SSC CGL Preparation Plan for 3 Months: A 12-Week Study Plan with Mocks
A suggested SSC CGL 3-month (90-day) study plan: 12 weeks of topics and mock tests, built on the official Tier 1 pattern of 4 sections × 15 minutes.
Updated 29 October 2026· 7 min read· By RankVyuh Editorial · checked against official notices
Quick answer
A 3-month SSC CGL plan can be split into three 4-week phases: build basics in all four Tier 1 sections, then practise topic-wise under a 15-minute sectional timer, then take full mocks every two or three days. The official Tier 1 paper has 100 questions for 200 marks in 60 minutes, 15 minutes per section, with 0.50 marks deducted per wrong answer.
Three months is enough time to prepare seriously for SSC CGL Tier 1 if you use it in a fixed order: learn, practise, then test. This page gives a suggested 12-week plan with a mock test schedule. The plan is our advice. The exam facts it is built on (sections, marks, timing and negative marking) come from SSC's official notice for the Combined Graduate Level Examination, 2026, published on 21 May 2026.
The Tier 1 pattern your plan must fit
Tier 1 is a computer-based objective test with four sections. As per paragraph 13.8 of the 2026 notice, each section has its own sectional timer of 15 minutes.
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. General Intelligence and Reasoning | 25 | 50 | 15 minutes | Graduation |
| B. General Awareness | 25 | 50 | 15 minutes | Graduation |
| C. Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | 50 | 15 minutes | Class 10 |
| D. English Comprehension | 25 | 50 | 15 minutes | Graduation |
| Total | 100 | 200 | 1 hour |
Three more rules from the notice shape the plan:
- Negative marking: 0.50 marks are deducted for each wrong answer.
- Language: questions are set in English and Hindi, except English Comprehension.
- Scribe-eligible candidates get 20 minutes per section (15 + 5), so 1 hour 20 minutes in all.
Because each section is timed on its own, minutes saved in General Awareness cannot be spent on Quant. That is why this plan uses a 15-minute timer for sectional practice from week 5 onward. Our sectional timing guide explains a minute-by-minute approach for each section.
How the 90 days are divided
The suggested plan has three phases of four weeks each.
- Weeks 1 to 4, foundation. Cover the core topics in every section once, with untimed practice. Take one full mock at the start to find your baseline, and one at the end of week 4.
- Weeks 5 to 8, timed practice. Move to topic tests and 15-minute sectional tests. Take one full mock a week and spend as long reviewing it as you spent taking it.
- Weeks 9 to 12, full mocks. Take two to four full mocks a week, fix the topics they expose, and revise. Ease off in the last few days.
Suggested 12-week SSC CGL study plan
The Quant and Reasoning topics below are from the official Tier 1 syllabus (paragraph 13.10 of the notice). The English and GA rows break the notice's broad descriptions into weekly chunks. The order and the mock counts are our suggestion. If one section is already strong, give its slots to your weakest section.
| Week | Quant | Reasoning | English | General Awareness | Full mocks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Number system, simplification, square roots | Analogy, classification, series | Basic grammar: parts of speech, tenses | Indian polity basics | 1 (baseline) |
| 2 | Percentage, ratio and proportion, averages | Coding-decoding, numerical and symbolic operations | Subject-verb agreement, error spotting | Modern Indian history | 0 |
| 3 | Profit and loss, discount, interest | Venn diagrams, syllogism, statement and conclusion | Vocabulary: synonyms, antonyms, idioms | Geography of India and the world | 0 |
| 4 | Time and work, time and distance, partnership, mixture and alligation | Paper folding, punched holes, embedded figures | Sentence improvement, voice and narration | Economy basics, everyday science (physics) | 1 |
| 5 | Algebraic identities, surds, linear equation graphs | Space orientation, space visualisation, figure completion | One-word substitution, spelling | Ancient and medieval history | 1 |
| 6 | Triangles, centres, congruence and similarity | Indexing, address and date-city matching, word building | Fill in the blanks, sentence rearrangement | Everyday science (chemistry, biology) | 1 |
| 7 | Circles, chords and tangents; mensuration (2D) | Mixed sets under 15-minute timer | Cloze test, reading passage | Indian culture; current events from the last year | 1 |
| 8 | Mensuration (3D), trigonometry, heights and distances | Mixed sets under 15-minute timer | Mixed sets under 15-minute timer | Current affairs: last 6 months | 1 |
| 9 | Data interpretation: bar, pie, histogram; weak topics | Weak topics from mocks | Weak topics from mocks | Current affairs: 6 to 12 months back | 2 |
| 10 | Weak topics from mocks | Weak topics from mocks | Weak topics from mocks | Static GA revision | 3 |
| 11 | Formula revision, speed sets | Speed sets | Vocabulary revision | Current affairs revision | 3 to 4 |
| 12 | Light revision only | Light revision only | Light revision only | Notes revision | 2 to 3, ending 2 days before the exam |
Across the 12 weeks that is roughly 16 to 18 full mocks. The number matters less than what you do after each one.
