SSC CGL Exam Analysis 1 October 2026 — Shift 2
SSC CGL 2026 Tier 1 · 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM IST · Updated 1 Oct, 5:45 pm IST
Early reviews — numbers may shift as more candidates report.
Reviews of the afternoon paper are fewer and more mixed. Candidate interviews and one analysis called it easy to moderate, with Reasoning simple and Quant formula-based, and some candidates reported 87–92 attempts. Other listings rate it Moderate or harder. English had a tricky spot-the-error set, and the reading passage was reported to match a popular mock passage. Treat these figures as early and unconfirmed.
Section-wise difficulty and good attempts
| Section | Qs | Difficulty | Good attempts |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Intelligence & Reasoning | 25 | Easy | 21–24 |
| General Awareness | 25 | Moderate | 16–17 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | Moderate | 22–23 |
| English Comprehension | 25 | Moderate | 20–21 |
Topics asked, section by section
General Intelligence & Reasoning
EasyReported as simple and doable in about 13–14 minutes. It had coding-decoding, series and an AP-type question. One stacked-box puzzle confused some candidates.
General Awareness
ModerateMostly one-line questions across polity, history and economy. Reports disagree on current affairs: one candidate said there were almost none, while others recalled a few appointment and index questions.
Quantitative Aptitude
ModerateAbout 22–23 questions were reported as doable and mostly formula-based. Reviewers said 15–16 of them resembled previous-year or sectional mock patterns.
- Geometry: circles (about 3), hexagon in a circle, tangents · ~3 →
- Trigonometry and height & distance · ~2 →
- Mensuration: prism and cone · 2+ →
- Profit & loss, time & work, SI/CI, partnership
English Comprehension
ModerateIt had cloze, direct and indirect speech, active and passive voice, synonyms and antonyms, idioms and one-word substitution. The reading passage was reported to be identical to one in a popular mock. Spot-the-error was the trickiest set.
Topics with an arrow link to our free notes and practice questions for that topic.
What candidates noticed
- One candidate said they were allotted a centre far from home despite their city preference. This is a single account.
- A candidate reported the platform lagging; it is unclear whether that was the exam platform or a mock site.
Where reviews disagree
- Difficulty: candidate interviews and one analysis say Easy to Moderate, one listing says Moderate and another says Moderate to Difficult with only 66–78 good attempts.
- Reasoning: most reviews say simple, but one survey video reported low average marks. That video may mix shifts from 30 September and 1 October.
- Quant topics: one reviewer said there was no circle and no DI, while candidates in other interviews reported circle questions.
Other shifts on 1 October
Sources
Compiled and cross-checked from candidate reviews and coaching-institute analyses. Figures are unofficial until SSC releases the answer key.
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FAQs
How was the SSC CGL 1 October 2026 Shift 2 paper?
Candidates rated the 1 October 2026 Shift 2 paper Easy to Moderate overall. Reviews of the afternoon paper are fewer and more mixed. Candidate interviews and one analysis called it easy to moderate, with Reasoning simple and Quant formula-based, and some candidates reported 87–92 attempts. Other listings rate it Moderate or harder. English had a tricky spot-the-error set, and the reading passage was reported to match a popular mock passage. Treat these figures as early and unconfirmed.
What are good attempts for SSC CGL 1 October 2026 Shift 2?
Around 80–90 out of 100 questions, going by candidate and coaching-institute reviews. Accuracy matters more than raw attempts because of the 0.50 negative marking.
Which General Intelligence & Reasoning topics were asked in SSC CGL 1 October 2026 Shift 2?
General Intelligence & Reasoning was Easy. Topics reported: Coding-decoding, Series.
Which General Awareness topics were asked in SSC CGL 1 October 2026 Shift 2?
General Awareness was Moderate. Topics reported: 1991 reforms and Five-Year Plans, Acts and Articles of the Constitution, Ancient, medieval and Mughal history, Appointments and indices.
Which Quantitative Aptitude topics were asked in SSC CGL 1 October 2026 Shift 2?
Quantitative Aptitude was Moderate. Topics reported: Geometry: circles (about 3), hexagon in a circle, tangents (~3), Trigonometry and height & distance (~2), Mensuration: prism and cone (2+), Profit & loss, time & work, SI/CI, partnership.
Which English Comprehension topics were asked in SSC CGL 1 October 2026 Shift 2?
English Comprehension was Moderate. Topics reported: Cloze test, Direct and indirect speech, Active and passive voice, Error spotting.
What was the difficulty level of SSC CGL 2026 Tier 1 on 1 October?
Shift 1 was reported as easy to moderate, with 79–83 good attempts. Shift 2 was mostly called easy to moderate, with some mixed reports. The Shift 3 analysis will be added after the 5 PM paper ends.
How many good attempts were there on 1 October 2026?
For Shift 1, about 79–83 out of 100. Shift 2 reports range from about 80 to 90, though some listings say lower. These are unofficial estimates.
Which Shift 1 General Awareness questions were asked on 1 October?
Candidates recalled questions on IMEC, Chapchar Kut, the Booker Prize, Articles 243 and 131A, the 97th Amendment, the BNS/BNSS and zero FIR, and the first Indian Grand Slam winner. These are memory-based and unofficial.
Is the 15-minute sectional timer still in force?
Yes. Each section locks after 15 minutes and you cannot return to it, so skipping long questions early is important, especially in Quant.
Will a tougher shift lower my final score?
No. SSC normalises scores across shifts, so candidates in a harder shift are not penalised compared with those in an easier one.