Government jobs have always been in high demand. Earlier, it was easy to acquire one as the competition was not high. But with time, the government sector has evolved, and salary scale has gone up many notches. Now, it is seen as the most lucrative job sector. It also offers different jobs to people of varied qualifications levels. But candidates have several misconceptions about these jobs as well. Here are some that have been busted in recent times.
No repetition in question papers
Do you really think that the question paper setters will leave their job to brainstorm to figure out new ways to test your aptitude? You will hardly find a candidate who goes to the examination hall without practicing previous years’ questions. But some tends to leave recent years. It is not a good idea. It has been observed that SSC committee has repeated same questions two or three years in a row. If you practice previous year’s test papers, you will definitely find three to four common questions. These are generally spotted in the English, General Knowledge, Reasoning and Quant sections.
Learn only tricks and short-cuts to ace the math section
Around 90% of SSC-CPO applicants dread the math section. One must keep in mind that the questions are not difficult. They are only tricky. All problems have clues hidden within. If you succeed in identifying it, then you will not go wrong. Candidates who fear math try to find the easy way out. Even professional teachers put stress on learning the fast tricks and short-cuts. If you have a notion that these two will help you to score well in the math section, then it is time to wake up and smell the coffee. Tricks will only assist in doing the calculation fast and double check it. If you put all your money on these, then you will surely lose the bet.
No need to worry about sectional cut-offs
Teachers often guide SSC applicants to invest more time and effort to perfect the sections, where they are strong. In reality, it should be the other way round. Let us analyze it – if you are not in English or GK, then spending considerable time will be enough to crack that section. In case you lack mathematical skills, then investing more time will make you better at it. It is wise to remember that if you fail to answer a sufficient number of questions correctly, from all sections, then you will not make the cut. Though SSC committee does not have any hard and fast rule about sectional mark limits, it reserves the right to set a bar at any time.
Only pay attention to perfecting English grammar
If there is any subject that candidates fear, after mathematics, then it has to be English. You may be good in spoken English. That does not mean you will possess perfect grammar sense as well. Several applicants spend hours with English grammar books as they feel that excellent grammar sense will assist in scoring high marks in this section. It is another myth that needs to be shunned as soon as possible. In the SSC-CPO paper, you will have to tackle around 50 English problems. Not all will be about spotting the grammatical error. There will be only ten such questions. The rest will be related to vocabulary, proper usage, and reading skills.
GK is the toughest section to score
You can prepare well for math and English, but when it comes to GK, you can never be ready. There are so many sections that need attention. There are thousands of events taking place on a daily basis. It is just impossible to know it all. If you have the same misconception, then it is time to bust it. If any candidate reads newspapers regularly, then he/she will be able to answer six questions on international and national events. As for history, geography and other topics, follow patterns of previous years. It might be a difficult section, but it is not impossible to score.
50% is enough to make the cut
As the percentage of candidates who crack the SSC-CPO exam is low, many develop the notion that acquiring about 50% in level I will pave the way to reach level II. In reality, there is no such thing as a safe score. If the overall scoring pattern is low, you can get selected with 45% or less. In case most candidates score 60% on an average, then even 65% will not be enough to take you to the next step. Thus, it is better to chuck such thoughts, and concentrate on studies, and put your best foot forward.
Interview round is just a formality
It is a common myth that has made its home in the minds of applicants. The interview around allows the selection committee to judge the candidate’s common sense, and ability to take potent decisions in a matter of minutes. When you start your profession in the post of SSC-CPO, these qualities will come in handy. No one will ask you to solve some mathematical questions. It also allows the officers to get an idea about the personality of the candidates. !00 marks are allotted to the interview round. In case you fail to impress the selection panel, you will not succeed in bagging the job. Better luck next time.
Tier I and Tire II preparation is entirely dissimilar
Candidates also feel that Tier I is easy as compared to Tier II. The syllabus and preparation will be different. Those who have a feeling that these two levels are different must check out the program at once. In reality, both tiers are almost same concerning the syllabus. In the level I, a candidate had to tackle a lot many topics, while in level II, the curriculum becomes precise. There, you need to answer two separate papers, one on English, and the other on Mathematics. So, you will get substantial time to work on these two subjects and bag the job by answering a maximum number of correct questions.
