SSC Combined Higher Secondary Level Exam — syllabus and exam pattern

The Combined Higher Secondary Level (10+2) Exam is conducted by the Staff Selection  Commission for the posts of Lower Divisional Clerk (LDC) / Junior Secretariat Assistant (JSA), Postal Assistant (PA)/ Sorting Assistant (SA) and Data Entry Operator (DEO).

The Scheme of Examination and Syllabus of the exam are indicated below:

Scheme of Examination: The examination will consist of — Computer Based Examination (Tier-I), Descriptive Paper (Tier-II) and Skill Test/ Typing Test (Tier-III).

Tier-I (Computer Based Examination-Objective Type):
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Tier-I Examination: It will consist of Objective Type, Multiple choice questions only. The questions will be set both in English & Hindi for Part-II, III & IV.

● There will be negative marking of 0.50 marks for each wrong answer.

● Answer Keys, in due course after the Computer Based Examination, will be placed on the website of the Commission (https://ssc.nic.in). Any representation regarding answer keys received within the time limit fixed by the Commission at the time of uploading of the answer keys, will be scrutinized and the decision of the Commission in this regard will be final. No representation regarding Answer keys shall be entertained, afterwards.

● Marks scored by candidates in Tier-I will be normalized by using the formula published by the Commission through Notice No: 1-1/2018- P&P-I dated 07-02-2019 and such normalized scores will be used to determine final merit and cut-off marks.

Syllabus for Computer Based Examination (Tier-I):
English Language: Spot the Error, Fill in the Blanks, Synonyms / Homonyms, Antonyms, Spellings/ Detecting mis-spelt words, Idioms & Phrases, One word substitution, Improvement of Sentences, Active/ Passive Voice of Verbs, Conversion into Direct/ Indirect narration, Shuffling of Sentence parts, Shuffling of Sentences in a passage, Cloze Passage, Comprehension Passage.

General Intelligence: It would include questions of both verbal and non-verbal type. The test will include questions on Semantic Analogy, Symbolic operations, Symbolic/ Number Analogy, Trends, Figural Analogy, Space Orientation, Semantic Classification, Venn Diagrams, Symbolic/ Number Classification, Drawing inferences, Figural Classification, Punched hole/ pattern-folding & unfolding, Semantic Series, Figural Pattern-folding and completion, Number Series, Embedded figures, Figural Series, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Emotional Intelligence, Word Building, Social Intelligence, Coding and de-coding, Other sub-topics, if any Numerical operations.

Quantitative Aptitude:
Number Systems: Computation of Whole Number, Decimal and Fractions, Relationship between numbers.

Fundamental arithmetical operations: Percentages, Ratio and Proportion, Square roots, Averages, Interest (Simple and Compound), Profit and Loss, Discount, Partnership Business, Mixture and Allegation, Time and distance, Time and work.

Algebra: Basic algebraic identities of School Algebra and Elementary surds (simple problems) and Graphs of Linear Equations.

Geometry: Familiarity with elementary geometric figures and facts: Triangle and its various kinds of centres, Congruence and similarity of triangles, Circle and its chords, tangents, angles subtended by chords of a circle, common tangents to two or more circles.

Mensuration: Triangle, Quadrilaterals, Regular Polygons, Circle, Right Prism, Right Circular Cone, Right Circular Cylinder, Sphere, Hemispheres, Rectangular Parallelepiped, Regular Right Pyramid with triangular or square Base.

Trigonometry: Trigonometry, Trigonometric ratios, Complementary angles, Height and distances (simple problems only) Standard Identities like sin²? + Cos² ?=1 etc.

Statistical Charts: Use of Tables and Graphs: Histogram, Frequency polygon, Bar-diagram, Pie-chart.

General Awareness: Questions are designed to test the candidate‟s general awareness of the environment around him and its application to society. Questions are also designed to test knowledge of current events and of such matters of everyday observation and experience in their scientific aspect as may be expected of an educated person. The test will also include questions relating to India and its neighboring countries especially pertaining to History, Culture, Geography, Economic Scene, General policy and scientific research.

For VH candidates of 40% and above visual disability, there will be no component of Maps/ Graphs/ Diagrams/ Statistical Data in the General Intelligence and Quantitative.

