Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About SSC CGL Cut Off

Q1. What are cut-off marks in SSC CGL?

Answer: Cut-off marks in SSC CGL are the minimum qualifying marks that candidates need to score to advance to the next stage of the examination. These marks are determined by SSC based on various factors including:

• Total number of candidates who appeared for the exam
• Overall difficulty level of the question paper
• Number of available vacancies for different posts
• Category-wise reservation policies
• Normalization process (when applicable)

Cut-offs are released separately for each tier (Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3) and vary by category (General, OBC, EWS, SC, ST, PwD) and post requirements.

Q2. How many marks do I need in SSC CGL?

Answer: The marks required in SSC CGL vary significantly based on your category and target post. Based on recent trends:

Tier 1 Requirements:

• General Category: 145-155 marks (out of 200)
• OBC Category: 140-150 marks
• EWS Category: 135-145 marks
• SC Category: 120-135 marks
• ST Category: 110-125 marks
• PwD Categories: 60-120 marks

Tier 2 Requirements:

• Generally 60-70% of total marks for most posts
• Higher percentages (75-80%) for prestigious posts like AAO, JSO
• Varies significantly by post and category

Important Note: These are approximate ranges based on historical data. Actual requirements may vary based on exam difficulty and competition levels.

Q3. How to calculate SSC CGL cut-off marks?

Answer: SSC CGL cut-off calculation involves several steps:

Basic Formula:

Cut-off = Minimum qualifying marks for a specific category and post

Calculating Your Potential Score:

Total Marks = (Number of Correct Answers × 2) – (Number of Incorrect Answers × 0.5)

For Tier 1:

• Each correct answer = +2 marks
• Each wrong answer = -0.5 marks (negative marking)
• Maximum marks = 200 (50 questions × 4 subjects × 2 marks)

For Tier 2:

• Session – Section I: 60 questions = 180 marks
• Session – Section II: 70 questions = 210 marks
• Session – Section III: 20 questions = 60 marks
• Paper III (Statistics): 100 questions × 2 marks = 200 marks
• Paper IV (Finance & Accounts): 100 questions × 2 marks = 200 marks

Cut-off Determination Process:

1. SSC ranks all candidates based on normalized scores
2. Determines required number of candidates for next stage
3. Sets cut-off at the score of the last qualifying candidate in each category

Factors that effect SSC CGL Cut-Off:

• Number of Vacancies: Higher number of vacancies generally will leads to a lower cut-off.
• Difficulty of CGL Exam: Tougher SSC exam will likely result in a lower cut-off compared to an easier one.
• Aspirants Performance: The overall performance of all candidates appearing for the exam also plays a crucial role in determining the cut-off.
• Previous Year’s Cut Off Trends: Analyzing previous years’ cut-offs can provide insights into potential cut-off ranges. So, check the historical CGL cut off trends given above.
• Normalization: As the SSC exam is conducted in multiple shifts, normalization is used to account for variations in difficulty levels across different shifts.

It may be noted that, SSC CGL Cut-offs may varies for different posts, especially for specialized roles like JSO and AAO. And and separate cut off are released each tier of exam.  

Q4. What is the cut-off for Income Tax Inspector?

Answer: Income Tax Inspector is recruited through SSC CGL under Group B posts. The cut-off for this post typically falls under the “General Posts” category. Check the estimated cut off given below, based on recent trends:

SSC CGL Tier 1 Cut-off (Approximate):

• General: 150-155 marks
• OBC: 145-150 marks
• EWS: 140-145 marks
• SC: 125-135 marks
• ST: 115-125 marks

CGL Tier 2 Cut-off (2024 data):

• General: 348.99 marks (Inspector – CBIC/similar posts)
• OBC: 344.05 marks
• EWS: 344.43 marks
• SC: 343.48 marks
• ST: 336.01 marks

Note: Income Tax Inspector and Inspector (CBIC) have similar cut-off ranges as they fall under comparable pay scales and responsibilities.

Q5. What is a good score in CGL Tier 1?

A good score in SSC CGL Tier 1 depends on your category and career aspirations:

Excellent Scores (Top 1% candidates):

• General: 175+ marks (87.5%+)
• OBC: 170+ marks (85%+)
• EWS: 165+ marks (82.5%+)
• SC: 155+ marks (77.5%+)
• ST: 145+ marks (72.5%+)

Good Scores (Safe qualification with good post options):

• General: 160-175 marks (80-87.5%)
• OBC: 155-170 marks (77.5-85%)
• EWS: 150-165 marks (75-82.5%)
• SC: 140-155 marks (70-77.5%)
• ST: 130-145 marks (65-72.5%)

Qualifying Scores (Just clearing cut-off):

• 5-10 marks above expected cut-off for your category

Subject-wise Good Performance:

• Quantitative Aptitude: 18-20 correct (36-40 marks)
• Reasoning: 20-22 correct (40-44 marks)
• General Awareness: 15-18 correct (30-36 marks)
• English: 17-20 correct (34-40 marks)

Q6. What is the cut-off percentage?

Cut-off percentage refers to the minimum percentage of marks required to qualify for the next stage. SSC CGL cut-off percentages vary by tier and category:

Tier 1 Cut-off Percentages (Based on 2024 data):

Tier 2 Cut-off Percentages (General Posts – 2024):

Key Observations:

• Tier 1 generally requires 55-77% marks depending on category
• Tier 2 requires significantly higher percentages (66-81%)
• Higher percentages needed for specialized posts
• Percentages increase in competitive years

Note: These percentages are based on recent data and may vary based on exam difficulty and competition levels in future examinations.

