The SSC CHSL syllabus covers four subjects in Tier 1 (English, general intelligence, quantitative aptitude and general awareness) and the same four at a deeper level in Tier 2, plus a computer knowledge module and a skill or typing test. The Staff Selection Commission runs this Combined Higher Secondary Level exam for 12th pass candidates who want clerical and data entry posts in central government offices.
On this page: the stage by stage pattern, every topic named in the official scheme, and a CHSL study plan shaped by how many marks each module carries. Tier 1 only opens the door to Tier 2, and Tier 2 alone decides your rank, so plan your months with that in mind.
Exam at a glance
Conducted by
Staff Selection CommissionLevel
12th pass (10+2)Stages
Tier 1, Tier 2 (with skill or typing test), document verificationMode
Computer based testTier 1
100 questions, 200 marks, 60 minutesTier 2 merit papers
Sections I and II: 120 questions, 360 marksNegative marking
0.50 per wrong answer in Tier 1, 1 mark in Tier 2Official website
How the CHSL exam moves from stage to stage
CHSL has two computer based tiers. Tier 1 is a screening test: you must clear it to sit Tier 2, but its marks do not go into your final total. In the latest notice they are used only to break a tie. Tier 2 is held in two sessions on the same day. Session I has three sections: mathematics with reasoning, English with general awareness, and a computer knowledge module. Session II is the skill test for Data Entry Operator posts or the typing test for Lower Division Clerk and Junior Secretariat Assistant posts.
Your final merit is the aggregate of Tier 2 Sections I and II. The computer module and the skill or typing test are qualifying, which means you need to pass them but they add nothing to your score. After that, selected candidates go through document verification. For the full list of age and qualification rules, read the SSC CHSL eligibility page.
SSC CHSL exam pattern for Tier 1 and Tier 2
| Part | Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | English Language (basic knowledge) | 25 | 50 |
| II | General Intelligence | 25 | 50 |
| III | Quantitative Aptitude (basic arithmetic skill) | 25 | 50 |
| IV | General Awareness | 25 | 50 |
| Total | 100 | 200 | |
Tier 1 lasts 60 minutes, and the latest notice gives each subject its own 15 minute timer, so time saved in English is not added to maths. Each wrong answer costs 0.50 marks.
| Section | Modules | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Section I | Mathematical Abilities (30) and Reasoning and General Intelligence (30) | 60 | 180 | 1 hour |
| Section II | English Language and Comprehension (40) and General Awareness (20) | 60 | 180 | 1 hour |
| Section III | Computer Knowledge (qualifying) | 15 | 45 | 15 minutes |
| Section IV | Skill test (DEO) or typing test (LDC/JSA), qualifying | NA | NA | 15 or 10 minutes |
In Tier 2 every right answer earns 3 marks and every wrong answer in Sections I to III loses 1 mark. Questions come in English and Hindi, and in the regional languages listed in the notice, except the English module.
SSC CHSL tier 1 syllabus, subject by subject
English language
- Error spotting, blanks to fill, improving a given sentence
- Synonyms, homonyms, antonyms, detecting misspelt words
- Idioms, phrases and one word substitutes
- Voice change (active, passive) and narration (direct, indirect)
- Shuffling of sentence parts and of sentences in a passage
- Cloze passage and comprehension passage
General intelligence (reasoning)
- Semantic, symbolic, number and figural analogy
- Classification and series of the same kinds
- Coding and decoding, numerical and symbolic operations
- Word building, trends, space orientation, Venn diagrams
- Drawing inferences, punched hole and paper folding, figure completion, embedded figures
- Critical thinking, emotional intelligence and social intelligence
Quantitative aptitude (the ssc chsl math syllabus for Tier 1)
- Number system: whole numbers, decimals, fractions and how numbers relate
- Arithmetic: percentages, ratio with proportion, square roots, averages, interest (simple, compound), discount and the profit or loss on a deal, partnership business, mixtures and alligation, work and time, speed with distance
- Algebra: school identities, elementary surds, graphs of linear equations
- Geometry: triangles and their centres, congruence and similarity, circles, chords and tangents
- Mensuration: triangles, quadrilaterals, polygons, circle, prism, cone, cylinder, sphere, hemisphere, cuboid, pyramid
- Trigonometry: ratios, complementary angles, standard identities, simple heights and distances
- Data: tables, histogram, frequency polygon, bar diagram, pie chart
General awareness
Current events and everyday science, plus India and its neighbours: history, culture, geography, the economy, general polity and scientific research.
SSC CHSL tier 2 syllabus and the computer module
The chsl tier 2 syllabus repeats the Tier 1 topic list for reasoning and general awareness, but the questions are longer, carry 3 marks each and test the same ideas at a harder level.
- Mathematical Abilities: everything in Tier 1 maths, plus statistics and probability: mean, median, mode, standard deviation and simple probability problems.