Tier-II (Descriptive Paper):
Tier-II Paper will be a descriptive Paper of 100 Marks in ‘Pen and Paper’ Mode. The duration of the Descriptive Paper would be for one hour (20 minutes compensatory time will also be provided to the candidates eligible for scribes as per Paras 8.1 and 8.2 above). The Paper would comprise writing of an Essay of 200-250 words and a Letter / Application of approximately 150-200 words.

The minimum qualifying marks in Tier-II would be 33 per cent.

The performance in Tier II would be included for preparing merit.

The paper will have to be written either in Hindi or in English. Part paper written in Hindi and Part in English will be awarded zero marks.

Candidate must write his / her correct Roll Number and affix signature and Left-hand Thumb Impression in the relevant columns in the Question Paper-cum-Answer Book failing which zero marks will be awarded.

Candidates are strictly advised not to write any personal identity e.g. name, Roll Number, Mobile Number, Address, etc inside the Answer Book. The candidates who fail to adhere to these instructions will be awarded zero marks.

Tier-III (Skill Test/ Typing Test):
Skill Test/ Typing Test for the qualified candidates will be conducted on computers provided by the Commission or its authorized agency.

Skill Test/ Typing Test will be conducted in the cities where Regional Offices of the Commission are located or as decided by the Commission.

Skill Test/ Typing Test will be of qualifying nature.

Skill Test/ Typing Test will be conducted as per the following scheme:
Skill Test for Data Entry Operator:
Skill Test is mandatory for Data Entry Operators. No candidate is exempted from appearing in the Skill Test.

Data Entry Speed of 8,000 (eight thousand) Key Depressions per hour on Computer. The ‘Speed of 8000 key depressions per hour on computer’ will be adjudged on the basis of the correct entry of words/ key depressions as per the given passage. The duration of the Test will be 15 (Fifteen) minutes and printed matter in English containing about 2000-2200 key-depressions would be given to each candidate who would enter the same in the Computer.

For the post of Data Entry Operator in the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (C&AG): The ‘speed of 15000 key depressions per hour on Computer‟ will be adjudged on the basis of the correct entry of words/ key depressions as per the given passage. The duration of the Test will be 15 (Fifteen) minutes and printed matter in English containing about 3700-4000 key-depressions would be given to each candidate who would enter the same in the Computer.

Candidates eligible for scribe as per paras 8.1 and 8.2 will be given compensatory time of 5 minutes. Therefore duration of Skill Test for such candidates will be 20 minutes.

Typing Test for LDC/ JSA and Postal Assistant/ Sorting
Assistant:
The medium of Typing Test will be Hindi and English. The candidates will have to opt for the medium of Typing Test (i.e. either Hindi or English) in the online Application Form.

The choice of Typing Test given by the candidate in the online Application Form shall be treated as final and no change in the medium of Typing Test will be entertained later.

Candidates opting for English medium should have typing speed of 35 words per minute (w.p.m.) and those opting for Hindi medium should have typing speed of 30 words per minute (w.p.m.). 35 w.p.m. and 30 w.p.m. correspond to about 10500 key depressions per hour and about 9000 key depressions per hour respectively.

The speed will be adjudged on the accuracy of typing on the Computer of a given text passage in 10 minutes.

Candidates eligible for scribe as per paras 8.1 and 8.2 will be given compensatory time of 5 minutes. Therefore duration of Typing Test for such candidates will be 15 minutes.

Passage Dictators will be provided to those VH candidates for the Typing test who have opted for Scribe in the online Application Form. The Passage Dictator will read out the passage to VH candidate within the allotted time period.

Persons with Disabilities candidates who claim to be permanently unfit to take the Typing Test because of a physical disability may, with the prior approval of the Commission, be exempted from the requirement of appearing and qualifying at such test, provided such a candidate submits a Certificate in the prescribed format (Annexure-XIII) to the Commission from the competent Medical Authority, i.e., the Civil Surgeon of a Government Health Care Institution declaring him/ her to be permanently unfit for the Typing Test because of a physical disability. In addition, such candidates must substantiate their claim by furnishing the relevant Medical Certificate in the prescribed format as per Annexure-VIII to Annexure-X of the Notice of Examination, as applicable, at the time of Typing Test. Otherwise their claim for seeking exemption from Typing Test will not be entertained by the Commission.

Date of Computer Based Examination (Tier-I): 01-07-2019 to 26-07-2019
Date of Tier-II Examination (Descriptive Paper): 29.09.2019

Candidates are suggested to check the official notification and website for more details:

Official notification: Click Here

Official website: https://ssc.nic.in