A suggested daily routine
This assumes about 6 hours a day. Scale it down if you work or attend college, but keep the order.
| Block | Time | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 hours | Quant: learn or revise one topic, then solve 30 to 40 questions |
| 2 | 1 hour | Reasoning: one topic set, timed from week 5 |
| 3 | 1 hour | English: grammar rule or vocabulary list, then a practice set |
| 4 | 1 hour | GA: one static topic plus 20 minutes of current affairs |
| 5 | 1 hour | Review: errors from the day, formula and fact notebook |
On a full-mock day, replace blocks 1 to 3 with the mock and its review.
How to use each mock
A mock only helps if you study it afterwards. After each full mock:
- Note your score and attempts for each of the four sections separately.
- List every wrong answer and every question you skipped but could have solved. Tag each with its topic.
- Check how many marks negative marking cost you. With 2 marks for a right answer and 0.50 off for a wrong one, four wrong answers cancel one right answer.
- Add the two or three weakest topics to the next week's plan.
Section notes for a 90-day plan
Quantitative Aptitude
The notice sets Quant at Class 10 level, but with 15 minutes for 25 questions you have 36 seconds per question. Learn short methods for arithmetic first, because those topics run through the whole syllabus. Keep a formula sheet for geometry, mensuration and trigonometry and read it daily from week 6.
General Awareness
The official GA syllabus covers current events, everyday science, and India and its neighbouring countries: history, culture, geography, economy, general policy and scientific research. It is the hardest to finish in 90 days, so spread it evenly: one static topic a day plus current affairs, rather than leaving it to the end.
English Comprehension
The notice describes this section in one line: understanding correct English, basic comprehension and writing ability. In practice, a grammar rule a day and a vocabulary list a day, followed by error-spotting practice, covers most of it.
Reasoning
Most reasoning questions are short. The figure-based types in the syllabus (paper folding, punched holes, embedded figures, space visualisation) need practice with images, so do them in topic tests and mocks.
Keep Tier 2 in view
Tier 1 only decides who moves on. As per the 2026 notice, candidates are shortlisted category-wise for Tier 2 on Tier 1 marks, and the final merit list is based on Tier 2 only. Tier 2 Paper I covers Mathematical Abilities, Reasoning, English, General Awareness, a Computer Knowledge Test and a Data Entry Speed Test, so the work you do in these 12 weeks carries forward. The minimum qualifying marks in Tier 1 are 30% for UR, 25% for OBC and EWS, and 20% for all other categories, but who actually moves on to Tier 2 depends on the category-wise cut-offs SSC fixes after Tier 1.
Start with a baseline mock
Week 1 of this plan begins with a full mock so you know where you stand. Take SSC CGL Full Mock 1, free. It has four sections of 25 questions with a 15-minute timer each, and the report breaks down your score and time by section. More mocks and guides are on the SSC CGL page.
SSC CGL Tier 1 Full Mock 1, free
Same pattern and timer as the real exam, with a report on what to fix.
Frequently asked questions
Is 3 months enough for SSC CGL preparation?
Three months is enough to cover the Tier 1 syllabus once and take regular mocks, if you study daily and follow a fixed plan. How much you can improve depends on your starting level, which a baseline mock in week 1 will show.
How many mock tests should I take in 3 months for SSC CGL?
Our suggested plan has about 16 to 18 full mocks: two in the first month, one a week in the second, and two to four a week in the third. Reviewing each mock matters more than the total number.
What is the SSC CGL Tier 1 exam pattern for 2026?
As per the official 2026 notice, Tier 1 has four sections (Reasoning, General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude and English Comprehension) of 25 questions and 50 marks each. The paper is 1 hour, with a 15-minute timer for each section, and 0.50 marks are deducted for each wrong answer.
How many hours a day should I study for SSC CGL in 3 months?
SSC does not prescribe study hours. Our suggested routine uses about 6 hours a day, split across the four sections and a daily review block. If you have less time, keep the same order and shorten each block.
Which section should I start with in a 90-day SSC CGL plan?
Start all four sections from week 1, but give Quant the largest daily block, because it has the most topics and the tightest time per question. Use your baseline mock to decide which other section needs extra time.
Sources
- Staff Selection Commission: Notice of Combined Graduate Level Examination, 2026 (21 May 2026)
- Staff Selection Commission (official website)
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