Important books for SSC CHSL exam aspirants

Akhand Swaroop Pandit

The dates of Staff Selection Commission – Combined Higher Secondary Level Examination (SSC - CHSL) are out and presently students all over the country are rushing to fill the forms online.

The computer-based tier 1 examinations are scheduled next year, commencing on April 12l and concluding on April 27 as per the Government notice. The schedule gives students roughly around 4 months to prepare.

It is, therefore, imperative that aspirants give their hundred per cent in preparing for each level of the exam. And when it comes to preparation for SSCs, students should consider the following tips, resources and books to score better.  

For general intelligence and reasoning, candidates should prepare well for SSC CHSL reasoning by practicing previous years' questions and mock tests. There is no alternative to practice. The more one practices, the better equipped he would be for the final test. This is a scoring section. So, candidates must focus on attempting more questions in less time in this section.

For quantitative aptitude, quant section is the most tricky and time-consuming. Aspirants must ensure that they do not waste much time on one question. Time management is critical, so timing oneself while solving practice questions is essential to continue improving on speed.   

English is a challenge for many students, as it is not our first language. The first tip is to start with the vocabulary. Read newspapers, English novels, and current affairs columns to improve vocabulary knowledge.

 The next step is to work on the basics of English grammar. For this, candidates can refer to Neetu Singh’s English grammar books or any other reference book. The complete reading comprehension section carries 50 marks. So, it is essential that candidates work on comprehension skills. The quicker one is able to understand passages, the faster one will be able to mark the right answers. 

While preparing for General Awareness, students need to prepare for Statis GK with one of the most trusted books – Lucent. Then comes current affairs. For this, candidates should read newspapers daily and take online quizzes to check current affairs knowledge.

Few other books that can be invaluable to SSC candidates are as follows: 

Analytical Reasoning by M K Pandey. This book is an invaluable purchase if you are preparing for SSC CHSL. There may be some concepts that need further refinement in this book, but it deals with all the topics and contains all types of questions that are asked in the General Intelligence section of SSC CHSL exam. You will get a plenty of practice papers and exercises, if you are following the book.

A Modern Approach to Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning by RS Aggarwal. This is the most purchased and referred books for SSC CHSL exam preparation. The book is tailor-made for general intelligence section and along with that, you will get a plenty of practice questions for each topic.

Quantum CAT by Sarvesh Verma. This book is a complete package for SSC CHSL exam considering the tier II exam. You need to have a good understanding of the concepts in order to score well in SSC CHSL since only mugging up formulae will not be of much benefit. The volume of the book may appear heavy and some questions are difficult in comparison with SSC CHSL level. Nevertheless, it’s one good resource for complete preparation.   

The SSC examinations are highly competitive due to the sheer number of students appearing it is one of the most sought after employment exams in the world. Students from all over India are usually preparing for the examinations for months. However, the knowledge of the examination dates really sets one on a mission to succeed. Now that the date of exams are out, it is the right time to burn the midnight oil and give your best shot. 

 — The writer is Founder, Catalyst Group (Online learning platform)

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