The Combined Graduate Level (CGL) Examination is divided into three tiers:
- Tier 1: Written Examination (Objective Multiple Choice)
- Tier 2: Main Written Examination (Objective Multiple Choice)
- Tier 3: Personality Test/Interview or Skill Test (where applicable)
Summary of Tier 1 (Preliminary Exam)
The Tier 1 examination consists of four sections with 50 questions each, contributing to a total of 200 marks. The duration for general candidates is 2 hours, while visually handicapped candidates are given 2 hours and 40 minutes.
Subjects in Tier 1:
- General Intelligence & Reasoning
- General Awareness
- Numerical Aptitude
- English Comprehension
These sections test basic reasoning, general knowledge, arithmetic ability, and comprehension skills at a 10+2 level.
Summary of Tier 2 (Main Exam)
The Tier 2 examination comprises three papers. Candidates must appear in one, two, or all three papers depending on the post they are applying for.
- Paper 1: Arithmetic Ability (200 marks)
- Paper 2: English Language & Comprehension (200 marks)
- Paper 3: Commerce/Mathematics/Statistics/Economics (for specific posts like Statistical Investigators and Compilers)
| Tier | Subject | Topics | Marks/Questions | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | General Intelligence & Reasoning | Analogies, Problem Solving, Decision Making, Visual Memory, Coding-Decoding, Syllogistic Reasoning, Arithmetic Number Series, Non-verbal series | 50 Marks | 2 Hours (2 Hours 40 mins for VH candidates) |
| General Awareness | Current Events, Indian History, Geography, Economic Scene, Polity, Indian Constitution, Sports, Culture | 50 Marks | ||
| Numerical Aptitude | Whole Numbers, Decimals, Fractions, Percentages, Ratios, Averages, Time & Distance, Profit & Loss, Simple & Compound Interest, Mensuration | 50 Marks | ||
| English Comprehension | Vocabulary, Grammar, Sentence Structure, Synonyms/Antonyms, Spelling Errors, Comprehension Passages | 50 Marks | ||
| Tier 2 | Arithmetic Ability (Paper 1) | Number Systems, Computation, Fractions, Percentages, Ratios, Averages, Interest, Profit & Loss, Time & Work, Mensuration, Geometry, Trigonometry | 200 Marks (100 Qs) | 2 Hours (2 Hours 40 mins for VH candidates) |
| English Language (Paper 2) | Error Recognition, Fill in the Blanks, Vocabulary, Spellings, Grammar, Synonyms, Sentence Completion, Comprehension Passages | 200 Marks (200 Qs) | ||
| Commerce/Mathematics/Statistics/Economics (Paper 3) | Probability, Statistical Data, Central Tendency, Correlation, Index Numbers, Time Series, National Income, Inflation, Industrial Policy, International Trade | 200 Marks (200 Qs) |