of 160 to be safe for the PET call letter, though real cut-offs move with vacancies, category and force each cycle.
Next steps
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