Is it due to inadequate preparation or due to some other reasons?
The number of candidates recruited in Staff Selection Commission (SSC) CGL exam in past 4 years are 37,000 , 8,415, 17,727 and 15,118. The names of posts recruited are like Inspector of Income Tax, Central Excise, coustoms , CBI, ED, Narcotics etc., and for various other departments of Government of India. There are various posts with monthly salary available (gross) between (about) ₹. 45000 to ₹. 90000, to new recruits.
Now CGL 2026 exam is being notified, for 12,200 vacancies. Application closes on 22 June 2026. Qualification is any graduation, with maximum age from 27 years to 30 years (as on 01-08-2026). The online exam will be conducted in tire 1 and 2. Tire 1 has one paper consisting of 100 questions from reasoning, GK, mathematics and English comprehension. Tier 2 exam has 3 papers of 2 hours each.
The time allotted for Tier I exam is one hour for marking 100 Multiple Choice Questions. Time allotted for each question is 36 seconds. That means in CGL candidates have to, read, figure out, analyse, work out and mark it in computer in 36 seconds. As a teacher of competitive exams I can vouch that it is difficult to do all these activities at least in mathematics and reasoning subjects with normal type of preparation. No chance of spreading the time saved in each subjects as the timing is 15 minutes to each section. The uncomfortable part is that the cut off marks is 75%. How is that possible?
I was selected to C&AG office in 1995 by passing this same exam and have worked 26 years in various capacities before I opted VRS. When I attempted the exam the timing was cool. It was 90 seconds per question and we could workout in normal mode unlike today. Later during the course of my service, I have trained many probationary officers joining my office through this exam. Most of the candidates were from northern part of India. They prepare in a coaching institute for 2 to 3 years rigorously and would have worked thousands of questions in each subject. That means around 150 questions in each chapter. They have to write answers in allotted time to be successful.
What I could summarise was that – this exam suits a particular type of preparation and it forces students to coaching institutions who specialise in making students to answer very quickly. This deprived fair opportunities to other candidates who are not able to afford such facilities. The possible solutions are to adopt to the system and prepare as others or fight for a fair deal.
We have one more issue to get addresssed by SSC. Upto 2018-19 recruitment for several group B and C posts were based on region wise seniority. For example the group ‘B ‘and ‘C’ posts in the Karnataka, Kerala and Goa region, people from these regions were only considered. That system has been discontinued from 2019-20. Now Lower Division Clerks posts and peon posts in central Government are also recruited based on all India seniority. This also favours the coaching institutions. Is it not our right to ask for restoration of regional vacancies?
Please note: This is a good case to make an issue with these recruitment authorities. Students need take up this for regional justice.
For more information, ideas on preparation and success in this exam, please feel free to contact Prithvi Uthaiah, 9845013053.
