The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) conducts the Combined Matric Prelim Examination once a year generally in the month of September for selection of candidates for the Main Examination.

The combined Matric Preliminary Examination is conducted for selecting candidates for the Main Examinations for the following Recruitments:
    (a) Lower Division Clerks in Ministries/Departments, Attached and Subordinate offices of the Govt. of India,
    (b) Stenographer Grade 'D' in Ministries/Departments, Attached and Subordinate offices of the Govt. of India,&
    (c) Stenographer Grade 'C' in Ministries/Departments, Attached and Subordinate offices of the Govt. of India.

Eligibility:

Nationality: A candidate must be either:—
(a) A citizen of India, or
(b) a subject of Nepal, or
(c) a subject of Bhutan, or
(d) a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before 1st January, 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India. or
(e) a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia or from Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.

Examination Pattern:

The written exam will comprise of one paper with two parts:

Note: The questions in all the tests will be "Objective Multiple-Choice-Type". Candidates will be required to qualify in each of the two tests separately. The questions will be set in English and Hindi.

Syllabus :

General intelligence: The syllabus for General Intelligence would include questions of both verbal and non-verbal types. The test may include questions on analogies, similarities, differences, space visualization, problem solving analysis, judgment, decision making, visual memory, discrimination, observation, relationship concepts, arithmetical reasoning, verbal and figure classification, arithmetical number series, etc.

The test will also include questions designed to test the candidate's abilities to deal with abstract ideas and symbols and their relationships, arithmetical computations and other analytical functions.

General Awareness: Questions will be designed to test the ability of the candidates general awareness of the environment around him and its application to the society. Questions will also be 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, Central Policy and Scientific Research.

Tentative Schedule :

The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) conducts the Combined Matric Preliminary Examination once a year generally in the month of September for selection of candidates for the Main Examination.

Application Form :

Blank application forms and other particulars of SSC Combined Matric Level Preliminary Exam are published in the Employment News/Rozgar Samachar, generally in the month of May.

How to Prepare:

The candidates must prepare extensively for the examination. The examination is aimed at judging the knowledge and alertness of the candidate. For the Objective test, one needs to practice regularly to improve knowledge and speed. For subjects like General Intelligence and General Awareness, one needs to start practicing early and regularly. A good book on the basics of General Knowledge, supported by reading a good newspaper and competitive magazine can greatly assist a candidate to do well in this examination.

Contact Details :

Staff Selection Commission
Department of Personnel and Training
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
Block No. 12, Kendriya Karyalay Parisar,
Lodi Road, New Delhi-110003
Tele: +91-11- 24360619
Website : www.ssc.nic.in