Staff Selection Commission

The Assistants' Grade Examination is conducted by the Staff Selection Commission for recruitment to:

1. Grade IV (Assistant) of the General Cadre of the Indian Foreign Services (B).
2. Grade II (Cypher Assistant) of Cypher Cadre of Indian Foreign Service Branch (B);
3. Assistants' Grade of the Railway Board Secretariat Service
4. (i) Assistants' Grade of the Central Secretariat Service
   (ii) Assistants' Grade of the Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service; and
   (iii) Posts of Assistants in other Departments / Organizations and the Attached Offices of the Government of India, not participating in IFS (B)/Railway Board Secretariat Service/ Central Secretariat Service/Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Services.

Eligibility

Age: A candidate must have attained the age of 20 years and must not have attained the age of 25 years on the first day of the August of the previous year. The upper age limit may be relaxed in respect of scheduled caste, scheduled tribes, other backward classes and such other categories of persons as may, from time to time, be notified in this behalf by the government of India, to the extent and subject to the conditions notified in respect of each category. The upper age limit is also relaxed to 30 years in respect of LDCs/UDCs, Stenographers Grade 'D' and Grade III with not less than 3 years continuous and regular service in various departments/offices of Government of India.

Educational Qualifications: Degree from a recognised University or equivalent

Application

The Staff Selection Commission (S.S.C.) conducts the Assistants' Grade Examination, once a year in two stages. The Preliminary Examination (Objective Type) for selection of candidates for the Main Examination, is held in the month of January. The Assistants' Grade Main Examination is held in the month of July. Blank application forms and other particulars are published in the Employment News, usually in the month of September of the previous year. The last date for submission of applications is usually the first week of October of the previous year.

Selection

Plan of Examination: The exam consists of two stages (a) Preliminary Examination and (b) Main Examination

(a) Preliminary Examination (objective type):

The preliminary examination will be of a test for selection of candidates for the main examination and would comprise the following subjects:

Note: (i) The papers in all the subjects will be of objective type (Multiple choice type)

(ii) Question papers in Reasoning Ability, General Awareness and Arithmetic will be set both in English and Hindi.
(iii) Part (iv) Language paper will be of qualifying nature and the marks secured by the candidates in this part will not be counted for the preparation of the list of candidates to be called for the main examination.
(iv) The aggregate marks secured in Part (i), (ii) and (iii) will be taken for preparation of the list of candidates to be called for Main Examination.
(v) The Commission have the discretion to fix minimum qualifying standard in any of the four parts of the Preliminary Examination.

(b) Main Examination (Conventional Type): The Main Examination will consist of the following papers:

Note:

1. The question papers for the Main Examination will be of Conventional (Essay) Type.
2. In Paper I, Part (a) of Main Examination will be compulsory for all the candidates. However, this will be of a qualifying nature. The marks secured in this part will not be counted for preparation of the final selection list. The Commission have the discretion to fix a qualifying standard in this part.
3. Candidates will have the option to answer Paper I Part (b) (Communication/Writing Skill) and Paper II (Arithmetic) either in Hindi or in English.
4. Scripts of Paper I Part (b) (Communication/Writing Skill) and Paper II (Arithmetic) will be evaluated of only those candidates who secure minimum qualifying standard in Part (a) of Paper I of the Main Examination.

Syllabus

Preliminary Examination (objective type)

Reasoning Ability: Questions in the Test of Reasoning Ability will be Non-Verbal and Verbal both. Of the 75 items, 25 items will be of Non-Verbal based on Classification, Analogy and Series, etc. The remaining 50 items will be of Verbal Type based on Letter/Number series, Letter/Number/Word Analogy, Number/Letter/Word Classification, Coding and Decoding, Problem Solving/Finding the Rule, Spatial Orientation/Special Visualisation, Statement Conclusion/Syllogistic Reasoning.

General Awareness: Questions in this test will aim at measuring knowledge of current events besides knowledge of General Science/Social Science and their application to the society. This test will also include questions on Sports, Culture, History, Geography, General Polity, etc. These questions will be such that they do not require a special study of any discipline.

Arithmetic: This test will include questions on problems relating to Number Systems, Percentages, Ratio and Proportion, Averages, Estimation, Use of Tables and Graphs, Mensuration, Time and Distance, Ratio and Time etc.

Language Test: Questions in this test will be based on error recognition, fill in the blanks (using Verbs, Prepositions, Articles, etc.), vocabulary, spellings, sequence of sentences in a paragraph, sequence of words in a sentence, cloze passage and comprehension passages, etc. Synonyms and antonyms will be asked in the context of the given passage.

Main Examination (Conventional Type)

Paper I: Language Comprehension

(a) General English: In addition to the testing of candidates understanding of the English Language and its correct usage, his writing ability would also be tested. A question on paragraph writing/report writing. etc. may also be included.

(b) Communication/Writing Skill: In addition to the testing of candidates ability to understand correct English/Hindi Language, his comprehension and writing ability would also be tested. Questions on Precise, Short Essay, Letter Writing etc., would also be included.

Paper II: Arithmetic

Simplifications involving Decimal Fractions, Ratio and Proportion, Percentages, Average, Profit and Loss, Discount, Simple and Compound Interest, Graphical Representation of Data, Reading of Linear Graphs and Tabulation of Data.