One of the most sought-after government exams in India is the Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level (SSC CGL) exam. It opens to various posts under central government departments, and the competition is tough. There is a common question that arises among the aspirants: which book is better for SSC CGL? There are so many options of what to get, making it quite a confusing business when you do not know what to buy.
When looking for SSC CGL books, you should know that the SSC CGL exam has multiple layers, and each layer needs a different strategy and method to prepare. Tier-I and Tier-II, in particular, assess a candidate’s understanding of General Intelligence and Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude, English Language and General Awareness. It is therefore important for aspirants to not seek for one perfect book for each subject but to look for reliable and well-structured resources for each subject.
For SSC CGL, a good reasoning book must cover a wide range of topics such as analogies, classification, series, coding-decoding, puzzles, syllogisms, etc. So, when it comes to mastering reasoning, practice is the key, and books that have enough solved examples followed by practice questions of different levels of difficulty can be very useful.
Another core section in the SSC CGL exam is Quantitative Aptitude. An SSC CGL mathematics book should be well organized and should include basic as well as advanced-level topics explained clearly with examples. Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and data interpretation topics are very important. However, buying the right book is what would help in building strong fundamentals and increasing the speed of problem-solving by tricking shortcuts.
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General Studies is one of the scoring yet unpredictable sections. For SSC CGL, an ideal GS book should cover History, Geography, Polity, Economics and General Science. Aspirants should try to memorize basic concepts and stay updated with current affairs rather than remembering facts. A book that is static GK, combined with current events, in a crisp and easy-to-revise format usually works best.
However, it is a tempting decision to bank upon a single all in one guide, but a smarter approach would be to compile subject-wise SSC CGL books. You can then go deep into each of the subjects and tackle your own strengths and weaknesses efficiently. Furthermore, aspirants should also practice mock tests and previous years papers on a regular basis. They give a clear idea of the actual exam pattern as well as how to manage time in the exam.
Finally, there is no one book that is better for SSC CGL. The amount depends on your level of preparation, your learning style, and which out of your available target score range you are aiming for. Don’t follow whatever book is charted or whatever you see most popular. Instead, think about what you need and pick books according to your need. Even the best books have no use if you don’t make a consistent effort to use them as per a proper study plan.
If you are preparing for SSC CGL, then choosing the right GS book for SSC CGL, mathematics book for SSC CGL, and reasoning book for SSC CGL can really make a difference to your preparation process. Therefore, spend your time in research and select resources that suit your objectives.