Q7. What is the expected SSC CGL cut off for General category?

Answer: Based on historical SSC CGL cut off, the expected SSC CGL cut off for General category is generally in the range of 145-155 marks. However, this SSC CGL cut off may vary depending on exam difficulty and competition level.

Q8. How much advantage do reserved category candidates have in SSC CGL cut off marks?

Answer: Reserved category candidates have significant advantages in SSC CGL cut off:

• OBC: Typically 10-20 marks lower SSC CGL cut off than General
• SC: Usually 20-30 marks lower SSC CGL cut off than General
• ST: Generally 25-35 marks lower SSC CGL cut off than General
• EWS: Around 5-15 marks lower SSC CGL cut off than General
• PwD: Substantial advantage with SSC CGL cut off often 40-80 marks lower

Q9. Are SSC CGL cut off increasing every year?

Answer: Generally yes, but with fluctuations. The overall SSC CGL cut off trend from 2016-2023 shows an upward trajectory, though there are variations based on exam difficulty and other factors. For instance, 2022 saw lower SSC CGL cut off compared to 2021 due to increased difficulty level.

Q10. Which posts have the highest SSC CGL cut off marks?

Answer: Based on historical SSC CGL cut off data:

1. Assistant Audit Officer (AAO)/Finance posts – Highest SSC CGL cut off
2. Junior Statistical Officer (JSO) – Second highest SSC CGL cut off
3. Inspector posts (CBIC) – Moderately high SSC CGL cut off
4. General posts (UDC, Assistant, etc.) – Relatively lower SSC CGL cut off

Q11. How much should I score to be safe for SSC CGL cut off Tier 1?

Answer: For safety beyond minimum SSC CGL cut off, aim to score:

• General: 160+ marks (well above expected SSC CGL cut off)
• EWS: 150+ marks (above expected SSC CGL cut off)
• OBC: 155+ marks (above expected SSC CGL cut off)
• SC: 140+ marks (above expected SSC CGL cut off)
• ST: 130+ marks (above expected SSC CGL cut off)

Q12. Do SSC CGL cut off for Tier 2 vary significantly from Tier 1?

Answer: Yes, SSC CGL cut off for Tier 2 are substantially higher than Tier 1. While Tier 1 SSC CGL cut off range from 100-170 marks, Tier 2 SSC CGL cut off typically range from 250-600 marks depending on the post and category.

Q13. How does the normalization process affect SSC CGL cut off marks?

Answer: When SSC conducts exams in multiple shifts, normalization is applied to ensure fairness in SSC CGL cut off determination. This process can slightly affect individual scores but the overall SSC CGL cut off pattern remains consistent with historical trends.

Q14. Should I only aim to clear the SSC CGL cut off marks?

Answer: No, you should aim significantly higher than expected SSC CGL cut off because:

• SSC CGL cut off can vary unexpectedly
• Higher Tier 1 scores provide cushion for Tier 2 SSC CGL cut off
• Better overall scores lead to better post allocation beyond SSC CGL cut off
• Competition is increasing every year affecting SSC CGL cut off

Q15. How reliable are SSC CGL cut off predictions?

Answer: SSC CGL cut off predictions based on historical analysis are reasonably reliable for trend indication but not absolute. Factors like exam difficulty, number of candidates, and question paper quality can cause variations of ±10-15 marks in SSC CGL cut off.

Q16. What should be my strategy if I’m a borderline candidate for SSC CGL cut off?

Answer: If you’re scoring near expected SSC CGL cut off:

• Focus on accuracy over attempting more questions for SSC CGL cut off achievement
• Strengthen your strongest subjects first for SSC CGL cut off
• Take more mock tests to identify improvement areas for SSC CGL cut off
• Consider applying for multiple categories if eligible for different SSC CGL cut off
• Don’t rely solely on SSC CGL cut off advantages

Q17. Do SSC CGL cut off differ for different exam centers or states?

Answer: No, SSC CGL cut off are uniform across all exam centers and states. The selection is merit-based and not state-wise or center-wise for SSC CGL cut off determination.

Q18. How do I know which post I’ll get after clearing all SSC CGL cut off?

Answer: Post allocation after clearing SSC CGL cut off depends on:

• Your overall rank/score across all tiers beyond SSC CGL cut off
• Post preference given during application
• Category-wise vacancy distribution
• Availability of posts at the time of allocation

Q19. Can SSC CGL cut off go down compared to previous years?

Answer: Yes, SSC CGL cut off can decrease if:

• The exam is significantly more difficult
• There are technical issues during the exam
• Vacancy numbers increase substantially
• Competition decreases (though this is rare for SSC CGL cut off)

Q20. How should I prepare differently based on my target SSC CGL cut off?

Answer:

• High SSC CGL cut off targets: Focus on advanced concepts, speed, and accuracy
• Moderate SSC CGL cut off targets: Strengthen basics and attempt easier questions first
• Safety SSC CGL cut off targets: Master fundamental concepts and avoid negative marking

Q21. What happens if I miss the SSC CGL cut off by 1-2 marks?

Answer: Unfortunately, SSC follows strict SSC CGL cut off criteria. Missing by even 1 mark means you won’t qualify for the next stage. This emphasizes the importance of aiming well above expected SSC CGL cut off.