- Reasoning and General Intelligence: the same verbal and non verbal topics as Tier 1, asked at a higher level.
- English Language and Comprehension: vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure, synonyms and antonyms, plus comprehension passages, one usually based on a story or book and one on an editorial or news report.
- General Awareness: same scope as Tier 1, 20 questions.
- Computer Knowledge: computer organisation, CPU, input and output devices, memory and ports; Windows and keyboard shortcuts; word processing, spreadsheets and presentations; browsing, searching and e-mail; LAN, WAN, URL, IP address and modem; viruses, worms, hacking and basic safety measures.
The skill test for DEO posts asks for 8,000 key depressions an hour, or 15,000 for DEO posts in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, the Staff Selection Commission and the Ministry of Culture. The typing test for LDC and JSA needs 35 words a minute in English or 30 in Hindi.
CHSL weightage: which modules carry the most marks
Because only Tier 2 decides your rank, the 360 merit marks are split like this: maths 90, reasoning 90, English 120 and general awareness 60. English alone is a third of the total, so the ssc chsl english syllabus deserves daily time, not a weekend slot. Maths and reasoning together are half the paper.
In Tier 1 the four subjects are equal at 50 marks each, and the sectional timer means a weak subject cannot be hidden. Aim for a safe score in every section rather than a perfect one in a single section.
A five month plan built on the CHSL pattern
- Month 1: arithmetic basics (percentage, ratio, averages, profit and loss) and grammar rules. Read one editorial a day for vocabulary.
- Month 2: algebra, geometry, mensuration and trigonometry. Daily 30 reasoning questions mixing analogy, series and coding.
- Month 3: general awareness in blocks: history, polity, geography, economy, science, with a short current affairs note each week. Start one sectional test per subject every three days.
- Month 4: full Tier 1 mocks under 15 minute section timers. Fix the topics that cost you most negative marks.
- Month 5: Tier 2 depth: statistics and probability, longer comprehension, the computer module, and typing practice of 15 minutes every day.
Solving the official papers is the best way to test this plan. Our CHSL past papers guide explains how to work through them.
Books and reading material
Use NCERT maths books from class 6 to 10 for arithmetic, geometry and mensuration, and the class 6 to 10 NCERT texts for science, social science and civics from class 6 to 10 for general awareness. A standard school grammar book covers the English topics. For reasoning, any practice book with topic wise exercises works. Print the official topic list, pin it above your desk and strike off each line once you can solve its questions without notes. A monthly current affairs compilation from a newspaper is enough for current events. Other central exams for school leavers are listed in our SSC exams hub.
SSC CHSL syllabus in Hindi
एसएससी सीएचएसएल परीक्षा दो टियर में होती है। टियर 1 में अंग्रेजी, सामान्य बुद्धि (रीज़निंग), संख्यात्मक योग्यता (गणित) और सामान्य जागरूकता से 25-25 प्रश्न आते हैं, कुल 100 प्रश्न और 200 अंक, समय 60 मिनट। गलत उत्तर पर 0.50 अंक कटते हैं। टियर 2 में गणित और रीज़निंग के 30-30 प्रश्न, अंग्रेजी के 40 और सामान्य जागरूकता के 20 प्रश्न होते हैं। हर सही उत्तर पर 3 अंक और गलत पर 1 अंक कटता है। कंप्यूटर ज्ञान और स्किल या टाइपिंग टेस्ट केवल क्वालिफाइंग हैं। अंतिम मेरिट टियर 2 के अंकों से बनती है।
That short summary answers the common search for ssc chsl ka syllabus in Hindi; chsl ka syllabus is identical whichever language you read it in.
Frequently asked questions
Is the SSC CHSL tier 1 syllabus different from tier 2?
The subjects are the same, but Tier 2 adds statistics and probability in maths, longer comprehension passages in English and a separate computer knowledge module. Tier 2 questions also carry 3 marks each against 2 in Tier 1.
Do Tier 1 marks count in the final CHSL merit list?
No. In the latest notice Tier 1 is a qualifying screening stage. Your final merit comes from Tier 2 Sections I and II, and Tier 1 marks are used only to break ties.
What is in the SSC CHSL maths syllabus?
Arithmetic (percentages, ratios, interest, gain and loss, work, speed), algebra, geometry, mensuration, trigonometry and data interpretation. Tier 2 adds mean, median, mode, standard deviation and simple probability.
Does the typing test add to my CHSL score?
No. The typing test for LDC and JSA and the skill test for DEO posts are qualifying. You must reach the required speed, but the result does not add to your marks.
Can I write CHSL in Hindi?
Yes. Questions are set in English and Hindi, and Tier 1 is also offered in the regional languages listed in the notice. The English language module is in English only.
How is CHSL different from CGL?
CHSL is for 12th pass candidates and leads to clerk and data entry posts, while CGL needs a degree and leads to higher posts. Compare topics on the SSC CGL syllabus page.