Books have always been man’s best friend and for the students preparing for competitive exam, books are no less than a godsend. The first step towards preparation of any exam is the selection of the right books. SSC CGL is a competitive exam for various Group B and Group C posts in different Ministries in Government of India. Millions of students prepare for this exam with the best coaching or self-study and the best books. While we leave self-study up to you, we have compiled a list of Best Book for SSC CGL preparation 2024. While, the exam will be conducted next year in March, application process is expected to begin shortly in October. Now is the time to prepare strictly for the exam and therefore we present to you SSC CGL best preparation books.
Best Books for SSC CGL 2024 Exam
Before we proceed with the best book for SSC CGL preparation, it is important that you get familiar with the exam pattern and syllabus of the exam. It allows you to get a better understanding of the paper and you can prepare in a better manner once you learn about the syllabus and exam pattern.
SSC CGL 2024 Exam Pattern
The SSC CGL exam is conducted in four tiers. While the first two tiers are online mode exam, third tier is a pen-paper based exam and tier 4 is computer proficiency test. Check out the basic overview of the SSC CGL exam pattern 2024 given below:
For Tier I exam:
- Exam duration: 1 hour
- Type of question: Objective type
- Marking scheme: For each right answer 2 marks will be given.
- Negative marking: For each wrong answer 0.5 marks will be deducted.
| Topics | No. of questions | Total marks |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | 50 |
| General Awareness | 25 | 50 |
| English Comprehension | 25 | 50 |
| General Intelligence & Reasoning | 25 | 50 |
| Total | 100 | 200 |
Tier II:
- Exam duration: 2 hours (each paper)
- Type of question: Objective type
- Marking scheme: For each right answer in Paper II 1 mark will be given and for rest papers 2 marks will be awarded.
- Negative marking: For each wrong answer in paper I 0.25 marks will be deducted and for rest papers 0.5 marks will be deducted.
| Paper | Topics | No. of questions | Maximum marks |
| Paper I | Quantitative Abilities | 100 | 200 |
| Paper II | English Language & Comprehension | 200 | 200 |
| Paper III | Statistics | 100 | 200 |
| Paper IV | General Studies (Finance & Economics) | 100 | 200 |
| Total | —– | 500 | 800 |
Tier III:
- Exam duration: 1 hour
- Question paper language: English or Hindi
- Type of question: Descriptive type
- Total marks: 100
- Topic: Application/ Letter/ Essay/ Précis Writing
Tier IV:
- Computer Proficiency Test and Data Entry Skill Test
SSC CGL Syllabus 2024
Below here is the syllabus of the SSC CGL 2024 for tier I and tier II exams:
For Tier I exam:
- Quantitative Aptitude: Trigonometric Ratio, Averages, Percentage, Profit & Loss, Ratio & Proportion, Simple Interest, Degree & Radian Measures, Square Roots, etc
- General Awareness: India and its neighboring countries- History, Culture, Geography, Economic Scene, General Policy & Scientific Research
- English Comprehension: Understanding of correct English, basic comprehension and writing ability, etc.
- General Intelligence & Reasoning: Critical Thinking, Numerical Operations, Venn Diagrams, Embedded Figures, Semantic Analogy, Figural Classification, etc
For Tier II exam:
- Quantitative Abilities: Heights & Distances, Regular Polygons, Congruence & Similarity of Triangles, Linear Equations, Bar Diagram, etc
- English Language & Comprehension: Idioms & Phrases, Spot The Error, Spelling Detection, Synonyms, Antonyms, Fill In The Blanks, One Word Substitution, etc
- Statistics: Time Series Analysis, Sampling Theory, Probability Theory, Measures of Central Tendency, Index Numbers, Analysis of Variance, etc
- General Studies Finance and Economics: Basic Accounting Concepts, Financial Accounting, Money & Banking, Demand & Supply, Economic Reforms in India, etc
Best Book for SSC CGL Preparation
Now that you are familiar with the syllabus and exam pattern of SSC CGL 2024, you can proceed with the selection of best SSC CGL preparation book. The list below provides the topic-wise best books for preparation of SSC CGL 2024.
Books for Quantitative Aptitude/ Quantitative Abilities
The following books are best for preparation of Quantitative Aptitude:
- Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by R.S. Aggarwal
- Arithmetic for General Competition Vol 1 & 2 by Neetu Singh
- Fast Track Objective Arithmetic by Rajesh Verma
- Quantitative Aptitude for CAT by Arun Sharma
- Quantitative Abilities Arithmetic Ability by Kiran Prakashan
Books for English Comprehension
The following books are best for preparation of English Comprehension:
- Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis
- Quick Learning Objective General English by RS Aggarwal & Vikas Aggarwal
- High School English Grammar and Composition by Wren & Martin
- Competitive General English by Kiran Prakashan
- Objective General English by SP Bakshi
Books for General Intelligence & Reasoning
The following books are best for preparation of General Intelligence & Reasoning:
- Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning by R.S Aggarwal
- Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation by Nishit K. Sinha
- Analytical Reasoning by M K Pandey
- A New Approach to Reasoning Verbal, Non-Verbal & Analytical by BS Sijwali, Indu Sijwal
- Lucent Reasoning by Arihant Publication
Books for General Awareness
The following books are best for preparation of General Awareness:
- Manorama Yearbook
- India Yearbook
- Pratiyogita Darpan
- Lucent
Books for General Studies
The following books are best for preparation of General Studies:
- Accounting and Finance for Bankers’ by Macmillan Education
- SSC CGL Finance and Economics (Tier-II) by Rph Editorial Board
- Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh
Books for Statistics
The following books are best for preparation of Statistics:
- Fundamentals of Statistics by S.C. Gupta
- Programmed Statistics by B L Agarwal
Basic Preparation Tips for SSC CGL exam
Some simple tricks for the candidates to obtain good marks in SSC CGL exam are given as follows:
- Before you start studying, collect all important study material at one place.
- Make quick notes of the important topics that you come across during study. These notes will help at the time of revision.
- Revision is the key to remembering topics for a long time. So don’t forget to revise what you study every day.
- Practice sample papers of previous years on a regular basis.
- Keep yourself updated with the current affairs and general knowledge.
- Do not forget to take care of your health amidst all the exam preparation.
Check Here: SSC Calendar 2024
Frequently Asked Questions
SSC CGL is an important exam for government job aspirants with thousands of students preparing each year. With the right books and dedicated hours of focused study, SSC CGL can be cleared without any coaching.
Quality matters over quantity. You just need the right books in right numbers to prepare well for SSC CGL 2024 exam. Two to three books are more than enough for concept clearing and deep study of the syllabus.
The books suggested in this article are more than enough for preparation of SSC CGL exam. However, if someone suggests you another book claiming that it’s really good, you can try and learn for yourself.
